How NOT to melt silver at home! Learn from these mistakes.
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- Melting silver down sounds like a crazy thing to try to learn by yourself, but is it? In this video we will use a poor mans crucible and a blowtorch to melt down some silver scraps that i have laying around. Safety first as always!
IG: @daisy_opals
Email: DaisyOpals@gmail.com - Наука та технологія
Some hints to help out.
1) Get some additional bricks and pieces of wood so as to build something to lay the handle of the crucible tongs on to keep it level, that way if you need to put it down or use both hands for something, molten metal won't spill.
2) Torch the mold for at least a minute before pouring for two reasons - one, to remove moisture and thus avoid a steam explosion and two, especially if you're outside, cold graphite having 1700+ degree metal poured into it can crack or shatter.
3) Get some extra fire bricks and build a small oven around your crucible so as to better retain heat - this is especially important when melting ingots and larger, thicker pieces of metal as they won't melt fast and easy like silver shot and those scraps did.
4) After pouring, get your crucible immediately back into your "oven" as that will help it cool more slowly, thus retaining heat if you're going to melt more stuff and preventing cracking after you're done.
5) If the ingot or round is your objective as you're selling it as a final object, run the torch over the surface as soon as you pour and keep doing so in a circular pattern until it turns solid - that will give you a smooth, even surface with a nice ripple pattern to it.
6) For gloves, hit the BBQ section and buy the leather grill gloves - they are less expensive than welding gloves and just as good in my experience.
7) The crucible will remain hot for some time after you're done so make sure to keep it on a fireproof surface.
8) If you're doing this on a wooden table, get a paving stone or some topping bricks - the long flat ones that go on top of cinder blocks - to work on so you don't set your wooden surface on fire.
9) Try to store your crucible in a dry location as humidity and moisture is not its friend - outside or your garage are not dry locations.
10) To further prepare the crucible before use, put it in the oven at 400 degrees for two hours and then leave it in the oven to slowly cool down - do it before bed and allow to cool overnight - this will ensure any moisture it might have absorbed is baked out as well as temper it.
11) If you don't use the crucible for more than a month, repeat the above process unless you're storing it in somewhere entirely free of any moisture - no, Tupperware containers don't count.
*****
Most important, understand that you are dealing with temperatures of 1700+ degrees - that can easily burn through skin, muscle and bone - so keep a bucket of water and some sort of fire extinguisher around just in case. The bucket of water is to shove your hand into should you burn it or set it on fire - whether you use water or the extinguisher for any other fire you start is up to you.
I have been burned by my crucibles and graphite molds far more often than metal or a flame - they are the most dangerous part of this since it isn't visually obvious that they are still several hundred degrees in temperature and unlike the metal, you can't drop them in water to cool them once you're done.
Heavy pants and shoes are also recommended since a dropped tool or spilled crucible could very well strike your leg or foot and you don't want to be wearing shorts, sandals or canvas sneakers that it can easily burn through.
This ultimately comes down to "don't be stupid" and "use your common sense" - accidents will still happen but if you follow those two rules they'll simply be accidents and not 911 calls and ER visits.
an apron and protective shoes might help. oh, and pants. you're melting metal.
Hi you seem pretty knowledgeable, do you know about oxygen absorption in molten silver and the best ways to prevent this happening
I am a pre-beginner-just watching videos like this one because I can't even get solder to behave for me.I haven't even gotten to where you are yet!!! Videos are cheaper than classes! Thank you for this!!!You are adding tips that I never get,like seasoning your crucible before use! And opals!!!!!! This will be a fine stone to process! Looking forward to seeing it!
MORE MORE MORE!!! Had lots of fun watching this episode. Keep em coming brother!🤗
I appreciate your comments every time!! Thanks for the motivation.
YESSSSS!!!
Love it. Cheers.
More content please 🙏🏼 I really do appreciate your videos.
I really love this clip. Just starting out myself. And appreciate the honesty and suck it and see attitude.
Thank you
Thanks for showing your learning process. This is a fascinating hobby. I enjoy it. Press on!
Lots of videos showing how to do this but I love to know what happens if u don't do something. Thanks for showing me.
Thank you for the content! I watch every week!
Thanks for the motivation!!!
Cannot wait to see how it’s gonna turn out! 🤩
Me too!! Hope you'll like it
What u said about annealing was false, quenching is okay with silver, your thinking about steel.
