First toll refining job!!

[moose7802]

Thanks Jeff, I don't heat my vessels hot at all, I can pick them up from the bottom with my bare hands. I am working on trying to find a dish that will hold that beast of a beaker in the picture. Thanks Harold I totally understand what is being said so my question is then, since I am barely heating it can it still break?
Tyler

 

[butcher]

Crock pots work well for heating solutions, even solutions containing powders that would be difficult in glass-ware, the crock pots heat from a thin heating element wrapped around the crock it heats from the sides not the bottom where the powders settle.

I think you should check it out to see if the vessel you are using was designed to be heated, you sure do not want a failure and take a chance of losing that gold, that would be a hard way to learn a lesson...

Corning Pyroceram dishes also work great, and can handle solids being heated in the bottom of the dish, these also come in several sizes.

 

[Palladium]

I'm as paranoid about my gold solutions as Dale Dribble is about the government. I use pyroceram under my beakers and then the hotplate sets in a large plastic shallow pan designed as a drip pan for a water heater. For me it's not only the breakage problem, but the fumble fingers part. I've came closer to accidents many more times than i've had to worry about breakage. Handling beakers full of gold solutions should be taken with the greatest of care and coordination. It's very important that you develop a good work ethic as well as a procedure that you can follow step by step each time. Call it standard operating procedure. I'm still as nervous today as i was when i first started when it comes to handling solutions in the final stages. Even though i might be able to recover the gold, the last thing i need to be doing is breaking, dropping, or knocking over a $5,000 beaker. When you become complacent is when you make mistakes.

 

[moose7802]

Thanks Butcher, this beaker is actually designed for one of those big stand up reaction vessels. It is a very pricey piece of glass. Thanks palladium I totally understand what everyone is saying that was the first time i used that beaker because I just got it. I will find a dish big enough to put it in but in the meantime I have a tub that I can put under my hot plate if any problem was to arise. I really appreciate all the great advice

Tyler

 

[Palladium]

If you're going to being doing large volumes i use to use the 5 gallon bucket method as i called it.

 

[moose7802]

Meaning AR with no heat in a plastic bucket? I did a second refine on this batch and dissolved all of the powder in a 200ml beaker with 100ml of hcl and 25ml of HNO3. After that I was holding that little beaker with 2 hands considering there was almost $800 worth of Au in it. I have never been so nervous or careful holding a beaker. :roll: I totally understand what palladium is saying! I know I'm fairly new to this and have a lot to learn but I do try and pay attention to small details and have a strong work ethic. My practices will only get better especially with all the great advice I am receiving. Truly appreciate it guys!!! Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving in the states.

Tyler

 

[Palladium]

I take a 5 gallon bucket and place it in a large vessel with water like a Cajun turkey cooker. A single serving line warmer from a closed restaurant will work also. I then take another bucket and drill holes in the bottom and place that in the first bucket. It works as a strainer. Then you can add your chips and chemicals. When you need to agitate the chips or see how much they like to be finished you can simply raise the bucket out of the other bucket spin it once or twice and put it back in. You can use 2 gal buckets and so on also.

 

[moose7802]

That's how I have my AP. That is a great idea! I never thought about it for AR but that would make rinsing and straining a breeze! Thanks a lot palladium

Tyler

 

[steyr223]

Just for the record I have used cracked beakers many many times over before they actually break of course I had them in a corningware dish to not lose any values.

Actually most of them didn't break they just started leaking out the crack.

Now the ones that get me are the silent
Breakers ,i had one break just sitting in the sun (no visible scratches) i went to pick it up and it completely seperated (two perfect pieces)
I have now learned to check before i touch(this has saved me.twice) you can siphon if very carfull.

Palladium
I used to get really upset I mean really upset when I knocked over my beakers or stepped on it ,fell on it ,slipped on it.
the worst one I had is when I went to grab it (about $400 worth of auric chloride) instead of grabbing it all I did was slam it against the wall. :shock:

I don't get upset anymore I just take my shirt off throw it on top of it mop it up and refine it another time 8)
Steyr223. Rob

 

[moose7802]

Miss doing this!! Cant wait to get a house where I am at now, so I can get back at it! Hope all is well around here!!

 

[butcher]

moose7802,
I hope you get that house I miss seeing the gold from your melting dish.

 

[moose7802]

Thanks Butcher!! Its definitely been too long since I have frequented this forum and can't wait to get back at it! My little one is 2 years old already, man they grow up fast! We are trying for another one right now and then its house buying time. The housing market here is just super crazy expensive here so I'm kind of looking for the perfect property, that needs work or an empty lot that I can build my own on. I will be melting again soon and can't wait, take care and best wishes to all!

 

[jonn]

It's great to see you back Moose!

 

[moose7802]

Thanks Jonn, as I said before can't wait to start refining again once we get a house up here!

 

[Tndavid]

Beautiful work..

 

[moose7802]

Been a long time since I made this thread! Miss refining that material for Jonn, he had a lot of good materials for me to refine for him! Jonn, you still around here, still living in your same spot? I’m back on the west coast again but in a state that I can’t get Nitric easily and it’s expensive so I am working to find the chemicals I need and trying to buy used glassware from anywhere I can find it. Hope everyone here is doing great! You all will be seeing me on more often, since I am trying to do some small batches of foils and some gold filled and karat jewelery I have been saving up.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Moose! It's been a long time! Welcome back.

Dave

 

[moose7802]

Moose! It's been a long time! Welcome back.

Dave

Good to see you still here Dave!! Thank you for the warm welcome back, you don’t happen to know anyone looking to get rid of some glass do ya, just looking for some basic stuff so I can do some foils and cpus as well as some GF and karat jewelry I have. Any help is appreciated and if you don’t know anyone, no worries. Just trying to put the word out. Glad to be back!!