Small pewter figures come in a variety of designs and are great ideas for gift-giving, or just for collecting. As a fun project, try melting and casting your own pewter figures. You can find almost everything you might need at your local craft store. This is a project that is fairly easy and fairly inexpensive. Best of all, you will be left with beautiful pewter figures that will last for years.
How to Cast Small Figures in Pewter
Step 1
Melt the pewter in the small electric melt pot. It will take about 15 minutes for the pewter ingots to melt. You need to let the pewter heat for at least 15 to 20 minutes more after it has melted. This will help in achieving fully cast figures. Make sure that you have on your safety glasses and gloves.
Step 2
Pour talcum powder in your silicone mold and rub it in. Turn it over and tap to get rid of any excess powder. The talcum powder will help to form a fully poured small figure, and it also helps when releasing the figure from the mold. The molds need to be completely dry before pouring hot metal into them.
Step 3
Pour the hot metal into the mold quickly but carefully using the casting ladle. Fill it all the way to the top. The metal will cool fast. Be careful and not pour too much, or metal will leak out from the sides when clamped. Set the ladle on the metal pan.
Step 4
Use the clamps to make sure the mold stays together. Some molds need at least two clamps, while others require four clamps, one at each corner of the mold. Let cool for a few minutes.
Step 5
Release the figure onto the metal pan. Do not touch with bare hands or skin, as the pewter figure will still be hot and can burn you. If you have trouble getting the figure out, then slightly bend the mold and it should release the figure.