Crayon Waterblock (No kidding, Lost wax casting a block the hard way...)

[Kayin]

Beware, I'm a professional. Don't try this at home.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/044-3.jpg

Raw materials...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/047-2.jpg

NOT chocolate...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/045-2.jpg

handy dandy mold/mold release agent

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/050-1.jpg

and poured, ready to cool and start phase 2.

Making a blank for the carved wax prototype...

[iandh]

He's taken matters into his own hands folks. :p:

[Kayin]

You tempted me into it. Remember?

[iandh]

I can always be found lurking somewhere on the fringe of activities like this. :shrug:

[Kayin]

Any progress on your end?

I got a really fun trick to try if this works...

[CyberDruid]

hmmmmmm

[Knight]

No candle wax? Adds a nice scent to the block. :p:

Or is the Crayon stuff somehow different and will yield a better result?

[septim]

put some potpourri in it too? hehe. any results to your cooking yet? hehe...

[MomijiTMO]

The funky stuff on the stove is giving me nightmares. Mummy!

[Kayin]

Candle wax is softer. Crayon wax can be machined if necessary to giv e the proper lines, etc.

There are wax blanks for testing CNC machines that are made of much the same stuff, just blue. This one is a :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana: to get out. I'm gonna swear at it more.

[[XC] Hicks121]

LoL, give it hell Kayin :up:

[oerekum]

Well, I guess you won't need water dye with this block..

[Movieman]

Excellent to see. Lost wax method of making molds is older than I can think of and works..to an extent.
The low melting point of the wax allows the metal to eat into it and therefore you get points of metal that have to be deburred off but it's a great method for a small home based user.
Best of luck pal!:up:

[Kayin]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/063.jpg

The wax blank...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/064.jpg

And again...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/062.jpg

And a collection of silver, not completed yet but close to enough. Gotta hit the thrift store again...

Next step is to get a circle plotter and plaster of paris. Dad's asking for a torch for Father's Day...

[nikhsub1]

The funky stuff on the stove is giving me nightmares. Mummy!
Was thinking the same thing :eek:

[Kayin]

I cleaned the stove. My wife didn't see the stain. All is good.

Back on track...

[Soulwind]

So you're making a pure-silver block? Cool!

Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[lyl]

This'll be interesting.

Haha, love the sack of treasures (silver wire/chain, quarter lol)

[RockfordFosgate]

OMG Crayon WB's:D:D:D:D

You must be talk with Frozencpu or Petra for selling these bloks :rofl::rofl:


Good job :up:

[NaeKuh]

So you're making a pure-silver block? Cool!

Can't wait to see how it turns out.

i think thats his idea.

The wax is a mold of some sort. All he needs to do now is cut the mold to how he wants his blocks shaped, melt the silver and then pour and wait.

[CyberDruid]

You will likely need several "stems" off your carved piece to allow the metal to push the wax out. This should be interesting :)

[NaeKuh]

You will likely need several "stems" off your carved piece to allow the metal to push the wax out. This should be interesting :)

suprised you havent pulled this off yet CD. :rofl:

guess your still hung on acrylic res's :D

[CyberDruid]

I am officially burnt out on upgrades, LC, mods...needed a break. But I did make some jewelry back in HS :D

[silverphoenix]

i think thats his idea.

The wax is a mold of some sort. All he needs to do now is cut the mold to how he wants his blocks shaped, melt the silver and then pour and wait.

lost wax method, the wax is shaped into the shape of the block, a positive mold, then plastered this is fired the wax melts away leaving a negative mold, then molten metal is poured in and plaster cracked open and voila you got your piece. Something like that anyways I think lol, I learned about this in a museum tour explaining how some pottery (teapots) were made this way.

[CyberDruid]

It's actually a lot more efficient/economical than other methods since you are not removing the majority of material, but depositiing it so to speak...and Silver...very nice. At least for a one off design.

[madmaxx]

I am officially burnt out on upgrades, LC, mods...needed a break. But I did make some jewelry back in HS :D

hemp bracelets? :p:

:up:

very cool idea here O/P i'm watching

[Eldonko]

Very cool, subscribed.

[Eldonko]

If its a 1932 - 1964 quarter than it is 90% silver :) Use magnet to test, it it sticks its nickel.

I have a bunch of the canadian ones from 1968.

