pewter? in metal slad plates?

[Bill]

just back from a gigantic flea market. there for sale were old metal (of some sort) plates that you used to get aat the restaurant that were chilled to serve your salad on. Queston is, they were advertised as having pewter in them. Pretty sure they are mostly aluminum, but definitely not sure what they were made of? Has anyone ever messed with this? I was thinking of melting some of them down for use as raw material for nose caps, etc, and just curious if anyone had any thoughts on what they aere actually made of.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I have a big stack of heavy "pewter" chargers we bought in Mexico in the 1980s....I have been wondering the same thing...

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Years back there was a company making metal plates and cups that they called Armetale, it was a pewter substitute I think it is largely aluminum. It may still be made today.

[Bill]

Wilton is the company that apparently still makes/sells Armetale metal dishes, etc. A press release states the primary ingredient is aluminum. no mention of pewter, but it did say no lead. makes sense no lead since the product is used for food. results of a google search

[Trkdriver99]

Throw one in the pot and try to melt it. If it does it is pewter, if not it is something else. I got some cups that I tried to melt, but they were something else and would not melt in a lead pot and turkey burner. I heard that some of that stuff is state metal?

Ronnie

[Glenn]

What about antimony?  I understand some of that is being sold nowadays as a type of pewter "substitute"  

[Glenn]

Here Ya go Bill ... maybe these folks may be of some help ...   Seem to have some interesting stuff.

I plan on working with pewter myself.  Please let us know how they turn out if you contact them.

Here's the link:  http://www.theantimonyman.com

(Glenn)

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

If you'r looking for pewter for moulding muzzle caps, Track sells pewter ingots just for that purpose.  Here is the link.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/TableList.aspx?catID=14&subID=166&styleID=959

[Tim Crosby]

  I buy all the Pewter I use at Flea markets.  Some pieces are marked on the bottom Pewter some are marked White Metal, which works well. Two things I look for, does it bend easily and is it tarnished, think about how you want the finished piece to look. If it is shiny or bright it is probably not Pewter.
 If you look around you will find plenty of pieces in the $5 range, I buy every price I see in that price range.   


  Tim C.

[Bill]

thanks Tim, i will use those clues at my next flea market adventure. I picked these up as they were exceedingly cheap, and i thought they might be fun to mess with.

[Dphariss]

just back from a gigantic flea market. there for sale were old metal (of some sort) plates that you used to get aat the restaurant that were chilled to serve your salad on. Queston is, they were advertised as having pewter in them. Pretty sure they are mostly aluminum, but definitely not sure what they were made of? Has anyone ever messed with this? I was thinking of melting some of them down for use as raw material for nose caps, etc, and just curious if anyone had any thoughts on what they aere actually made of.

Pewter bends too easy for commerical use as plates. Best these plates will "ring" if struck. Pewter won't.
If you want pewter try to find some Sliva-brite 100 solder. http://www.silvaloy.com/silvabrite100.php
 Its identical, or nearly so, to one of the old food safe pewters. Other tin/copper/silver alloy solders are as well.
I used it for many pewter tips on various firearms but the local lumber yard does not carry it any more and I am down to about 1/2 a pound. The other similar solders don't pour as well and the color is little "off".
Dan

[JDK]

Excuse me, but if the stuff from TOTW is $5.95 a pound does the silvaloy work easier/better?  I just google'd it and found it about $21 per pound.  I've never used either one.  J.D.K.

[LURCHWV@BJS]

  This is a cool topic,  I've been experimenting alot with pewter lately.  Just as it has been said Flea markets, second hand stores, even yard sales have yeilded me quite a bit of Pewter.  Like Tim said. If it bends easy or is marked Pewter Buy it.  There's a Company in Clarksburg Wv Making Pewtalloy been wanting to explore that route, but the link given by Micah, I think I'll go with what I know

If you'r looking for pewter for moulding muzzle caps, Track sells pewter ingots just for that purpose.  Here is the link.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/TableList.aspx?catID=14&subID=166&styleID=959

   Rich

[Dphariss]

Excuse me, but if the stuff from TOTW is $5.95 a pound does the silvaloy work easier/better?  I just google'd it and found it about $21 per pound.  I've never used either one.  J.D.K.