You're
@@ronin5979 thank you 🥲
This video inspired me heavily. I just ordered an ounce of silver pebbles and I want to make rings out of it too but I’ve never melted any metal before either 😂 this video was great and so far the most informative out of all the other ones I watched because as a beginner myself, it was important for me to see you mess up so I know what not to do. You did a lot of things in this video that I would have done too but turned out to be the wrong way. So I appreciate this vid and I subbed to you
Right behind you
Thats great to hear, i hope you're having fun!
Loved this video, some really helpful don't points, cos I woulda done some of em no worries at all.
The way you made this kept me interested..without flicking to somewhere else.
Great video, informative and useful 👍 Many thanks and blessings 🙌
Man I really enjoy your videos 👍
I Always appreciate your support!!!
Love your commentary. Had me rolling 😂
! go to your local scrapyard and pick out a piece of hard flat steel any shape but at leat 15lbs . so its not jumping all over the place like that. scap steel is $1 a lb so its cheap and will work so much better . the anvil i having enough mass is crucial . at the very least use some thing like silicone sealant and "glue" that metal block you have to a stump or something that wont move or break apart from the impact. and go to a pawn shop, thrift store , or order a small ballpean hammer . that ring "thing " is an mandrel
You had me at , i love you guys.
Great video, thanks for sharing. 😊
So what gas and head do I use again do you have a website for the stuff to buy?
Awesome video!!❤️
Can you tell me how different of a process this is if im starting with silver nitrate solution, and filtering out the silver, instead of starting with jewelry?
Dude that's pretty cool about a month ago I bought a lot of silver in exactly what you're doing is what I'm getting into right now so your video helped me in the process I would I don't know nothing about it until now thanks for the video and I did subscribe can't wait to see the stone
Glad you found the vid! Have fun and be safe
Lol love it... I laughed I don't feel so bad I can tell you are self taught like I was ..
you have to pretorch or preheat your mold too...if you pour into a cold mold itll solidify the silver instantly because it pulls the heat out of the silver
really helpful!
Great video! I'm actually in the learning process myself. Many thanks for telling me to "glasify" the crucible first. I had lots of silver sticking inside before. 😲
Btw, a simple kitchen blow torch is enough to melt silver. I promise. But you can forget the piezo ignition after using it some minutes... 😁
Wich grade did your silver have? I hope that's the correct expression, please forgive my poor english. Today I tried to melt down different sorts of silver. 999 no problem at all. Sterling more of a problem. 80 silver (old coated cutlery) seems go show my limits. I guess that's because of the copper inside.
I enjoyed this video, thanks for sharing. I have been experimenting with sand casting and now have just purchased a setup to start with plaster casting which has so far been a lot of fun. Curious how far youve come since making this video, since it was shot 2 years ago. Best of luck with future projects I love the channel.
Thanks!
First comment of the year🎉 cool videos man from Indiana
great stuff mate would love to do this smithing mate
You definitely can, ill make links to the kit in the bio for you. Don't hesitate!! Pretty fun.
Great vid!
Thank you.
Fun Video!
I want to see what else you do. I just started my journey buying silver and gold. I want to melt and do things with it. Yet i live in a apartment building I hope im not making a mistake I am going to follow through
Hello Sir. I Just sign in.
Thank you. Great.. Great clip🙂
YOU ARE THE BEST
no YOU!!!!!
Clarification, mmap pro is propane that has an additive in it. Mmap pro burns up to 130 degrees hotter than regular propane. Real Mapp gas hasn't been produced in, about, 16 years.
Can anyone tell me if a 2Ton Arbor Press will exert enough pressure to imprint into a .999 fine silver bar?
I have had the same problem and have the scrap silver to prove it
To which of his problems do you refer? The video was a disaster from the beginning.
I am curious if you figured out the answer to this issue I am having. After beautifully coating my crucible, as you did, it just remelted with the silver, making an unusable silver/borax mess which I then threw out.... But that makes total sense to me. If the same heat is used to melt the silver that also melts the borax, why would it NOT melt together as mine did? Any thoughts?
I wish i had more experience to help you out.. my first guess would be something with the borax?
Too much borax. I'm not sure of the science behind it but it seems like right amount of borax remains as the "coating" on the crucible and/or separates from the silver.
So, now that I have been working with it more, I figured it out. It's almost like you have to learn that way or something. Now I do it flawlessly; it was just part of the learning curve! Like I tried too hard or something; it is actually super simple and straightforward. If you just commit to it and embrace the borax, it just works out somehow. I actually glazed a new crucible just yesterday, in my forge, while I was melting other silver in another crucible, and then right away started melting silver in the new crucible flawlessly and got a perfect pour even the first time. So yeah, just don't overthink it; embrace the borax AND the heat, and it will be fine.