[mrmaigo]

If its a 1932 - 1964 quarter than it is 90% silver :) Use magnet to test, it it sticks its nickel.

I have a bunch of the canadian ones from 1968.

US change isn't magnetic... That make it way too easy to dig out of the couch :rofl:

[Eldonko]

It's not made from nickel? What's it made from?

[mrmaigo]

I think we switch to plated zinc in recent times, but they alloy nickel so its not magnetic

[Eldonko]

Was curious so I googled it. From US mint:

The ten-cent coin, quarter-dollar coin, half-dollar coin and one-dollar coin are all "clad" coins, produced from three coin strips that are bonded together and rolled to the required thickness. The face of these coins is 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel and the core, which is visible along the edges of the coins, is composed of pure copper.

[mrmaigo]

Well pennies are zinc... Just cut one open, lol

[Eldonko]

Yeah they do all these alloys so people like us dont melt em down haha. I know Canadian pennies were copper until 1996, now they are zinc or steel lol.

[mrmaigo]

Don't want coins to be actually worth anything.
Anyway, sorry for the thread jack, on with the show!

[NaeKuh]

Well pennies are zinc... Just cut one open, lol

QFT!

BTW my other screen name is aigomorla. :P

Thought it was a trip seeing aigo on another person. :D

[Hidetaka]

Mmm... That's gonna be great :>
Are you going to use pin design or fins/channels?

While we are talking about things I just love [silver], there's some competition for your silver block. Duniek [Maniakalny] is working on his silver Fuzion [something beween v1 and v2] which should be ready for first tests by the end of the month :>

[MomijiTMO]

Where are the updates lol.

[NaeKuh]

kaylin heads up bro.

I Grab'd a Spider rig, and now im in the same boat as you were. DAyam blocks impossible to find for this stuff.

[ColonelCain]

Ohhhh this looks like it will be good. Definatly a cheap and easy way to make a mold.

[Pedalmonkey]

cheap and easy to make the mold, not the block :P

[Kayin]

Now you see why I'm doing this.

I got GPU blocks to make next...

[Boogerlad]

wouldn't the molten silver melt the mold?

[mrmaigo]

wouldn't the molten silver melt the mold?

Silver isn't going to touch the wax. He's going make the block out of the wax then make negative/relief with plaster and pour the sliver into that.

[Boogerlad]

ahh. that clears it up. Thanks!

[Martinm210]

I want to learn more about this casting stuff. Is it possible to cast lexan/polycarbonate at home?

Great work!!

[silverphoenix]

I want to learn more about this casting stuff. Is it possible to cast lexan/polycarbonate at home?

Great work!!

probably, I saw a "how it's made" episode on TLC where they show how they make acrylic award trophys lol.

from wiki


Thermoplastic PMMA is typically processed at 240–250 °C. All common molding processes may be used, including injection molding, compression molding and extrusion. The highest quality PMMA sheets are produced by cell casting, but in this case, the polymerization and molding steps occur concurrently. The strength of the material is higher than molding grades owing to its extremely high molecular mass. Rubber toughening has been used to increase the strength of PMMA owing to its brittle behavior in response to applied loads.

[shabranigdo]

I want to learn more about this casting stuff. Is it possible to cast lexan/polycarbonate at home?

Great work!!

Check out this site from TAP Plastics they have a few how to video's for casting and alot on just general working with plexi/acrylic. And a cute jingle to boot :P

http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video.php?PHPSESSID=20071003132402250599040

[mrmaigo]

I want to learn more about this casting stuff. Is it possible to cast lexan/polycarbonate at home?

Great work!!

I won't say you can't cast plexi, but you won't be doing much more than making a solid block. The finishing work on an actual mold would drive you insane. Same for clear resin/epoxy. It's a whole lot less work to a peace of sheet as a top.

[CyberDruid]

I won't say you can't cast plexi, but you won't be doing much more than making a solid block. The finishing work on an actual mold would drive you insane. Same for clear resin/epoxy. It's a whole lot less work to a peace of sheet as a top.

Yeah I think that unless you are going to make high quality latex molds you will be hindered by by surface details that may trap the cast object...latex you can peel off so it gives somewhat more flexibilty...not to say you could not do a lost wax/plaster mold with resin...but you would need to destoy the mold to release the object...unless it has very little surface detail.

[Kayin]

I do my own clear resin casting as well.

Kid's birthday party, then updates. Soon, I promise you...

