[TheForge] Fw: [SCA-AS] Links: Medieval Metal Casting (Silver, Pewter, Bronze, Gold,Iron, Steel) and Smelting

[Phlip]

> Greetings. This week's Links List comes to you via a request from Phlip
for
> metal casting information. Since we haven't covered that subject before,
> Here You Go! You'll find info. on Silver, Pewter, Iron, Bronze, Gold and
> Steel. many sites cover several metals. This is not a smithing Links List
> (we've covered that subject in the past), but is all about smelting and
> casting.
>
> As always, please share this list with those who will welcome the
> information.
>
> Cheers
>
> Aoife
>
> Dame Aoife Finn of Ynos Mon, OL
> Riverouge
> Aethelmearc
>
> Medieval Sourcebook:
> Accounts of Tin Mining in Cornwall,
> Stanner Charters of 1198 & 1201
> http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1201Tinmines.html
> (Site Excerpt) All miners and buyers of black tin, and first smelters of
tin
> and merchants of tin of the first smelting have just and ancient customs
and
> liberties established in Devon and Cornwall. Likewise just and ancient
> weights of the first and second smelting of tin, determined by the oath of
> the above-mentioned jurors, and marked with the stamp of the Lord King,
> shall be kept....Also all men have the common right of buying tin by just,
> ancient, and free customs, as they are accustomed to have and ought to
have,
> by the mark from any thousand weight of the second smelting.
>
> Regia Anglorum: Charcoal Burning
> http://www.regia.org/charcoal.htm
> (Site Excerpt) Firstly, why make charcoal? The simple answer is that no
> other combustible substance generates the heat necessary for the forging
of
> metals (by the definition above, 20th century coke is "coal charcoal").
The
> process basically consists of Burning - or literally charring - wood at a
> very slow, controlled rate so that the combustion is never allowed to
> complete and thus turn the raw materials to ash. This is achieved by
> controlling the amount of air involved in the reaction - basically,
covering
> the whole caboose in earth. The process takes about 24 - 30 hours for 3 -
4
> tons of wood (the amount we had available in the lakes) and produces, in
> ideal conditions, about a ton of charcoal. See Also: Iron Working
> http://www.regia.org/ironwork.htm
>
> A Home-Built Charcoal Fired Foundry
> by Gene Elliott (c) 2000  (edited by Steve Kaehler)
> http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200008/GEAR_article.html
> (Site Excerpt) Since I've always wanted a small, portable foundry set-up
> that I could take along for field demos and other special projects,
building
> this furnace gave me the perfect excuse to provide my very own portable
> small parts casting foundry. The picture shows the main apparatus
involved.
> >From left to right, the molding flasks, foundry, the blower hose....
>
> Iron Production-Techiniques and History by Bo Justusson
> http://www.algonet.se/~justus/railways/rw71iron.htm
> (Site Excerpt) Old times. There have been hundreds of iron mines and
> blast-furnaces, and around thousand iron mills. Most of them in Bergslagen
> (far north-west of Stockholm, see map on Early Railways-page). This
> reduction has of course meant enormous changes for the people working in
the
> Bergslag region.
>
> TIN SMELTING AT THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE
> http://www-oi.uchicago.edu/OI/PROJ/GOL/NN_Sum95/NN_Sum95.html
> (Site Excerpt) The archaeological excavations at Kestel and G�ltepe in the
> Taurus Mountains of Turkey, led by Professor Aslihan Yener of the Oriental
> Institute, have disclosed an early Bronze Age tin mining and processing
> operation. There is at least one ancient mine in the area of the
> excavations, now named Kestel Mine, but there are undoubtedly more yet to
be
> found. The experiments aimed at establishing production techniques and
were
> designed to determine the magnitude of tin production at the site of
> G�ltepe.
>
> Early Smelting and Metallurgy
> http://www.unr.edu/sb204/geology/smelt.html
> (Site Excerpt---and page down for a period illustrationof a smelting
> furnace)  Smelting was accomplished initially in an open fire. A hole one
to
> two feet in diameter was dug in the ground. The hole was lined with
> fire-resistant clay or stone. Charcoal was placed in a layer on top of the
> clay, then was covered by copper ore. Charcoal burns particularly hot,
> raising temperatures enough to melt the copper. The charcoal also releases
> gases that react with the copper minerals to reduce them to copper metal.
A
> molten mass of the dense copper formed, topped by lighter waste products,
or
> slag. When the mass was cool, the brittle, glassy slag could be broken
off,
> leaving a cake of refined copper behind. The furnace in this method is
> called an open hearth. Remnants of open hearths have been found in
Sumerian
> ruins.
