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I Forge Iron

How to Tinwash Copper


tharpforge

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The times I saw it done first it was warmed then sal amonic flux was rubed on then pieces of tin were added and the vessel was heated till the tin started to flow
He then rubbed the tin around the vessel using a wad of fiberglass insulation giving it an even coat
This was done by Dr Iron Doug Hendricson at a demonstration

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I wouldn't expect that it would take much tin to put a wash on a pot.

If you have a store nearby that sells stained glass supplies, you can buy ammonium chloride (sal ammoniac) there. I'm pretty sure you can buy tin cheaper than that McMaster link has it -- although it certainly won't be cheap, even at the best possible price. McMaster's prices are pretty high on a lot of items -- which in my view is justified by the fact that you'll probably get your order tomorrow.

I used to have contact info for a guy who was selling tin at much more reasonable prices than most. I'll try to dig it up.

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When I did it I just bought flux and tin---*much* cheaper at rotometals.com

http://www.rotometals.com/Tin-Ingot-s/27.htm

$16.99 per pound at roto metals instead of $44.11 at McMaster-Carr

Heated the pan, fluxed it and rubbed the tin around with a pad of old bluejeans material. I'll have to try the fiberglass!

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or you could go to Goodwill and by a pewter tankard for ninety-nine cents and have all of the tin you needed for a goodly number of copper pots. Modern pewter is lead free so no need to worry about the "lead" poisoning factor. Look for the tankards that say "Made in England" as they have some of the toughest safety food standards for pewter.

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Matt, Was it stamped "pewter" if not then it was probably made of aluminum and came from China. I bought a couple like that and found out like you that they were not true pewter but recycled soda pop cans.
Thomas, I don't know about the newer lead free solders, I guess if they are good enough for the EPA to use in potable water supplies then the may be good enough to use in copper cook ware. I guess it depends on what the rest of the solder is made of.

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