[septim]

yeah thats what we like. plus more pics too.

happy birthday to you kid.

[Boogerlad]

i wonder how strong the silver pins would be... (if there are pins lol)

[Kayin]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/Waterblock2top.jpg

This, for the most part. Need to redo a few spots, will do so in the wax.

[aspire.comptech]

Looks like the death star...

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/9905/ertldeathstar4c0debcyd0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[mrmaigo]

Yeah, it does. Make love not war!

http://prikola.net/pic/selection2/44/5.jpg

[Kayin]

Looks like the death star...


Thank you. I do have high hopes...

At 4:26, pay close attention. I'm considering some names from there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byMClFz6w-w

Back to the wax.

[aspire.comptech]

A boobie?

[mrmaigo]

5:48 "Cool!" *high five, 360, double arm pump*

[Kayin]

...aand update.

Father's day came and passed, and look what it brought...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/016.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/017.jpg

Toys, toys.

Right now a finished blank is setting up in investment. Tomorrow night I'll burn it out and try melting the silver.

Till then...

[[XC] gomeler]

How do you plan on melting the silver? I was considering casting my own copper liquid nitrogen pot but ran into issues of melting 3 to 4 pounds of copper at one time. Finding a crucible large enough is hard and I didn't fancy juggling multiple hot crucibles and doing a smooth pour.

[Kayin]

Crucible-free melting-chop up the silver, and after the mold is wax-free, melt the silver IN the mold, so as to minimize pouring and such with the hot metal.

It may be of use to mention I have one almost useless arm (4" shorter, nerve damage, 10 pound weight limit, limited motion) so I think this is a lot safer than a one-handed pour.

It's either that or wait till my dear wife gets home this weekend, and I promised her she wouldn't have to watch me set myself ablaze.

Speaking of wives, I'd like to point out this block (and much of this build) is sponsored by my wife. She doesn't read these boards, so this isn't buying points here. She does however support me throughout such endeavors as case modding (helps me sometimes) case building, research, design, fabrication, and picking up the broken pieces afterwards. She's also the one that keeps me somewhat healthy so I can continue to update this. And, if you doubt her commitment, that necklace in the silver bag was hers. She fully supports my make rather than buy policy. I have one of the greatest things in the world-a wife that knows what this stuff is, who demands regular upgrades, and will put the time in to hardcore game with me when it's finished.

And she's hot.

Back to regularly scheduled thread. Wife's out of town for the week with sick mother, I'm sitting here enjoying her gifts and waxed thankful. Never hurt anyone.

[mrmaigo]

What? No pic of the carved wax? :stick:

[Kayin]

I did THAT on purpose.

This won't be ready to go until it's been shaped with power tools afterwards, the wax is a shape that defines the layout. That said, really all it'll need is a lap and trued and it'll be ready to go if I want to keep the "fantasy" look to the rest of the theme.

Last post of the night, I gotta get in bed. Work early tomorrow.

[mrmaigo]

But the suspense! It's palpable! PALPABLE!!!

[Navanod]

Kayin;3067593']And, if you doubt her commitment, that necklace in the silver bag was hers.

:clap:
You have a real gem of a partner. Etch a picture of that necklace with her name on that block when its done!

[bigslappy]

Kayin;3067593']Crucible-free melting-chop up the silver, and after the mold is wax-free, melt the silver IN the mold, so as to minimize pouring and such with the hot metal.

It may be of use to mention I have one almost useless arm (4" shorter, nerve damage, 10 pound weight limit, limited motion) so I think this is a lot safer than a one-handed pour.




Silver has a high surface tension when at a liquid state & will not conform to a squared off shape unless there is pressure to force it into all areas of the mold .Jewlers use centrifical force or a vacuum with pourus plaster to get that done .what kind of torch are you gonna use ? Easy on the oxygen in the fuel mix , lower the better or you will oxidize the hell out that silver

[bigslappy]

I want to learn more about this casting stuff. Is it possible to cast lexan/polycarbonate at home?

if Ya got an injection mold system !

[Kayin]

I do polycarb at home. That's what the block of clear blue stuff is, and if you saw the hex res in the very first pic, that's polycarb too. Be posting up a guide to that soon.

I've got propane and butane, start with propane just cause I have more of it. I'm well aware of the surface tension problem, but I have a solution to that too-did you notice much of that bag was full of wire? Wire will fit into the channels and not need to "flow" nearly as much.

