Melting scrap Aluminum and Copper in a homemade propane smelter into 5 pound molds. How to build smelter • How To Build The Propa... Mold Dispenser Link • The Mold Dispenser
I really liked this video. no talking just showing your setup and getting it done. That mold with a built in dumping handle is genius. you should produce and sell them.
I couldn't help but notice that unlike most homemade furnaces the that introduce the heat source offset from the side to provide a swirling action surrounding the crucible, your come in from the bottom with stand-offs to elevate the crucible some distance above the flame. Is that better than what all these other guys do?
You need charcoal in the melt pot and a lid on the mold or some sort. Copper will absorb 100% of its own weight in O2. If you look for copper water casting you'll see some pretty clean oxide free casts done that way.
is that a waste oil burner using a hairdryer. that looks pretty proficient can you show/ tell how you done it . im guessing its drip fed through gravity but how do you get it started
i just received my ingot and its Awesome. I told my mom to leave you a 5-star review. I also just showed my friend and he wants to buy one so next time you sell one let me know
Are you melting aluminum cans or other types of aluminum? Are aluminum cans worth the trouble to melt down to recycle for more $$$, or should I just turn in the cans at the recycler? How long do the ingots take to cool off before you can dump them out of the mold?
i don't melt any cans anymore you get quit a bit slag and is just easier to take to scrap yard unless you have no other aluminum to melt. i usually let sit in mold till top is solid and wait like half minute or so if you have to make another pour right away
Do you have your weed burner just on "idle" with the hairdryer blowing up the same spot or do you tape your handle so your weed torch is basically in high gear?
what did you use as a crucible for the copper? I've been using steel exhaust pipe but it always seems to destroy my crucible. I've had some copper melt but when I add more it's like if hardens
Hello Sir I melted some copper in a waste oil furnace then i made some ingots for future casting but when i tried to melt the same ingots i made before i couldn't melt them in the same furnace and same temperature i don't why i failed can you give me some advices please thank you
+tracychapman1000 it will take your ingots like 5 to 10 times longer to heat up depends on how big they are. the outside of the bar might look like it is melting but the inside will take a while to heat up
Iron is slightly soluble in aluminum at its melting temperature. When you use a steel or iron crucible to melt aluminum, what you get is a contaminated mess. The longer you heat, the worse it gets. Iron is very detrimental to the physical properties of aluminum alloys. Do it right and go buy a silicon carbide crucible. Ceramic also works but doesn't last as long. Don't bother melting it if you are going to sell it for scrap.
That’s a dope ingot molds setup you have there.. I’m just getting into Melting copper I have a couple videos out I would love to hear your feedback and maybe even some tips thank you
how long did it take to get that much copper into the molten state? is that just a tiger torch you used? I'm thinking on casting a copper heat sink and aim wondering what its going to require
Coyote27981propane weed burner, with this setup it is easy to melt copper and aluminum just takes a little longer to heat the copper to start to melt it
HOW DO YOU GET THE COPPER TO RUN SO SMOOTHLY? when i pour just one lb. bar the last of it hardens right in he pour? and my copper seems thicker and yours runs like water? im heating to 1200??? what am i doing wrong?
the aluminum melts at 1200 about and copper is around 1975 degrees and it seems to work better when the temperature is like at least half as much more of that so copper at like 2500 or more so when cools down some it stays more liquid. and to i had 5 some pounds in crucible so that would take a little more longer to cool then the 1, But i would say get it hot as possible and poor it fast as you can once you turn the heat down
Yes you can I built one very similar to the one in the video using waste oil. Fill the trunk of your car and the back seat full of bars compared to truck loads of aluminum. Also I get paid 50 % more for bars i melt down copper windings from transformers that would be classified as shit copper. After they are meted they are clean bright
12345boehm that's good. I don't know if charcoal is indeed cheper than propane (I guess it is). Also I think charcoal is way easier to use and less risky
How many k 23 firebricks do you use? Trying to get everything ordered so I can make it once the vid comes out. Also, what size and type of bucket are you using?
