Removing plastic base from pewter mugs

[Firephoto798]

I have a few pewter mugs that I would like to melt for the tin. They have plastic see-through bases. Can they be melted as is and burn the plastic off, or do I need to pound them apart first to remove the plastic?

Thanks

Jim

[JM7.7x58]

I have not encountered plastic, only glass in the bottom of the beer mugs. I throw it all in the melt and then fish out the gaskets, glass bottoms, steel pins (from hinged lids), and aluminum rings. Some of the newer products have an aluminum ring that seals the glass bottom in.
JM

[JimB..]

I break them out, the putty that seals them in stinks.

[CastingFool]

There is a pewter ring that holds the glass bottom in place. You can pry it up, so you can get the glass out, then scrape the putty.

[rcslotcar]

I always break the glass out and clean out the putty sealer. I'll then smash the mug to fit in my pot.

[kevin c]

There is a pewter ring that holds the glass bottom in place. You can pry it up, so you can get the glass out, then scrape the putty.
^^^
What I do.

[Firephoto798]

Thanks for the comments, much appreciated.

[jsizemore]

I unroll the crimp that holds the ring and glass bottom in place. Scrap as much of the caulk as possible to keep as much unwanted material out of my smelting pot as possible.

[MrWolf]

I always break the glass out and clean out the putty sealer. I'll then smash the mug to fit in my pot.

Same here. Putty stinks.

[PBaholic]

I have one of those hoses that you hook up to a 30# propane tank, that goes to the screw thread like the ones on small propane tanks. I screwed on a propane burner with a built in starter.

So, now I've got a really nice torch available, and use it all the time.

For Pewter mugs, I use the torch to burn the edge of the aluminum ring that holds the glass, and then grab hold of it with a needle nose. I keep melting the Pewter until it's clear and then throw it out.