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Goldshark, you're probably right about Southfork's particular situation. But just as with my previous comments that his particular setup may not be prone to a catastrophic suck back, I always have concerns for others' set ups that may be subject to such problems. It is standard procedure to introduce cooling water to the jacket at the discharge end. And, as you say, if it can be done correctly, why not do it.

Dave
 
Actually, you do want the cool water to come in at the discharge end. The cooling water warms as it goes through the cooling chamber. The gasses come in hot and are still greatly cooled by the somewhat warmed water at the top end. By the time they reach the discharge end they are cooled further by the cooler, fresh water, so it's a little more effective.

Dave
Your right but what Stoneware and I were talking about in its current configuration like stoneware posted without the pump. It's no more than a sight glass / coolant level indicator. The instructions say it will work two ways with or without the pump I tried without. And the hose sprung a leak from heat or pressure or faulty material. and I have ordered a pump and will try again should be here Thursday. I'm using spray on Graphite on all threaded fittings and inside of the cup / pipe cap. Seemed to seal but I stayed up wind. It wasn't a big leak just a pin hole in the plastic tubing out a little way from the edge of the pipe could have already been there. Everything will be changed I promise.
 
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Your right but what Stoneware and I were talking about in its current configuration like stoneware posted without the pump. It's no more than a sight glass / coolant level indicator. The instructions say it will work two ways with or without the pump I tried without. And the hose sprung a leak from heat or pressure or faulty material. and I have ordered a pump and will try again should be here Thursday. I'm using spray on Graphite on all threaded fittings and inside of the cup / pipe cap. Seemed to seal but I stayed up wind.
Spray on graphite is a lubricant not a thread sealer.
 
Maybe not but it keeps the gold from sticking to the cap. Next

One last question, has the galvanized layer inside the pipe and caps vaporized yet.

The zinc coating is most likely responsible for your gold sticking.

Your 40 year old mercury is now contaminated with zinc as this metal does form an amalgam with mercury.

Zinc-mercury amalgam is a stable alloy of zinc and mercury but is reactive and should be treated with same precautions as mercury. Severely toxic by ingestion, inhalation or skin absorption.

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The end caps are cast iron, dipped in zinc a process known as galvanization the pipe nipped used as the center section and that used as the exit port are made of steel.

Welding them together with the improper welding rods will stick them together but due to the high carbon content in the cast iron the weld is superficial.

Whoever made the retort is obviously not aware of the proper welding procedure, Brazing ( gas weld ) with a brass alloy, silver solder or nickle welding rod would be correct.

I don't think silver would have been suitable fro a high temperature application.

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Read my last post my gold is not sticking I use graphite and those are black iron / steel fitting not galvanized Next. I have a lot of gold amalgam waiting on a pump and buckets and buckets and totes full of ore waiting on me to grind and crush. The bad welding and poor workmanship will not prevent me from recovering micro gold from dirty mercury that all I'm after. Just had a phone call the crew have some more ore samples for me going to busy week.
 
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Read my last post my gold is not sticking I use graphite and those are black iron / steel fitting not galvanized Next. I have a lot of gold amalgam waiting on a pump and buckets and buckets and totes full of ore waiting on me to grind and crush. Next
You'll need a larger retort.
 
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To clear the air, Southfork figures the clear tubing is a sight glass, notice how he has the hose connected to the retort with the antifreeze fill in the bottom image you can see the liquid without circulation.

Its obvious to see he has not used a thread sealant on the lower cup.

I"m curious to know what the sublime of white salts are that have collected at the base of the upper cap, a sign of obvious leakage from the retort.

I suspect the sublime is silver which has been volitised with the vapor forming the sublime.

If Southfork were'nt so stubborn and had taken the time to read the freely available copy of Hoke's book on refining we would not be having this discussion.

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I suggest you two drop this for now.
If you have anything informational or important that is Ok.
But nit picking for the sake of nit picking do not belong here.
Gottha Cheif, we're just trying to assure Southfork operates his retort in a safe manor.
 
Read my last post my gold is not sticking I use graphite and those are black iron / steel fitting not galvanized Next. I have a lot of gold amalgam waiting on a pump and buckets and buckets and totes full of ore waiting on me to grind and crush. The bad welding and poor workmanship will not prevent me from recovering micro gold from dirty mercury that all I'm after. Just had a phone call the crew have some more ore samples for me going to busy week.
I'll take you at your word, the fittings are black iron.

It was from this image that i mistakenly thought they were galvanized, obviously I was wrong in my assumption.

What the salts are is a mystery to me, but the sublime shows me the retort is definitely leaking vapors from the lower cup.

I now realize the value of Mr. Ammen's comment in his book where he made the claim this type of retort made from pipe and cap fittings are dangerous.

HOT METALS EXPAND, and will disturb the sealant used.

Unrelated, kovar has similar expansion quality's to that of glass for this reason was used to manufacture the pins used on vacuum tubes and some integrated circuits.

The retort I made had a machined lid with a high temperature gasket sandwiched between the lid and base secured with threaded screws, based on a bolt circle.

The proof is in the pudding.

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Thats what happens when paint burns.
By my best estimate 95% of our members have an analytical mind, I'll leave it up to them to see if they're willing to buy into that line.

As for me, I'm moving on and away from this nonsense..
 
Thank you but I did want to see the retort you claimed to have built.
A friend of mine had purchased a building in Melville Saskatchewan on a tax sale, the building had been used as a dental clinic.

The dentist had abandoned his practice and the building leaving all the equipment behind, possibly leased and due to age the leaser had no interest in recovery.

In the basement connected to the plumbing system was a heavy metal trap, over the years an accumulation of canisters had been stored on a shelf.

The canisters contained, mercury, teeth pulp, chips and old blood, a source of precious metals which for obvious reasons could not be incinerated before further processing.

From information gleaned from this forum, Hoke's and Ammen's books and an old story Mad as a hatter, I was aware that mercury and its vapors and compounds are very toxic.

Your ignorance on the improper use of mercury - smelting it. Really upset me, yes to the point of voicing my opinion on the matter which had earned me an extended vacation on another forum as you so eloquently pointed out earlier.

It was because I had all of these heavy metal traps full of dental waste that I needed to have a retort, as some of the members here know I'm very capable of building my own equipment.

The retort build was about the time this forum took on a life, the retort having no further foreseeable use along with my decision to never take on another project involving mercury. I disposed of it.

FYI, dental clinics pay to have these heavy metal canisters removed, but from earlier research when I still had my retort I soon learned obtaining those traps is an impossibility.
 
So you don't have any proof of your home made retort? or any gold I'll come back latter busy right now I have amalgam to retort. I thought you would be happy that I purchased a retort with money from our gold.
 
So you don't have any proof of your home made retort? or any gold I'll come back latter busy right now I have amalgam to retort. I thought you would be happy that I purchased a retort with money from our gold.
Bickering only achieves to distract poeple from the real issue, you should be in politics.
 
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