Pewter Casting Types and Styles

Many businesses benefit from modern uses of casting pewter

To cast pewter, one must pour molten pewter into molds where it hardens to create items. These items differ depending on the mixture of copper or antimony with the tin. Lead has been used in the past as an additive to aid in hardening and can be recognized by the bluish hue it leaves in the cast piece.

In the past, cast pewter was used to make house wares and dinnerware. It is currently used for other purposes. Various pewter casting types and styles are practiced and each technique requires special pewter casting supplies to create a wide range of things including:

1. Decorative pewter castings.

2. Custom pewter casting items.

3. Industrial pewter casting for the automotive and marine industries.

 

See the benefits of spin casting pewter

Spin casting is a type of casting that uses the force of rotation to cast an item within a mold. The mold is filled and the casting hardens while rotating. Spin casting is also referred to as centrifugal rubber mold casting.
Try: Pewter casting materials for spin casting can be obtained from Purity Casting Alloys. Find more information on spin casting at Pewter by Design. For a demonstration of spin casting, see the video at Tekcast Industries.

Consider the technique of slush casting pewter for certain applications

Liquid pewter is poured into a cool mold to create a slush casting. As the molten alloy comes in contact with the mold, it hardens, creating a shell figure. This type of casting is best to reduce the weight of items or if the exterior details are important but the inside is not. Many handles are created using this casting style, as are decorations like vases and candlesticks.
Try: Learn about slush casting pewter from The Worshipful Company of Pewterers website. Visit Gibson Pewter for examples of slush cast pewter items. Refer to Pinder Brothers for more information on slush casting.

Use soapstone molds for custom cast pewter

Soapstone is used to create a mold into which liquid pewter is poured and allowed to harden. Any desired design can be carved from the stone. Special grinding and polishing pewter casting equipment will be needed to finish the product. Because of its durability, stone is well suited as a mold for items that need to be replicated many times. Stone is also a good mold choice for detailed items, like jewelry, because it holds the pattern.
Try: Darrell Markewitz shares information on stone casting. Another pewter casting reference is StasoSphere, which includes information on making custom pewter alloy and pewter casting molds.

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