[Jewelry making - Article 00025] - Re: [Orchid] Casting help

[Rene Roberts]

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>       I have a lot of cut-up stuff left over. I've heard I can
>     melt this down.

    I'm no expert on this, so I'm writing this from the perspective
    of someone who doesn't know the "right" way.  A goldsmith showed
    me a nifty way to melt small amounts of metal down without a lot
    of tools, equipment and four hands. Very lo-tech, affordable,
    non-threatening and very easy: 

    Scrape a shallow depression about the size of a quarter in a
    charcoal block, with a small "channel" going off of it on one
    side in case there's "overflow". Have a second charcoal block
    handy. Put your metal scrap on the first block and heat until it
    starts to melt, then sprinkle a very little borax (available in
    the detergent section of the grocery store) on the metal as a
    flux. Stir the puddle with a wooden pencil when it's fluid (if
    you don't have a carbon stirring rod). When it's completely fluid
    and ready to "pour", flatten the puddle with the second charcoal
    block. Voila - an ingot. Smaller than pouring a lot of metal into
    an ingot mold, but easier, faster, and thinner, so takes less
    time to roll out. Also, you don't need a casting torch, or a
    super duper casting tip. The charcoal and the wood + graphite of
    the pencil keep the metal from oxidizing. 

    Just an alternative method to pouring into an ingot mold and
    using a crucible. Hope this helps. 

Rene
No. Calif.



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