# struggling again



## glorycloud (Jul 13, 2010)

:roll: 

I can make nice pure gold powder from escrap but I am a buffoon
when it comes time to melt it!!  

I have spent an hour getting over an ounce of powder red hot
but I can't seem to get it to melt in the melting dish with my rig. 
Here's the way it looks when I take the torch off of it.



I use Mapp gas and I just used a melting dish tonight. But after
not seeming to be able to melt the powder, I kept trying to drop
the top on the mini-furnace over it but to no avail.

Maybe I should get a different rig and use an oxygen mix maybe?
Maybe Steve has the new design of the mini-furnace ready?
Maybe I should just sell my gold powder as it is but where's the
fun in that - no gold button!! 8) 

Ah well. Off to watch the National League lose the All Star game - again! :roll:


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## lazersteve (Jul 13, 2010)

Shoot me a PM and I'll hook you up with the new-new furnace.

I think your problem may be the torch tip you are using.

Steve


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## beachbum1975 (Jul 13, 2010)

This is the best the nugget gets with the lid resting snugly on top after a full hour under MAPP gas? Wow...

And the tip of the torch was just within the mini-furnace like 1/4 - 1/2" (blowing all the flames within the cavity under the melting dish)?

I'll let Steve chime in about his mini-furnace availability.

Edit: Steve commented just before I did!


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## Anonymous (Jul 13, 2010)

Glory,
is your furnace made from a real fire brick, one of the heavy solid type.

If so it is wicking away your heat. Get some of that fiber fireplace rope stuff and coil in up underneath for insulation then heat dead on since it is all melted in with borax.

jim


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## glorycloud (Jul 13, 2010)

Yeah, I just had the melting dish sitting on the bottom half of the mini-furnace. 
I never thought about it robbing away the heat. That would make
sense. Maybe I will just hook up the whole mini-furnace tomorrow and
let it run for a while and see what happens.

Any bets on how long it takes to melt that 1+ Oz on partially melted gold? 8) 

I can't wait to get the new rev of the mini-furnace! I am tired of feeling
like the melting retard of the forum. :lol: 
(Forgive me Governor Palin).


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## philddreamer (Jul 13, 2010)

This is my set-up. Woodstove fire bricks & a propane torch. I have a mapp, & an act/oxi, but seldom need to use them. The tip on my torch is getting tired, but still melts my gold. I just melted 40.6gm of 14k.
It's strange you can't melt your gold. :shock: 

Phil


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## Barren Realms 007 (Jul 14, 2010)

You can also use some fibergalss insulation between the brick and your dish as an insulator or just a piece of sheetrock will do.


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## goldenchild (Jul 14, 2010)

Its gotta be the torch. Ive melted ounces of gold with mapp gas without even using the mini-furnace. Bernzomatic TS8000


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## beachbum1975 (Jul 14, 2010)

glorycloud said:


> Any bets on how long it takes to melt that 1+ Oz on partially melted gold? 8)


With the brick lid in place, my guess is 10 minutes with direct heat applied (after the initial warming up the dish). 

In fact, my first attempt with the mini-furnace yielded similar results, because I simply didn't let mine cook long enough:


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## glorycloud (Jul 14, 2010)

You mean I have to be patient?????!?!?!?!?!? :shock: 

Dang it and I was hoping to leave it out in the sunshine today and let it melt
on the sidewalk! :lol: 

You are correct, I am sure. I will give it a shot again today and see how I do.
Perhaps my results will be as sterling as the National Leagues' last night!!!
Way to go Brian McCann!!! You did Atlanta proud!! 8)


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## glorycloud (Jul 14, 2010)

Thanks for the help!! The insulation between the brick and the
melting dish solved the problem. 8)



She ain't pretty but she's melted!!! :lol:


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## beachbum1975 (Jul 14, 2010)

glorycloud said:


> Thanks for the help!! The insulation between the brick and the
> melting dish solved the problem. 8)
> 
> 
> She ain't pretty but she's melted!!! :lol:



You're right, that is one ugly ducking - better send it my way! 

Kidding, nice work!


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## goldsilverpro (Jul 14, 2010)

It sounds like the original problem was using hard conductive firebrick instead of soft insulating brick. Firebrick conducts and loses a lot of heat. The soft brick can be scooped out and shaped with a spoon.


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## philddreamer (Jul 14, 2010)

She may not be pretty... but she's yours!!! :mrgreen: 

Phil


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## Barren Realms 007 (Jul 14, 2010)

Cool, nice looking.


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## patnor1011 (Jul 20, 2010)

Ah... You are not the only one. That is my problem too. I was using Steves mini firebrick furnace and could not get gold melt in gish. All I got was the same as you. The only time my gold melt was when I put that semi-melted powder on top of brick and applied flame directly. Gold melted but that was taking too long...

Now I try that with insulating.


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## glorycloud (Jul 20, 2010)

I think Steve has another revision of the dish available or coming soon
that should resolve that issue. 8)


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## boochieboy (Oct 10, 2010)

What did you use for insulation between the brick and melting dish?


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## lazersteve (Oct 10, 2010)

boochieboy said:


> What did you use for insulation between the brick and melting dish?



The new version of the mini-furnace does not require any insulation. I currently sell them by request only.

Steve


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