Shark said:
As for 8 days and 5 grams, don't panic :lol: . I spent 6 months getting to 6 grams at around a .1 gram average per refine. I did do a 3 gram process that I should have waited to attempt, but it worked out fine once I realized there was silver involved. Poor paycheck? I have never made any money from refining, I am still in a hole money wise :lol: . But I am loving it so much as a hobby I just can't stop now.
One thing that is being overlooked (by almost everyone) is that an education is not free. It comes about as close to free as it can on this board, but those who have a serious intention of learning will pay dues by trial and error, or by spending their time reading and researching. Precious few are exempt, as none of us are born with the knowledge to refine---we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us (assuming we're wise enough to do so).
Running small lots, as you've done, is the smart thing to do. Sure, you don't get much of a payback that way, but you do in wisdom, which is the real purpose of running the small batches. If they go south, you haven't lost much, but you will have gained the knowledge of what to do (or not to do) to achieve your goal.
When I started in my trade (machinist), I was what would be considered a "hot shot". I was fast. Very fast, indeed. Problem was, I was fast at making scrap, which, in the missile industry, bodes poorly for one's future. I had several good supervisors (mentors), but one stood out above the others. He had faith in me and worked with me on a personal basis. His first admonition was to slow down. He'd hand me a print at the beginning of the shift, and detail how many pieces were required. He stressed that he wasn't concerned with how long it took---only that the pieces were per print. That was the beginning of my success----although it took several months (working eight hour days) before I had confidence and capability to perform to requirements.
Refining precious metals requires less skill than machining, but it, too, requires dedication, study and patience. With the proper approach, I have stated that I could teach a monkey to refine---assuming he'd pay attention to what he was told.
You guys can do it---just don't get creative and circumvent that which is known to work. Once you have the basics under your belt, you can make decisions about how you can improve the procedures. That's how I came up with my washing technique-----and how I discovered how to deal with contaminants that create problems with filtration and overall quality. I understood the ramifications of incineration. It all came well after I was already refining---but I followed Hoke's teachings pretty much to the letter until I understood what was happening. If it worked for me, it can work for you. After all, I was a lousy student in school.
Harold