>
> Smelting, Casting, Smithing
> http://www.rmsg.us/indust/charcoal.htm
> (Site Excerpt)
> During the summer 2000 field season at Scatness, some experimental
> archaeology was carried out near the excavated Broch. A bloomery shaft
> furnace was constructed from clay, and local bog iron ore was smelted. The
> furnace filled with charcoal: bellows and tuyere at left, and thermocouple
> built into furnace wall at front.
> The North Yorkshire Moors Ironworking Project
> http://www.rmsg.us/indust/charcoal.htm
> (Site Excerpt) The North Yorkshire Moors have a history of iron working
> which extends back to the Iron Age. Although modern industry has been
> studied in detail for Rosedale and the Cleveland area, very little
research
> has been undertaken into the industry's origins. The western side of the
> North Yorkshire Moors has several important sites linked to the different
> phases/periods of English iron-smelting technology, focused around
Rievaulx
> Abbey.
>
> Old Rookhope Archive: History of Iron Mining
> http://www.rmsg.us/indust/charcoal.htm
> (Site Excerpt) Iron mining and smelting started in Weardale and Teesdale
at
> least as early as Roman times, as shown by the slag found on small native
> British settlements. The earliest documented iron working in the Rookhope
> Valley is a reference to iron mines in 1154 AD. Both Weardale and Teesdale
> have abundant evidence for medieval iron smelting. Medieval smelting sites
> called bloomeries left distinctive heaps of slag, many of which can be
found
> in the Durham Dales. See also Smelting video:
> http://www.pastperfect.org.uk/sites/oldrookhope/archive/43.html This site
> provides a video of a medieval style smelting furnace complete with
bellows
> work. If youa ccess the page, you will either see the video automatically
or
> get an error message. There is nothing else on the page. If you computer
> loads slowly you may wish to avoid this page as there is no choice given
for
> viewing the video.
>
> Smelting Silver
> http://www.rocks4brains.com/~cat/SmeltingAg.pdf
> An Excellent article in Adobe Acrobat on the subject.
> Pewter Casting in Stone Molds
> http://www.warehamforge.ca/pewter.html (Site Excerpt) The majority of
> jewelry objects remaining from the Viking Age are either made of silver or
> bronze. Silver is commonly found in massed hordes, with coins, ingots,
> fragments forming the largest portion rather than finished jewelry. These
> hordes are obviously collected wealth, hidden in times of peril by owners
> who never returned. The common medium of exchange was obviously silver,
gold
> objects are relatively uncommon throughout Scandinavia. Although simple
> sliver objects are found, many show a very high degree of craftsmanship.
> Complex forming and assembling techniques are commonly seen with silver.
>
> Sources for Pewterers
> in these Current Middle Ages
> Being a list of sources compiled by the Honourable Sergeant Avery
Austringer
> http://home.i1.net/~avery/pewter_sources/pewter_sources.html
> (Site Excerpt) The following is a slightly revised version of a handout
> which I prepared for, Pewter Casting To Go, a class which Charles Oakley
and
> I have taught at Pennsic, in which we teach people how to make small
pewter
> castings and venerate Joe L'Erario and Ed Feldman. While I am one to
> encourage people to try new things, please try them safely - liquid pewter
> is hotter than the hottest thing you want to touch. It will bring water to
a
> boil and much popping and splattering will occur. Carving soapstone
> generates a lot of silicon rich dust. The vapor over molten lead (if you
use
> leaded pewter) is both toxic and bioavailable. You can work with these
> materials safely or you can do yourself grievous harm - it's up to you.
>
> Stefan's Florilegium casting-msg
> http://www.florilegium.org/files/CRAFTS/casting-msg.html
> (Site Excerpt from one message) Beginning Pewter Casting  by Lady Nicolaa
de
> Bracton of Leicester
> Materials needed:
> --Pewter (bar or chip form).
> --heat source (propane torch, stovetop element, casting pot, campfire)
> --Container to heat pewter in (small pot, ladle, etc.)
> --material for mold (preferably soapstone)
> --rubber bands
> --carving tools (dental or woodcarving tools are best, but virtually
> anything will carve soapstone)
> --sandpaper
> --files (microfiles are most useful)
> --tongs or clamps
> --bowl of cold water
> --pliers
> --towels or oven mitts
> A note on pewter: Pewter sold today in craft stores for
> jewellery-making is usually lead free; it is an alloy of copper, tin,
> and antimony. A number of companies also sell pewter for miniature
> casting; this may not be lead-free. If in doubt, ask. Current going
> price for one pound of lead-free pewter in the Toronto area is $10-$17
> CDN. Craft stores are often overpriced; ask your local SCA jewllery
> - and metalworkers for sources.
>
> CASTING SETS --WANT TO GET STARTED--FOR THE LOWEST COST?
