# silver flux



## norman01 (Dec 26, 2012)

I would like to thank everyone for all tis info posted here. My question is,
after cementing sterling silver the copper way, does it make any sense to heat the cement with a silver flux. I have done this several times and it seems to be fine. I quess I am asking if this flux will slag out any copper or leftover unwanted metal. I use 2 parts borax 1 part soda ash and 1 part silica. Then mix 2 parts flux to 1 part cement by weight. Then put this in a fused silica crucible, heat to 1900 farenheit, let sit at hi heat for 1/2 hour
and pour into cone mold. let cool and separate the button. It sure comes out looking good.
Thanks for any input


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## butcher (Dec 27, 2012)

I melt the cemented silver without flux, except for enough borax to lightly coat the dish, after cementing and washing the silver you would not have that much copper or base metals for the flux to oxidize or slag out, I do not know for sure but I would think your doing more harm than good using that flux here, greater chance of some silver beads being tied up in the flux and more cost on melting dish damage.


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## MysticColby (Dec 27, 2012)

I use a bit of flux when melting cemented silver. not even enough to cover the molten metal - I maybe start with 1 ml of borax for a liter of cemented silver powder, and that's only if the stuff from last melt doesn't look too used up. It does come out black afterward, so it is doing something. But there shouldn't be too much for it to do if you do things right (with few contaminants)


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## norman01 (Jan 5, 2013)

Thank you for your concerns. I know I don't filter as well as I should. Will be working on cleaning the cement better. This was main my main concern before melting the cement. I wonder if anyone knows where I could order a custom metal mold? Would like to make a likeness of my dogs face on a 5 oz bar. Also would like to call out Kadriver for his process on refining sterling with the photos, wonderful stuff. Thanks everyone again, I could not do this without the input you provide.


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## butcher (Jan 5, 2013)

If you can carve you could make your own mold out of a block graphite carbon.


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## Anonymous (Jan 5, 2013)

butcher said:


> I melt the cemented silver without flux, except for enough borax to lightly coat the dish, after cementing and washing the silver you would not have that much copper or base metals for the flux to oxidize or slag out, I do not know for sure but I would think your doing more harm than good using that flux here, greater chance of some silver beads being tied up in the flux and more cost on melting dish damage.


I totally agree with butcher. If you drop the silver with copper and do a "*Hot Wash and Rinse(s)*" with "*Distilled or tap Water (use distilled)*", you don't need anything else, except to let it dry out, then melt it in your melting dish. 

I did my very first refining the other day and what you're doing, you're doing at least 3 mores steps that will get you the same thing if you just done 3 less steps. Adding anything after the wash/rinse is not needed at all. I'm living proof of that. 

If you don't have to do it... don't do it.

Kevin


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## samuel-a (Jan 6, 2013)

norman01 said:


> I would like to thank everyone for all tis info posted here. My question is,
> after cementing sterling silver the copper way, does it make any sense to heat the cement with a silver flux. I have done this several times and it seems to be fine. I quess I am asking if this flux will slag out any copper or leftover unwanted metal. I use 2 parts borax 1 part soda ash and 1 part silica. Then mix 2 parts flux to 1 part cement by weight. Then put this in a fused silica crucible, heat to 1900 farenheit, let sit at hi heat for 1/2 hour
> and pour into cone mold. let cool and separate the button. It sure comes out looking good.
> Thanks for any input



This flux mixture does nothing to your silver other than being there....
Had you incorporated NaNO3, you would oxidize some of the left over copper from cementation.


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## norman01 (Jan 7, 2013)

Thank you everyone for your input. I have a lot of info here, and when I score some more sterling, all your advice will be invaluble. Of course the post by Sam about the NaNO3 got me curious.


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