New to Melting/Casting and need help!

Discussion in 'Silver' started by JoryLeBlanc, Feb 10, 2018.

  1. JoryLeBlanc

    JoryLeBlanc New Member

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    Ok guys this is a big one so please please help me. It seems like all the info I find online is fragmented at best. Two part question. The first is about refining silver. Can somebody PLEASE point me somewhere that will give me a TRUE step by step instruction on how to refine sterling silver to pure silver using nitric acid. It seems like a simple process from what I’ve learned: test and trim your silver. Cut into manageable pieces and place in a Pyrex container. Add equal parts nitric acid and distilled water until silver is completely dissolved and solution is blue. (This is where it gets fragmented) next to I filter the liquid with dissolved filter through a coffee filter and then throw away coffee filter, keeping the refined/filtered liquid? And then place a copper rod/wire into solution and the crystals that grow on copper is pure silver. Take out copper with silver and then (???) wash off silver with water and collect to dry? Once dried put powdered silver into a crucible and melt??? Which bring me to my next:
    What is glazing a crucible with borax? Do I put borax into crucible with my sterling silver or refined silver? Heat the crucible first? What is a good brand crucible? Good brand mold? Also do I need to put anything on/in mold before pouring liquid silver into the graphite mold so it is easily removed? I know this is a lot but I am getting so frustrated looking online for answers. I either get contradicting answers or fragmented video clips. Please post links or advice on here or email me with info at [email protected]
    Thanks for your patience guys
     
  2. Silver Soul

    Silver Soul Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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  3. swoydaz

    swoydaz Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    YouTube might have some helpful videos.
     
  4. m3sca1

    m3sca1 Active Member

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    the process you describe is shown on codyslab recent upload.

    glazing a crucible is a process of heating borax to molten in the new crucible and basically rolling it around awhile so it glazes and coats the inside surface of the crucible. it serves as a surface preparation to stop precious metal sticking to the crucible.
    any good graphite will do, pre heating the mold helps make smoother surfaces of your cast.
    you can melt with borax in your silver, it is there to keep your precious from oxidising and cooking away. it separates when the temp gets high enough and will set to a slag glaze that cn be chipped off.
    you can also sprinkle borax onto bars after they are poured to keep the oxides forming.
     

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