> http://www.miniaturemolds.com/casting.htm
> (Site Excerpt)
> Each of our money saving Introductory Casting Set offers contain the
> following:
> (the sets differ from each other only in size of the melting pot)
> *Melting Pot
> *Figure Mold (your choice of a Medieval Knight, Civil War (figure can be
> painted as either a Union or Confederate soldier), American Indian,
> Coldstream Guard silicone rubber mold, or a 3 figure American Infantry WW2
> action mold
> *Ingot of casting metal (composition 10% Tin, 11% Antimony, 79% Lead).
> This ingot will make 5 to 6 54mm (21/4") figures.  You may substitute an
> ingot of lead-free pewter for an additional $3.50.
> *2 Mold Clamps ((when a rubber mold is selected or one metal clamp and a
> pair of wood mold handles, when the metal mold is selected).
> *Heavy Duty Gloves
> *Complete Instructions
>
> Midrealm Order of the Laurel Medieval Arts and Sciences Database: Casting
> http://www.midlaurel.com/wsnlinks/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=196
> Site lists several other sites and references for the art, and ranks them
> according to reliability.
>
> Pewter Casting Alloys: CARN METALS
> Manufacturers of High Quality Tin Casting Alloys and Solders
> http://www.carnmetl.demon.co.uk/index.htm
> This page loads to a menu (farther down the page, otherwise it's almost
> blank) that had the following options: Casting alloys, mould making,
> schools, help with casting problemsasting alloys, mould making, schools,
> help with casting problems; Stained glass work, electronics general
jointing
> and construction of pewter and whitemetals; Alloys, casting using,
cleaning
> general info; properties and uses, tin mining, early technology.
>
> Blowing new life in old technology - Viking Age Metal-casting.
> By Anders S�derberg.
> http://www.frojel.com/Documents/Document02.html
> (Site excerpt) Early medieval founders cast using technology with roots
deep
> in the Bronze Age. The process looked almost the same as it had done for a
> couple thousand years. If the Bronze Age was the golden age of bronze
> casting, the craft didn't die with the coming of iron. Casting in bronze
and
> silver still played an improtant social part through the production of
> jewellery and prestige objects, a production of social codes expressing
> identity and belonging; sworn fidelity and social ranking. All confirmed
by
> a system of gifts, sometimes almost strong enough to give each object a
life
> of it's own; at least this may have been the way contempory man regarded
it.
> I have devoted the last three years to examining some of these crafts in
> detail. I have worked particularly with reconstructed bronze and silver
> casting, supportedby excavation publications and earlier experimental
> projects. There have been many of them in recent decades, with varying
> ambitions and results, but the most extensive are probably the Danish and
> English. These projects are also the best documented.
>
>
> Swedish Silver - Silver In The Middle Ages (circa 1050-1520) (An older
Book
> for Sale circa 1951)
> http://www.oldandsold.com/articles03/silver24.shtml
> (Site excerpt) In periods of strife, people buried silver, and many a
> rightful owner did not live to unearth his fortune, which remained for
> centuries until plow or spade happened to strike the treasure. A famous
> example is the Lohe fortune, which lay hidden in the double floor of a
> Stockholm house for almost two centuries, and came to light only when the
> house was razed in 1937
> The role of silver as heirloom and investment involved a strict system of
> guarantees as to purity. In countries outside Sweden, hallmarks were
issued
> as early as the thirteenth century. In Sweden it was decreed in 1485 that
> gold- and silversmiths should "put their mark on whatsoever they made."
Duke
> Karl IX in 1596 proclaimed that along with their marks, smiths should
> imprint the insignia of their city arms on each piece.
>
> Silver smithing Supplies--Silver Casting Grains and Cheap Clean Scrap
Silver
> (Retail Merchant/supplier)
> http://www.ccsilver.com/silver/scastg.html
>
>
>  SRS Lost Wax and Stone Casting Supplies (Retail Merchant)
>  http://www.srs-ltd.co.uk/
>
> Ancient History:
> Cire Perdue: Lost Wax Casting (mainly about GOLD in Indonesia)
> http://www.nusantara.com/heritage/wax.html
> (Site excerpt) Gold has always been an important medium of expression for
> Javanese craftsmen. In prehistoric times, gold-foil masks were used to
cover
> the faces of the dead. These gold pieces were made by beating the gold
with
> a hammer. While this technique was widely used in various parts of
Indonesia
> and Southeast Asia, a more effective technique was adopted in Java during
> the early centuries AD, whereby heat was used to work gold. This new
method
> not only cuts down the time spent in making gold objects, but is also
> responsible for the creation of more intricate designs. The technique is
> known as lost wax casting.
> Click on the red buttons to see an illustration of each stage of the
lostwax
> casting process.....
