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Thread: Getting the pitch in the bowl

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
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    Default Getting the pitch in the bowl

    Probably an obvious answer but I don't know the best way of how to get the new block of black pitch into the chasing and repousse bowl I have bought. I suppose once its in I would warm it up so that it all melts together and then from there I know what to do..

    Thanks in advance

    Eva

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Romsey
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    5,253

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    Put it in a bag, hit it with a hammer to break it and drop the pieces into the pitch bowl. Heat the pitch to melt it (heatgun, oven, torch). Whether you want to add weight to the pitchbowl before doing that is up to you; there's a variety of methods, although I've never understood the use of relatively low-density plaster other than to use less pitch.

    Horrible stuff, but still easier to use in some cases than the pine based ones (and sticks better).

  3. #3
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    Mar 2020
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    Do you think I should've got a different one? Which one do you recommend? I see you mentioned pine based ones...which ones are they? Thanks again

  4. #4
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    Mar 2016
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    153

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    Quote Originally Posted by EvaZ View Post
    Probably an obvious answer but I don't know the best way of how to get the new block of black pitch into the chasing and repousse bowl I have bought. I suppose once its in I would warm it up so that it all melts together and then from there I know what to do..

    Thanks in advance

    Eva
    I gently heat it in a saucepan . I can't but if I could I'd do it outdoors on a camping stove.
    Where did you get your pitch? Are you planning to use plaster of Paris to stiffen it up?
    Nick

  5. #5
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    Jul 2009
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    Romsey
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    As an alternative, you could always just drip it into the bowl -
    https://smp.uq.edu.au/pitch-drop-experiment

    Might be at it a while though

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Location
    Oxfordshire
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    231

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    I have just started to do some chasing/repousse work and have made up a pitch bowl.

    The pitch I've used is from a Ford Hallam recipe you will have to scroll down to find the recipe:
    https://www.thecarvingpath.net/topic/905-pitch/

    the bowl I've used is a stainless steel Ikea salad server, only £4!
    https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/blanda-...teel-50057254/

    I have an old saucepan that I use to melt the rosin/pitch and plaster of paris and a camping stove, I did it outside as the rosin gives off some vapours, cooked it for a while so that much of the volatile vapours are evaporated. I have a large box of old screws that I'm never going to use so put some in the bottom of the bowl, perhaps half filling. When the pitch was ready I poured it into the bowl.

    The Ford Hallam recipe is quite hard when cold. If I need a softer pitch when trying to move a bit of metal I warm up the surface with an old black and decker heat gun.

    This is a link to my first piece, if you swipe the image you can see the bowl and some progress shots and the bowl and pitch.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_h3Cccp..._web_copy_link

  7. #7
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    Mar 2020
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    34

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    Thanks Nick..cooksons… I didn't know to use plaster of paris. Does it need it? How much would I use in a bowl? are we talking a cup or a tbsp or....

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
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    Ok no! I am not sure I could deal with that! Not enough patience!

  9. #9
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    Mar 2020
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    Great thank you! I think I might use that method! I think it may be a bit healthier than the black pitch perhaps. Your work is lovely!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
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    Can i use any charcoal? I have self igniting charcoal which I could ground up perhaps.. or there is activated charcoal for teeth whitening.. think that's any good?

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