Love it! Will do. I'd rather have a forge but I'm still rocking the map gas/poor man crucible method. Any recommendations on gas forge at a friendly price?
@@durtyd9625 the forge really makes it easier. Like, once it gets heated up, a new ounce of silver will melt effortlessly in a couple of minutes and let you pour it without having to work like crazy heating the crucible as you pour it. I hear up the crucible I pour it into as well, and it all works so easily. I have a big 3 burner forge Soni can forge swords in it, but I almost always just use one of the three burners. I don't remember the name of mine, but pretty sure Etsy has some options. Mine doesn't have a fan or anything fancy, just a classic simple propane forge. But I will send you info if I find anything useful.
FYI, smelting is a chemical process and melting is a physical process. They are not interchangeable.
What -- no break dancing? Looks like the crucible starts slipping around the holder when it gets hot -- I think the aluminum expanded more, so maybe involve a spring? Cool seeing you try things I'm reluctant to (for good reason?)
There was break dancing, behind the scenes.
Can you show how to rejoin a ring that has broken on one side? Great vid... G'day from downunder🇦🇺⚔️😎
At this point the young man doesn't have enough experience to be advising others how to repair jewelry. (I am a grouchy old guy who has been making silver and gold jewelry for more than fifty years.) A little searching around on the internet will provide excellent videos on how to make jewelry of all types and for all levels of experience and ability.
Hay mate just passing through and seen you vid was a little bit of help so thanks and hers a sub to help you on your way too 1000 😁 good luck my dude
ayy!! Thanks!
I tried both torch heads brand new didn’t matter which one you used both heated up fast and quick no problems Your problem was you were doing it with alot of wind I’m about to make my own channel
I appreciate your efforts. Thank you for the steps trial and error is okay. Please be careful with eyes and hands. Please.
interesting vid, keep it up dude
Thank you acoustic pineapple!!
Ha ha! Sliders and socks!
A mandrel for shaping rings
Why is your curable not on the fire brick instead of on a wooden table 😢
Map pro is not MAPP and burns only 130F higher than propane. MAPP was discontinued in 2008.
If you’re interested you can invest in a small rolling mill so you don’t have to keep hammering so much
Aaah,I forgot: many greetings from Germany (where borax isn't allowed to buy - but in Belgium it's no problem 😉 )
Watched estona. She heats her mold up too
that makes a ton of sense... ill do that next time
@@DaisyOpals Bullet casters do this. If the mold is not hot enough, the material cools much too quickly to fill the mold correctly.
Should have tye entire crucible getting hot not just the material inside....it will pour that way😊
Not irritated, just funny, you'll learn
Scary seeing you cast silver wearing socks and sandles. Man that stuff could melt a hole in your foot to the bone 🦴 🔥 😭. Also tighten your damn wing nut on your crucible! You are lucky the crucible didn't fall out of the handle.
Pre heat the graphite
After seeing the turd you poured and posted I knew I too could pour a turd and nobody would ever know. Here’s to you Mr. Turd pouring silver ring maker. 👍
Your crucible needs more Borax.
Not enough heat😊
:) love ya mate
Did you season the crucible with borax?
Yo... maroon. Smelting is the extraction of metal from ORE!!!
It's the borax that makes em liquifi
I think the metal purity is more important than borax, plus it has to be hot as hell in the crucible. I’m a noob as well though
Heat the mold to
Also, don't do this in sandals.....lol
You need a hotter torch....something with oxygen...
No he doesn't need a hotter torch, he just needs to learn how to use the one he has, and he has to take it inside.
😁😂
You said you watched a bunch of videos... Did you watch any of mine? 🙂 - I was entertained by your video...
That's not a hammer for construction work is for finishing hammer if is smooth. 16oz or bigger for construction work. Just saying ⁉️ good for first time 😜
better coat the Crucible with boric acid
Donkey, you're supposed to heat the mold dish as well to keep it in tempreture with the molten silver or otherwise the difference in tempreture will cause the silver to jump out in a burst.
Formula 401 , wasn't called Formula one for a reason, you have not failed,,, until you give up.
Try until you succeed, because that's how NOT TO FAIL, continue until you are complete.
borax or borax flux????? theres a difference you know
You were on about safety yet you ware open sandals not a good idea
The N95 is 100% ineffective for this process just like the other stupid reason people are wearing them.
It is NOT hard bezel !
It is NOT hard flux solder !
Although it is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO BE nick...