# Beachbum1975 made his first button!



## beachbum1975 (Jan 12, 2010)

Ok, after MANY lessons learned, I've FINALLY created my first button!!!

I'm still trying to locate a place that sells battery acid, so I can wash the borax off, but here it is!





Original post:
http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=5933

I've waited so long to post my first button in here, so here it is!

Many thanks (again) to all those that aided me during the process.

Cheers!

beachbum1975


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## 2002valkyrie (Jan 12, 2010)

Nice color! Well done but you can use drain opener from ACE hardware or even Windixie grocery stores. Just make sure the bottle is in a sealed plastic bag. It will be concentrated sulfuric acid. Remember to add acid to water nothe other way around when you dilute it.


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## metatp (Jan 12, 2010)

You can also get sulfuric acid at a pool supply store. It is about 35% concentration. I only work with silver right now, but I use pH down that I get at the pool supply store. It is in a dry form where you just add water. I think it will work for you as well. Here in Florida, there are many pool supply stores.

Regards,
Tom


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## metatp (Jan 12, 2010)

Oh BTW. Great button and great picture!


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## shadybear (Jan 12, 2010)

Ace or True Value hardware should be in your area for sulphuric I use the rooto brand they carry it or can order it for you. I was buying battery acid from NAPA and cooking it down but there price for 5 gals has doubled in the last year and is actually cheaper to buy the gallon of rooto in my area(steubenville,Ohio) now. The rooto sells for 23 and change and the battery acid is at 26
One question about your button, did you use an ammonia wash in your final cleanup


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## Anonymous (Jan 12, 2010)

STEUBENVILLE< OHIO, man we are neighbors..  
Wheeling, WV

Jim


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## glorycloud (Jan 12, 2010)

I get H2SO4 at an auto parts store. I think it is $6.50 or so.


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## Oz (Jan 13, 2010)

Try skipping the sulfuric and boil it in tap water. I find that hot water is usually sufficient to remove the borax from most of my buttons. It may take a bit longer but you have no acid to deal with.


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## shadybear (Jan 13, 2010)

james122964 said:


> STEUBENVILLE< OHIO, man we are neighbors..
> Wheeling, WV
> Jim


YEs Jim just up the river and then about a 100 yard swim and your here.
I want it noted though I dont live in Steubenville(would rather live in the woods)
its just the closest town


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## Harold_V (Jan 14, 2010)

The button that appears in the photos, above, has an exceptional color and luster. 
Does anyone question the quality? 
Gold is difficult to photograph. Doesn't appear to be an issue in this case. 

Very well done. 

Harold


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## Irons (Jan 14, 2010)

HTPatch said:


> You can also get sulfuric acid at a pool supply store. It is about 35% concentration. I only work with silver right now, but I use pH down that I get at the pool supply store. It is in a dry form where you just add water. I think it will work for you as well. Here in Florida, there are many pool supply stores.
> 
> Regards,
> Tom



Sodium Bisulfate crystals. Think of it as half-neutralized Sulfuric Acid. It's a handy source of Sulfuric when you can't store liquid Sulfuric. It has other uses as well.

I would bet that a few people have some, thinking it was Sodium Bisulfite for precipitating Gold. 8)


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## 2002valkyrie (Jan 14, 2010)

Harold_V said:


> The button that appears in the photos, above, has an exceptional color and luster.
> Does anyone question the quality?


 Just looking at the picture of the button I think he did very well but I would like to see the melting dish that it was used.


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## markqf1 (Jan 14, 2010)

Looks like he might have used a cupel.

Mark


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## beachbum1975 (Jan 16, 2010)

Wow, thanks for all the responses! Sorry it took so long to get back with you all. I forget to set up alerts on this thread, so I didn't know people were commenting on it!



shadybear said:


> One question about your button, did you use an ammonia wash in your final cleanup


Shadybear, I didn't use any type of ammonia during the entire process. The only chemicals I used were muriatic acid, Hydrogen Peroxide, Chlorox bleach, sulfiric acid, 3 Mule Team Borax, sodium metabisulfite and water (though that's not a chemical!).

I used lazersteve's AP method throughout, following all his recommended steps.

In regard to the comment about the use if a cupel, one was never used - just the mini-furnace and melting dish. In fact, here's a snapshot of the melting dish now:


Thanks again for all the kind words and compliments! For me, the winter months = harvesting months, so I am bugging all my friends and colleagues for scrap hardware... 

When warmer temperatures come, I can't wait for my next round of recovery!


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## 2002valkyrie (Jan 18, 2010)

2002valkyrie said:


> Harold_V said:
> 
> 
> > The button that appears in the photos, above, has an exceptional color and luster.
> ...


The flux in the dish is clean. So I would put my guess at 99.10 to 99.91
Remember to save that dish for refined gold only and don't add any more borax, as long as your gold is clean and pure it is not needed. This will add to the life of your mini-furnace as well. When they are not in use store them in new zip lock bags. If you can store each piece in its own bag it will help a lot. Good luck with your new found hobby.


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## goldenchild (Feb 27, 2010)

gorgeous


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## draftinu (Jun 4, 2010)

Shane, Very nice color on that button, PM me those processors. 8) Tim


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