If I fsck up, I learned, I can make a centrifuge, and I'll not have lost the silver. I have more wax and plaster.

Thanks for the insight, though.

[bigslappy]

Kayin;3068389']I do polycarb at home. That's what the block of clear blue stuff is, and if you saw the hex res in the very first pic, that's polycarb too. Be posting up a guide to that soon.

I've got propane and butane, start with propane just cause I have more of it. I'm well aware of the surface tension problem, but I have a solution to that too-did you notice much of that bag was full of wire? Wire will fit into the channels and not need to "flow" nearly as much.

If I fsck up, I learned, I can make a centrifuge, and I'll not have lost the silver. I have more wax and plaster.

Thanks for the insight, though.
as far as the plastic I have no experiance but that of freinds doing it , but i have done what you are trying to do & the metal will still rise up out of most of the channels . Ever notice how gold & silver,ALU bars are all rounded edges , except the ones that have a die pressed in them then forcing the metal into the corners , same effect. Anyway wish u luck . & if u go centrifuge let me know i can help with making the sprue out of wax & explain how that works

[b@llz0r]

What? No pic of the carved wax? :stick:

I wanted to see a pic of his wife :yepp:

j/k mate, you are lucky to have a partner who is into your hobby... my girlfriend puts up with me taking over the dining room table for weeks with my builds.... but thinks im a total geek :D

[[XC] gomeler]

Ahh I see. I guess that'd only really work for small objects. I found a few nice guides on building a small hobby furnace, might assemble one if I decide to cast some pots. Looks like I can get a decently sized crucible for cheaper than I thought.

[CyberDruid]

I am trying to visualize your process: you will be heating the plaster mold then? Are you setting it over a burner?

[NaeKuh]

keep it coming!!!

:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

[[XC] gomeler]

I am trying to visualize your process: you will be heating the plaster mold then? Are you setting it over a burner?

You'd need to heat the mold to roughly 1000 degrees Celsius to get the silver to melt, I imagine 1100 degrees Celsius would make it very fluid and assist with flooding the fine patterns. This is why I was asking how he was going to do this without a crucible, he's effectively using the mold as a crucible and I wonder how it's going to hold up to the lengthy heating process. If you have an actual house with a backyard or garage, a simple furnace seems quite simple to build.

[bigslappy]

gomeler;3069230']You'd need to heat the mold to roughly 1000 degrees Celsius to get the silver to melt, I imagine 1100 degrees Celsius would make it very fluid and assist with flooding the fine patterns. This is why I was asking how he was going to do this without a crucible, he's effectively using the mold as a crucible and I wonder how it's going to hold up to the lengthy heating process. If you have an actual house with a backyard or garage, a simple furnace seems quite simple to build.

silver will hold the surface tension till it vaporizes but actually it will oxidize away before that with the oxygen in the air & I don't think he'll be able to reach that temp with just propane with out adding oxygen gas to the fuel mix
you really need a cutting torch to melt silver .. we'll see how he does >I've done lost wax with silver ,gold,copper,brass & bronze .bronze is the easist to work with as it has the lowest surface tension ,that's why they make busts & statues out of it as it fills the molds with fine detail without having to add pressure but they use alot of it to get some pressure & pour it back out when the mold surface cools enuff that the large bust's are not solid but hollow but on small figures it's the same you need pressure to fill the fine voids

[Martinm210]

Great stuff! Would love to see some action pics of the molding process. I havn't even though about building up some casting/foundry type tools in the garage yet, but this is sounding like alot of fun!

[bigslappy]

Great stuff! Would love to see some action pics of the molding process. I havn't even though about building up some casting/foundry type tools in the garage yet, but this is sounding like alot of fun!

Yeah melting metals is addicting fun & the lost wax process "Is Way Fun" in it's self

[CyberDruid]

YEah I was asking because I was unaware that plaster of Paris withstands high heat...never tried it...and getting the mold hot enough and keeping it hot enough sounds tricky...perhaps more dangerous than just melting the metal

[bigslappy]

the way i did it, place molds into a M/W ,melt out wax in microwave (lessens the smoke from the furnace) then heat the molds up in a furnace for hours (encasement was jewlery grade, don't know if standard plaster will work ) melt metal in cruciable attached to a centrafuge ,add mold to centrafuge, make sure metal is still hot & molten, release centrafuge & metal is slung into mold at a high speed ,spins for awhile to set metal as it cools( 2 minutes ) then mold is dropped into a bucket of cold water & the plaster boils away leaving the shape in metal , a bucket of mud & the encasement sleeve

[CyberDruid]

Holy crap I can just imagine the mayhem I could create with molten metal and a centrifuge....I'd have to wear Nomex long johns for sure.

