Author Topic: Pewter always find the worst place  (Read 9798 times)

Offline Ken G

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Pewter always find the worst place
« on: October 22, 2009, 04:18:58 AM »
If you have seen my tutorial you will notice I stress covering every hole and place that pewter can get in or spill.  Normally I wrap the the entire lower part of the gun in paper so spills will not get on anything.  Well I was in a little bit of a hurry this evening.  Guess which step I decided to short cut.  I can't think of a worse place for the glob to hit.  Right on the frizzen spring and yes it is all in the roller. 


« Last Edit: October 22, 2009, 04:26:21 AM by Ken Guy »
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2009, 04:38:51 AM »
Ah.  :(
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Offline Nate McKenzie

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2009, 04:51:27 AM »
Have you tried to get it off? If the lock was well oiled it should peel off fairly easy. Best of luck.

J.D.

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2009, 04:56:33 AM »
OOOH, what a mess. Maybe you will get lucky and lock will have been cool enough that the pewter didn't muck up the works too bad. With luck it will peel off rather easily.

God bless

Offline Ken G

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2009, 05:12:12 AM »
Much to my surprise it came off pretty easy.  Had to work to get it out of the roller frizzen contact area but it did not stick to anything and wasn't too thick in there so I was able to break it up and pry it out. 

No more short cuts for me. 

Ken
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Offline Bill of the 45th

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2009, 05:13:23 AM »
Don't worry Ken it's a Chambers, Barbie can fix it right up.  That's covered in the warranty clause isn't it? ::)

Bill
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Offline Ken G

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2009, 05:17:23 AM »
Bill,
Funny, I thought the exact same thing.  Wonder if Chamber's warranty covers pewter fouling.  

Ken
« Last Edit: October 22, 2009, 05:18:15 AM by Ken Guy »
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Offline KentSmith

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2009, 07:15:13 AM »
Had it worse.  got it in the barrel lug once. 

Birddog6

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2009, 01:04:02 PM »
Ahhhh............  so that is where you were hiding last night.......  in Poured Pewter  "Oh $#@*"  mode !!

Well, I had to laugh, in fact I just burst out laughing as soon as I saw it !!  ha ha !! ;D  Man..... that is something I could do so easy...... make a mess like that......  That has   me  written all over it.   ;D

Don't worry Ken, we are not going to run out of pewter. I just salvaged 5# more last week, so if you fill a barrel with it, we still have plenty !!  ha ha ha !!   ;)


Kinda reminds me of my first experience with Super-Glue......   :-[
« Last Edit: October 22, 2009, 01:14:18 PM by Birddog6 »

Offline Lucky R A

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2009, 01:38:46 PM »
   Better there than down the ram rod hole!
"The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better work."  - Elbert Hubbard

Offline Ken G

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2009, 02:39:54 PM »
Yes, I was in the "Oh S#*#" mode last night.  Turned out OK but something like that always increases the pucker factor. 

Ken
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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #11 on: October 22, 2009, 03:55:51 PM »
  I have an LARGE old stainless spoon that I bent to form a narrow spout, I melt the pewter in the spoon. When pouring I use a support stick, kind of like a sign painter would rest his arm on, the form at 90 deg the support at about 45 deg to it, rest the spoon on the support and pour.
 My pouring efforts have improved  greatly with the support.

 Tim C.

PS: Now voids in the dam is another story ;)     

Offline Dennis Glazener

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #12 on: October 22, 2009, 05:10:49 PM »
Consider yourself lucky! Like kent, I had mine fill up the front barrel hanger/mortise and yes the pin was in it! If you want to see how much pressure those shallow dove tails can take, try this for yourself!
Dennis
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northmn

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2009, 05:14:54 PM »
You are probably obligated to attend church for the next few Sundays if you don't.  Things like that are what keeps us on our toes.  I am sure many new builders can tell you how to avoid such things.

DP

Offline Ken G

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #14 on: October 22, 2009, 05:17:26 PM »
Dennis,
I've had that happen also.  Thanks goodness I was able to take a soldering iron and melt it all out.  I fill the holes close to the muzzle with modeling clay now and tape over the rest of them including a piece of tape over the ram rod hole.  I had a blob it the hole once as well.  I was very fortunate it came out in one hunk.  
Failure only comes when you stop trying.

Offline Randy Hedden

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #15 on: October 22, 2009, 10:23:06 PM »
Ken,

At least you weren't hurt by molten pewter.  When pouring a pewter nose cap, super heated air can build up under the molten pewter, produce a volcano effect and spew molten pewter all over the person pouring the pewter.  Hershel House told me that had happened to him at least twice and a friend of mine had the molten pewter hit him right in the face.  The molten pewter got on his eyelids and sealed his eyes shut.

To keep this from happening you have to gently slap the side of the barrel which allows the air to escape without the volcano effect.

Randy Hedden
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Offline Ken G

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #16 on: October 22, 2009, 10:31:13 PM »
Randy,
Good point.  I always wear long sleeve shirts and a full face shield.  My face ain't that pretty but I'v grown fond of it the way it is. 
Ken
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Offline Darrin McDonal

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #17 on: October 22, 2009, 11:30:21 PM »
Wooooooow Randy! Thats nasty. Any permanant damage to that poor lad?
Darrin
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Offline Darrin McDonal

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #18 on: October 22, 2009, 11:31:34 PM »
I have been thinking about this for a while now, What are good sources for pewter these days?
Darrin
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Owner of Frontier Flintlocks

Offline Randy Hedden

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #19 on: October 23, 2009, 12:08:57 AM »
Wooooooow Randy! Thats nasty. Any permanant damage to that poor lad?
Darrin


Darrin,

You know him.  He is a knife maker that I hang around with.  He was actually doing some pewter work on a knife.  This can happen anytime you are pouring pewter into any formed up object.

Randy Hedden 
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Offline Randy Hedden

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #20 on: October 23, 2009, 12:16:13 AM »
I have been thinking about this for a while now, What are good sources for pewter these days?
Darrin

Darrin,

A lot of makers use a product called Nickelite, (SP), that you can purchase from Centaur Forge.  They have a website.  It is a babbit type product that was used for molding bearings, but it looks just like pewter.  This is the product that Hershel House uses or did use several years ago.  Todd and I both use it.  Of course you can find pewter objects at thrift stores and garage sales that you can melt down for the pewter.

Randy Hedden
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Offline Darrin McDonal

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #21 on: October 23, 2009, 12:29:20 AM »
Thanks Randy!!! I appreciate it.
Darrin
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Offline Ken G

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #22 on: October 23, 2009, 01:59:48 AM »
TOW and R.E. Davis both sell the little beads of pewter if you can't find someone with bearing material.

Ken
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Birddog6

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #23 on: October 23, 2009, 01:57:50 PM »
Flintlocks Inc. has it as well, John Elder, is that his name ?   Front row of booths about 2-3 in from the drive coming in the main entrance into Friendship.  He always has some pewter on the right side of the booth going in on the right.

Offline Darrin McDonal

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Re: Pewter always find the worst place
« Reply #24 on: October 23, 2009, 05:46:59 PM »
Yah, I need to take a run upto Centaur Forge on of these weeks. I need some bar stock too. Ive heard of Nickelite.
Darrin
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Colonial Williamsburg
Owner of Frontier Flintlocks