crucibles

legato1

legato1

Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
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What is a good size for a general use crucible? i passed up some pretty cheap graphite crucibles on ebay because they said the capacity was only .5 ounce. i know its not a knife but i was interested in trying to make jewelry. there are some here http://www.graphitestore.com/items_list.asp/action/prod/prd_id/73/cat_id/12
but they look kinda pricey and i want to get the buy right the first time... and if i decide i dont like making jewelry i want it to still be useful somehow.... thanks..
 
narrow your question, what are you trying to cast (metal, size etc) and what are your methods? (sand, lost wax spin, lost wax vacuum, soapstone, cuttlebone,)
Oh yes, what other equipment do you have/planning to purchase.

pehaps my first suggestion would be Tim McCreigh's book on casting


-Page
 
Page had most of the questions,and, I agree that the first thing to do is to read a comprehensive book ,like Tim McCreigh's "Practical Casting", or Murray Bovin's books, "Jewelery Making" and Centrifugal and Lost Wax Casting".

I read your post and thought it was basically like saying, "I'm thinking of trying to build a house.What type of hammer should I buy."

There is a lot to making jewelery, and the crucible is just a small part in a big machine ( metaphorically and practically).
As far as crucibles go, you only need a graphite crucible for larger kiln melted pours. Smaller torch melted pours will work fine with a ceramic crucible. Centrifugal crucibles are ceramic. Electric melting pots (what the crucibles on the site you linked were for) use fitted graphite crucibles. The melting pots cost from $500 to $2000.The graphite crucibles are a consumable that has to be replaced every so often. Ceramic usually lasts until you accidentally crack it.

I have a lot of surplus casting equipment, so if you decide to get into this field, send me an email. I have a couple of centrifugal units and a vacuum unit, as well as some burn out ovens, that I might be selling off. I just recently junked an old vacuum table because it was too large and heavy.
Stacy
 
i have some limited experience with casting silver (i used an old ceramic mug, a torch, and a mold made fired clay). i was gonna give it a shot again but i have no idea what im getting my self, into i just thought it would be a fun project to make a ring or something simple, i was just gonna put some scrap silver in the crucible, place it in the coal forge and pour it in a mold made of fired clay... i dont even really know if that would work but i was gonna give it a shot. thanks..
 
Both Page and Stacy are very knowledgeable in the art...if you want to do it and make something the right way, they are the ones to ask. I'd buy the reading material they quoted and make the most of a small project. Maybe once you have more knowledge, it will be something you want to continue as an additional hobby! :D
 
i checked out a metal working book from the library and it has a section on casting, i have a but of broken gold and silver, but im going to try to practice with copper first, would this be a good idea or should i practice with another metal first? the only reason i chose copper was because i have an abundance of scrap copper that hasn't made its way to be recycled yet. i would love to take up Stacy's equipment offer but now as a student (high school) i have no source of income. i can get a few bucks here and there but no where near enough for equipment like that. most of the tools i have now i have leached off my fathers trade as a general contractor.
 
Practice on nickle silver casting alloy or Casting bronze ( comes in white and yellow). Both are readily available from many casting sources and very cheap. It can be ordered from suppliers like Rio Grande, Tripps, ands Stuller ( you will need a Jeweler to order it from Stuller).They are usually sold in small cubes by the pound.Another fun and easy metal to cast in is pewter.You can cast the bolsters on a frontier style knife in place ,using only home shop tools like a plumbers torch and a tin can crucible. It melts at a much lower temperature, and pours/casts easily.
Nickle silver flatware and such (coffee pots,trays,etc.) can be found at yard sales and junk shops for a couple of bucks. Cut it up and melt away.

Things to avoid are recasting many brass items, and melting any metal that you are not sure o the make-up ( cartridge brass casts pretty good, but use ventilation). Some really bad stuff happens to people who melt the wrong metal....ask Paw Paw (you can't ask him, he died of zinc poisoning). GOOD ventilation is a must when casting. A 20# fire extinguisher is also a must.

Check out your school Tech Science class (I think that is what they call metal shop nowadays), many teach basic casting.Also check out your Parks and Recreation Dept. programs, many offer evening classes in jewelery making. Check out the local Vo-Tech and see what they have available. ...................And use something that is there to help you, but students seldom use.....your guidance counsellor!...... He/she may know of a class at another school or at the local college that you can take for credit. If you are a good enough student, they may even transport you there during the school day to attend the class.

Reading is the key to learning in trades and crafts like casting. There is a lot to learn if you want it to come out right.I have books I bough 50 years ago, and still use them.
Stacy
 
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