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Mapp torch for melting silver



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 5th 04, 10:14 PM
dan
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Default Mapp torch for melting silver

This weekend, I tried for the first time to cast some silver. I made
my mold (sand), and put my silver casting grain in a very small cast
iron pot. I lit my mapp torch and started to heat the silver. It all
fused itself together, but never really turned liquid. Part of the
problem I had was that it was hard to get the flame inside the pot
without tipping the cylinder way over (instructions said this was
bad).

Is it possible to melt silver with this type of torch? It's not the
mapp with the oxygen cylinder attached, and I was trying to melt 1 oz.
If it's not possible to do with this one, can someone suggest a cheap
alternative? I'm not going to be doing a lot of silver, so I don't
really want to spend much.

thanks,
dan
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  #2  
Old April 6th 04, 12:58 AM
Don T
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To successfully cast Silver you -must- get both the Silver and the vessel
you melt the Silver in up to pouring temperature. IOW you must heat the cast
Iron pot until the Silver melts. You -can- do it with MAPP gas but you
would be better off if you went to either a Jewelry tool supplier or a place
that sells casting supplies for re-loaders and got a "ladle" designed to do
the melt in. If you go to a re-loaders supply you can find one with an
enclosed pour spout that fits well into the sprue hole and puts the whole
weight of metal behind filling the mold.

For instance:

http://www.lymanproducts.com/store/page39.html

Lyman calls it a Lead dipper. It is across the bottom of the picture on the
top right of the page. There are other designs but a "shooters supply"
should have them in stock if they keep other casting equipment.

--

Don Thompson

"The only stupid questions are those that should have been asked, but
weren't, or those that have been asked and answered over and over, but the
answers not listened to." Peter Rowe


"dan" wrote in message
...
This weekend, I tried for the first time to cast some silver. I made
my mold (sand), and put my silver casting grain in a very small cast
iron pot. I lit my mapp torch and started to heat the silver. It all
fused itself together, but never really turned liquid. Part of the
problem I had was that it was hard to get the flame inside the pot
without tipping the cylinder way over (instructions said this was
bad).

Is it possible to melt silver with this type of torch? It's not the
mapp with the oxygen cylinder attached, and I was trying to melt 1 oz.
If it's not possible to do with this one, can someone suggest a cheap
alternative? I'm not going to be doing a lot of silver, so I don't
really want to spend much.

thanks,
dan


  #3  
Old April 6th 04, 12:58 AM
lamedeer
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Posts: n/a
Default

I melt silver with a propane torch using a Burno crucible which has a lid to
retain the heat. It's made of some kind of ceramic material. Perhaps your
iron pot is sucking away the heat.

Please understand that I am not a casting expert. I only do it because I
don't want to pay someone to process my small amount of scrap.

"dan" wrote in message
...
This weekend, I tried for the first time to cast some silver. I made
my mold (sand), and put my silver casting grain in a very small cast
iron pot. I lit my mapp torch and started to heat the silver. It all
fused itself together, but never really turned liquid. Part of the
problem I had was that it was hard to get the flame inside the pot
without tipping the cylinder way over (instructions said this was
bad).

Is it possible to melt silver with this type of torch? It's not the
mapp with the oxygen cylinder attached, and I was trying to melt 1 oz.
If it's not possible to do with this one, can someone suggest a cheap
alternative? I'm not going to be doing a lot of silver, so I don't
really want to spend much.

thanks,
dan



  #4  
Old April 6th 04, 12:59 AM
Bruce C.
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I haven't had a lot of luck using Mapp, I use propane instead. An ounce of
silver is more that I have melted at one time, you might need more torch for
that much metal. If your mold had several items sprued in there, break it
down to melts of about 1/3 to 1/2 ounce of silver. There are several
problems with using an uncoated cast iron pot. It is likely to sink a lot of
heat away from your melt and contaminate your silver. If you can, use some
firebricks to make a temporary forge to contain the heat to the melt.

As an alternative, you may want to try using a charcoal fire to melt the
silver - I haven't tried it myself, but it ought to work.


"dan" wrote in message
...
This weekend, I tried for the first time to cast some silver. I made
my mold (sand), and put my silver casting grain in a very small cast
iron pot. I lit my mapp torch and started to heat the silver. It all
fused itself together, but never really turned liquid. Part of the
problem I had was that it was hard to get the flame inside the pot
without tipping the cylinder way over (instructions said this was
bad).

Is it possible to melt silver with this type of torch? It's not the
mapp with the oxygen cylinder attached, and I was trying to melt 1 oz.
If it's not possible to do with this one, can someone suggest a cheap
alternative? I'm not going to be doing a lot of silver, so I don't
really want to spend much.

thanks,
dan


  #5  
Old April 14th 04, 02:41 AM
dan
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks to everyone for your help!!! I purchased a small crucible, and
had no problem whatsoever melting the silver. From what everyone
said, and what I observered, it looks like the cast iron pot was
acting as a giant heat sink. I have quite a lot more work to do on
the ring, but the casting came out fine.

dan

"Bruce C." wrote in message
. ..
I haven't had a lot of luck using Mapp, I use propane instead. An ounce of
silver is more that I have melted at one time, you might need more torch for
that much metal. If your mold had several items sprued in there, break it
down to melts of about 1/3 to 1/2 ounce of silver. There are several
problems with using an uncoated cast iron pot. It is likely to sink a lot of
heat away from your melt and contaminate your silver. If you can, use some
firebricks to make a temporary forge to contain the heat to the melt.

As an alternative, you may want to try using a charcoal fire to melt the
silver - I haven't tried it myself, but it ought to work.


"dan" wrote in message
...
This weekend, I tried for the first time to cast some silver. I made
my mold (sand), and put my silver casting grain in a very small cast
iron pot. I lit my mapp torch and started to heat the silver. It all
fused itself together, but never really turned liquid. Part of the
problem I had was that it was hard to get the flame inside the pot
without tipping the cylinder way over (instructions said this was
bad).

Is it possible to melt silver with this type of torch? It's not the
mapp with the oxygen cylinder attached, and I was trying to melt 1 oz.
If it's not possible to do with this one, can someone suggest a cheap
alternative? I'm not going to be doing a lot of silver, so I don't
really want to spend much.

thanks,
dan

 




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