Making Pewter Buttons

[Tim Crosby]

 I needed a button for a pouch I made so I decided to try making one with Pewter. The pictures, although not the best show the procedure. If you have any question just ask.

 The pic shows a Spade bit but after drilling the hole I did not like the groove the outer cutters made, so instead of grinding them off I switched to a Forstner bit, one hole is 3/4, the other 1". I counter sunk the lead hole with a 7/32 bit to make the tab on the back of the button. A little over pour on the one but it cleaned up with a little sawing with a Jewelers Saw. I used Graphite and soot as a release, the hammer and wood block were used to loosen them up, the one Pic shows cleanup on the lathe.

 Tim


 

[rich pierce]

Cool!  Did you have some old pewter laying around?

[James Rogers]

Nice Tim! I had a mold  made from steel . I cant find that mold anywhere so I am inspired to do as you have done. Thanks!
I actually used Tuftex copper nickel for my buttons   

[stubshaft]

Very ingenious.

[Greg Pennell]

I’ve been wanting some pewter buttons as well...this is a super idea for producing a few!  I have some old spade bits that I might reshape just a bit...remove the spurs and round the edges to cut the cavaties. If it works, I’ll post the results.

Greg

[Tim Crosby]

Cool!  Did you have some old pewter laying around?

 Yes I keep quite a bit of it around, I buy old stuff so I can see the color it gets with age, find it cheep at yard sales and flea markets. Cold Blue or Brass Black will turn it dark, and can be adjusted with Steelwool. I will shape the tabs as needed and drill. After looking at them I will probably  thin them down a bit making them a little flatter.
 Necessity; The Mother of Invention.

  Thanks, Tim

[Percy]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.

Percy

[Martin S.]

Slight thread drift...

I have an old plate from my father he no longer wants.

It was a keepsake for work he did in Indonesia in the 60's.

It looks like it could be pewter, or maybe coin silver, hand pounded out to a mold, it is very primitive.

It has some sort of engraving on it, so would not be useful as a plate at rendezvous.

It has no historical value, so I thought I might be able to repurpose it for gun building.

How do I tell if it is pewter or coin silver?

It has some tarnish that I would associate with coin silver, but how can I be sure?

Thank you, I have learned so much on this forum.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Take it to a jeweler and ask him .

[Hungry Horse]

 I have a button mold made the same way, except mine is made of pipe stone from Minnesota. I got the idea from an exhibit in a museum. These molds were often found in the camps of the American rebels during the American revolution. I guess buttons got lost, and broken on a pretty regular basis. The original was soap stone, and had a tapered iron pin that created the hole, without drilling.
 I have found that modern lead free pewter mugs, and flagons, are often engraved as trophies, which makes them pretty hard to sell at the local junk store. You can usually pick them up for almost nothing.

  Hungry Horse

[Tim Crosby]

Slight thread drift...

I have an old plate from my father he no longer wants.

It was a keepsake for work he did in Indonesia in the 60's.

It looks like it could be pewter, or maybe coin silver, hand pounded out to a mold, it is very primitive.

It has some sort of engraving on it, so would not be useful as a plate at rendezvous.

It has no historical value, so I thought I might be able to repurpose it for gun building.

How do I tell if it is pewter or coin silver?

It has some tarnish that I would associate with coin silver, but how can I be sure?

Thank you, I have learned so much on this forum.

 If you don't care if it is destroyed hit it with a Propane torch, Pewter has a low melting point around 450F,
it will melt quickly, Coin Silver around 880. Pewter also bends easily. I have also used metal marked "White Metal", not sure what it is but it melts easily and takes on a good color.

 Tim C.

[Marcruger]

You never cease to amaze me. 

[Barry Myers]

This is what wiki says about white metal:  A white metal alloy may include antimony, tin, lead, cadmium, bismuth, and zinc (some of which are quite toxic). Not all of these metals are found in all white metal alloys. Metals are mixed to achieve a desired goal or need.