Pewter Feet

[Kauaicarver]

Would anyone have any ideas on how to bend pewter bird feet around a small branch without breaking them? Making feet out of copper at time.
Thanks in advance,
Ralph

[Hugh-P]

Try using a hair dryer to warm them up and bend them gradually. The pewter feet, without the legs bend easily. I've been making the small bird feet for a while now, and there getting easier, specially when it comes to shaping them. The feet don't need to be wrapped entirely around the branch.

[torpidhummer]

Yes Hugh,I been noticing how well your small bird feet are coming along. I had a big brain daaaaa moment about three weeks ago for making feet for my owls.First I figure out the size of the branch the owl will be sitting on. Then cut a four squared size to a block of wood, I use a forester type drill bit and drill a round hole through the block, cut in half, sit both halves
on the branch I'm going use. If both block halves sit as properly as I want, I carve the feet ,carve both legs,attached to the feet and owl. I gave up on pweter feet, found it easier to carve them.
Oscar

[markken5889]

I'll side with Hugh on this issue, Ralph. Try heating up the pewter and then SLOWLY bending the feet. If you want to try a different technique from what Oscar's mentioned, you can fashion your own bird feet using floral (or other) wire, designing the feet and then coating it with epoxy. Once that dries you can further carve it to your needs and then prime and paint it!

Mark

[Kauaicarver]

IT WORKED!!!
Thanks so much Hugh for the suggestion.

Ralph Ziegler

[Hugh-P]

Thanks, its good to be useful for something, grin.