# Build an electric furnace plans w/ pics



## Acid_Bath76 (Aug 4, 2012)

I saw this online and thought it was interesting. Curious to hear what people think about this. 

http://www.metallab.net/kanthal.php


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## MakeYourOwnGoldBars (Aug 7, 2012)

Kind of crude but looks like it could do small melting, have you made one yet? What size crucible does it fit?

Steve


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## Harold_V (Aug 8, 2012)

My opinion?
Waste of time and money. In the long term, it won't serve worth a damn. You'd be far better off to invest in an oxy/acet torch system. Particularly so if you have natural gas at your disposal, for you can use that along with oxygen for most melting operations unless you have large volume, at which time a proper furnace (not that crude little thing) would serve you much better. It, too, would not be electrical, but fired by natural gas or propane.

Harold


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## Hephaestus (Aug 9, 2012)

I have made an electric furnace for Aluminum (1-2 kg melts) and am quite satisfied. I'm also thinking of converting a quite small reverb furnace (butane/propane) to electric for gold, silver and zinc (not at the same time!). I can't agree more on quantity though, if it's for 2 or 5 grams per melt I don't think it worths the effort to make one.


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## goldsilverpro (Aug 9, 2012)

To me, electric crucible furnaces are next to worthless. The elements are too easily corroded by fumes and/or flux overflows. Use a torch. For larger quantities, build a gas crucible furnace.


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## Synuae (Jan 1, 2013)

im going out to buy a small oxy-acet torch today. i am not even gonna mess around anymore. everything else has just been frustrating. Harbor Freight has a small compact oxy-acet kit that you can carry anywhere for only $279 on sale right now


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## scrappile (Jan 1, 2013)

Have heard that oxy goes twice as fast, found this with a search,.. 

one thing to keep in mind is you will go through twice as much oxygen as acetylene. i puchased all my tanks at auctions over the years and most of them with no paperwork. this avenue takes time as most of the tanks you purchase will belong to a supplier (stolen) so make sure you get and KEEP all reciepts and sales tickets in case someone shows up asking were you got them. once you find a set thats yours keep a copy of the paperwork in a safe place and cut away. large tanks last quite awhile but hurt your wallet when you fill them.


http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-140024.html

Thats from a board talking about set ups,..

I don't have big or small and have used cutting set up not melting , anyway small one now to get er done, and look for a spare tank if it is needed. I have lots of Harbor tools and very few don't work out,


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## Jimmy (Jan 6, 2013)

I used to do some Lab glassware work and oxygen goes like water. If you are using a lot of it you are better off buying liquid. If you use not quite that much than a o2 generator and a compressor are the way to go.
Electric furnaces have their use. Dont discount them entirely. But for a beginner, Id get a small pottery kiln. Cone 10 perferably. You can do remarkable things with one of those including melting in a controlled atsmophere by using a shielding gas of some sort.


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## goldsilverpro (Jan 6, 2013)

Jimmy said:


> I used to do some Lab glassware work and oxygen goes like water. If you are using a lot of it you are better off buying liquid. If you use not quite that much than a o2 generator and a compressor are the way to go.
> Electric furnaces have their use. Dont discount them entirely. But for a beginner, Id get a small pottery kiln. Cone 10 perferably. You can do remarkable things with one of those including melting in a controlled atsmophere by using a shielding gas of some sort.



For something like that, maybe. However, I've been refining for 45 years and have never had those requirements. For typical PM refining, I wouldn't have one if you gave it to me. Why set a beginner out on the wrong foot? The only thing as worthless is one of those EZ melt, hand-held type, electric melting furnaces.


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## element47.5 (Jan 6, 2013)

> one thing to keep in mind is you will go through twice as much oxygen as acetylene.



Ehhh, not so if you are NOT cutting steel, eg; using the secondary, hi-pressure handle on the cutting head. That's where you blow out oxygen which chemically & physically blows steel away. You use "lots" of oxy. A normal person purchasing an oxy/acet torch rig can no doubt be expected to do some welding, some cutting, but unless you are going to use YOUR torch double duty as a steel-working item, your oxy consumption will probably lag well behind your acet consumption. Oxy is fairly cheap, anyway. It's the fuel that's expensive.


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