How to melt silver at home

Melting silver: characteristics and properties, temperature and melting process, stages and recommendations

how to melt silver at home

The good physical and chemical properties of silver determined its distribution not only in jewelry, but also in industry. One of the most important indicators is the melting point.

Today, silver is found in various microcircuits, batteries, resistors and relays. Melting silver at home is possible, taking into account all the features of this process.

When considering this metal, attention should be paid to its main disadvantages - the material can oxidize and enter into chemical reactions with various components. It is these shortcomings that determine that silver cutlery loses its appearance over time and requires cleaning.

The main properties are the following:

  1. The melting point of 925 silver is in the range of 880−890 degrees Celsius. This metal boils when heated to a temperature of 2210 degrees Celsius.
  2. The high qualities of thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity have determined that the metal is quite often used in the manufacture of various circuits and contacts. Silver is often added as an impurity to other alloys due to its high cost; it is rarely used in its pure form.
  3. Increased light reflectivity determined the use of metal in the manufacture of various jewelry. In addition, we note the malleability, since the structure is soft and easy to process. Due to these qualities, silver can be used in the manufacture of various jewelry.
  4. A low density value, close to that of aluminum, determines the lightness of the metal.

Silver melting can also take place at home, taking into account all the recommendations regarding such a procedure.

Melting temperature

At what temperature does silver melt? This indicator depends on the sample, which indicates the amount of impurities. Considering the dependence of the concentration of impurities in the metal and the melting temperature, we note the following points:

  1. Sample 925 indicates that it contains 92.5% pure precious metal. The rest of the composition comes from various impurities.
  2. If the composition contains no more than 90% of the precious metal, then the melting point will not be higher than 770 degrees Celsius.

The melting process is based on a change in the state of aggregation of the metal due to exposure to high temperature and rearrangement of the crystal lattice. The raw materials used in smelting are called charge. Heating of the charge for melting should be carried out taking into account a number of recommendations, as well as observing safety precautions.

Melting at home

The melting temperature of silver at home (a video on melting will help you understand all the intricacies of the process) is achieved using a torch or furnace; melting is carried out according to the shape of the casting.

Process steps

The instructions look like this:

  1. We find raw materials and crumble them into small pieces . Due to this, the process of restructuring the crystal lattice can be significantly accelerated.
  2. You should work in protective clothing . The high temperature of the molten metal can cause severe injury if it comes into contact with the skin. In addition, work should not be carried out near flammable materials.
  3. Melting is carried out in a crucible . You can heat the raw materials with a gas or gasoline burner. The process of transition of a metal from a solid to a liquid state is long. Therefore, it is worth considering the high consumption of the burner fuel used.
  4. After receiving the molten composition, it should be used immediately , since the crystallization process occurs almost immediately. Using heat-resistant tongs, you can grab the crucible and pour the molten silver into a previously prepared mold, which must be made using a heat-resistant material.

The rather high viscosity of the precious metal in liquid form means that it slowly fills the mold. Therefore, to fill complex forms, the molten metal should be stirred from time to time. If this is not done, it will quickly begin to harden and will not fill all the depressions.

Considering how to melt silver at home, we note that it is quite difficult to obtain a high-quality product. Do not forget that too many impurities in the raw materials used cause significant complications in the smelting process.

Cleaning of raw materials is carried out before melting and involves the use of nitric acid. It is worth considering that when a metal reacts with nitric acid, heat and an unpleasant odor are released. To separate some impurities, a saline solution is added afterwards.

By repeating the procedure several times, you can significantly reduce the concentration of impurities in the mixture.

Source: https://tokar.guru/metally/temperatura-plavleniya/process-plavleniya-serebra-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to melt silver at home: at what temperature does it melt?

how to melt silver at home

Silver is a metal that has a number of unique properties. First of all, silver is the lightest and most shining metal, which is highly valued in the jewelry and mirror industries. In addition, silver is capable of releasing ions that stop the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and thereby disinfect water.

Silver is a good conductor, which is why it is widely used in the production of equipment.

General information about silver smelting

Melting a metal is a procedure that allows you to transfer it from a solid to a liquid state, in order to then make it solid again. Performing such manipulation is a necessary part of many production processes, and is more often used in the jewelry industry.

In everyday life, it may be necessary to melt metal (in particular, silver) for various reasons. Many people have jewelry, coins, and technical parts made of silver or its alloys. We simply don’t use something, something needs to be repaired, and someone may decide to make money by smelting an ingot from parts of a Soviet radio.

Silver is not the most refractory metal, and its remelting is not very difficult technically.

To ensure that the process does not go to waste, you should prepare in advance a form into which the metal will be placed after melting.

This can be a special mold for making an ingot, or a hand-made mold for casting a pendant or other simple jewelry (which is often used by amateur jewelers). If the amount of silver is small, the entire technological process can fit in a regular kitchen, but it is necessary to first prepare the work area and ensure good ventilation.

The melting point of silver is 962°C. You can melt silver on a gas or gasoline burner, or even on a household gas stove.

However, keep in mind that the melting container is exposed to higher temperatures during the process, so it is necessary to choose a heat-resistant container that can withstand more than 1000°C.

For this, it is better to give preference to a special crucible, which is designed for melting, especially since its price is low. Other cookware may crack.

You should also remember your own safety. All flammable materials should be removed from the workplace and special tools and ammunition should be prepared. Hot containers should be picked up with special heat-resistant tongs or tweezers.

The entire body should be covered with protective clothing made of thick material, an apron should be put on top of it, and thick gloves should be put on the hands.