Oh yeah one more thing; I'm going to need to melt about 25 pounds of aluminum/copper at a time...I have a 2 gallon cast iron pot that's about 8" in diameter for this so do you think using a garbage can for this would be workable?
lol this will not get 25 pounds maybe 6 to 7 before it is not enough heat garbage can might be a bit thin. I would say if you had a pipe or something more heavy duty about 4 inches wide, cause when melting the copper roughly 3/4 of the steel crucible is within 300 to 600 degrees of melting temperature
HELP! Do you think its possible to make these perfect square so that they're usable in a CNC machine? Like a perfectly shaped rectangle of any size, but 90 degree edges and all that. Doesnt matter if the top isnt perfect u can mill it out, but bottom has to be real flat idk how this works i just know i have a CNC mill and want to make tons of shit with it but the price of aluminium blocks seems too expensive. If i could melt down scrapyard garbage and use a CNC to turn it into expensive parts, i mean shit why not.
+12345boehm Oh, I see. Strangely enough the pour itself looks much cleaner than the other two too. I thought that you did skim off the dross or something. BTW you mentioned that you're making these pretty much for speculative purposes. Do you also have some means for certifying/determining the purity of the ingots as well? I mean how else would you know the purity (and thus the market price) of the material you have?
+CoolKoon that is a good question i could not determine how pure they are. But i could kind of guess around 90 percent pure. there must be some way of testing but i dont know
12345boehm sweet. I thought it was silly to use propane when i can find wood and coal for free, but worth the convenience cost if you're casting a lot. Great info. Thanks!!!!
I love your mold tipper. That looks like quite a time saver.
I really liked this video. no talking just showing your setup and getting it done. That mold with a built in dumping handle is genius. you should produce and sell them.
I love how copper makes that green flame at the top.
make more melting vids, this is one of the better ones on youtube
The copper is such a lovely colour when it's poured
Have you seen brass?
Also, great video, not to long, and the close ups of the cooling ingot were cool. Your setup is really neat as well.
Very nice setup with the block dispenser
Awesome video, very nifty ingot 'dispenser'. I was wondering what kind of refractory you used for your foundry/furnace? Thanks
Isn't it ironic how cool really hot stuff is?
HAHA, nice one
Makes you want to reach out and touch it .go a head i dare you
That's an awesome set up. Looking forward to making my own one day
Mixing copper, aluminum and tin all melted together is a great idea creating you own kind of non-rusted bronze metal I came up with.
Great Video, love your setup
Great video gives me some good ideas how to improve my molds and I like your crucible handles smart
this looks cool I would love to try this when I'm older
This project is very good!
Thank you for video, it is strangely satisfying
I couldn't help but notice that unlike most homemade furnaces the that introduce the heat source offset from the side to provide a swirling action surrounding the crucible, your come in from the bottom with stand-offs to elevate the crucible some distance above the flame. Is that better than what all these other guys do?
+coolo the other way you can get more heat and is more efficient but at the time i built this i thought it would be easier and a lot cheaper
how much do you get for each mold when selling the molds?
great video! very interesting stuff, nice setup!
that was so cool my friend I think I might give it a go I'm subscribed liked and notified :)
I like the handle for your crucible. I don't believe I've seen one like it before.
Could be modified easily to allow for the handle to lay down. Then the crucible size could be increased.
Thanks for posting!
You need charcoal in the melt pot and a lid on the mold or some sort. Copper will absorb 100% of its own weight in O2. If you look for copper water casting you'll see some pretty clean oxide free casts done that way.
Do you think you could make a video showing your setup? Or more specifically your ingot mold/dispenser?
I will me making a video in the next couple of months on how to build the smelter and the mold/dispenser.
like the mold [your not "smelting" your re- melting] good vid
PRETTY COOL MAN
soooo lovely video. thanks. what is the fire used? gas? and what are the material made to carry the melt? iron?
