Your tongs and crucible handling tools are PERFECT! They are beautifully made, and grip the crucible in the perfect area, down at the bottom flank of the crucible, and don't put any heavy load or pinch on the crucible sides! You might have to adjust the tongs so they fit better in the furnace, but this is because the crucible is the largest they could fit in this furnace, and is actually too large for this diameter of furnace, but your design is flawless! You could go one step down on crucible size, and find it much easier to manipulate, without damaging the walls of the furnace. The amount of flex you have in your tongs is ALSO perfect. You want them to grip GENTLY, and not clamp down like a vise on the crucible. If they just gently spring up against the side of the crucible, as yours do, they will hold it perfectly safely, without stressing the ceramic in the crucible! You might want to start producing these crucible tongs for sale! They are REALLY NICE, and a perfect fit for the crucible you are using! The grippers that came with the furnace, you can throw away. They are worse than useless,. because the heavy clamping effect they put on the crucible is sure to damage or crack it very quickly.
@williamMay-e7l Than you! I feel flattered. I am also a blacksmith. Going down a crucible size sounds like a good plan, I'm only worried my pouring set up might be too big. I guess we'll see. Thx for the comment and for watching!!!
@@steelforestweldingandforge You should see how you can streamline the production process for these tongs, because as soon as I saw them, I said to myself: "Those would be PERFECT for my #8 crucibles!". You could sell bunch of these to EVERYONE who owns one of these furnaces! My brother was a blacksmith and made mine, and yours look a lot better than the ones he made me, but he just hammered them out when I showed him my crucible. But he DID get the tong arms so they just gently clamp the crucible and flex a little rather than clamping hard.
Oh and one more thought,. Your lighting, sound, general demeanor is very very good. I wish other videos of this type were like yours. Again, well done. A plus plus 😃
Good vid! I’m just getting started with my channel, so I am a complete novice to this whole process. I’m just glad you didn’t have a steam explosion from not pre-heating your molds!
Thank you for this! I have the same set up, I didn't know about needing to do the refractory part and ran it without doing so! No harm was done to the unit, but I will get that done before my next burn! I very much appreciate the links as well. ❤
Thank you for this video. I just bought the gong Yi and I'm just starting out. I would have never known to do these pre-steps. Your content is highly informative and excellent content. Would you or anyone for that matter be able to recommend some PPE gear that doesn't break the bank and also what are the must have tools for metal scrapping/refining? Hope to hear back, definitely can't wait to fire this bad boy up!!
You're welcome. When it comes to liquid metal honeslty, there is zero room for error. I should have been wearing more ppe. Liquid metal will not simply brush wipe off when it makes contect with skin. You're looking at life altering injuries. Here it the minimum of what I would recommend. 1. Flame retardent jacket 2. Leather apron 3. Safety glasses 4. Face shield 5. Flame retardent hat 6. Insulated welding gloves 7. heavy work boots 8. Full length cottom pants or jeans. Good luck and stay safe.
As far as essential tools for metal scrapping. I don't really do it very much. It would depend on what kind of medals you're searching for I would assume.
I just received mine Wednesday and as you did I checked mine with a magnet, The vessel itself did not attract the magnet at all but the top did so I'm going to say that the vessel itself is going to be around a 304 grade stainless steel whereas the top is probably grade 202
I so wanted to just bust the thing out and start smeltin but went ahead and got the rigidizer and refractory cement. I still have no idea how to find crucible tongs anywhere without makin em myself. Like you said, the crucible is freaking huge for how small the tank is. I didn't have the problem around the bolts around the hinges you had. Too bad I don't know how to weld lol
You won't regret taking the time to set it up for high efficiency, trust me :) As far as finding tongs you could hire a welder/blacksmith to make you a pair. Or maybe modify an existing pair. I believe amazon also sells lifting tongs as well. But I can't atest to their quality. Thanks for watching!
@steelforestweldingandforge I've got some old tongs but theyre made out of cast iron lol, not sure if drilling into em and putting some curved braces would work. Guess it can't hurt to try
@@steelforestweldingandforge my refractory cement looks like normal cement whilst yours is white dust-like... rated for 2200°F but definitely not remotely similar in asthetic
Does anyone know if the little sleeve that goes over the gas jet opening is necessary? My kit didn’t come with one and I’m not able to find it online. Is it ok to use without?? Thanks!!
Do you mean the metal sleeve that screws over the brass nozzle? If yes, unfortunately it is 100% necessary. If you ordered it through Amazon, definitely report it.
I missed what you did with the round white piece. Is that to sit the crucible on when smelting? I just got this model. I appreciate this video, good stuff!
Hmmm, that's a very good question. I would be inclined to say yes. The only problem is that because this has a bottom.You'll only be able to use it for very small parts
@@okieadventures8548 You always get a few handful out. The exact number I couldn't tell you. I can't give this additional piece of info though. The larger the propane tank you have the longer you will be able to run it without the tank chilling to the point that it will not function as well.
