How to do tin casting in molding sand

Create your own tin pendants in necklaces

How do you create a tin ornament with your own design? The easiest way is with molding sand, where you make an impression. It can be used as pendants in necklaces, among other things. Perhaps you have heard or seen Thor's hammer cast in tin? This is often the first thing many people do when creating their own design, but of course, you can also cast many other things besides Thor's hammer. According to Workmanship & Design Leader Katrine, there are many options, and she shows the entire process step by step, how to create your own impressions for pendants using molding sand and melted tin.

Suggestions for class instruction:

If you are a class starting to cast tin, it is a good idea to start the instruction in the following way:

1. Have a brief discussion about what tin really is before you start the casting process yourselves.
2. Pass tin bars around to the students, so the students can feel and sense how soft tin actually is.
3. Show different things they can cast with the tin.
4. Show the students the process before their own process begins. In this way, they will gain an understanding of their own process.

Techniques and Skills:

• How molding sand works
• Melting a metal
• Melting process
• Metal processing
• Handling hot objects

Materials you need to cast your own tin pendant:

• Molding sand
• The bottom of a milk carton or other container to hold the molding sand.
• Different objects to press into the sand. For example, buttons, toy figures, pendants, keys....
• Optional self-hardening clay to make impressions with
• Tin bars
• Flower sticks
• Leather fabric
• Optional beads

Tools to use:

• Spoon or teaspoon
• Side cutters or combination pliers
• Casting scoop
• Cooking plate, gas burner, melting bowl, or fire
• Different metal files. For example, a small file, a round file, and a half-round file
• Safety glasses
• Fire or welding gloves