rjward1775

I cast with pewter that I buy off of ebay.

I saw some today for $18 for 3 lbs, and with pewter making up 10% of tin bronze, 3 lbs equals 30 lbs of tin bronze.

Not a terrible price per lb.

Brass contains zinc, which burns out of the solution at melt temp.
Its also a powerful neurotoxin, so leave brass alone.

I do sand casting with beach sand and finely ground kitty litter.

I cast copper and bronze and I use broken brown beer bottles for the flux. They provide a nice O2 barrier and I am told the iron in the glass attracts impurities better than other colored or clear glass.

As for the copper itself, I have had good luck with thin and thick wire, with roofing copper both shiny and brown with patina and even somewhat dirty copper.

I have had good casts come from all of it.