[Jewelry making - Article 00066] - [Orchid] Problems with melting furnace

[Martin Buchholtz]

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Fellow orchidians,

    I purchased an Itialian made melting furnace, Model FE-10, unknown
    manufacturer. This is similar to an electro melt. It uses a graphite
    crucible with a groove cut in it and comes with a pair of tongs that
    fit into the groove and contact 90% of the groove. To pour it is
    intended that the crucible be removed. The melter has a thermocouple
    and a Techologic electronic temperature controller. 

    To get familiar with the melter I decided to pour an ingot. I heated
    the sterlling to 1700 deg F, added a pinch of flux, stirred the
    silver with a graphite rod, picked up the crucible with the tongs
    and poured. Initially nothing happened so I tipped the crucible a
    bit more. The silver poured out all at once. Only part of it made it
    into the ingot mold. I had noted that when I picked up the crucible
    which was a cherry red, the top part lost its color because the
    tongs sucked the heat out of it. I am guessing that the initial
    silver hardened and when I tipped the crucible further the melt went
    over the bump. 

Can anyone give me some guidance on this?
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