Gold Refining Forum Sponsored Contest

[4metals]

JeneJe

Does our acids fall under organic

Just noticed this question, the acids used in refining are mineral acids. I've asked a few people who I thought should know is if your dry filters would tend to ignite. Nobody said NO, most said don't know, but a fire chief I know suggested testing a used filter which has been exposed to the fumes by seeing how easily it will ignite if exposed to a spark. Compare that to how a new unused filter reacts to the same ignition source.

It would be nice to know if exposure to fume renders them more flammable.

 

[qst42know]

All the elements are there they just need the right conditions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrocellulose

Metal salts may retard the effects so used filter papers might not be a problem.

 

[jeneje]

JeneJe

Does our acids fall under organic

Just noticed this question, the acids used in refining are mineral acids. I've asked a few people who I thought should know is if your dry filters would tend to ignite. Nobody said NO, most said don't know, but a fire chief I know suggested testing a used filter which has been exposed to the fumes by seeing how easily it will ignite if exposed to a spark. Compare that to how a new unused filter reacts to the same ignition source.

It would be nice to know if exposure to fume renders them more flammable.

I will check one and post the results.
Ken

 

[4metals]

17,724 that's how many members we have

3 that's how many members are actually refining. Somehow I don't believe that!

C'mon, it's summer now, time to clean up your messy shop and take some pictures. Time to hand out some prizes!

 

[goldenchild]

17,724 that's how many members we have

3 that's how many members are actually refining. Somehow I don't believe that!

C'mon, it's summer now, time to clean up your messy shop and take some pictures. Time to hand out some prizes!

I'm in the middle of a move. I will soon have a luxurious 250 square foot luhboaratori.

 

[Claudie]

3? You must not be counting the silent ones....

 

[4metals]

Well if they're silent, I guess they don't want to be counted.

 

[glondor]

OK I am just moving again to a larger place ( working on it all day) so I will post a few pics of my work area. Cost for materials so far is about $100. DO NOT laugh at my fume hood (lol) I know what my mistake is, I just have not had time to fix it as I just finished the piping yesterday.

It is all a work in progress. Quite a mess at the moment. I will have it squared away in a day or 2. I have a larger blower for the fume hood and I WILL put it in the right place.Just misunderstood the venturi effect. 2 vents in left unit, 1 vent in right, center divider not installed yet. Glass doors will go on next week. All made out of free scrap wood. Pipes go from 3 inch to 4 inch to 6 inch on the way out of the building. Roof stack is 7 feet tall. Some pans of incinerated material to be processed in one pic. Well got to get back to work on it. 8)

 

[samuel-a]

Took me and the old man 3 weekends to complete this one, from the ground up.
Cost of materials: 450$ (-+) for the 2 inch steel beams, gypsum sheets and 2 inch styrofoam insulation seets, the outer Tin i got for free from a friend.
It is about 110 sq. ft. here's the outside view:


This is the wall: Tin , insulation and gypsum sandwich:


The "office" in the entrance, scrap wood computer desk and chair for free:


The inside - table and plastic closet are salvaged scrap, the main work bench is from scrap closet walls that i constructed into a bench.
manual roll mill - 260$ , 2kg electric furnace 585$ (including accessories), scrap 12v fans on the wall to keep air flow at all times:


My new fume hood, i overpaied for the wood work to a carpenter, about 70$, the doors are plexiglass sheets that my old man got (and cut) from his place of work. at the moment i improvised a blower from 3 48v squirrel cage computer fans:

 

[4metals]

That has to be the fattest mini melt furnace I've ever seen. What size crucible does it take? How has it held up?

 

[glondor]

Very nice job. How is everything working out?

 

[samuel-a]

That has to be the fattest mini melt furnace I've ever seen. What size crucible does it take? How has it held up?

lol... that's the protective steel net that gives it that fat look..
This uses graphite crucible that is rated for 2 kg of (14K?) gold, here are the dimentions:
Top outside diameter (mm) : 73mm
Top inside diameter (mm) : 45mm
Height under the top (mm) : 134mm
Height with the top (mm) : 156mm

After the 10th melts they usually start to crumble, at 15, i stop and usses new one.

 

[Cody Reeder]

sounds like a fun contest and you should do it anualy. mostly becous my particial accelerator wont be up and running for several more years :lol:

come to think of it I really ought to designate an actual lab area, curently my lab is spread out over 50 acres or so... at least I get lots of excercise 8)

 

[floppy]

I would love to show my set up. But its a pinic table in the back of the yard and when I'm done for the day my materials and liquid gets packed back up in rubbermaid. Hopefully soon I'll have enough refined gold to pay for a shed.

 

[Oz]

Floppy, you could win with that set-up. This is not about who has the most money for a lab. If you have a nice, neat, compact, effective, lab that fits in a tote, you have a system that would be well suited to most of our members. You also have a fair shot at winning a prize.

We want to see your refineries and your equipment, home-made or purchased. Winner will be judged by his or her setup. Its capabilities, limitations, ingenuity of design, effective use of cash to build it, safety, and overall versatility. You can post as many or as few pictures as you deem necessary to show the details of your operation.

Please note that professional refiners can enter with their professionally bought or engineered systems, they will likely score high for their capabilities but low for their effective use of cash to build it. However, if your goal for being on the forum is to solicit work from our members, a few pictures of a fine tuned operation may get you some work.

Similarly a backyard refiner who carries out his or her digestions on a picnic table on a windy day may score high in cost effectiveness but low in other areas.

 

[Cody Reeder]

Floppy, you could win with that set-up. This is not about who has the most money for a lab. If you have a nice, neat, compact, effective, lab that fits in a tote, you have a system that would be well suited to most of our members. You also have a fair shot at winning a prize.

Oz is right, and a kit like thing could even be marketable. (gives me an idea... 8) )

but I have never really needed to designate a spacific area due to my 600 acre back yard and lack of nebors. :lol:

 

[dsmith2828]

17,724 that's how many members we have

3 that's how many members are actually refining. Somehow I don't believe that!

C'mon, it's summer now, time to clean up your messy shop and take some pictures. Time to hand out some prizes!

I am still working on mine. Hope to have it done this week.

 

[butcher]

All I got is shade from an oak tree.

 

[Barren Realms 007]

All I got is shade from an oak tree.

You have a shade tree? I'm jelous...

 

[dsmith2828]

OK, here is what I came up with for a concept of a portable unit. I am still working out what fan to use, so I have not been able to use it as of yet. As for the size, I know it is small. But being that I am just starting out, it seems to be a good fit.

As for some of the details, the scrubber is about 40" long and filled with small marbles. At the top of each stack of the scrubber, is a spray nozzle that is adjustable from .5 gallons an hour to 10. The nozzles are fed from a battery powered pump. To make sure Ph level are where they should be, I have a PH meter setup with the sensor down by the intake of the pump.

The reaction container is really only large enough for a single beaker. But again, being that I am just starting out, I think it will be OK.





I am sure I will have some more refining of the design, but I hope it is worth all of your consideration and reviews.