Eyes must be protected with special glasses with tight-fitting eyecups, and if possible, protect the face with a mask. Do not forget that molten silver is quite liquid, and any drop of thousand-degree metal that gets on the skin, or, especially, on the cornea of ​​the eye, can cause a serious burn.

Technology for melting silver at home

Let's move on to a description of how to melt silver at home. You should first prepare all the necessary materials, placing them in close proximity to the melting site. In particular, it is necessary to take care in advance of the availability (purchase or manufacture) of a mold into which the molten metal will be poured. The mold can be made from a mixture of quartz and gypsum or other non-flammable fire-resistant materials.

If you are not dealing with pure silver, but with a metal alloy from which you want to extract silver, you should carry out a cleaning procedure in advance. This is done outdoors, because... the chemical reaction that occurs releases gases that are toxic to humans.

The proposed alloy should be broken into small pieces of approximately the same size, and then placed in a liter jar, a third of which is filled with nitric acid. The chemical reaction will proceed with the release of heat and gases. The solution will take on a reddish tint, which will indicate the dissolution of other metals.

After the container with the mixture has cooled, it is necessary to add a sodium chloride solution to it. The silver will settle to the bottom of the jar.

The further cleaning procedure is to add clean water to the jar over and over again, draining the liquid part of the mixture, until only a clear solution and white powder remain. The exact amount of reagents must be calculated based on the mass of the alloy.

Once the heat-resistant crucible has been placed on the burner, purified silver in the form of powder or small pieces should be placed into it (this will ensure even melting). Once the metal reaches its melting point, it will resemble a puddle of mercury - liquid and shiny. A cloudy film on the puddle is a sign that the melting process has not yet ended.

After the silver has acquired the desired consistency, the crucible is taken with tongs and the liquid metal is very quickly (but at the same time carefully) poured into the prepared form. If the mold is closed with a lid, then you need to place a piece of cotton wool under the lid in advance, and then quickly close the mold with it. During combustion, wool creates pressure inside the mold, due to which the metal is more evenly distributed throughout its entire volume.

After the metal has crystallized, it should be removed from the mold and placed in cold water. In this case, if the mold is made correctly, it should be completely detached from the ingot. If this does not happen, after the metal has completely solidified and cooled, you should separate the parts of the mold yourself.

Thus, melting silver at home is a fairly simple task, which, however, requires some skill and investment. Whether to do this at home is up to you, making a decision based on all the above-mentioned risks. If you want to avoid hypothetical harm to health and property, entrust the melting process to jewelers.

» Metals » Silver » How to melt silver at home: the principles of silver melting and safety precautions

Source: https://gems-and-jewels.ru/plavka-serebra.html

The melting point of silver depending on the sample: how to melt it at home

how to melt silver at home

My respect to the regular readers and guests of our site. Today’s material belongs to a series of articles about silver: its physical and chemical properties, the melting point of silver, as well as a couple of interesting tips on what manipulations can be done with it at home.

Characteristics and properties of metal

Silver is an inert metal and in its pure form does not oxidize in air. It is quite refractory - to transform it into a liquid state, you will need to heat the substance to a temperature of 962 degrees Celsius, and it will be possible to bring it to a boil at 2210 ° C. This is a heavy substance - a cube with centimeter sides will weigh 10.5 grams.

The element has high ductility, as well as the highest coefficient of thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity among metals, due to which it is widely used in various industries. For example, in the manufacture of batteries with extended service life and all kinds of electronic devices.

Silver lends itself well to forging, which makes it possible to produce exquisite jewelry from it. Widely used in medicine as a raw material for the production of instruments and medicines.

How raw materials are processed

The raw materials for obtaining the substance can be scrap of precious metals, industrial waste, or mined ore. To extract the precious metal, the following processing steps are applied step by step:

  1. Grinding. Recycled raw materials are crushed to obtain a fine mass.
  2. Firing allows you to remove flammable debris from the composition.
  3. Centrifugation is the separation of molten silver from other metals except lead.
  4. Remelting. During the cooling process in the crucible, liquid lead is separated from the noble metal, which solidifies faster.
  5. Electrolytic processing. The precious metal, dissolved in nitric acid, is exposed to electricity, causing the anode to attract impurities and silver to crystallize around the cathode.
  6. Chemical treatment allows you to obtain a substance of 1000 samples. The noble metal is dissolved using sulfuric and hydrochloric acids and ferric chloride, precipitating it with zinc. Silver is released from the solution in the form of sand, which is washed and remelted.

At what temperature does it melt?

Depending on the sample and alloy composition, the precious metal changes its melting point, which decreases in proportion to the mass fraction of the precious element in the alloy.

800 sample 780–820 °C
875 sample 780–870 °C
900 sample 780–890 °C
925 sample 810–910 °C
960 sample 900–940 °C
999 sample 960 °C

What metals are used in silver alloys, how do they change the melting point

In the jewelry industry, copper is used as a ligature component. The temperature of the alloy decreases in proportion to the sample.

Platinum is used as an alloy in the creation of high-precision instruments. The melting point of such a metal ranges from 1000 °C.

An alloy of silver and palladium is widely used in dentistry. At a sample of 820 and above, the melting point of such an alloy is 1100 °C, however, a further decrease in the sample also lowers the melting point.

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In electronics, alloys of technical silver with cadmium and tin are used as solders. Their melting point can range from 400 to 850 °C.

Is it possible to melt silver at home?

