# Game cartridge fingers!!!



## watcher6880 (Feb 29, 2012)

This is a two part post (posting my find and explaining my process), so I couldn't decide either to post it in Help Needed or this section. Anyways I came across a yard sale selling a box full of old nintendo and sega game cartridges. Only gave 6 bucks for the whole lot. I stripped a few apart and the results were pretty hefty sized fingers. Planning on doing an AR test run with this batch... Just wondering if there was a way to remove the green film on the boards (I cut the finger portion of the boards off and will process these seperate from the other half of the boards). The reason I wonder is because when I was cutting the finger portions off, I accidentally scratched the surface of a few and it revealed gold plating under the green film. I had always thought this portion was comprised of copper. To be honest with you this will actually be my first AR attempt after studying and reviewing various processes over the past year. I am planning on mixing the nitric and hydrochloric acid solution and then precipitating it after it dissolves with sodium metabisulfite. Am I missing anything here? Please try not to be rude when responding as I am familiar with a few people on this forum who tend to do so at times. We all have to start somewhere. After all I am sure you did as well.


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## martyn111 (Feb 29, 2012)

Right, lets try and be gentle with you!!!

Firstly, before you scrapped these games did you check their potential resale value on feebay or the likes?

Now you have scrapped them you would be better advised to use the AP method rather than AR. Search the forum for the acid peroxide (AP) method.

If you go to lasersteves website he has a video on stripping the green solder mask from boards using sodium hydroxide.

Was that gentle enough?


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## Claudie (Feb 29, 2012)

There is a video on Steve's site about removing the solder mask from boards. Most of the time, it is Copper beneath the green coating, but sometimes it is flash Gold plated. It is a very thin plating. If the picture you posted is of all of the boards, I doubt you will get your $6.00 back. :| I agree that those are a perfect candidate for the Acid/Peroxide method of refining. Everyone that comes here seems to think that no matter what they have, it should go in AR. This is just not true! So much material is better processed with easier, more effective methods. It sounds to me like you need to do a little more searching and reading on the forum before you go any deeper into this. Remember, these chemicals can be deadly, please read and practice safety!


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## Geo (Feb 29, 2012)

a few people? rudeness on the forum? :shock: :shock: i remember i got hazed pretty good when i first got here, try to not let it bother you too bad as most are very well meaning. i agree with Claudie, study the AP method and then hcl/cl to dissolve the foils.

good luck.


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## watcher6880 (Feb 29, 2012)

Oh yes safety is first priority. I've seen how some of these half-assers ( no offense to anyone) do it out of their backyard or in a garage without a hood and then post it on YouTube. It baffles me because one good whiff could either end your life or do some serious damage. Anyways thanks claudie and geo. Martynn I see you took advantage of my last post.... be nice because I can play the same way. I came on here with respect. 8)


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## niteliteone (Mar 1, 2012)

Watcher,
I think you will do well with this venture.
But I will offer a little advice to help you with your success.

The AR process is used primarily to refine gold that has already been recovered and base metals have been removed.

To remove the base metals or recover the gold we can use several different methods. Usually the most economical method is the acid/peroxide (AP) method.

So for *step 1* you need to recover the gold foils from the boards and fingers.

Then *step 2* you will then refine the foils using AR.

Here to assist as needed
Tom C.


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## Harold_V (Mar 1, 2012)

watcher6880 said:


> be nice because I can play the same way. I came on here with respect. 8)


Heh! It's obvious you haven't heard about me. My name's Harold, and I serve as a moderator on this board. I'm junkyard dog tough on wiseguys, especially those who can't reign in their egos and think they must get the last word in. If ANY reader thinks they're going to get in a pissing contest with me and come out on top, they're obviously new to the forum. 

It's easy to get along on this board. All you have to do is do your homework, and don't make waves. If someone gets in your face, I'll see to it that they are dealt with. Should I miss their remarks, feel free to copy their words and send them to me, either by email or by PM. I'll handle the problem, as will other moderators. If you strike back, you're likely to be the one to receive my wrath. We don't settle things that way on this forum. No smart remarks that insult others, no flaming, no cursing, no politics. I'll boot anyone (even my brother) for violating those terms. 

