Pewter Casting
Tips & Advice to help you make your decision on Pewter Casting
If you are interested in casting pewter into jewelry, trinkets, ornaments, and household items such as candlesticks and knick-knacks, you will need to use specific tools. Pewter casting is a multi-step process that involves handling molten pewter; therefore, it is necessary to be careful by wearing protective gear and using the right types of tools and materials.
Before getting started with casting pewter, make sure that you have appropriate safety gear. You will need to be well-protected in the event of a spillage of molten pewter. Because normal clothing will burn through very quickly, it is advised that personal safety gear be equipped prior to working with the metal. This includes a visor that protects the entire face, a leather apron, leather leggings, and leather gloves that extend to the elbow. Strong leather shoes–preferably with steel toes–are also suggested.
In order to work with the pewter, you will need several tools. You need preshaped molds for your casting–or you can use a knife or hacksaw to shape wood or soapstone into two mold pieces. You also need clamps or strong wire to hold the mold halves together as the pewter cools. Refining tools are also necessary. Once the piece comes out of the mold, you will need pliers, files, and sandpaper to finish, shape, and remove any imperfections in your piece.
Want to learn more about pewter casting? Visit the links on the left, which were carefully compiled by Business.com. These links will give you the information you need to get started casting pewter pieces.
Pewter Casting Key Terms
Understand the pewter casting terminology for making smarter business choicesBy Howard Robertson Pewter casting products are useful for industrial as well as non-industrial applications. The automotive and marine industries use pewter casting products for their durability. The jewelry and sculpture industries use these products for their aesthetic look and formability.
Whether you want to be a supplier of pewter casting products or you want to try pewter casting as a hobby, you will come across various technical terms. This guide intends to familiarize you with important pewter casting terms, such as melting point, captive or jobbing foundry, metric tonne and molds.
Melting point
Melting point of the material is the temperature at which a solid gets converted into a liquid at standard atmospheric pressure. Pewter has melting point of around 230° C. Therefore, furnaces for pewter casting process should be able to heat the material above 230° C.
Try: For the definition of this key term, read through glossary at the Department of Chemistry at Wisconsin University.
Captive or jobbing foundry
If you want to use pewter casting products as components of your products, you will need to establish a captive foundry. If your requirement for pewter castings is not regular, you can opt for a jobbing foundry.
Try: You can read through the explanations for captive and jobbing foundries at the glossary of foundry terms at Atlas Foundry, a jobbing foundry.
mt (Metric tonne)
Casting companies measure their melting capacity in metric tonnes per unit time (hour or shift). One metric tonne is equal to 1,000 kg.
Try: NatSteel Holdings, a supplier of steel and steel products, offers a glossary of steel terms, including the definition for metric tonne.
Ladles
A ladle is a bucket-shaped container that is used for moving and pouring molten metal into a mold. Generally, ladles have refractory brick lining laid internally to avoid damage to the container material.
Try: Ferralloy Inc., a supplier of casting products, offers a glossary of casting terms, including ladle.
Molds
A mold (also called casting die) is a die that has a cavity into which the molten metal can be poured to produce metal components that have the shape of the mold cavity. Pewter can be cast into molds made up of plaster, charcoal, baked clay, soapstone and sand.
Try: MetalCastingDesign.com, an online resource for metal casting buyers, offers a glossary of metal casting terms, such as ladle and mold.
Patterns
A pattern is the exact replica of the component to be produced by the casting process. A pattern is used to form the mold cavity and molten metal is then poured into this cavity. A pattern could be made up of wood, metal or ceramic.
Try: Energy Manager Training offers glossary of terms related to the foundry operations.
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