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kevin faust

kevin faust

Active member
Joined
Jul 26, 2010
Messages
25
Location
Lompoc, CA
I am new here and have been reading many posts, trying to get a better understanding of all the processes involved with the refining of precious metals. What I have noticed is that some questions which we newer members ask are told, do a search, all your questions have been asked and answered before. Which is fine, I understand the more experienced members not wanting to repeat themselves over and over.

However, one thing I have noticed is that when I use the search engine and I get my results, it seems that most of the search results I try to access are no longer available, don’t answer my question, or are a vague (tribal knowledge). Am I asking the wromg question?

I have used direct questions with the search engine, for instance how to make your own nitric acid and received spotty information with no direct answer; I have also tried looking for how to make your own Stannous Chloride solution with more of the same results. I have tried to find information on processes and have again gotten very little information and no direct answer. I have gotten more information from searching Google or going to YouTube and listening to Nerd Rage, than I have been able to locate on this site.

I do not doubt that this site is loaded with lots of answers, due to the years of experience and knowledge that has been communicated here. Nevertheless, why do I get the impression it is top-secret?

Lasersteve has been very helpful in giving direct answers to questions when he can, to others, and me. I am sure he has repeated himself many times over the years and yet he is still doing it.

Thank you Steve.

I am not trying to criticize this forum in any way; I just think a little more understanding with the newbie’s would really be appreciated. I bet most of you, when first staring out, were just as confused as we are now. I would also believe that most of you had someone who took the time and patience to help you understand these processes so you did not kill the cat, or blow up the house.

If I have insulted anybody in any way I do apologize, this is a great source of information and I do respect everyone’s help and knowledge which is freely (sometimes) given.

Thank you.

Kevin Faust
Lompoc, Ca
 
Much of the home brew stuff was covered in the very early posts.

Have downloaded a copy of the forum handbook? It's in every signature line by platinum, palladium, and others. (thanks Ralph!)

http://tinyurl.com/nyutnp

Lazersteve's sig line has stannous instructions.

Part of the disconnect is when the pro's or advanced members need nitric they reach for the bottle or head for the drum. The same with stannous, why make it when prepared crystals are at hand.

I don't believe it was deliberately laid out to be difficult but it does test your commitment. It's all here but you do need to dig a bit to earn it. :mrgreen:
 
Looks like you have spent some time reading the posts and have a good handle on who some of the major contributors are. As Qst42know said about Lazersteve's sig line, pretty much all of the major players here have links in their sig lines to help you find the info you are looking for. Also, I have found that topics that have good info tend to persist due to getting addtional posts as time goes on so be sure to check out the specific forum section for the info you are looking for. Chances are pretty good there will be a post in the first page with the info you need.

As a side note, Harold doesn't tolerate too much off topic posting so even if you hit a post that isn't what you are looking for you may find some good nuggets of info rather than the current weather in Timbuktoo

Welcome to the forum 8)

-Lance
 
Great post Keven.

Thanks qst42know, I didn't even know there was a handbook.
 
qst42know,

Thank you for the link to the forum handbook. This handbook has answered more questions for me than all the searching I have done on this site or the internet and answered question I had not even considered asking, it is much appreciated.

I think it might be a good idea to try to make this handbook available to all new members, when they first join or somehow place a direct link to it on the Board Index page somewhere, maybe even a permanent string in the beginning of the new member’s introduction section as the first post.

It would probably prevent a lot of question and headaches.

I knew there was help out there somewhere, that is what forums are all about.

Keeping an open line of communication is the key.

Again thank you for your help and understanding.

Kevin
 
Don't thank me, Ralph (palladium), compiled a great deal of informative links in his sig line. Down loadable version of Hokes, a second forum handbook, a chemical reference library, lots of stuff to read. If you get stuck just ask, one of the great members of this forum, likely has the answer.