+The Desert Wolf propane and steel crucible
is that a waste oil burner using a hairdryer. that looks pretty proficient can you show/ tell how you done it . im guessing its drip fed through gravity but how do you get it started
it is just a propane burner i haven't built a waste oil one yet but hopefully soon
What is the pot that its smelted in made of and how to make or buy where
Thanks for the video excellent demo...
i just received my ingot and its Awesome. I told my mom to leave you a 5-star review. I also just showed my friend and he wants to buy one so next time you sell one let me know
+Suzuki 747 ok i can list some more for sale on Saturday might not ship right away because of work
Ok cool
+Suzuki 747 got some more for sale
www.ebay.com/sch/12345boehm/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
Are you melting aluminum cans or other types of aluminum? Are aluminum cans worth the trouble to melt down to recycle for more $$$, or should I just turn in the cans at the recycler?
How long do the ingots take to cool off before you can dump them out of the mold?
i don't melt any cans anymore you get quit a bit slag and is just easier to take to scrap yard unless you have no other aluminum to melt. i usually let sit in mold till top is solid and wait like half minute or so if you have to make another pour right away
some how this video is very satisfying
Is the fire green
How less pure is the copper using this method?
Amazing video.
Do you have your weed burner just on "idle" with the hairdryer blowing up the same spot or do you tape your handle so your weed torch is basically in high gear?
I just have the valve open about half depends on what temperature you want it at and blower fan at full speed the more air the better more heat.
Cool video! I just built a crucible and bout the other stuff and ready to make some ingots
Hows that goin for ya
that looks like fun
Good work bro
You work for propane, so you can moonlight as a smelter?
what did you use as a crucible for the copper? I've been using steel exhaust pipe but it always seems to destroy my crucible. I've had some copper melt but when I add more it's like if hardens
it is a .25 inch pipe and plate on bottom. probably not getting enough heat if it hardens. that is what happened with my very first foundry
nice work dude, melting alu by my selfe
nice set up
Trop beau le métal sous sa forme liquide, cool vidéo 🤟👍
Hello Sir
I melted some copper in a waste oil furnace then i made some ingots for future casting but when i tried to melt the same ingots i made before i couldn't melt them in the same furnace and same temperature i don't why i failed can you give me some advices please thank you
+tracychapman1000 it will take your ingots like 5 to 10 times longer to heat up depends on how big they are. the outside of the bar might look like it is melting but the inside will take a while to heat up
12345boehm thanks for the reply i'll wait for long time then
What crucible are u using or did you make yours from heavy guage steel? Looking to be doing the same with my copper and aluminum
ya it is just a .25 inch think pipe with a plate welded on bottom
Good entrepreneural spirit.
I like that mold that dumps the ingot how did you make it ?
yup all homeade here is link on how i made it
th-cam.com/video/-4mDNJgZTaQ/w-d-xo.html
Iron is slightly soluble in aluminum at its melting temperature. When you use a steel or iron crucible to melt aluminum, what you get is a contaminated mess. The longer you heat, the worse it gets. Iron is very detrimental to the physical properties of aluminum alloys. Do it right and go buy a silicon carbide crucible. Ceramic also works but doesn't last as long. Don't bother melting it if you are going to sell it for scrap.
Saludo amigo me puede esplicar de k material esta echo el envase donde se derrite el aluminio
just a 1/4 inch thick pipe if i remember right it is 5 inch wide. then it just has a 1/4 inch plate welded on the bottom and a repair handle on top
That’s a dope ingot molds setup you have there.. I’m just getting into Melting copper I have a couple videos out I would love to hear your feedback and maybe even some tips thank you
What kind of crucible is that I used a graphite one and melted right through it
+aden offenberger steel crucible
Hi, hoy do you madre Or get the molds
how long did it take to get that much copper into the molten state? is that just a tiger torch you used? I'm thinking on casting a copper heat sink and aim wondering what its going to require
about 15 20 minutes on my new foundry is faster to melt once it is heated but takes little longer to heat up
4:03 It looks like it is frozen under a cover of ice or frozen
Make more molds at the same time 😍
what are you using as a burner and fuel? is it much harder to melt copper than alu?
great setup you got there, congrats.