[bigslappy]

Holy crap I can just imagine the mayhem I could create with molten metal and a centrifuge....I'd have to wear Nomex long johns for sure.
YEAH the centrafuge was mounted in a round 2 foot steel sheild to keep Ya from getting hit with slag LOL but still ya jumped back when you let that puppy go ! full face protection is a must

[iandh]

The standard way to perform lost wax casting for fine detail on small work such as jewelry is by pouring the molten metal into the mold and placing it under vacuum. I still have my grandma's vacuum lost wax casting setup in a box somewhere, but the pump is probably worthless by now.

You can pick up a used bell jar and one of the small pumps like they use to evacuate refrigeration lines for fairly cheap.

[Kayin]

Well, after some interesting developments not at all related to this (a fish story to be sure) I'm about an hour from trying this.

Wish me luck, I'll let you know if I have to call 911.

Thanks for all the advice and well-wishing, I can always make a flowerpot crucible if this fails...

[CyberDruid]

DrumRoll Please

[mrmaigo]

Remember to duck

[septim]

g' luck!

[Kayin]

And the verdict is....

The molding process kicks ass. The silver melting...

I need MAPP. Will try a shot of butane later, but propane won't flow it properly. It barely melts. Did melt that coin, though. Different alloy.

I'll probably shoot some more flame at it later, but I'll snap shots of it when it cools some. Still hard to handle.

The investment was just fine at those temps, though. Especially once the wax burned away.

[shabranigdo]

Kayin;3076323']And the verdict is....

The molding process kicks ass. The silver melting...

I need MAPP. Will try a shot of butane later, but propane won't flow it properly. It barely melts. Did melt that coin, though. Different alloy.

I'll probably shoot some more flame at it later, but I'll snap shots of it when it cools some. Still hard to handle.

The investment was just fine at those temps, though. Especially once the wax burned away.

Yeah kinda figured you would need MAAP or maybe MAAP and oxygen can't wait to see pictures of this, was looking online at the lost wax process very interesting.

[just a noob]

if the propane doesnt get hot enough i think those mini hand butane torches get a 2300 degree F flame

[CyberDruid]

Good! Looking forward to the pictures.

[Kayin]

Please, this looks like ass, but it's more successful than it looks, if for no other reason learning...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/001-8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/003-10.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/004-11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/005-9.jpg

The black glob was the quarter. The alloy being more copper, it melted easier, once I figured out where to place the flame properly. Other than that, I can call this a success. Least I just need to turn up the heat and get more silver, as I had severely underestimated. First tries do that.

bigslappy, I did notice the surface tension issue. I've found what I think to be a counter to it though. Finer grains instead of just piles of stuff. Time will tell though. If nothing else, it'll have a great guide for machining.

[mpilchfamily]

This is one hell of a project.

[septim]

hmm looks like a successful mess, any other pictures? btw what container did you put those melted silver pieces into? cast iron pan?

[Kayin]

Melting into the mold itself. It's just fine as a crucible.

[Hor$eman]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/004-11.jpg[/url]
Looks like your mold was coming apart?
[quote]and get more silver, as I had severely underestimated
Ya.


The black glob was the quarter. The alloy being more copper, it melted easier,
92% Silver I believe. Even Sterling Silver is only 97.5% silver and 2.5% iron.

You should avoid a mixture of metals, especially iron, which corrodes very easily.

I would suggest going to a local scrap yard and buying copper.

[Kayin]

Copper traps oxygen, becoming porous if not cast in vacuum. Besides, this is just plain fun.

[Marquis]

Kayin;3080651']Besides, this is just plain fun.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Hor$eman]

Ok, I guess it is off to the local pawn shop? :D

[mpilchfamily]

Have you looked into some jewelry supply places that sell silver bricks for casting. They also sale silver solder. None of which is cheap but better then dealing with impurities of scrap jewelry.