Do have a bit of a sense of humor, however. Some of these guys love to yank a chain or two. They mean no harm. Smile, respond in humor, and everything will be well. 

And----please do remember---(for the benefit of all, not directed at you specifically)----no one is entitled to anything on this forum, aside from respect. No one is bound to share their hard earned knowledge with anyone else---although most of us do so with no strings attached. 

As you suggest, show respect. It will be returned. 

Harold


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## watcher6880 (Mar 1, 2012)

Harold., I have heard about you and I knew you were all about respect. That is why extend. The same courtesy to others because this a site where the business should be treated seriously. I agree on the humor part and I have notice some folks take it too far and others feel rejected so they don't return. As you can see, according to my progresive activity on the forum I don't want to be one of those rejected folks. The knowledge is sacred on this site. I do hope to learn much because I am taking this much seriously.


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## martyn111 (Mar 1, 2012)

watcher6880, If my comments upset you in any way then an apology is due and without hesitation offered. The comments were meant to be taken jokingly, not about the processing but the 'being gentle with you'.
As Harold said, we do tend to have a sense of humour, although he spells it differently than me, and can yank each others chains from time to time, but at the end of the day we usually all rub along together very well.


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## Harold_V (Mar 1, 2012)

See what I mean?

Good bunch of people on the board. They have learned the lesson well.

Harold


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## watcher6880 (Mar 1, 2012)

It's all good folks  I am just getting to know the names on the forum... I apologize if I mis-judged you Martynn. So far I am familiar with names like Harold, Noxx, Geo, Claudie, Butcher, GSP and a few others so please don't think I dissrespect if I don't know who who is. :lol: Anyways I have been studying up on the forum for a while, staying in the background, careful not to say the wrong thing :shock: (wrong processes, ill-knowledge, etc.) I found this site after doing some googling on the subject and ran into a lot of home refining techniques, but the thing is that all of them seem to be different. There is a youtube video that has a four part video on gold refining which I have watched and seems to kick off very well. If I can find the link I will post it to get your opinions on it.


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## goldsilverpro (Mar 1, 2012)

A service the forum provides is to act as the clearing house for for most all refining information on the internet. Most of us continually search for other methods and, if it's on the internet, it has probably been evaluated on the forum. Many of us have advanced to the point where we recognize whether a process is good or bad - it really does take one to know one. Several of us have spent our lives doing this on a professional level and we share our information. Without a doubt, this forum is where you'll learn the most. I'm not saying we know it all (no one does) and I'm not saying that we don't find good info out there in on occasion. When we do, though, we discuss it.


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## watcher6880 (Mar 1, 2012)

That is great... This is exactly why enjoy this forum as much as I do. I have actually been in the scrap gold trading and selling for quite a while but never actually ventured into the recovery and refining portion of it until about a year ago (which is where I started reading up instead of attempting my own experiments without knowing the repercussions). My first concern was to get up to speed with the chemical hazards and safety precautions and now I'm wanting to focus on the variable methods and which method is the "right" method for the right job. I'm primarily limiting my area to Gold right now and possibly silver (If you have read my other posts concerning my silver recovery on plated items then you know that may as well be on hold until I know the right method to use). Anyways I have been interested in the cell idea but am not that much up to speed with it. One process I know involves cyanide which I seem to have a hard time finding so would anyone know a good post for me to search on the forum involving a good gold recovery cell?


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## martyn111 (Mar 1, 2012)

If its gold plated pins you are looking for a gold cell for, then you should check out Lasersteves website where he has a video showing the set up and use of a gold cell. 
Also use the search function at the top of the screen or on any post by lasersteve, enter either sulphuric cell or gold cell and you will be directed to plenty of disscussions on the subject.


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## nickvc (Mar 2, 2012)

You won't find too much information on the use of cyanide on the forum for two very good reasons.
First and most importantly is the very nature of it, it gives NO SECOND CHANCES and can kill you and your family, pets and neighbours very easily if handled incorrectly.
Secondly for many on the forum it simply is not available hence the work around processes like AP and the sulphuric cell which while still dangerous, especially the concentrated sulphuric in the cell, they are much easier to protect yourself and recover your gold so long as you follow the guidelines outlined here on the forum.
Take my advice and lose the idea of using cyanide unless you really know what your doing it's simply not a chemical you want lying around in powder form or in solutions especially if you have acids in the same area....