Coyote27981propane weed burner, with this setup it is easy to melt copper and aluminum just takes a little longer to heat the copper to start to melt it
How do you protect yourself from the fumes? The fumes from welding, melting ect. aluminum are very dangerous.
most of time just go up wind
HOW DO YOU GET THE COPPER TO RUN SO SMOOTHLY? when i pour just one lb. bar the last of it hardens right in he pour? and my copper seems thicker and yours runs like water? im heating to 1200??? what am i doing wrong?
the aluminum melts at 1200 about and copper is around 1975 degrees and it seems to work better when the temperature is like at least half as much more of that so copper at like 2500 or more so when cools down some it stays more liquid. and to i had 5 some pounds in crucible so that would take a little more longer to cool then the 1, But i would say get it hot as possible and poor it fast as you can once you turn the heat down
nice what your blower unit
what is the difference in price being done like this compared if you were to leave it in a wire form
not sure on that but a guess would be like 50to 90 cents
what is the unit pour melt in to did you make it
+donald laisure (73SuperGlide62) it is a 5 pound copper mold of ebay and the mold is mounted to th-cam.com/video/-4mDNJgZTaQ/w-d-xo.html
What happens if you mix them? Can you make copper that is less likely to oxidate
not sure i have never tried to mix before but probably be something like brass but instead of zinc has aluminum
I’d like to know more about those molds
this one is a 5 pound copper graphite mold got of ebay
hey nice work man do you use any powder to melt the copper or you just use fire only
just the propane burner from the side with a separate 90 angle pipe to move the flame directly underneath the crucible.
Is that a charcoal furnace you are using? Maybe got a video how you made the furnace?
just a propane furnace
link on how to build it
th-cam.com/video/ERFHI8csAYM/w-d-xo.html
What do u do with the ingots after? Where did u get all this material to melt down?
got it all from scraping and cleaning up around the yard. just stacking them up for now
Which kind of air blower, oil or gas are u using,,can you show me that
the cheapest hair dryer from the store and ran of propane through the weed burner
I dont know why, but they look so beautiful to me :D
I was wondering if you were using any kind of flux with the aluminium ?
no i never used any flux
Great video what type of mold are u use for the copper
it would be a 5 pound copper graphite one
12345boehm thanks happy melting
Would love to see a build of this furnace
/watch?v=ERFHI8csAYM is the video of the build
Do you get more at the scrapyard like that
i am guessing a little bit more but i haven't sold any yet
make a vid on how you made that forge :)
+Matt Graves /watch?v=ERFHI8csAYM
Wow! That huge pile of aluminum is awesome! Where do you get the aluminum from? Do you buy it? My biggest issue is finding aluminum to melt.
mostly scraping
parker benz aluminum cans
I see a lot of impurities in the copper.
how long does it take for the Aluminum, and Copper to solidify
+Juicy Bunz about 1 minute for Aluminum and copper around 45 seconds till it basically becomes a solid again
are you mostly scrapping this material? or are you saving it to cast things later?
i am saving most of it for later
do you smelt other kinds of metal like vanadium?
myles Wu i dont i melt aluminum, copper and lead usually
How much does it cost to melt aluminum and is it worth the time and money to do it for scrapping?
you can make a small profit melting it down but it is mostly for the fun of it and i don't worry about making a profit or not
Yes you can I built one very similar to the one in the video using waste oil. Fill the trunk of your car and the back seat full of bars compared to truck loads of aluminum. Also I get paid 50 % more for bars i melt down copper windings from transformers that would be classified as shit copper. After they are meted they are clean bright
Dose the melting get the higher price for the copper and aluminum?
a little bit but it is more for the fun of it not the profit
What fuel are you using to melt copper? Is charcoal enough or you need other things like propane?
just propane, on my very first foundry i used charcoal and it works pretty good to melt copper
12345boehm that's good. I don't know if charcoal is indeed cheper than propane (I guess it is). Also I think charcoal is way easier to use and less risky
I love how quiet it is as if im doing it myself and i never done this butt it never gets old love to see the colors and slight bit of danger
hi sir doring copper melting use salt please tell me
never have used salt before i put in some charcoal helps a little
Do you have to add anything to the copper to get impurities out?
no just charcoal to help with the slag
Cool. Thanks!