Heating silver to a liquid state and melting it into one ingot at home, using improvised means, is not at all difficult. The procedure itself may take no more than 10 minutes.

Necessary equipment and materials

To conduct this experiment you will need:

  • precious scrap;
  • burner;
  • crucible (fireproof container);
  • mold (mold);
  • pharmaceutical borax;
  • forceps;
  • metal container with water.

Batch preparation

To reduce the remelting time of our metal, it must be crushed. Borax is placed in the crucible at the rate of 1/10 of the weight of the metal and heated using a gasoline or gas burner.

Melting process

When the borax turns green, you can pour out the metal shavings. To make the process move faster, it is better to acquire a powerful melting device.

Before pouring liquid silver into the mold, it must be warmed up well, otherwise all efforts may go down the drain. In the absence of a second burner, you can do this on a gas stove. You also need to add borax to the mold.

Receiving castings

Carefully pour the metal into the mold, wait a few minutes, then use tongs to remove the resulting ingot and place it in a container of water to cool.

How to melt silver in the microwave

The process of melting silver in the microwave is even simpler. But we should make a thermal insulating device in which the crucible will be located during the metal melting process.

Borax and sizing are poured into the crucible, placed in a refractory box and placed in a microwave oven at maximum mode for about 30 minutes. After which the metal can be removed and poured into the prepared mold.

I have prepared a short video for a visual example:

How to remove impurities at home

This procedure is also feasible, but I would like to draw your attention to the fact that working with concentrated acids requires extreme caution and should be carried out in a ventilated room.

The size intended for cleaning is placed in a glass container, filled with concentrated nitric acid and heated until the silver is completely dissolved. After this, regular table salt is added to the solution. The resulting silver chloride precipitates. The resulting substance is washed with water and filtered.

The next stage is metallization of the substance. Silver chloride is poured into hydrochloric acid and precipitated using fine zinc filings and heat. The resulting dark gray sand is ready for melting.

Conclusion

As you have seen, silver can be cleaned and melted down without much difficulty and extra costs, even at home. Subscribe, wait for new exciting articles with experiments, and I thank you for your attention and say goodbye.

Source: https://zhazhdazolota.ru/serebro/temperatura-plavleniya

The subtleties of safe silver melting at home

Due to the chemical and physical properties of silver, the range of its use is very wide. The alloy can be used to create jewelry; it is included in radio components, circuit boards, microcircuits and other electronic elements.

From them, as well as from jewelry scrap, a sufficient amount of material is obtained by melting for further use.

Melting silver is not a complicated process if you understand the technology of its implementation, follow the sequence of actions and precautions.

Metal characteristics and melting point

Silver is more than 6,000 years old, as evidenced by archaeological finds in Turkey, Egypt and Iran. The second name of the precious metal is lunar, because according to esotericists, it is this luminary that serves as his patron, and the color resembles the cold shine of the Moon. In the past, this noble metal was valued more than gold.

Silver is characterized by the following physical properties:

  • density - 10.6 g/cm3;
  • hardness - soft and ductile;
  • fusibility - high;
  • thermal conductivity is the highest;
  • electrical conductivity is the highest;
  • reflectivity - yes.

The melting point of silver is 750-760 degrees

Having decided to smelt silver yourself, you need to know the temperature at which the metal changes from a solid state to a liquid state. It depends on the amount of foreign impurities in the composition.

If the silver alloy includes a small amount of alloys, then its melting point will not exceed 750-760 degrees. The raw materials used in smelting are called charge.

It is heated according to certain rules, taking into account the technological process, as well as observing safety precautions.

Principles of the procedure

What can be used for smelting? Absolutely all silver that is not used for its intended purpose is suitable for this procedure: fragments of jewelry, those that were left without a pair, microcircuits and circuit boards from radio components, production waste, ore, etc. Metal extraction occurs using the following technology.

  1. The raw materials are crushed to make it easier to work with.
  2. It is fired to remove flammable particles from the composition.
  3. Passed through a centrifuge to separate the molten precious metal from other components. The only exception is lead.
  4. Melting. As it cools, the liquid lead separates from the noble metal, which solidifies faster.
  5. It undergoes electrolytic treatment, which allows you to filter the precious metal dissolved in nitric acid from impurities.

Finally, chemical processing is carried out, thanks to which pure silver of the highest quality is obtained. To do this, the white metal is dissolved in a mixture of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and ferric chloride, precipitating it with zinc. The required material is released from the solution in the form of sand, which is then washed and melted.

Melting silver at home

Melting silver is quite possible even without special knowledge and skills. The only condition is the presence of a suitable burner or stove. The equipment must meet the required parameters and be heated to a temperature suitable for these purposes.

Equipment and materials

When deciding to smelt silver, you need to make sure you have the necessary tools and materials. To work you will need:

  • silver scrap;
  • burner;
  • fireproof container (crucible);
  • casting mold;
  • borax;
  • forceps;
  • metal container with cold water.

Crucible – container for melting silver

When everything you need is at hand, you can begin the experiment.

Nuances of the smelting process

During melting, safety precautions must be observed. Due to the release of brown toxic gas, you need to work in a well-ventilated area with an open window or an exhaust hood turned on. It is advisable to protect yourself with a respirator and safety glasses.

In addition, silver in a heated liquid state has the property of absorbing oxygen. Each unit volume of metal absorbs 20 units of O2 volume.

During the solidification of the alloy, the gas dissolved in it begins to release outward, breaking the hard crust formed on the surface. This leads to the appearance of splashes that fly in different directions in the form of streams and drops.

