Non-Chemical Pouring silver

[mikeinkaty]

I'm starting to think in terms of pouring my silver although I'm still a long way from there. (It's called planning ahead!)

How would this work? I have a 4 oz graphite bar mold.
Put a 1/4" steel plate on my electric hotplate and crank the hotplate up to high.
Set the mold on the steel plate and let it get hot.
Put a small 1/4" steel plate about 2"x3" with a 1/4" spru hole in the center that has been reamed out to 60 degrees on top of the mold.
Smoke the mold and the bottom of the spru plate with my ac/ox torch. The spru plate would be polished smooth.
While melting 4oz of silver continually heat the spru plate as well as the silver with the torch.
Pour as per the dozens of video I've seen doing this. I will also make a support for the handle on my melting crucible. This hopefully will be to hold the crucible steady while pouring.

Would such a spru plate help make a flat top bar? Would the silver stick to the bottom if it was heavily smoked?

Mike

 

[philddreamer]

Put a small 1/4" steel plate about 2"x3" with a 1/4" spru hole in the center that has been reamed out to 60 degrees on top of the mold.

Mike, I would use some graphite instead of the steel...
Phil

 

[MysticColby]

the top would probably be more flat than not having it, but I would be hard pressed to pour into such a small opening. much less quickly. with the mold so much cooler than the metal, it freezes within seconds (hot plates might get up to around 200ºC, which is still 700 below silver's melting point).
you don't need the top to be flat. they look pretty good without it. If you want to make perfect rectangles, you can buy graphite 2-part molds that will do this reliably. I believe it was http://myworld.ebay.com/canvasman34/ that made some good ones, but he doesn't seem to be selling anything at the moment. They looked something like this:

 

[bswartzwelder]

You might also want to look at makeyourowngoldbars.com . They have an awful lot of supplies from molds to kilns, to books (including Hoke for $99, but lasersteve is cheaper). Almost anything you could need. I didn't see the 2 piece mold, but I wasn't looking for it. Hope this helps.

 

[MysticColby]

You can also use a dremel to shape your own graphite mold. only 1 side really needs anything - the other side can be completely flat

 

[etack]

You can also use a dremel to shape your own graphite mold. only 1 side really needs anything - the other side can be completely flat

This person is a forum member. I thought the name sounded familiar. http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=28447

Eric

I use a cast iron biscuit mold never had a problem and it was 5.00 at goodwill. http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=15661&hilit=cast+iron+cast+iron

 

[MysticColby]

weeee I beat you
I bought my cast iron muffin pan at the flea market for $1
only use it for aluminum, though.