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## watcher6880 (Mar 2, 2012)

I was aware of the dangers hence me reason for hesitation on using the process. Now that you have clarified with me the fact that it is an ill-advised process and not a pro choice I have decided to scrap the entire cyanide idea (thank God). Now I don't have very much intel on the sulphuric cell and that seems to be what I am wanting to do. Somewhere I read that sulphuric acid was easily attainable through auto store such as NAPA. would that be a wise choice by forum standards?


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## jimdoc (Mar 2, 2012)

watcher6880 said:


> Somewhere I read that sulphuric acid was easily attainable through auto store such as NAPA. would that be a wise choice by forum standards?



For the sulfuric cell look for Rooto drain cleaner or any other that has a plastic bag wrapped around the bottle. Make sure it is high percentage sulfuric acid. 

The acid they sell at auto stores is diluted at about 30%. That will not work for the cell as it is, so the drain cleaner is a better source.

Jim


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## Claudie (Mar 2, 2012)

If you are planning on processing the fingers in the picture, I would recommend the AP method over the Sulfuric cell. That is where most people start, and I think it would work better on this type of material.


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## nickvc (Mar 3, 2012)

Watcher many of the pros have and probably still do use cyanide but the emphasis is on the pros part of that statement. As pointed out there are work around methods and processes which most members use and they are well documented so should be a lot easier to understand and follow to a successful and safe recovery of your gold, the point again is recovery, your not refining whether you use cyanide, AP or the sulphuric cell but basically concentrating your values ready to refine.
Keep reading and collecting and you will eventually decide which methods and processes your going to need to use, as I constantly seem to be saying your golds going nowhere unless you throw it away.
Get all the processes firmly in your mind and even write down on a sheet of paper what your going to do and what reactions you expect from start to finish and most importantly be aware of any risks or dangers and be prepared for them.


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## watcher6880 (Mar 5, 2012)

I most definately agree Claudie. Somewhere along the line I had read that using the sulphuric cell instead of the AP method was favored for gold fill and larger gold plated items (with enough plating on them to make it recoverable of course) hence the metallic source as a cathode. But the trouble I am having right now is understanding the AP method... I did a search on the subject here on the site and keep getting nothing but conversations where the method is only mentioned like my current post. I finally downloaded a copy of Hoke's book and the part 1 and 2 of the forum guides which has been my ultimate focus this week. And Nick, I totally agree on the "pro" emphasis because as I have learned from past experiences of not understanding the danger properties of certain chemicals (I once took a pretty good whiff of phozgene gas that nearly paralyzed my lungs;I was the victim of someone elses stupidity. Ask me that story sometimes), I usually wait until I truly know what I am dealing with.


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## watcher6880 (Mar 5, 2012)

jimdoc said:


> watcher6880 said:
> 
> 
> > Somewhere I read that sulphuric acid was easily attainable through auto store such as NAPA. would that be a wise choice by forum standards?
> ...



These are the muriatic acid bottles, correct?


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## jimdoc (Mar 5, 2012)

watcher6880 said:


> These are the muriatic acid bottles, correct?




Rooto (drain cleaner) is sulfuric acid to use in the sulfuric cell. The stuff from Napa (for batteries) is only about 30% sulfuric and can not be used as is for the sulfuric cell. You need 98% and better sulfuric for the cell.

Muriatic acid is in the paint section for cleaning bricks and concrete, and maybe in the pool chemical section if its the right season in your area.

Jim


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## watcher6880 (Mar 6, 2012)

well I have been reading up on Lazersteve's PDFs and these have clarified a lot of issues I have been having. The AP process seems to be what I am leaning towards (hcl and hydrogen peroxide) for the fingers. But my question is, would the SMB possibly drop more out than the gold?


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## watcher6880 (Mar 6, 2012)

Also once it precipitates the gold into a black powder then the AR refining process would be necessary to bring it into it's natural tan powder form?


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## watcher6880 (Mar 6, 2012)

My biggest worry is contaminated base metals from the tin soldering getting into the mix. I have not seen this occur before but was told that tin contaminants can cause the AR solution to "gel".