The picture is, of course, beautiful, but very dangerous, because... Liquid metal coming into contact with an exposed body or surface can cause serious burns.

All flammable substances and flammable items are removed from the workplace. They wear an apron on top of their clothes or work in a special suit made of natural fabrics; their hands are protected with thick gloves.

The charge is placed in a heated crucible and exposed to it with a gas burner or placed in a furnace. The material is kept at high temperature until it completely melts. You can understand that this happened by the appearance of the surface of the silver liquid. It will be as shiny as mercury. If the surface does not shine, it means that the metal has not yet completely melted.

Features of melting silver in a microwave oven

If you don’t have a burner or oven, you can melt silver using a microwave. This is a quick and easy way to melt silver at home.

  1. Prepare a thermal protective fence into which a fireproof container is installed.
  2. The charge is poured into the crucible.
  3. The container is placed in a thermal protector and placed in the microwave oven at maximum power.
  4. The melting time is maintained, approximately 30-35 minutes.
  5. The molten metal is then removed and poured into the prepared mold.

Another way to melt silver is with a blowtorch. In this case, the crucible with the charge is located in a thick pipe made of fireclay clay of a larger diameter.

Silver smelting can be done with a blowtorch

Often, a special melting furnace is used to melt silver and other metals, which you can purchase or build yourself. It is installed in a separate room. The melting process is the same as when working with other equipment.

The result of melting silver at home depends on the expected complexity of the work. If you need pigs of any shape, then there will be no difficulties. When you want to get some kind of jewelry or decorative item, it is better to contact a craftsman.

Source: https://1nerudnyi.ru/plavka-serebra-01/

Temperature and melting characteristics of silver

Silver is used not only in jewelry, but also in industry, due to the physical and chemical properties of this metal. Therefore, many are interested in such qualities as the melting point of silver, its thermal conductivity and resistance. Silver can be found in microcircuits, resistors, relays, and batteries. This metal is used more often than gold because silver is cheaper and easier to mine.

Cleaning silver jewelry with baking soda

Properties of silver

Despite the advantages, the main disadvantages of silver are its oxidation and chemical reactions with various components, especially hydrogen sulfide, which is contained in the air and forms a sulfide deposit on the metal. In jewelry and cutlery, silver turns black over time and requires cleaning. But still, the silver jewelry looks noble and elegant. Therefore, the question arises: where can you find or buy metal and how to melt silver at home?

Properties of silver:

  • The melting temperature of silver is on average 961.9 degrees Celsius. And silver will boil at 2210 degrees.
  • Silver has a high reflectivity - up to 95%. The metal is also very malleable and relatively soft in its pure form. Thanks to this property, it is easy to make jewelry of various shapes from it, which is what jewelers use.
  • High thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity promote the use of metal in industry in the manufacture of contacts and microcircuits. But due to its high cost, silver is not widely used; low-quality alloys are added to contacts.
  • The density of silver is 10.5 g/cm3, which is ten times the density of water.

If you want to melt silver, you need to remember that its melting temperature depends on the sample of the metal. The fineness indicates the amount of pure silver in the alloy. This is expressed as a percentage. That is, if we have 925 silver, it contains 92.5% pure precious metal and this means that the melting point will be 889 degrees Celsius.

If the silver content is less than 90 percent, it means that their melting point will not exceed 770 degrees. Typically, jewelry is made from 750, 800, 875, 916, 925, 960 samples. It is rare to find 999 fine jewelry because it is very soft and does not hold its shape well over time.

What do you need to clean silver?

Melting process

Remelting silver is an action as a result of which the state of aggregation of the metal changes, it passes from solid to liquid form and vice versa - it solidifies over time, acquiring hardness. The metal you use for melting is, from a professional point of view, called a charge. The order in which the procedure is performed is mandatory, since the method is not easy to perform at home and requires compliance with safety rules.

If we briefly describe the algorithm of actions, we get the following diagram, which gives the answer to the question of how to melt silver:

  • Preparing the melting spoon and treating it with flux.
  • The metal is loaded into the smelter.
  • The charge heats up and turns into a liquid state.
  • Casting the charge into ingus. Ingus is the name given to pre-prepared molds for casting metal.

Of course, if you use silver from different products for melting, it is better to group them by sample. And if you want to make the alloy purer and increase the purity, then clean the metal chemically.

To do this, follow the instructions:

  • Fill a liter jar one-third full with nitric acid, place the precious metal there and wait for the reaction to occur. During the reaction, odor and heat are released, so it is better to carry out the procedure outside.
  • When the resulting mixture has cooled, add a saline solution to the jar; it will react with the silver, and the silver chloride will settle at the bottom of the jar. Add regular water to the jar, wait ten minutes until the sediment returns to the bottom, and drain the top layer. This action must be repeated until the water becomes clear and the sediment is clearly visible at the bottom.

For direct melting, use the metal that you received, and if you have not previously cleaned the silver, then break it into small pieces, then the melting will be easier. If there is no crucible, take a spoon and cover it with sheets of asbestos, and then with flux, which is borax.

Flux is needed to ensure that the silver does not come into contact with air during melting. Pour borax into a spoon in a ratio of 1:10 to silver. Heat the borax until it turns green, and then place the silver in a spoon. Molten silver has a shiny surface.

Ingus, that is, the mold into which silver is poured after remelting, must be heated and also have flux at the bottom. The transfusion process must be quick, because silver quickly thickens and does not have time to acquire the desired shape.