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=7767&p=72240#p72240
 
kevin faust said:
qst42know,

Thank you for the link to the forum handbook. This handbook has answered more questions for me than all the searching I have done on this site or the internet and answered question I had not even considered asking, it is much appreciated.

I think it might be a good idea to try to make this handbook available to all new members, when they first join or somehow place a direct link to it on the Board Index page somewhere, maybe even a permanent string in the beginning of the new member’s introduction section as the first post.

It would probably prevent a lot of question and headaches.
Click to expand...


Kevin try as we might most people wouldn't read the handbook or download it when they first find us , they just want instant answers and that pot of gold for no effort , it really is all here to be had for free but new members need to do their homework and learn basic terms and chemistry. Download Hoke is a favourite answer to most questions, it really is the amateurs bible and it's free , we really want to help but holding yours or anyone elses hand is too much , do your part and read and learn and we will all help if you.
 
Kevin,

Have you followed the Guided Tour Link in my signature line below?

Steve
 
Nickvc,
I can definitely understand your point; many people are un-willing to go the extra distance to learn anything new. Some people watch Tom Massie and get that old GOLD FEVER and think it is easy to find that gold without a lot of work. I have been trying to remember all the basic terms and chemistry and it is not easy when someone has never studied chemistry before like me.

I am still a little nervous about trying to make my first batch of nitric acid. Therefore, I am just reading and stripping down any electronic components I have been able to collect so far.

I have built one of Steve’s electrolytic cells and tried it on some old plated costume jewelry, but need to set aside some time to get into it. I did not realize from his video that the anode was SS. Mine is lead; I do not think that really makes that much difference because it is all about the current, but I will see if I can’t find some SS.

Steve,
I tried to use your guided tour link and got “No posts exist inside this topic for the selected time frame”. I am getting these kinds of messages a lot when I try to follow someones link, why is this happening. It also happened when I tried your link to Stannous Chloride Recipe and Testing Results.

Also after downloading VOL 2 of Gold Refining Form Handbook, I found that none of the links work, I keep getting “No posts exist inside this topic for the selected time frame.” This does cause some annoyance and confusion. Is there some way to fixed this? If I copy the link and put it in the search window I get 55 matches, but none of them are about what I was searching for, this is a lot of extra reading to do just to find what I am looking for, there must be an easier way to do this.

I want to thank everyone for the positive input and help, it does give me a lot more confidence in getting started with trying to harvest my own little share of the wealth LOL.

Kevin
 
Kevin,

If you see a www at the start of goldrefiningforum.com in your address bar try removing it and see if the links work (ie http://goldrefiningforum.com should be in the bar).

If that fails try a different browser and see what happens.

Let us know what you get, all the links work fine for me with IE and FF

Steve
 
kevin faust said:
Nickvc,
I can definitely understand your point; many people are un-willing to go the extra distance to learn anything new. Some people watch Tom Massie and get that old GOLD FEVER and think it is easy to find that gold without a lot of work.
Click to expand...
Heh! These are the folks that live in la-la land.

To put this thing in perspective (the difficulty of procuring gold)----look at it this way. An ounce is worth in excess of $1200 these days. If it was easy, and/or readily available, it wouldn't be so expensive.

I have been trying to remember all the basic terms and chemistry and it is not easy when someone has never studied chemistry before like me.
Click to expand...
Let me help you a little with that thought.

I was age 33 when I took a strong interest in refining gold. It was illegal to do so at the time, unless one possessed a federal license. I am a high school graduate (barely) with no further formal education aside from a quarter of advanced math at the extension division of the University of Utah, and a quarter of chemistry at the Salt Lake Technical College. I took no math classes in high school, and had a rather dismal grade point average. I was a lousy student. I didn't know if I'd graduate until I was handed my diploma.

