By EasyHow

How to melt copper at home

Copper products can be very beautiful, and the temptation to do something copper with his own hands. For this purpose the metal must be melted. In the foundry business for the most part there are three main varieties of this metal: pure red copper and its alloys: bronze and brass.

You will need

The crucible
Tongs, crucible
Muffle furnace
Charcoal
Horn
Household vacuum cleaner
Hook made of steel wire
Form

Instruction

In the crucible put the pieces of metal. Put the crucible in muffle furnace. Set the heat control to the desired position. To observe the melting of metal in a box furnace, which is on the door. In the course of melting on the surface of the metal oxide film is formed.

Upon reaching the desired temperature and melting the metal, open the door, grasp the crucible with tongs. Oxide film, slide to the side with a hook from steel wire. Pour the melt into the previously prepared form. If a muffle furnace with sufficient capacity, it can help to melt any of the copper alloys and proper red copper.

If there is a muffle furnace, you can melt copper with a blowtorch, directing the flame from the bottom of the crucible up. The melting will occur with good air access. To protect the metal from rapid oxidation, it is recommended to sprinkle the surface with a layer of crushed charcoal.

Yellow copper (brass) and fusible varieties of bronze can be melted with a blowtorch. The principle of melting is the same as when using the blowtorch. The flame should cover the crucible.

If no blowtorch or blowtorch, you can use a simple mountain. In this case, set the crucible on a layer of charcoal. To increase the temperature of coal combustion apply the forced injection into the combustion zone air. For this approach household vacuum cleaner working on blowing. Hose vacuum cleaner must have a metal tip. Hole tip it is possible to make narrower for more of a thin jet of air.

Note

Muffle furnace should allow to obtain the following temperatures: for melting of copper – 1083оС, for melting bronze – 930—1140оС, for brass - 880—950oc.

Red copper is washplace. It is unsuitable for thin castings. For these purposes, more suitable brass. Lighter than brass, the more fusible it is.

It is not recommended to engage in the melting of ancient bronze of unknown origin, since it may contain in its composition a large quantity of arsenic.

The furnace is an open furnace with exhaust hood, in which burned charcoal. To increase the temperature in the furnace is blown into the additional air through bellows or compressor.

Useful advice

For melting copper used clay and ceramic crucibles.

Instead of a horn you can use a blowtorch or blowtorch.