Melting precious metals at home is a dangerous undertaking, especially if you do not adhere to all the rules. If you often melt silver, it is better to purchase or build a full-fledged smelting furnace. Then the melting process will be more professional, faster and of higher quality.

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Source: https://DedPodaril.com/serebro/info/temperatura-plavleniya-serebra.html

Melting point of silver: melting silver, how to melt silver at home

Silver is a metal that can take on the consistency of a liquid fraction in a molten state. The process of smelting silver is a labor-intensive task that requires not only the necessary materials and tools, but also knowledge in this field.

Liquid metal is a very hot material. If handled carelessly, it is easy to get burned. There is also a high risk of fire. Therefore, smelting silver at home should be carried out in a specially designated room or outdoors.

Physical characteristics of silver

Having many advantages, silver also has its disadvantages. In particular, rapid oxidation when interacting with hydrogen sulfide, which is in the air. With such a reaction, silver becomes covered with a dark coating.

This is the primary cause of blackening of cutlery. When purchasing material for further melting, it is important to know what characteristics it has:

  • Silver melts at a temperature of 961.9 degrees. The boiling process begins at a temperature of 2210 degrees.
  • The high reflectivity of silver and its malleability when forged make the metal an excellent material for making jewelry and other products.
  • Silver is used in various technical industries due to its thermal conductivity. Clamps and microcircuits are made from it. However, noble metal is often replaced with other materials due to its high cost.
  • Silver has a density 10 times greater than the density of water.

If you decide to melt this metal yourself, it is important to know that the melting point of silver is directly related to its purity. It is this indicator that makes it clear how much pure metal is contained in the alloy, and is determined as a percentage.

Interesting! For example, a 925 alloy contains 92.5% silver, the remaining 7.5% is various impurities. For such a sample, the melting point will be approximately 889 degrees.

If the alloy contains less than 90% silver, then the metal will melt at a temperature not exceeding 770 degrees. The most common silver samples used in the jewelry industry are: 750, 800, 875, 916, 925, 960. The 999 sample is extremely rarely used by craftsmen, since this material is too soft.

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How to melt silver at home?

First, you need to prepare all the tools and materials for the main process. Equally important is the form into which the liquid metal will be poured. It can be purchased ready-made or made independently from any fireproof and non-flammable materials.

In order to melt a silver bar at home without using special technological equipment, you will need:

  • A piece of metal;
  • Metal spoon;
  • Asbestos in sheet form;
  • Borax;
  • Burner;
  • Forceps and tweezers;
  • The above form or gypsum and quartz sand.

Before starting work, all materials must be placed within walking distance so that you are not distracted by searching for them during the process. Clothing should be thick, hands should be protected with gloves, eyes with goggles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9js841O6xA8

If you couldn’t buy the mold in advance, it can be made from gypsum and quartz sand. Using beeswax, make a model of a container into which the molten metal will be poured.

Mix gypsum with quartz sand and lower the prepared mold into this mixture. When the material has cooled slightly, use your fingers to squeeze out a depression into which the silver will flow.

After the mixture has completely hardened, the mold should be thoroughly heated. Be sure to open the window if you are working indoors, as evaporating air causes an unpleasant odor.

When the smell disappears, the mold is completely ready. Now you can move on to the main process. It takes place in several stages:

  • Cut the asbestos sheet into four rectangular sheets. The first is slightly larger than a spoon, the second is like a spoon, the other two are small. Place the rectangles on top of each other in a spoon so that the largest is at the bottom and the smallest are at the top.
  • To prevent oxygen from entering the alloy, the crucible prepared on a spoon must be treated with borax. Pour it into a crucible (take one part borax for ten parts of metal), melt over a burner until the borax becomes dark green and very thick.
  • After processing, put the silver alloy into the crucible and heat it over the burner until it becomes completely liquid and flows to the bottom of the crucible.
  • The sign of completely molten silver is pure shine. If there is a cloudy tint, the procedure must be repeated.

If it is necessary to give the molten metal a certain shape, it should be immediately poured into the ingus, wait until it thickens slightly and lower it into a container of water.

The metal will be red-hot and very hot until it cools completely, so all manipulations should be done using tongs.

In cold water, the mold usually separates immediately from the silver. If this does not happen, you can help with your hands.

Source: http://VseoZolote.ru/precious-metals/temperatura-plavleniya-serebra.html

We melt silver at home

Melting of any material is the process of transition of a substance from one state to another. In our case, this is the transition of silver from a solid to a liquid state. This transition occurs under the influence of high temperature on the substance. Some metals can be smelted at home. This includes silver.

A small amount of silver can be melted even in the kitchen.

Materials and tools

To melt silver you may need:

  • metal spoon of any size;
  • borax as a flux;
  • sheet asbestos;
  • gas or gasoline burner;
  • scrap silver;
  • precision scales;
  • muffle furnace;
  • fireclay clay;
  • microwave;
  • powerful step-down transformer with an output voltage of 25 V;
  • carbon graphite powder.

Work order

Actions to be taken:

  • prepare a melting pot from a spoon;
  • treat it with flux;
  • heat the mixture until it transforms into a melt state.

To make a smelter, you need to cut 4 rectangles from an asbestos sheet. One should be larger than a spoon, the other should be its size, the next one should be half the size of the second, the last one should be even smaller. Wet asbestos rectangles with water until they soften. Place the smallest rectangle on the bottom of the melting spoon. Cover it with a larger plate on top.

Place an even larger piece on it. Smooth each layer well with your fingers. The largest rectangle wraps the edges of the spoon completely around the perimeter along with the base of the handle. The entire structure is thoroughly crimped again. It turns out something like a shallow crucible.

