Hi Everyone,

New here.

I recently purchased an electric melting furnace off ebay. It heats up to 1100 degrees C and I am still having trouble getting the copper to liquify.

It came with a 3 kg crucible and I also purchased a 1 kg crucible. Yesterday I loaded the 1 kg crucible up with copper, put it in the furnace. It slowly got up to temp 1100C and was red hot. After 1.5 hours it still would not melt...even though it was at 1100C.

I am not sure of other factors that could have effected the melt. 50 degrees F outside, low wind. I am not sure what the problem is. 

Is the 1 kg crucible not made for the 3 kg unit...it seemed a little loose fitting.

Ideas/thoughts. Anything will help.

Thanks 

The melting point of copper is 1084°C. That's only a 16°C (28.8°F) difference, so if the furnace temperature control wasn't operating properly just by a bit, the copper wouldn't liquify.

Welcome aboard!

Thanks! So do you think the furnace is useless for copper? Or maybe magically it can would under the right condidtions?

What did the manufacturer say when you contacted them about their system?

normally when melting a metal you want to reach a higher temp than the melting point to allow for the times it takes to move it from the heat to the pouring mold, 

Your question tells me you have not cast metals before, copper isnt the best starting point, try Aluminum first to learn the ropes them move to other metals

First time doing copper. Watching videos and reading reviews, people had no problem doing copper with this furnace. I was just wondering if it was having trouble melting in the 1kg crucible since it is not as close to the heating element as the 3kg one. 

I just dont want to use the 3kg crucible if it is not going to melt.

Of coarse I waiting on a reply from the seller.

Was the seller the manufacturer?

Here is the info 1400 watt 110 volt

It work great with the 3kg crucible. Thanks 

May I have a link to this kit, please?

I just found that particular kit on Ebay (like Keets said in his first post). The brand is TOAUTO. However, there are a ton of what are essentially the same furnaces under several Chinese brand names I found by just searching 1400W furnace for melting copper. 

Links to commercial websites are not allowed per the TOS, wasn't too hard to find though.

Ya. Just search "electric melting furnace" on ebay or Amazon and you will find it. Poured a nice copper bar last night.

Are you deoxidizing before the pour, using any Flux during the melt?

21 hours ago, Keets said:

I was just wondering if it was having trouble melting in the 1kg crucible since it is not as close to the heating element as the 3kg one. 

Reasonable hypothesis.

Thank you. 

I have been using propane and compressed air for so long it will be fun to try electric.

Yes, I added borax to the liquified copper. It clean up real nice. I will post a pic when I get the bar cleaned up.

Regular or anhydrous?

20 Mule Team strait out of the box...did not pre heat/treat it

Water being released might cause issues; you should consider reading this: 

 

Thank you! Great info...I appreciate it.

Here is a copper bar I pour from the electric furnace.

Gadget, have you tried blown air over charcoal? Since the first time I tried it 10 years or so ago, I haven't looked back.  I had expected it to take similar times to my propane torch.  Instead I melted the steel crucible (which I don't recommend for a number of reasons, this being one of them) and had about five or six lbs of molten aluminum running out of the drain hole less than three minutes after putting the crucible in.  Worked a treat for copper and bronze once I slowed things down and used proper crucibles.

On 1/17/2021 at 1:45 PM, Keets said:

Here is a copper bar I pour from the electric furnace.

 

This is gorgeous.  I have just bought the same kit- and trying my first melt.

Edited November 19, 20232 yr by Mod30
Trim quote.