This is one of the top companies for getting those kinds of supplies. The catalouge isn't free there is allot of supplies and tools that would be perfect for this project.
https://www.riogrande.com/home/

[Nagstaku]

wow, this was one hell of a thread.. Home built mods ftw. :up:

This makes me think of all those DIY CnC Drill Machines I see on Youtube. Build one of those.... I have soo many designs I would etch onto things, and plastic blocks that I would carve and illuminate with LED's.

I went to a school here called Benson Polytechnic, we have metallurgy as a class. We used a CnC machine to shape a piece of wood into a wine cap (was basically a 3/4" thick metal emblem on top of a cork) and we would take the wood and push it into a fine sand, and then we poured metal into teh sand if i remember correctly.

[technodanvan]

I'm gonna look through my things, I could make this a bit easier. I owned a "99.99%" pure silver TDX waterblock from Danger Den that I tried selling quite some time ago...nobody wanted it even for better than reasonable prices. If you're interested...well...there's a lot of silver in it. :)

Like I said though, I look for it. I know I own it, but I'm not certain it's actually available. My stuff is sorta strewn all over the place right now...

In any case, it's an admirable effort, and looking promising so far. I look foward to seeing your progress. :)

[CyberDruid]

I'm gonna look through my things, I could make this a bit easier. I owned a "99.99%" pure silver TDX waterblock from Danger Den that I tried selling quite some time ago...nobody wanted it even for better than reasonable prices. If you're interested...well...there's a lot of silver in it. :)

Like I said though, I look for it. I know I own it, but I'm not certain it's actually available. My stuff is sorta strewn all over the place right now...

In any case, it's an admirable effort, and looking promising so far. I look foward to seeing your progress. :)

Glad you didn't offer up a G5...that would be heinous.

[septim]

ebay it, somebody is bound to bid for it come ending time...

CD agreed on that, heinous crime indeed, just put it down as a paperweight for now, maybe next time it'll become popular again, maybe one of Martinm's NB cooler perhaps...

Kayin how goes the melting pot...

[NaeKuh]

melting down a silver TDX....


i have no comment about this. I own one and there isnt anything that would seperate me from it. Even tho i dont use it.

One day i will make a chipset block out of it, and have it be my ultimate biocide on my loop.

I wish DD would make a Silver MPC TDX.

Techno if your interested in selling it. Pm me your asking. I might want to grab it, and pair them up on my sossoman setup.

@ the very least i'll pay for its market weight in silver + extra.

[technodanvan]

melting down a silver TDX....


i have no comment about this. I own one and there isnt anything that would seperate me from it. Even tho i dont use it.

One day i will make a chipset block out of it, and have it be my ultimate biocide on my loop.

I wish DD would make a Silver MPC TDX.

Techno if your interested in selling it. Pm me your asking. I might want to grab it, and pair them up on my sossoman setup.

@ the very least i'll pay for its market weight in silver + extra.

I'll let you know if I find the darn thing, I'm curious where I hid it.

Probably someplace I wouldn't be able to melt it. ;)

[NaeKuh]

I'll let you know if I find the darn thing, I'm curious where I hid it.

Probably someplace I wouldn't be able to melt it. ;)

let me know.

I have a fetish in waterblocks worse then nikhsub1. :rofl:

Once i grab it, since i have a spare, i'll probably loan it out to martin to have fun with. :rofl:

[Kayin]

Glad you're picking it up. I wouldn't melt a piece of history down for what's a fun experiment, really. If it works, damn skippy I'm using it, but most likely this will be an exercise in hospital visits.

[CyberDruid]

I wonder if setting up something like a burner with MAPP would work...

[AllAgainstPaul]

This is a really cool project. It gives me a few ideas.
If it can be done with silver can it be done with copper, say $50 USD worth of pre-1982 pennies? And just to let you all know I would melt them down OUTSIDE US borders so I don't have to be concerned about the $10K USD fine.

[shabranigdo]

Awsome to see it in progress. I'm very interested to see how this goes. I think with a hotter torch you can get it to flow better, fun project. Here's a little blurb I found of the various temperatues different gass mixes will get you.


Oxy-Acetelyne, Oxy-Mapp Gas, and Oxy-Propane are examples of Oxy-Fuel torches. In them pure oxygen is used instead of air. This is done to create a high temperature flame. Oxy-Acetelyne produces the hottest flame at around 6,500 degrees F. Oxy-Mapp Gas produces the second hottest flame at about 6,200 degrees F., with Oxy-Propane producing a flame of about 5,000 degrees F. Newer design propane-air torches can produce a flame of around 3,500 degrees F. A simple propane torch can handle most soldering and light brazing operations, but for welding or cutting anything heavier than sheet metal, a system with oxygen is needed.