Armed with the above information, to which you should add the understanding that I had NO ONE to turn to for knowledge----I read Hoke's book and started refining as a hobby. Shortly thereafter, legislation was passed that made ownership and processing of gold legal, so manufacturing jewelers started asking me if I'd refine for them. My ex-brother-in-law knew several, as he had a keen interest in making jewelry and eventually became a jeweler. My hobby, which was never intended to become a mode of making a living, did just that. I ran a totally successful refining service, which I sold when I chose to retire at age 54.

From this I'd like you to glean this little gem. You have, here, a perfect opportunity to learn the basics of refining, with a grand total of more than 100 years of refining experience watching your every move, helping to keep you out of trouble. You will do your part by starting with Hoke's book, reading until the basic principles of refining make sense to you, and you understand the basic terms, and reasons for learning how to test and to make test and standard solutions. If you do those things, the rest is easy.

I am still a little nervous about trying to make my first batch of nitric acid. Therefore, I am just reading and stripping down any electronic components I have been able to collect so far.
Click to expand...
You should be nervous. Smart people don't jump in untested water----they do due diligence and jump in only when they are comfortable that they are safe. You are doing things properly.

Luck!

Harold
 
Steve,

I tried your suggestion by removing the WWW, and that it was not included in the address bar when I click on the link. Here is a copy of the address that I was sent to when I click on Guided Tour Link in your signature block,

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=6873#6873

I am using IE 7.0.

Harold,

Your reassurance is well-needed thank you, as long as I continue to remember to use common sense I should be fine, it’s when you get in a hurry that things can happen so fast that you kill yourself or the cat. God help me if I killed the cat, because then god would be pissed off (God = Wife) then my share of the wealth would be lost forever, I would too for that matter.

Well your story is quite impressive; I was the same way barley graduated from high school myself, if it wasn’t for the fact that I had joined the Navy when I was 17 on the delayed entry program. They had to graduate me (hehe).

I did go back to school at age 47 and will have my AA in psychology in November, and then it is on to my bachelors. It’s never too late for us old farts, well I don’t really consider myself an old fart yet only 49, I got a till December to use the young title, as long as AARP leaves me alone.

Thank you all.

Kevin
 
kevin faust said:
Joe,

Thank you for the advice, but what is a hijack virus and how would you repair this?

Kevin
Click to expand...

There are some viruses that will hijack your web link and insert a predetermined link such as a sales page or worse.
A common one takes you to a link that makes you think it's scanning your system but really it installs and asks you to buy virus scanning software to remove it.
A decent valid virus and Malware Anti-Malware software will remove it.
I use Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and SUPERAntiSpyware both are free Editions along with esetnod 32 and this seems to catch most on the fly but I have to update the checker manually and run my own scans overnight to catch any odd one. Also a good thing to do is make sure your windows is updated regularly - or whatever OS you use.

But yes you are also right as I have also found links in old posts from 2007 that do not work anymore.
 
joem said:
But yes you are also right as I have also found links in old posts from 2007 that do not work anymore.
Click to expand...

When you find one please post the location of it and I'll fix the url.

The forum host server has changed twice. Simply replace the first part of any bad web address with http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/ and leave viewforum.php= part the same to fix any broken link. Once you point them out I'll fix them for good.

Steve
 
lazersteve said:
joem said:
But yes you are also right as I have also found links in old posts from 2007 that do not work anymore.
Click to expand...

When you find one please post the location of it and I'll fix the url.

The forum host server has changed twice. Simply replace the first part of any bad web address with http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/ and leave viewforum.php= part the same to fix any broken link. Once you point them out I'll fix them for good.

Steve
Click to expand...

As I come across them I will quote it.
 
Steve,
If I right click over your link for Stannous Chloride Recipe and Testing Results or Guided Tour and then click on properties, the hyperlink code that comes up is

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=5271&p=45030#p45030

And

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=6873#6873,

the portions in red are not the same as what you are quoting in your post about viewforum.php=. That is what I see from my browser just so you know.

I'm not sure why it would be different from my browser verses your browser, is that even possible?

Kevin
 

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