You can form a small groove at one edge to drain the molten metal.

The improvised smelter should dry well and harden.

Batch preparation. On an accurate scale you need to weigh out 20 g of scrap silver. Use a magnet to remove possible iron and steel particles.

Next comes the processing of the melting spoon with flux. Flux is needed to remove various oxides from the melt and to protect the melt from oxygen entering it. Borax is used as a flux. 1 part of flux is consumed for 10 parts of the charge of the same weight.

Place the dried spoon in a horizontal position and pour borax into it. Light the gas or gasoline burner and adjust the flame. It must be very soft so that the flux does not fly away in all directions. You need to heat the flux until it turns into a greenish honey-like mass.

Open the air supply to the burner to make the flame harder and more powerful. Load a spoon with the mixture, putting 20 g of scrap silver in it. Heat the mixture until it turns red, melts and drips to the bottom of the spoon. Properly melted silver should shine.

If its surface is covered with an oxide film (cloudy), then it has not yet melted.

Completely molten silver is like a small puddle of mercury. It can be poured into any form, preheated and lubricated with wax. The temperature of molten silver is about 950 degrees. The asbestos coating of the smelter can withstand 4-5 heats, then it will have to be changed. If melting fails, cool the ingot and repeat the whole process again.

Other melting methods

Silver can be smelted in larger quantities using a blowtorch flame or using a muffle furnace. But the crucible with the charge will have to be placed in a thick-walled pipe made of fireclay clay. Such clay or other refractory mixture can be purchased on the construction market.

Silver can be melted at home using a microwave oven. The rotating glass plate is removed from it and a fireproof stand is placed. It can be made of asbestos or other material that can withstand temperatures of 1000-1200 degrees. The crucible with the charge is placed in a heat-resistant container and placed in the microwave. After 15 minutes of operating the furnace at full power, the silver will melt completely.

The industry produces special melting furnaces that operate on the principle of using high-frequency currents. The cost of such a stove made in the Czech Republic is 65-70 thousand rubles.

You can build an electric melting furnace with your own hands. For this you will need graphite, mica, asbestos tiles. Instead of asbestos, you can use cement or tiles. A powerful step-down transformer is required. Its network winding consists of 620 turns of enameled copper wire. Wire diameter 1 mm. The secondary winding (step-down) is wound with a wire having a rectangular cross-section.

Its thickness is 2.8 mm, width 4.2 mm. It is sometimes called shank. The number of turns is 70. The wire must have fiberglass insulation. The core consists of transformer L-shaped plates. The internal cross-section should be 60x32 mm. The output voltage is about 25 volts. A similar transformer can be found in some welding machines.

The output voltage will be about 60V, so the distance between the two electrodes will have to be increased to 18-20 cm.

The design of the furnace body may be different. The main thing in it is two carbon-graphite electrodes. A layer of powdered graphite is poured between them. In 4-5 minutes it heats up to 3000 degrees. Under such temperature conditions, not only silver can be melted. The inner walls are lined with mica, which reflects heat. The outer walls are insulated with asbestos or cement tiles 1 cm thick. Up to 50-80 g of silver can be melted in this installation at a time.

To connect the stove to the transformer, you need copper wires with a thickness of at least 8 mm and good insulation. Before the first smelting of silver, the furnace must be well heated. At the same time, all organic inclusions in it will burn. In a home environment you will need good forced ventilation. During subsequent melts, the installation will not emit fumes and soot. The charge is placed in a hole made in carbon graphite powder.

It is better to use such an installation for melting silver and other metals not in an apartment, but somewhere in a garage or in a country house.

Source: https://oserebre.ru/dobycha-i-proizvodstvo/plavka-serebra-v-domashnix-usloviyax.html

How to melt silver at home - Metals, equipment, instructions

Many people wonder if silver smelting is possible at home. After all, over time, every family accumulates a certain amount of silver items. This could be jewelry, coins or cutlery. Some things are boring and have not been used for a long time. And others ended up in the house along with the inheritance. These items are of no use.

But one doesn’t even dare throw them away. Sometimes people don't even realize how much silver they have at home. High-grade silver, for example, is often found in radio components. Especially in devices of the Soviet period. You can remove the silver contacts from the parts using scissors or wire cutters. If you make an ingot from the contacts, its price will be high.

And it’s easier to store such an investment.

You can melt silver not only into an ingot . You can try casting a decoration. Of course, not a chain, but at least a pendant or simple earrings. Come up with the design yourself and make a mold for casting.

Surely no one else would have such jewelry. How to melt silver at home? This metal melts at a temperature of 962°C. This temperature can be obtained on both a gas and gasoline burner.

You can melt silver even on a regular gas stove or in a microwave oven.

Preparatory work

Considering that you will be working with high temperatures, you need to carefully prepare. Remove flammable items from the workplace. Make sure in advance that nothing distracts from the process.

You should have protective equipment (gloves, apron) and the necessary tools (forceps and tweezers) at hand. Work clothes made of dense materials should cover the entire body. It is better to work in special glasses with elastic that fit tightly to the face.

Any accidentally ejected droplet of molten metal can cause a serious burn.

You will need a fireproof dish or crucible. A crucible is a special heat-resistant container for melting. Poorly selected utensils for melting may not withstand heat or crack due to temperature changes.

This situation can be harmful to health. It is better to buy a ready-made crucible in a store.

