Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Britannia Metal
Britannia Metal is a lead-free tin-based alloy of roughly 92-94% Sn with antimony and copper, historically used for tableware and now serving as a precursor formulation to modern lead-free pewter.
Reference datasheet — Britannia Metal is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the F condition
Britannia Metal tempers and conditions
Britannia Metal is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. F is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Choose for maximum ductility in deep drawing, hand raising and intricate spinning. | 22 | 55 | 45 | 19 HB | 9 % IACS |
FDefault As fabricated | Default supply as ingot for melting and casting of figurines, tankards and tableware bodies. | 28 | 60 | 25 | 23 HB | — |
Hardened | Standard mill sheet condition for spinning blanks, stampings and hollowware panels. | 45 | 75 | 35 | 28 HB | 9 % IACS |
Spun / work-hardened formed part | Condition of finished spun or hammered hollowware after heavy local cold work. | 52 | 82 | 18 | 31 HB | 8.8 % IACS |
What is Britannia Metal?
Britannia Metal is a lead-free tin-based alloy of roughly 92-94% Sn with antimony and copper, historically used for tableware and now serving as a precursor formulation to modern lead-free pewter. It spins, draws, stamps and gravity or centrifugally casts easily (formability score 70, machinability 65), so it is supplied as sheet, strip and spun or cast hollowware. Strength is low — 28 MPa yield, 60 MPa tensile, 25% elongation, 23 HB — and maximum service temperature is about 100 °C. No formal designation is on file; for current production choose a modern lead-free pewter. Britannia Metal has a density of 7.35 g/cm³ (0.266 lb/in³), lighter than 84% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 235°C (455 °F). Britannia Metal has a yield strength of 28 MPa (4.06 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 51% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 25% and the elastic modulus is 50 GPa (7.25 Msi).
What is Britannia Metal used for?
- Antique-style tableware
- Decorative hollowware
- Candlesticks and trays
- Historical reproduction items
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 90/100, better than 100% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 65/100, better than 96% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Stiff — 50 GPa (7.25 Msi), better than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Lightweight — 7.35 g/cm³ (0.266 lb/in³), better than 84% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Readily welded — 30/100, better than 83% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 25%, worse than 76% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Britannia Metal properties
Typical room-temperature values for Britannia Metal-F; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
Britannia Metal has a density of 7.35 g/cm³ (0.266 lb/in³), lighter than 84% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 235°C (455 °F).
Mechanical11
Britannia Metal has a yield strength of 28 MPa (4.06 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 51% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 25% and the elastic modulus is 50 GPa (7.25 Msi).
Thermal6
Britannia Metal is rated for continuous service to 100°C (212 °F). It conducts heat at 52 W/m·K (30 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 72% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 22.5 µm/m·K (12.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Britannia Metal conducts electricity at 9 % IACS, worse than 54% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (65/100), better than 96% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Britannia Metal takes about 290 MJ of energy and emits 17 kg of CO₂ — more than 69% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
Britannia Metal's machinability is good (65/100, better than 78% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability poor (30/100); formability very good (70/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the solder & low-melting alloy family
Yield strength against density for every solder & low-melting alloy grade FabDigit runs. Britannia Metal is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Britannia Metal
Is Britannia Metal easy to machine?
Machines easily but is gummy — use sharp high-rake HSS tools, high speed, light cuts and paraffin/oil to avoid smearing and built-up edge.
Can Britannia Metal be welded?
Not arc welded; parts are soft-soldered or 'burned in' with a low-temperature torch using a matching tin-antimony filler, keeping the work below ~250 °C.
Can Britannia Metal be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent for spinning, deep drawing, stamping and gravity/centrifugal casting into steel, rubber or plaster moulds; low pouring temperature (~300–330 °C) and minimal shrinkage.
Britannia Metal chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Sbsolid-solution / SbSn hardening | 4 – 8 | 5.5 |
| CuCu6Sn5 network, raises hardness and creep resistance | 0.25 – 2.5 | 1.5 |
| Bioptional, some historic/modern pewters | 0 – 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Pbrestricted for food-contact / lead-free pewter | 0 – 0.05 | 0 |
| Znimpurity limit, causes dross | 0 – 0.01 | 0 |
| Feimpurity limit | 0 – 0.02 | 0 |
| Asimpurity limit | 0 – 0.05 | 0 |
| Snbalance tin | ≥ 90 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Britannia Metal?
Polishes to a bright silver-like lustre with fine abrasives and rouge; can be brushed, oxidised/antiqued chemically or electroplated with silver, but it is not anodizable.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Britannia Metal in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- Britannia Ware Alloy
How much does Britannia Metal cost?
Britannia Metal is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Britannia Metal — frequently asked
What is Britannia Metal used for?
Britannia Metal is typically used for antique-style tableware, decorative hollowware, candlesticks and trays and historical reproduction items. In short: lead-free pewter precursor; spins and casts easily; low-temperature casting alloy.
What is the yield strength of Britannia Metal?
Britannia Metal has a typical yield strength of 28 MPa (4.06 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 51% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Britannia Metal easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (65/100, better than 78% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Machines easily but is gummy — use sharp high-rake HSS tools, high speed, light cuts and paraffin/oil to avoid smearing and built-up edge.
Can Britannia Metal be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (30/100). Not arc welded; parts are soft-soldered or 'burned in' with a low-temperature torch using a matching tin-antimony filler, keeping the work below ~250 °C.
What surface finishes work on Britannia Metal?
Polishes to a bright silver-like lustre with fine abrasives and rouge; can be brushed, oxidised/antiqued chemically or electroplated with silver, but it is not anodizable.
Can Britannia Metal be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent for spinning, deep drawing, stamping and gravity/centrifugal casting into steel, rubber or plaster moulds; low pouring temperature (~300–330 °C) and minimal shrinkage.
What is the maximum service temperature of Britannia Metal?
Britannia Metal is rated for continuous use to about 100°C (212 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Britannia Metal-F and Britannia Metal SPUN?
F is the default condition — default supply as ingot for melting and casting of figurines, tankards and tableware bodies. SPUN: condition of finished spun or hammered hollowware after heavy local cold work. Yield strength is 28 MPa in F versus 52 MPa in SPUN.
How much does Britannia Metal cost?
Britannia Metal is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM B560 Standard Specification for Modern Pewter Alloys — ASTM International (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol.2: Properties and Selection — Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (Tin and Tin Alloys) — ASM International (1990)
- The Properties of Tin and Tin Alloys (ITRI/International Tin Association technical data) — International Tin Association (2018)
- Lead-free pewter casting and sheet alloy data — pewter alloy producers (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.