What do you do with the finished product?
What ever you would like to do with the almost pure metal.
Does she get to use her hairdryer again? Thank you, Colin
haha no lol
Good tutorial
How many k 23 firebricks do you use? Trying to get everything ordered so I can make it once the vid comes out. Also, what size and type of bucket are you using?
Oh yeah one more thing; I'm going to need to melt about 25 pounds of aluminum/copper at a time...I have a 2 gallon cast iron pot that's about 8" in diameter for this so do you think using a garbage can for this would be workable?
Should be about 7 - 10 firebrick it don't have to be perfect it is just to help keep heat in and it is a 5 gallon steel pale
lol this will not get 25 pounds maybe 6 to 7 before it is not enough heat garbage can might be a bit thin. I would say if you had a pipe or something more heavy duty about 4 inches wide, cause when melting the copper roughly 3/4 of the steel crucible is within 300 to 600 degrees of melting temperature
Where do u get so much aluminum at
Mostly cans and scrap i have been finding in the junk pile.
HELP!
Do you think its possible to make these perfect square so that they're usable in a CNC machine?
Like a perfectly shaped rectangle of any size, but 90 degree edges and all that. Doesnt matter if the top isnt perfect u can mill it out, but bottom has to be real flat
idk how this works i just know i have a CNC mill and want to make tons of shit with it but the price of aluminium blocks seems too expensive. If i could melt down scrapyard garbage and use a CNC to turn it into expensive parts, i mean shit why not.
you would have to probably build one out of steel or use a piece of tubing cut in half then just make a clamp to clamp together,
there might be a little seem where clamp will be but if aluminum should be easy to make flat
Is that steel in the middle of your furnace
yes a steel pipe
Out of all the copper pours the 3rd one was the cleanest. What did you do to clean it up?
just a wire brush on the drill
+12345boehm You mean you've used a wire brush to remove all the dross floating on top of molten copper?
+CoolKoon hahaha o no i just left that on could not gt the copper slag out i used brush to shin it up a little bit
+12345boehm Oh, I see. Strangely enough the pour itself looks much cleaner than the other two too. I thought that you did skim off the dross or something.
BTW you mentioned that you're making these pretty much for speculative purposes. Do you also have some means for certifying/determining the purity of the ingots as well? I mean how else would you know the purity (and thus the market price) of the material you have?
+CoolKoon that is a good question i could not determine how pure they are. But i could kind of guess around 90 percent pure. there must be some way of testing but i dont know
from which metal this bucket made
just a regular steel pipe1/4 inch with 1/4 in plate on bottom
How'd you make that crucible? It's really good.
+Lordhermitcrab 4.5 inch steel pipe and a 1/4 inch steel plate welded on the bottom
12345boehm ,,,is this take a more time to melt,,why you do not use powder silicon type crucible,,,
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Where did you find that crucible if you bought it
+Timmahh The Dank Master i build that one of of a pipe and steel plate i found around in junk pile lol
Hey, have you ever thought about waste oil fuel?
+Jake Lanier yes i actually was looking for some supplies and planning on building one in the summer hopefully
Nice pours
How much propane do you use to heat up 1 crucible of copper, and how long does it take to heat up? cost to heat?
It takes about 45 minutes to heat up and get about 4 to 5 pounds of molten copper and it uses about 1.5 gallons of propane and hour so like 4 dollar.
12345boehm sweet. I thought it was silly to use propane when i can find wood and coal for free, but worth the convenience cost if you're casting a lot. Great info. Thanks!!!!
12345boehm so at 2.81$/# for copper you are making 10$/hr?
What are using for a crucible?
rushthezeppelinJust a 1/4 inch thick steel pipe with a steel plate welded on the bottom
What do you use for fuel
prapane