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Pewter: Can I turn it?

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Nige7:
There was a very nice pewter(I believe) lid on a hollow form bowl at the club the other night. I don't know that it was turned but it set me to wondering if pewter as a softish material is viable for safe turning in a wood lathe with our usual tools?  You might not want to use your best tools to do it but is it doable does anybody know?

Nigel

Martin Lawrence:
Hi Nigel,

Yes you can turn pewter, also aluminium. and possibly brass but not sure on the last one.

Cheers Martin.

Paul Hannaby:
If you start with sheet pewter you can also spin it. This also works with aluminium, copper and brass too.

thebowlerhattedturner:
Hi Nigel,
           yes you can turn pewter. I melt and cast my own quite often and it turns an absolute dream. Slow the lathe down especially when you polish it and take small fine cuts. Possibly the best tools to use are scrapers but I regularly turn mine with a spindle gouge, just make sure the shavings clear as you turn or they weld themselves back on. Once polished I seal it with either beeswax or laquer.
  You can also texture it quite nicely too.
Hope this helps,
Regards
John BHT

Nige7:
Thank you everybody, much obliged :)

Nigel

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