I'm just getting-into melting-down cans to make aluminum-based slingshots, hammers and the like. In my ignorance I didn't realize that copper/brass were also things that I could process which has left me hoping to learn:
should I be looking to make an alloy or using 1 metal and, if 1, which would be optimal?
are there any "additional treatments", such as quickly cooling the hot metal-product into a block of ice, or perhaps having the casting box on a vibrating-panel to further 'settle' things? All I know to do for increased-strength is to make as-clean-as-possible a mix IE scoop as much slag/skim from the top of the molten metal as possible!
is there enough variance among aluminum (or non-alloy metal products) to make it worthwhile to source specific-types, IE maybe aluminum from a car-engine part will make a stronger/better ingot than one made from a heap of aluminum cans?
A hammer and a sling-shot are my 1st goals with this, so while I'm not the best at knowing 'strength-types' I don't think "tensile" strength will be as important as yield-strength or compressive-strength but not sure, if I've gotta choose between optimizing for the slingshot OR the hammer, the hammer is far more important (and I'm not interested in working with lead to do this!)
Thanks a ton for any insight on this am in the middle of diving-in, learning I could do this at-home was truly a christmas-present LOL :)