Best of luck with this project can't wait to see more.

[[XC] gomeler]

A proper propane torch should work, just needs the correct A/F ratio.

[[XC] gomeler]

Bumpasaurus Rex!

[Paul_19]

Looks Crazy, Will the Wax just not melt when the Water block gets too warm?

[mrmaigo]

Looks Crazy, Will the Wax just not melt when the Water block gets too warm?

AHHHHH!!!!! :smoke:

[orclev]

This reminds me of a project I helped my neighbor with. He was playing around with metalurgy and built a little crucible/furnace using primarily household items. If I recall correctly he had a old folgers coffer tin he used I think, which he filled with coal, and had a leaf blower attached to. Then he put a flower pot inside embedded inside the coals. He was able to get the thing hot enough to melt soda cans using nothing but coals and air from the leaf blower. I might also have the order of those containers reversed, but I can't really remember all the details right now (this was a long time ago, I think he was in 10th grade at the time, and I either had, or was about to graduate).

[[XC] gomeler]

Wonder where the OP went, hope he didn't blow anything up with this :eek:


This reminds me of a project I helped my neighbor with. He was playing around with metalurgy and built a little crucible/furnace using primarily household items. If I recall correctly he had a old folgers coffer tin he used I think, which he filled with coal, and had a leaf blower attached to. Then he put a flower pot inside embedded inside the coals. He was able to get the thing hot enough to melt soda cans using nothing but coals and air from the leaf blower. I might also have the order of those containers reversed, but I can't really remember all the details right now (this was a long time ago, I think he was in 10th grade at the time, and I either had, or was about to graduate).

Very possible, aluminum is very easy to melt but it oxidizes really well. I managed to make a puddle of molten aluminum that unfortunately turned into a pile of aluminum oxide powder. Was most odd but while it was a puddle on my garage floor I thought it was cool :D

[NaeKuh]

Nah he didnt.

If anything he got tired for all the work, and is probably waiting on new raw materials.

[bigslappy]

anyone doing this ........

powdered & Fine chunks of Charcoal is yer freind ,

you mix it with the metal in the crucible to be melted & it absorbs the oxygen in the air as it burns & keeps the metal from oxidizing. a simple flux (powdered soap stone will work/mixed with water to a paste)flux will help also as it's just molten glass that floats on top of the molten metal keeping the oxygen away from the molten metal while in the crucible that's why most cricibles are deep VEE shaped as the metal stays at the bottom & the surface area is smaller & the flux (Molten glass)floats on top
Next is the flame = large & bushy is best as it's also burning up most of the oxygen around the flame
that needle shaped blue tip flame with the white hot tip is the worst u can use . It may be the hottest but it also does nothing to use up the Oxygen around the flame
that's the reason for that Kid : the Coal thing above works soo well as the coal is eating up the oxygen & heating at the same time .. the blast of heat going up the clay pot is devoid of oxygen .. that's how the cavemen did it with a bellows

[Kayin]

Mostly it has been waiting on more raw materials. Work has been hell and I've been working hard on stuff like plumbing Mithril and getting this, that and the other hammered out and attached.

bigslappy, thanks for that tip, I think I'm gonna get a friend with a charcoal grill and a leaf blower too. Considering some other stuff, but this ought to work for simple stuff...

[bigslappy]

Kayin;3128620']

bigslappy, thanks for that tip, I think I'm gonna get a friend with a charcoal grill and a leaf blower too. Considering some other stuff, but this ought to work for simple stuff...
think blast furnace .. heavey steel tube , forced air below , coal/charcoal(hardwood is good , Real Coal is best) crucibale contained in the furnace soo no oxygen is getting in use a flux/charcoal mix in with the metal as soon as it's molten pour . a simple wet press will put enuff pressure into silver & the mold by steam to force the silver into the channels pm me & i'll explain

[fart_plume]

Dude go to a bait store and buy a small lead fishing weight melter for casting lead weights, their fairly inexpensive and can be poured one handed and will hold more than enough sivler for your block, plus you can scrap the slag off the silver with a spoon before you pour.