Review by Mark Gezella – January 2006

I originally selected a book to "talk" about for this newsletter, but after doing so I realized I had to log in the latest magazines and this new DVD we received. Upon grabbing the DVD my curiosity was piqued, and while viewing it I became so mesmerized I decided to defer my book selection until March. If I don't tell you about the video now I'll burst!

ASL Pewter products are faithful reproductions of pewter ware from 18th century England. Spinning techniques have changed little over the years, but technology has enhanced the process with the introduction of electric lathes and furnaces. Spinning begins with a flat disk of pewter captured in a lathe, which is then worked over a mold using spinning sticks. The disk is lubricated with natural soap, and a stick is applied to metamorphose the disk into three dimensions. A great deal of pressure is required to work a disk over a mold, so a special tool rest is required. This rest holds stout pins employed as pivot points which serve to convert the stick into a fulcrum. Spinning doesn't take long, and is really nothing more than a series of arcing motions that stress and relieve the metal until it yields to it's new form.

Once turned, outer edges are either trimmed with a standard bevel-edge chisel, or rounded back upon the work to created a nicely rolled edge. The size, thickness, and weight of a disk are all based on the size of the finished product. A disk can range anywhere from 2" to 20" in diameter. Vessels, tankards, cups, etc. are turned with disks .050" thick while plates or larger flatware go .060" thick. An 8" disk is used as a point of reference - it weighs in at approximately one pound. Lathe speed is dictated by the size of the piece, but in general a disk can be spun more effectively above speeds of 1200rpm. Molds can be made of almost any suitable material, and the foundry uses a variety made from metal, polymers, wood, etc. They have to be careful with any type of laminated mold though, since heat build-up can serve to soften glue and delaminate molds at speed.

Castings begin with pewter ingots (big blocks of solid metal) that are melted in an electric furnace. Pewter is a composite metal, which is usually 90% tin and 10% other metals; these can be silver, bismuth, copper, antimony, or a combination of these in varying degrees. The metal melts around 465 degrees, but the foundry maintains a furnace temperature closer to 500 degrees. Patricia casts using two different methods; centrifugal for production work, and gravity-fed for single pieces.

Centrifugal casting is accomplished with a disk-shaped mold that has many patterns formed into it that radiate from the center. Metal is ladled into the mold, which is placed in a centrifuge that forces fluid to the outer-most edges of internal cavities, ensuring a complete pour. The centrifugal molds shown in the DVD are made from vulcanized rubber. Gravity-fed, or single-mold casting is a basic pour-and-cure operation. Demonstrations of this process are presented using single molds made of silicon, brass, bronze, and aluminum. The metal molds are antiques they acquired as part of a foundry purchase in Pennsylvania (they own over 160 of them!). These were produced in proximity to the foundry's origin, which places them somewhere in the early 1800s. Though quite old, they are still in service and produce outstanding castings of spoons, bases, handles, etc. Extra care is needed when using metal molds though; they must be preheated, and Patricia wears welder’s gloves to avoid burns during handling.

The final stage of pewter smithing consists of fabricating and polishing. Tom constructs complex pieces by soldering an assemblage of separate components with an oxygen/propane micro torch. It takes a skilled eye to know when the flame has heated parts enough for solder to flow, but not quite hot enough to melt the parts. It only takes a few extra seconds to melt right through a piece, then it's nothing but scrap! Once soldering is completed, a final polishing yields a product ready for display. Tom first employs a mesh-type disk to remove imperfections in the metal, such as scratches and solder puddles. Once satisfied with the rough finish, he moves on to a polishing pad charged with rouge to bring the piece to a high-luster. These exude a mirror-like finish, and tarnish very slowly and evenly, providing buyers with an heirloom quality piece to be enjoyed for many generations.