>
> Scandinavian bronzecasting in Viking Age and Early Middle Ages
> Anders S�derberg
> http://members.chello.se/vikingbronze/casting.htm
> (Site Excerpt) Bronze casting is an elegant play with a couple of
> cubic-decimeters of borrowed hell. It�s quite handy as it�s limited to a
> small pit, but deceptive as you easily could be seduced to think you�re
its
> master. Who�s terms you�re working under is obvious each time you
accidently
> put your thumb too close to the hearth, or when you in distraction almost
> grips the crucible with your fingers. These things bite, and they bite
> bad... Early medieval casting had deep traditions since Bronze Age. The
> Viking Age process probably looked quite the same as it already had done
for
> a couple of thousand years. If Bronze Age was the golden age of bronze
> casting, the craft didn�t die with the coming of iron. Metal casting still
> played an important social part by the production of jewellery and
prestige
> objects, a production of social codes telling about identity and
belonging;
> of sworn fidelity and of alliances. All confirmed by a system of
giftgiving,
> almost strong enough to give each object a life of its own; at least this
> may have been the way contemporary man regarded it.
>
> Viking Bronze: Blowing new life into Ancient and Early Medieval Metalcraft
> http://members.chello.se/vikingbronze/vikingbronze.htm
> (Site Excerpt) This page deals with ancient metalcraft and research mainly
> from a reconstructional and experimental basis. The page will provide
texts,
> resources and links related to the archaeology of ancient and early
historic
> metalcrafts. The Iron Age/early Middle Age founders cast in techniques
with
> roots deep down in Bronze Age and the methods presented here could, with
> slight adjustments, be said to be relevant for all the Scandinavian Iron
Age
> and up into the Middle Ages.
> ORB:
>
> Medieval Iron and Steel -- Simplified by Bert Hall
> Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
> University of Toronto
> http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/culture/scitech/iron_steel.html
> (Site Excerpt)
> Pure, unadulterated iron is only moderately hard, as anyone who has bent a
> nail with a hammer can attest. When it becomes red hot, say at about 700
> degrees Celsius, it can be easily bent and formed into whatever shape the
> artisan wishes -- straps, hinges, horseshoes. For this reason we speak of
> "wrought iron," (wrought, from wreak, to bend or twist). Unfortunately, it
> is also only moderately tough; it can easily be bent when being used. It
> also loses any sharp edge very quickly under the pressure of work or
> abrasion.Cast iron, on the other hand, is enormously strong. Cast iron
takes
> its name from the fact that it emerges from the smelter in liquid form
(see
> below) and can be cast into moulds rather like bronze or silver.
> Unfortunately, it is rather brittle, and worse, it can't be bent or shaped
> in any way once it has solidified. Hammering on red hot, even white hot,
> cast iron will simply break it. Steel, iron with a small amount of carbon
> dissolved inside its structure, combines the best of both worlds. It can
be
> cast into moulds from the furnace, shaped when red hot, and it holds an
edge
> when it has been sharpened, even under fairly heavy use. Steel is clearly
> the prince of ferric metals, but it's not easy to make.
>
> Cauldrons and the Development of Cast Iron for Domestic Use
>  By: Jacob Selmer
> Last revised: 10/31/2003
> http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/cauldrons.htm
> (Site Excerpt) The study of early metallurgy and metalworking often
focuses
> on military and industrial applications.  However, the everyday uses of
> metals are sometimes overlooked.  In particular, the cauldron played an
> essential role in day-to-day life.  Modernly, manufacturers make these out
> of cast iron, but Europeans did not begin using this material until early
in
> the fifteenth century and mass production of cast iron did not happen
until
> the eighteenth century.  This report discusses some of the history and
> importance of cauldrons and focuses on the development of cast iron for
> everyday use.Celtic cauldrons: Cauldrons in Celtic life played an
important
> role.  More than just essential cooking vessels, they could also have
> magical qualities attributed to them.  Cauldrons and chalices appear in
many
> Celtic tales and rituals.  Early Celtic metalworkers generally crafted
these
> cauldrons from brass or bronze, which they either cast into a single piece
> or forged in multiple pieces and joined with rivets and solder.
> Archaeologists found one such cauldron at Gundstrup, Denmark (Figure 1).
> This highly decorated vessel from the first century B.C. consists of
> thirteen silver gilt panels, combining to create a 27-inch diameter
cauldron
> (Lang, 83-85, Eluere, 116-117).  The expense of Celtic cauldrons made them
> unaffordable for most people and consequently, the craftsmen often took
> great care to make them works of art.
>
> Arch-Metals Archaeo-Metallurgical Bibliography
> INDEX
> http://users.ox.ac.uk/~salter/arch-metals/met-index.htm
>
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