I need to make or buy a melting pot to melt iron and steel and would like someone who knows about this kind of thing to give me a hand and a tip. I'm not looking for cheep I'm looking for good. And i swear to any and every god that I will report as abusive anyone who answers "don't know", "No idea", "beats me" etc.
2006-12-29 08:23:54 · 9 answers · asked by Oel Pezlo 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Sculpture
I have a small furnace, which i fuel with coal and have some bellows. I planed to place the melting pot in the middle and make it very, very hot, then take out and pour into the mold.
2006-12-29 10:55:44 · update #1
The site below has a formula for making crucibles that work for glass, brass, bronze and aluminum. Should work for steel but you can follow links to foundry sites. Most people buy the crucibles because it is a nuisance to make them.
2006-12-30 07:02:06 · answer #1 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
unless you want to melt down tiny amounts, you probably won't be able to melt your iron (steel has even a higher melting point). The most common way to melt iron is in a cupola, you can look up the construction on the web. It's a barrel in which you put small (about square inch size) bits of iron alternating with coke. This introduces some carbon into the iron and lowers the melting point if run properly. Of course you also need a blower. The iron is let off periodically into a ladle which is lined with fire clay.
I know this method works as I've seen it used, don't know how good other methods are. Generally as you write bellows and not blower, it sounds like your bellows are manual? If so I think your chances are slim to achieve melting temperature of iron or steel as it can take quite a long time to melt (depending on amount of course). I'd recommend trying out pewter, aluminum or bronze before you try iron. And generally, given how much an accident can mess up, I'd buy, not construct my own crucible. I am sure if you type crucible into google or even eBay you find enough sources. And if you want to do just small amounts, I've seen induction furnaces for jewelry size with graphite crucibles which can melt down up to 3 pounds of bronze. I think one was in the range of $1000-2000. I don't know if that will go up to iron melting temps. 3 pounds of bronze took about 3 hours to melt down....
2006-12-30 08:23:12 · answer #2 · answered by convictedidiot 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Melting iron or steel is not like melting bronze at a higher temperature. I have done some blacksmithing, and before the steel gets molten it burns if exposed to air.
Now I have cast stainless steel (which also reacts to air) using induction furnaces and high alumnia crucibles, crucibles made of cubic zirconia ceramics were expensive, but a search shows them to have gotten extremely so in tiny ones, and not available in large.
The Alumnia ones are tricky as they crack easily, while the Zirconia ones are very resistant, and work to 4000F.
I did see used induction power servers capable of a small operation starting around $25,000 Cheap for a shop but pricey for your average hobbiest.
A simple gas forge can be made from a steel drum or large (2-300lb) propane, or compressed air tank lined with 4-6" of kaowool batting, and I would add a castable like mullite as a shell over it to protect the ceramic fiber.
Hard brick and mullite like castables are good for standing up to flame but they don't insulate much, ceramic fiber insulates well but won't stand up to abrasion or wetting.
A bit of a ramble but I hope it helps
2006-12-29 19:05:03 · answer #3 · answered by Dragon 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
in the event that they get warm sufficient, sure. i found that with clay the annoying way. i bisque fired some clay to cone 10 (approximately 2200 ranges) and it began to soften. the products held jointly yet as quickly because it cooled you will desire to make certain the hardened bubbles of vitrified clay that have been squeezed out of the cracks. i'm unsure on the melting factor of bricks yet i comprehend that each and every thing has a melting factor.
2016-10-19 04:33:34 · answer #4 · answered by valda 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you will need to buy a crucible of the type and size this is made to hold the amount you plan on melting and withstand the heat that you will be using to do that melting if you know nothing about this process get qualified help soon before you seriously endanger yourself and those around you 1800 to 1500 degrees metal is not a pay toy for the untrained.
2006-12-29 09:03:28 · answer #5 · answered by doc 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You aren't going to melt steel without an electric blower. You need to read some books first and build a furnace. Don't kill yourself.
You would use a Silicone Carbide Crucible.
2007-01-01 08:05:38 · answer #6 · answered by Just trying to help 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think that the most suitable material would depend what you want to melt, it need to have a higher melting point than what you want to melt and it must be strong enough to take the weight of what you want to melt.so fire clay(any clay with a melting point of more than 2000 degrees c.) would be the most suitable material to use, but i would not recommend that you make your own, but get one ready made.
you may check with any foundery in your area.
God bless,
gabe
2006-12-29 16:57:26 · answer #7 · answered by gabegm1 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IM not 100% sure, But i do know that clay and fire brick get extremely brittle after being heated and will not support any weight. Now i dont know about stone, maybe a good choice?
2006-12-29 08:33:29 · answer #8 · answered by cooldude4u2no 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
may i ask first....? how are you planning with what method to melt iron or steel. depends greatly on the method you are using, if you can tell me this i will be of help to you.
2006-12-29 08:38:25 · answer #9 · answered by d j 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