# How to learn about melting karat gold scrap



## jimineez (Sep 16, 2011)

Hi everyone.

I've been lurking here for several weeks, reading all that I can. I really appreciate all of the help that folks on here have shared!

I have bought a fair amount of scrap gold and sterling silver in the past few months, and want to cash it out sometime soon. After reading lots of posts, I have decided that I do not want to refine it.
I have decided that for the gold, I want to melt it myself, mix well and pour into a large button (5 ozt or so). The assay it, weigh it, and then sell to a refiner who should give me top $ for it....97% or so maybe? I'd also swap for already refined .999+ gold bars or coins minus a small %.

For the sterling, I haven't decided yet if I want to melt any of it or not....I would at least strip the filled pieces and jewelry before selling to a refiner, ....but I'm not sure about the nicer solid sterling pieces such as forks and spoons, whether to just send as is, or melt first.

So....my problem is that I haven't seen a good tutorial on exactly what I need to do this...type of crucible and torch, procedures, best way to mix without losing anything, how to strip the slag at the end, can I mix 18k 14k 10k and white gold together, etc.

What is the best book, dvd (looks like lasersteves karat gold dvd is still in waiting?), or other place to see all of the exact details before I go for this?

BTW- I have a big oxy-acetylene rig for steel cutting.... could I swap out the torch head or tip and use this setup, or at least somehow use the gas I already own? Obviously it gets super hot, so I don't want to be an idiot and burn up anything.

Sorry for all the questions on what for you guys is probably the most basic procedure there is, but I am serious about this and don't want to screw up! It may sound like I haven't done much research here, but honestly I have read a lot...It just seems like the answers are scattered all over the place, and I'm not sure that what I'm reading is really the right way, plus some things I simply can't find!

Thanks!


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## martyn111 (Sep 16, 2011)

Sell as is, you have hallmarks on your items, why destroy your proof of what each item contains and then pay for an assay to resupply that proof?
Why waste your time and fuel when you will only get the same price from the refiner?
Individual items with merit you could sell on fleecebay.
Just my 2 pence worth


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## shadybear (Sep 16, 2011)

I agree if you have marked metals it would be better to sell them outright
a refinery will pay the same for marked and/or assayed material
melting it destroys the proof and then it will have to assayed again
which you pay for to get the same payout.


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## 4metals (Sep 16, 2011)

An excellent book to read which will answer all of your questions is called How to smelt your gold and silver by Hank Chapman. It's in plain English for non chemists you can get it here...http://www.lmine.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LMS&Product_Code=90516&Category_Code=


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