Metal Casting Zone Info Blog

me asked:


I have a cast iron crucible, and a MAPP gas torch. I can get copper/zinc/brass/aluminum to melt but can I get the metal hot enough without a furnace to melt the metal? If not what cheap small additions would I need? I live in an appartment with a ground floor patio so no room to store anything big, or even medium. I am only trying to cast small shapes. (1 inch or so)

I can sometimes use a portable forge to heat the metal, would that work?

Also what fluxes for the different metals would I need?
I will borax work with aluminum? I thought it didn’t?

I have a nice concrete patio with a small dirt yard. The appartment is brick so no wood exposed.

I am doing it just to have some fun.

I don’t really have the money to take a class at this time. I am paying off college loans from 5 years of college, etc, that’s why I said cheap above.

Foundry

AnthonyM asked:


Need a custom size and not sure what type of companies do this. Tyneside area.

Iron Metal Casting

canesmojo asked:


Hypothetically, let’s say I want to set up a process for melting down junk jewelry and extracting whatever gold might be in it. Let’s also keep in mind that I have a somewhat limited budget to work with and limited or no access to exotic reagents (high concentrate acids, heavy metals, etc) and even if I HAD access I don’t have the experience to work with such chemicals safely.

There are a host of resources for melting/casting other metals (aluminum, bronze, etc) but almost nothing (that I can find at least) on melting or casting precious metals. The processes are not the same – melting precious metals requires special handling to minimize losses to oxidation, etc. but aside from that notation, I’ve found very little information on what the differences in the processes are.

Any clues on how to do it or where to look?

TIA

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