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Casts of lead and tin

When it is often melted, it becomes brittle &
fl frangible, because it is cast very hot &
renders it half calcined. Therefore, use new ones. 

The alloy that I have put in use for lizards &
snakes is two ℥ of fine tin for one lb
of new & unadulterated lead. The mold is made of the
above said sand, common to all metals, when it is reheated let it
cool until you can hold your finger without harm
in the hole of the gate. As for lead, one melts it in a
crucibleju in the fire, with
bellows, until the crucible & the lead are
red. When it is in this state, purge it again of charcoal, either
with a scraper made for this purpose or with the wind of a
little bellows. l This done, let it rest
thusly red & reheat a little on its own, then throw in, if you want,
a little resin, to burn the filth. However some find it
better not to put any in, because it leaves filth. But, when they
are ready to cast, they ought not to forget to throw inside as well,
as big as a bean of looking-glass tin for each
lb of lead, and that it e should be
red like melted metal when it enters in the mold. And if
the mold is big, it is better to put it in a press, in
order that it joins well & that the lead does not spread at
all outside the mold. However, should this happen & that
for the first or second or third time your mold were not full,
cast boldly, for, provided that your metal is red, it will set
again & join with the other, and come out very neat, like the
principal one. The same can be said for fine tin for thin things.
And the alloy of fine tin is one ℥ of new lead
for one lb of this. Large molds should be placed in
very tight presses, between two sheets of
copperpu & then bury them in the sand,
which is better than ash, because
il is by its weight it seals
better. Otherwise these large molds are subject to
opening slightly by the weight of the metal. Some make square
pots


When the medal is thick, one is not bound to casting as hot as when it
is thin.

+

Note that if you want to cast with cuttlefish
bone, they ought not be very hot, because they will burn the
cuttlefish bone. Test for this effect with
paper. If it reddens the paper, it is
enough, it is good to cast, but if it blackens the
paper, it is too hot.


@If you want to cast a written paper, make your alloy with
plomhalflead & halftin & as soon as it is melted, cast between two
cartons, in a very flat &
level place & with a point of gold or hard
wood, engrave on the left the writing that you want. And having
poured lead on a carton, press on top
with the other adapted carton.