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## Claudie (Mar 6, 2012)

After you have dissolved the base metals in HCL/H2O2, You will need to pour the solution through a filter to separate the Gold foils. Then you need to rinse the foils with HCL a couple of times until the solution is clear. Then rinse with water and decant. After that, you cover the foils with HCL and very slowly add some Clorox bleach. Be aware of the fumes. That will dissolve the Gold. Pour that solution through a filter to separate any left over particles of plastic, solder mask, or other trash. Let that set for about 24 hours, then add about three times the amount of water. This is the point where you can add some SMB to precipitate the Gold. If you followed the process correctly, the Gold should already be pretty pure and will not need further refining. I suggest you go back to Steves site and watch the AP videos, it is explained quite well there. :|

EDIT: Spelling :roll:


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## watcher6880 (Mar 6, 2012)

> I suggest you go back to Steves site and watch the AP videos, it is explained quite well there. :|
> 
> EDIT: Spelling :roll:



Umm, :roll: I am going to have to get back with that as per my version of the media player is supported by 64bit and the media player on Steve's site doesn't want to play with it


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## Claudie (Mar 6, 2012)

I have problems with the videos there too. I think it's a Microsoft thing. Maybe if the videos were in a form to play on a VLC player or similar, it would be easier for people who don't run Windows to see the videos. The Firefox plugins don't always work there. :| 
Anyway, I wouldn't use AR for these fingers. I think it is just adding expense and more dangers to a simple, proven process.


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## Geo (Mar 6, 2012)

try using Google Chrome web browser or Firefox.


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## watcher6880 (Mar 13, 2012)

Hey guys just wanted to give you an update and thank you all especially Claudie. I started my first batch using the hcl/h202 method described on steve's site on a small test batch. Liquid immediately went to a nice yellowish green color and the foils were fizzing and falling off. Magic!!! In an hour I will be checking on the solution and will take pics. I juat can't wait. I hope all of my studying pays off. Again thanks a bunch to everyone on this forum who does not have to but shares their knowledge so that others may achieve as well. Truly unselfish. I'm glad to be a part of this community.


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## watcher6880 (Mar 21, 2012)

Since my last post, All of the fingers have been removed into the solution and as per Steve's instructions, sprayed water (minimally with a small finertip spray bottle) to remove any excess gold back into the solution from the spent fingerboards. I now have two jars full of the foils in the solution. Just makes me happy to see such progess. I guess what I am wondering is after I have filtered it all out, what is the best way to remove the fold flakes that stick to the filter regardless of turning it inside out to use for an hcl wash (of course after removing most of the trash and chip pieces). After this I should be ready for my hcl-clorox dissolving the foils.


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## steyr223 (Mar 25, 2012)

hey guys
Umm.. watcher how long did it take (rhetorical no answer needed)
I did this the first couple of times :roll: but if you want to see your gold a little quicker i suggest you buy a fish aerator ( air pump ) at walmart

The cheap one i think is $6.00 in the pet/fish department
and an extra package of hose (the clear tubing )for the pump
put the hose on the outlet of the pump and the other end in the AP
solution, the closer to the bottom the better so you see bubles coming up

Some here like to take a sewing needle, heat the tip and poke a few holes to the end of the hose in the solution

I wouldn't worry about tin yet as the fingers look to be close cut and have no solder if that is correct
good luck 8) 8) 
thanks steyr223


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## nickvc (Mar 26, 2012)

Watcher the small flakes on your filter papers can be recovered, my suggestion is to save all your used filters, let them dry and store them in a plastic tub and when time allows simply incinerate and wash with Hcl and then dissolve with either AR or Hcl and bleach....it can be a decent amount if you save them long enough 8)


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## steyr223 (Mar 26, 2012)

Hey watcher
I use a pump up spray bottle
Just hold the filter in the bottom of a bucket and spray from top to bottom of filter untill clean,then toss the. Filter in your filter storage container
let your gold settle and slowly pour off just the water (leave gold In bucket
As Steve shows add muriatic acid just enough to cover foils and slowly tilt bucket about 45° and roll back and forth as to make the muriatic roll past your foils
Let settle pour off into stock pot repeat 3 times last time let sit for 1/2 HR then pour off. Don't worry about water at this point it can be poured off before the hcl/Cl
Thanks steyr223. Hope this is helpfull


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