You need to choose from the assortment one that can withstand temperatures greater than 1000°C. Moreover, the price of the crucible is quite reasonable. It's not worth the risk.

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Silver smelting process

You need to prepare the form in advance. Quartz sand and gypsum are mixed in a ratio of 7:1. The finished mixture is diluted with water to the consistency of sour cream. Next, you should choose a box for the form. Its dimensions should not be very large, but sufficient to freely place the product.

The box must have a voluminous lid into which the product can also fit. You can take 2 identical boxes. The prepared mixture is poured into one box. Carnations are installed in its corners. The pre-selected model of the product must be covered with soapy water and dried.

After this, the model is carefully immersed in the mixture to the middle of its height. You need to make sure that the nails remain pointing straight up. The hardened mixture must be coated with oil. The lid of the box is filled in the same way.

Then the box with the layout must be connected to the lid, immersing the free part of the layout in the fresh mixture. When everything is thoroughly dry, the finished forms can be removed from the boxes. A small hole (up to 5 mm in diameter) is made in one of the molds for pouring metal.

After this, the forms are carefully connected and secured in this position with a rope or elastic band.

After preparing the mold, the silver smelting process begins. Silver items are placed in a crucible. It is better to first break them into equal pieces. This way the metal will heat up evenly and the process will speed up a little.

The crucible is heated on a gasoline or gas burner. Metal ready for casting looks like a drop of mercury. If this state is achieved, you can pour silver into the mold. To fill, you need to use a special funnel.

After the molten metal is completely poured, the hole must be very quickly closed with a lid. On the inside of the lid you need to place a small piece of cotton wool in advance.

Instantly burning from the high temperature, the cotton wool will create pressure in the closed container. Thanks to this pressure, the metal will evenly fill all the corners and bends of the form.

Silver smelting temperature. How to melt at home

When technical or jewelry silver is needed, craftsmen make alloys themselves. Melting old things into products of the desired shape or ingots is carried out in several ways. To do this, you can use a muffle oven, a household microwave, a gas stove in the kitchen, or another open fire. You can find out how to melt silver at home from this article. It is one of the few metals that do not require special furnaces. You can work with silver in the kitchen.

Features of silver smelting

In its pure form, the metal melts at + 962°C. But jewelry and tableware are made from alloys; the sample indicates the content of the main component. More often than not, silver cutlery and jewelry contain no more than 90% precious metal. The melting point of common 750 silver is not higher than 70°C, 925 is within +810°C.

Due to its high thermal conductivity, silver warms up quickly. The density of the alloy is good - 10.5 g/cm3. In air it oxidizes strongly.

The process of smelting silver at home

The molten metal is similar to mercury. Brief description of the process: the charge is placed in a smelter, heated until a melt is formed, the liquid metal is poured from the smelter into the prepared mold. Several heating methods are used to smelt silver at home.

Source: https://svarkaprosto.ru/tehnologii/plavka-serebra

How to melt silver at home using a muffle furnace

The smelting of silver is its transformation from a solid form to a liquid form. The transformation is carried out under the influence of high temperatures. To perform a similar process at home, you will need an electric heat treatment oven or a special burner. All the necessary devices and steps of the smelting process are discussed further in our article.

Materials and tools

Melting silver at home requires careful preparation; you will need:

  • Metal spoon.
  • Borax, which will act as flux.
  • Asbestos.
  • Burner based on gas or gasoline.
  • Jewelry scales.
  • Muffle furnace.
  • Chamotte clay.
  • Microwave.
  • Transformer to reduce output to 25 watts.
  • Directly silver.

A muffle furnace for melting silver must be of the highest quality, with the ability to accurately install, adjust and maintain temperature throughout the entire operating cycle

Silver smelting temperature

To learn how to melt silver at the expert level, you need to familiarize yourself in advance with the temperatures required for this. The following table can help with this:

Melting point of silver in degrees Celsius, depending on the sample

Silver sample Melting point, °C
750 770
800 770
875 770
916 889
925 889
962 889

Pure silver (999 standard) is very rarely used by specialists due to its too soft texture

Preparing for silver smelting

Melting silver should begin with preparing the smelter. For this:

  • Cut 4 rectangles from asbestos sheet. The first one should be slightly larger than a spoon. The second one is exactly its exact size. The third is 2 times less than the second. The fourth is the smallest.
  • Wet the sheets with water. Leave the wet base until completely softened. The smallest one must be at the bottom of the spoon. Place a piece of a slightly larger size on it - and so on, in ascending order. Each layer should be smoothed well with your fingers. The last and largest sheet will wrap the spoon on all sides, along with the handle.

As a result, you should end up with something like a small crucible. Additionally, you can also make a trench for already molten metal

  • Leave the smelter to dry . It will be considered ready when it completely hardens.

The next preparatory step in how to melt silver is preparing the charge. Preferably on a jewelry scale; you will need to measure out 20 grams of scrap. Then, using a magnet, remove excess particles of iron or steel.

Next, you need to treat the melting pot with flux. In this case, you will need borax. This flux effectively cleans silver from various oxides and prevents oxygen from entering the melt.

Silver smelting: process algorithm

Knowing what the specific heat of fusion of silver is and having all the tools prepared, you can begin the direct smelting process. For this:

1. Place the finished and hardened spoon horizontally. Borax must be poured inside.

2. Turn on the muffle plate or light the burner. Remember that the melting temperature of the silver of the desired standard must be adjusted in advance.

