The Armourer Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Ok, Use a lot of copper and always collect the copper shavings and dust and such, and seeing as it wouldn't sell too good was inclined to melting it, however I do not have the knowlage or set ip to pour it so I was wondering if I could melt it in a steel pot, and if so would it bond to the steel if I let it cool in there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crantius Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Copper and its alloys will braze to steel. Even with alu it's a bad idea, some of it will oxidize (% depending on the type of scrap you used) and prevent the rest from melting easily, i.e. that crucible will be ruined.Copper also oxidizes easily, it needs a topping of glass or coal to reduce losses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 (edited) Safety is always first. If you do not have the knowledge then DO NOT play with HOT liquid metal. Read all you can find on the subject. Search out others that cast or pour HOT liquid metal for a living, not Bubba next door. ALWAYS have a plan B in case anything goes wrong, and it will. Edited May 31, 2015 by Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Armourer Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Ok thanks. Just to be clear I was not going to try pouring it, just melt it in the pot, and I know enough about casting that I know that I don't know enough, if that makes sense. I guess I will have to find a different crucible. Maybe I could carve one out of stone and try it with small amounts of aluminum first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 The scrap guys will readily buy brass and copper shavings - at least we have no problem selling around here. Just more expense to melt it and you will experience loss. Better to segregate in a clean box or barrel and take it straight to the recycling plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Ok thanks. Just to be clear I was not going to try pouring it, just melt it in the pot, and I know enough about casting that I know that I don't know enough, if that makes sense. I guess I will have to find a different crucible. Maybe I could carve one out of stone and try it with small amounts of aluminum first. It doesn't make sense. You don't know nearly enough to melt anything. Melting aluminum in a homemade stone crucible could well be the last thing you even do. Buy some books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Ditto Arftist.Melting any metal is inherently dangerous when you know what you're doing. Guessing what to do is a short cut to serious disability if you're lucky. One dangerously stupid joker in Jr. High on his last day in any California shop class of any description thought it'd be fun to drop a piece of wet al in the crucible. I mean REALLY it was the size of a thimble, how dangerous could that be?The molten aluminum in a 5lb. crucible splashed hard against the hot area exhaust hood and rained down on everybody under it's 20'x30' cover. The shop teacher personally escorted Mr. 86'd from shop classes for life directly to the principals office to await a ride somewhere.Seriously, a piece of wet aluminum the size of the last joint on your little finger emptied 5lbs. of molten aluminum from the crucible and blasted it against the steel area splatter shield exhaust hood 8' overhead hard enough to splatter it over the entire hot work area. Fortunately The shop teacher insisted nobody enter the shop area without PPE so nobody who got splashed got worse than a 1st. degree burn though there were numerous smouldering shop coats and caps thrown in the sink and doused.A good pour temp for the al we collected was under 1,100f. and copper melts around 1,983f. Okay, I looked it up for accuracy's sake but that's the pure copper liquidus and who knows what alloy scrap may be. The real point here is maybe 3-4 drops of water shot 5lbs. of 1,100f al a good 30' in every direction with force enough to splash on impact. Bump the temp of the phase shift of water to steam another 800-900f and 5lbs. of copper could possibly blow YOU several feet in the air while giving you 3rd. & 4th. degree burns anywhere it touches you. Oh and unless you're completely covered in leather your clothes will burst into flame where it touches and NO nomex isn't fire proof under those conditions, it not only flashes over but melts against you for truly horrific burns. visualize sticking body parts into a deep frier.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Armourer Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Ok thanks. I will try to find a place to sell my scrap and just stick to forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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