TOW shows pewter beads at 5.99 for a 1/4 pound. 1/4 pound is not enough to pour a pewter tip and do it right.
The forend cap stuff they are showing as "pewter" is apparently not since its described as "forend cap alloy" nor does it state "non-toxic" as their pewter does. I kinda doubt its high tin content since tin is over $10 a pound right now and has not been under 6 for at least a year.
Silver is up and I have found some silver bearing solder in ACE Hardware that was about 30 a pound but it poured a good cap being very similar in alloy to silva brite.
I never bothered to buy metal for forend caps from TOW since I could buy stuff that worked and looks good in town and the actual alloy was on the label.
Dan

[JDK]

Thanks Mr. Phariss.  Now it makes sense.  J.D.K.

[Bill]

thanx Dan, i often wondered if the 1/4 pound bags were enough to work with. I've been wanting to work up a "pewter" bolster on a knike or gun stock ever since I read Mr. Ben Hunt's book on making all of those cool things he showed us how to do.

[t.caster]

I usually find old pewter items at garage sales for a dollar or less. This includes cups saucers, salt&pepper shakers, belt buckles, you name it. Antiques stores have them too, but want more for them. Sometimes my wife takes a liking to it and won't let me melt it down though. If it's real pewter it usually has a mark like "PW" or the word pewter on the bottom.

[hawknknife]

I have used the ingots from Track many times for tomahawk top and base caps and nose caps.  It pours good, ages well and is enough in one ingot to do four pipe axes or 3 rifles.  Must have some lead in it as it has the "Don't eat the lead" caution in the package.

[Glenn]

I have used the ingots from Track many times for tomahawk top and base caps and nose caps.  It pours good, ages well and is enough in one ingot to do four pipe axes or 3 rifles.  Must have some lead in it as it has the "Don't eat the lead" caution in the package.

Thanks for posting this information on TOW's product.  I have purchased some and plan to use it in the future.

[LURCHWV@BJS]

Now as for the original question of the plates.  I started wondering this very question so today I did some experiments.  I found that plates maked pw  melt and pour just as you would expect.   Pewterloy  melts at a very high temperature.  And destroys any wood it contacts.  Pewtalloy   melts at lower temps,  around   160degrees.  If you find something that look like,feels like pewter try melting it.  You'll know quickly whether or not you can use it


   Rich

[snrub47]

Babbit.  I buy one pound bars of babbit for pouring nosecaps, etc. Melts a low temp, works easy and does not tarnish like some pewters.

[Dphariss]

Babbit.  I buy one pound bars of babbit for pouring nosecaps, etc. Melts a low temp, works easy and does not tarnish like some pewters.

This will depend on the alloy of the particular babbit metal. There are many and some have pour temps of 1000+ degrees.
Many babbits have high levels of lead.
Dan

[LURCHWV@BJS]

Babbit.  I buy one pound bars of babbit for pouring nosecaps, etc. Melts a low temp, works easy and does not tarnish like some pewters.

  Where do you purchase this babbit?

   Rich

[Glenn]

Babbit.  I buy one pound bars of babbit for pouring nosecaps, etc. Melts a low temp, works easy and does not tarnish like some pewters.

  Where do you purchase this babbit?

   Rich

Give these folks a try.  Maybe they can get it for you if they dont have it:

www.onlinemetals.com

One famous source for babbit is engine crankshaft and rod bearings.  If you can find an engine builder that does tear-downs you can probably ask for the old main and rod bearings out of their core engines and possibly melt the babbit out of them.  I dont know what the lead content would be but you could get them at this source for next to nothing if not for free.