Electric muffle furnace with chamber SNOL 3/1100 - ideal for smelting silver in industrial or home conditions

3. Load the spoon with the mixture. Place 20 grams of prepared silver scrap inside.

4. Warm up the mixture. This must be done until it turns red, melts and drips to the bottom of the spoon.

5. Check for proper melting. If the silver is shiny, it is ready, but if the surface is still cloudy, it needs to be heated longer.

Electric muffle furnace with chamber SNOL 7.2/1300 allows you to control the melt level without even opening the door

Please note that when using a burner, you should monitor the flame very carefully. It should be soft and prevent flux from flying around. If you use a special furnace for melting aluminum, then the crucible with the charge must be placed in a thick pipe made of fireclay clay.

Now you know how to melt silver yourself. It is important to choose the right equipment. To buy a muffle furnace for melting silver at home, contact the Labor company. We will help you choose the necessary model and provide a favorable price for it. Don't delay and contact us right now!

Source: https://labor-snol.ru/news/kak-rasplavit-serebro-v-domashnih-usloviyah

Melting silver at home with a gas torch

My respect to the regular readers and guests of our site. Today’s material belongs to a series of articles about silver: its physical and chemical properties, the melting point of silver, as well as a couple of interesting tips on what manipulations can be done with it at home.

What are the characteristics of silver: melting point, nuances of melting at home

For thousands of years, people have been using the precious white metal to produce jewelry, dishes, decorative interior items, and minting coins. It is beautiful, easy to obtain and process, but the list of advantages does not end there.

Silver has a white, lustrous color that gives it amazing reflective properties—with a reflectivity of 95%—which is why it is used in place of aluminum in the production of high-quality mirrors.

Areas of use of silver

Nowadays, this property is also successfully used by humanity - all kinds of water and air filters, parts in refrigerators , washing machines, and medical equipment are made using silver ions.

Surprisingly, silver has also found its place in the food industry - it is registered as a food additive E174 and is part of many biologically active substances, although the usefulness of their use is debatable.

Colloidal silver is often credited with its beneficial effects in the prevention of colds and flu, as well as the ability to heal diabetes, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other truly serious diseases.

However, such miracles are more of a marketer's dream, since there are no medical studies confirming that colloidal silver is effective in treating any of these diseases.

Nevertheless, the areas of application of this metal are constantly expanding; alloys and chemical compounds can be found both in almost any apartment and in space as part of parts for satellites and spacecraft.

Among the “minuses” we can highlight the property of silver products to tarnish and darken over time under the influence of moist air. A slightly soluble coating forms on the surface, but this is also fixable - cleaning allows you to restore its former shine.

As for the beneficial effects on human health, you need to know in moderation in everything and remember that this is a heavy metal, the excess content of which in drinking water is dangerous to health.

It is mainly used not in its pure form, because silver without impurities is a rather soft, plastic material. The most common alloys found in silver are cadmium, nickel, zinc and copper. These components make working with metal easier and make the final products stronger.

There are many reasons why there is a need to melt silver. This may be a desire to make the metal cleaner, and therefore more expensive, by freeing it from impurities.

Or maybe you decided to melt down a ring or cutlery inherited from an unloved aunt and create a new modern piece of jewelry of your own design. In any case, the first thing you need to do is find out at what temperature silver melts.

Melting at home

For melting you will need:

  • steel container or fireproof sanitary ware;
  • gasoline or gas burner;
  • mold for the final product;
  • forceps;
  • asbestos sheet.

First of all, you need to heat the prepared container red hot. When this step is completed, silver is placed inside, it is better if it is cut in advance into pieces of approximately the same size, which gradually begins to lose its clear shape, as if melting.

When the metal is sufficiently warm, if cleaning is necessary, such as saltpeter are added Next, you need to wait until the metal completely melts and begins to “shine” with a reddish color.

This liquid silver must be used very quickly before it hardens again. The metal is poured into the prepared mold and left until completely solidified.

Source: https://stanok.guru/cvetnye-metally-i-splavy/kak-plavitsya-serebro-temperatura-i-sposoby-plavleniya.html

How to melt silver at home? | WHO?WHAT?WHERE?

Silver is one of the few metals that can be melted down without any problems even in your own kitchen. Knowing how to melt silver at home, you will not spend much time on this procedure.

Preparation

We would like to warn you that melting silver items in an apartment is unsafe. You can easily get burned and even start a fire. So prepare carefully for this procedure and remember to take precautions.

To melt silver you will need:

  • metal spoon,
  • sheet asbestos,
  • borax,
  • burner,
  • tweezers,
  • forceps,
  • gypsum,
  • white quartz sand.

Before you begin, place all the items and ingredients you need on your work surface. Try to remove everything unnecessary so that nothing interferes with you while working. Wear clothes made of thick material. Protect your hands with gloves and your eyes with special glasses with elastic that fit well to your face. It is advisable to leave as little surface of the skin as possible exposed to minimize the risk of accidental burns.

Prepare a mold for casting silver (ingus) in advance. To make it, you will need quartz sand and gypsum. If you know dentists, then with their help you can get a lithium mixture that is used in dentistry.

In addition, beeswax will also come in handy. Use it to create a model of a future piece of jewelry. Place this model in a container with a mixture of gypsum and pure quartz sand.

While the mixture has not completely hardened, make a narrow recess into which you will pour the melted silver.

Once the mixture has completely hardened, warm up the ingus. If you work inside, be sure to open the window and turn on the hood. When heated, the wax begins to evaporate, giving off a very unpleasant odor. The disappearance of the amber will be a signal that the form has already been completely cleared of wax and is suitable for use. Now you can begin the main process.

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