# Other uses for the induction furnace



## rusty (Feb 8, 2012)

Temperature control on the induction furnace is more precise than using a gas fired torch and would make it the perfect tool for de-soldering silver contacts.

Melting Point and Weights of Various Metals and Alloys
Metal Symbol Melting
Point ºF Melting
Point ºC Specific
Gravity Weight in Troy
Ozs/Cu In
Aluminum Al 1220 660 2.70 1.423
Antimony Sb 1167 630 6.62 3.448
Beryllium Be 2340 1280 1.82 0.959
Bismuth Bi 520 271 9.80 5.163
Cadmium Cd 610 321 8.65 4.557
Carbon C - - 2.22 1.170
Chromium Cr 3430 1890 7.19 3.788
Cobalt Co 2070 1132.2 8.9 4.689
Copper Cu 1981 1083 8.96 4.719
Gold, 24K Pure Au 1945 1063 19.32 10.180
Iridium Ir 4449 2454 22.50 11.849
Iron Fe 2802 1539 7.87 4.145
Lead Pb 621 327 11.34 5.973
Magnesium Mg 1202 650 1.75 0.917
Manganese Mn 2273 1245 7.43 3.914
Molybdenum Mo 4760 2625 10.20 5.347
Nickel Ni 2651 1455 8.90 4.691
Osmium Os 4892 2700 22.50 11.854
Palladium Pd 2831 1555 12.00 6.322
Phosphorus P 111 44 1.82 0.959
Platinum, Pure Pt 3224 1773 21.45 11.301
15% Irid Plat - 3310 1821 21.59 11.301
10% Irid Plat - 3250 1788 21.54 11.349
5% Irid Plat - 3235 1779 21.50 11.325
Rhodium Rh 3571 1966 12.44 6.553
Ruthenium Ru 4500 2500 12.20 6.428
Silicon Si 2605 1430 2.33 1.247
Silver, Pure Ag 1761 961 10.49 5.525
Silver, Sterling - 1640 893 10.36 5.457
Silver, Coin - 1615 879 10.31 5.430
Tin Sn 450 232 7.30 3.846
Zinc Zn 787 419 7.10 3.7758


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## Harold_V (Feb 9, 2012)

rusty said:


> Temperature control on the induction furnace is more precise than using a gas fired torch and would make it the perfect tool for de-soldering silver contacts.


There's some problems that would have to be overcome. A solid state induction power supply would be far more forgiving than the older, motor-generator types. 
There's need for balancing power factor with induction furnaces, and that's constantly changing. 
Small lots require high frequency, while larger lots require lower frequency. 
Fifty pounds of small particles in a furnace may not be melted, while a fifty pound solid piece might be melted easily. Charge size (individual pieces) is critical, tied to frequency. With a molten heel, size isn't important. 

Not suggesting that an induction furnace might not be a good fit---just that it's not quite as simple as it may sound.

Harold


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## Lobby (Mar 1, 2012)

Have you considered that the melting point of alloys is much different than the melting point of their individual compounds?

In other words, say you have an alloyed mixture of silver and gold. Just because there's silver in that mix doesn't mean that it will preferentially melt when the alloy reaches that temperature.

If that were the case, we wouldn't have to do all this madness with the acids...


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