# Melting furnaces/ are they worth it



## ilikesilver (Feb 17, 2013)

found this link today doing some research, anyone used one of these? are they worth it?

http://www.tabletopfurnace.com/quikmelt10.html

thanks for any help


----------



## NobleMetalWorks (Feb 17, 2013)

Poor/cheap design

The top doesn't have a good seal which makes it inefficient, also it will eat up the graphite crucible because it will be allowing hot expanding air to escape while sucking cold air into the chamber, which makes it work even more inefficiently. It's not a good design at all, thus the unreal cheap price.

If you use graphite crucibles they will be worn out faster do to the surface area exposed to air while heating

The furnace uses resistance heating, which means there are exposed heating elements/wires all around the inside. This also means you cannot use anything caustic because it will start eating through the wires and eventually cause them to fail. Replacing the would not be easy, nor cheap.

I am sure there are some other issues, these types of furnaces are usually reserved for treating metals, like jewelry, etc or for precious metal clays. I wouldn't use it as a precious metal melt furnace. It's easier to use a torch, or if you are really set on using a melt furnace you can message me and I'll give you the name and contact number of someone that would be willing to sell you one they have recently developed that is closer to the old Kerr types, you might even be able to work out a deal to pay via your refined metals, but that would be between you and him. The other option you have is a propane furnace, you can buy them, buy kits to make small ones, or make a larger one from easy obtainable parts.

Scott


----------



## Anonymous (Feb 17, 2013)

I have a 2 burner propane furnace air injection it will do the but im in ky i dont know where you are and it ways 200 lbs so cant ship and this furnace is $1400 new mine has been used 5 times workes good make me a offer


----------



## nickvc (Feb 18, 2013)

You can build a reasonable furnace yourself if you can buy light weight fire bricks, can use a saw and have access to a propane torch and bottles. The whole thing can be built for $200 and can be re figured to melt large or small amounts as its just stacked together and the bricks cut very easily, the bricks do not like flux and will be ruined easily if you spill it on them.


----------



## NobleMetalWorks (Feb 18, 2013)

I just had a small melt furnace made by Kendell Mining. It takes up to #10 crucibles and has duel burners. Works awesome.

Scott


----------



## stridor (Feb 24, 2013)

For $125 US dollars plus shipping I will make anyone here a 115 volt melting furnace capable of holding a B1 crucible. There is no reason to pay any more than this. The materials to make one are dirt cheap and it really isn't rocket science.


----------

