Teacher looking for education!

[Ignatz61]

Hi all!
I have been lurking here for about a week to get the" lay of the land" so to speak. I have read a lot of your posts and am now re-reading to try to make it stick.

I teach Manufacturing Technology at a vocational school in NY. I have incorporated Jewelry making and investment casting as a part of the program with great success.
I am also interested in the whole recovery and refining of precious metals from free scrap.

I just cast my first piece of Gold jewelry - a Tennis bracelet for my wife as a 25 year wedding anniversary gift. Gold works so much better than silver that now I am on the hunt for gold scrap to refine and cast.

I have some brass parts with gold plating on them. I have tumbled them in a tub of lacquer thinners to remove some kind of protective clearcoat.
Now I am unsure of the best way to proceed? Disolve the base metal, disolve the gold or de-plate it?
Thanks,
john

 

[lazersteve]

Welcome Aboard John,

Do you have any photos of the scrap?

If the pieces are large the cell is most likely the best method to get the gold out.

Steve

 

[Ignatz61]

Hi Steve,
They are pen parts, Small like .22 cal bullet casings. the largest is about 5/8" diameter x 1/2" cylinder. all are plated completly (no exposed base metal)
Thanks,
JOhn