The melting point of copper is VERY high, close to 2000 degrees F. It will take a lot of heat to do so. Did you add refractory material like I did? Or use it straight out of the box? You will also need to increase your propane output. And sometimes material will look like it hasn't melted when, in fact, it has. Sometimes, you need to stir it. I have not personally attempted to melt copper with it. I believe it would, though, if I attempted it.
i tried it right out of the box, it claims it can melt copper. ive tried a few times now havent been able to get it to melt it just turns bright red. im not sure how long i need to let it burn. i just dont think this furnace can get hot enough to melt copper
If they are claiming it can melt copper right out of the box, and it isn't capable. I would say that is the fault of the company. I'll get a hold of some.copper and give it a try. On another note, I would highly recommend adding refractory to your furnace, not just for increased efficiency. But for safety, the silica lining in the blanket lining the furnace becomes airborne when in use and over time will damage your lungs. Good luck to you.
i got this and there was no slider for the intake pipe to control the air even though the pictures on amazon show it should come with it, it even came with the extra screw for it, im looking at your video and i guess its not needed?
Would this be hot enough to melt copper? I messaged the vendor and they said they cancelled that piece and partially refunded me $30. I’ve seen other videos with this product have that slider
@@thebroomisinmyhand When I purchased it it was advertised as hot enough to melt steel and copper. However the only thing i've melted with it so far is aluminum
@e701914 oh shoot. Well in that case I would use similar instructions to the ones that were provided to me. The main reason we do this is to eliminate any moisture that may be inside the crucible so that it isn't shocked and explodes when exposed to the heat from the furnace.
Once the metal is melted, remove the crucible from the furnace for the pour. Add the flux. and skim off the dross on top, (Just ONE TIME!) Every time you stir it, you create more slag. Slag is dirt, but also oxidized aluminum. When you skim, you will see a shiny surface, and this will gradually dull over as the next layer of oxide forms. (Temp to reconstitute aluminum oxide is 15,000 degrees F. so it is possible to keep re-skimming, and eventually convert all the aluminum you melted, into slag.) Do your pour, make sure the crucible is drained of molten metal, and put it back in the furnace and put the lid back on to cool slowly. You will discover that the aluminum residue in the crucible will just peel off like aluminum foil after the crucible is cold. Avoid scraping and hacking at the crucible while it is still hot.
Good point. Putting the furnace on firebricks would be safer. For those who may not know, concrete can have small air pockets. Heating those pockets can cause them expand and pop/explode. Kind of like popcorn. And with molten metal, this can cause a serious accident.
DON'T take the crucible out of the furnace to let it cool. Do your pour, put the empty crucible BACK in the furnace, put the lid back on it, and let it cool over the time of 8 hours or so. The slower you cool off the crucible, the longer it will last. When tempering it, fire it up, bring it to the red heat, and then just shut it off, and leave it alone. Don't remove the lid or take the crucible out of the furnace.
@williamMay-e7l Thx for the advice. A lot of this is still new to me. I'll never turn down constructive criticism. Any advice on maintaining and cleaning the graphite molds? I've noticed they're getting "dusty"
@@steelforestweldingandforge They will do that. Just the way graphite is. Molded graphite was used by the Germans for the control vanes that stuck into the nozzle area on the V-2 rocket, to guide the missile and keep it pointed straight ahead, since engine gimballing was beyond their technology. But at least you don't have to coat the molds with anything. They are just naturally dirty. But your metal castings should shrink as they cool, (which you showed in your pouring demo) and the metal should just fall out after it cools.
Your tongs and crucible handling tools are PERFECT! They are beautifully made, and grip the crucible in the perfect area, down at the bottom flank of the crucible, and don't put any heavy load or pinch on the crucible sides! You might have to adjust the tongs so they fit better in the furnace, but this is because the crucible is the largest they could fit in this furnace, and is actually too large for this diameter of furnace, but your design is flawless!
You could go one step down on crucible size, and find it much easier to manipulate, without damaging the walls of the furnace. The amount of flex you have in your tongs is ALSO perfect. You want them to grip GENTLY, and not clamp down like a vise on the crucible. If they just gently spring up against the side of the crucible, as yours do, they will hold it perfectly safely, without stressing the ceramic in the crucible!
You might want to start producing these crucible tongs for sale! They are REALLY NICE, and a perfect fit for the crucible you are using! The grippers that came with the furnace, you can throw away. They are worse than useless,. because the heavy clamping effect they put on the crucible is sure to damage or crack it very quickly.
@williamMay-e7l Than you! I feel flattered. I am also a blacksmith. Going down a crucible size sounds like a good plan, I'm only worried my pouring set up might be too big. I guess we'll see. Thx for the comment and for watching!!!
@@steelforestweldingandforge You should see how you can streamline the production process for these tongs, because as soon as I saw them, I said to myself: "Those would be PERFECT for my #8 crucibles!". You could sell bunch of these to EVERYONE who owns one of these furnaces! My brother was a blacksmith and made mine, and yours look a lot better than the ones he made me, but he just hammered them out when I showed him my crucible. But he DID get the tong arms so they just gently clamp the crucible and flex a little rather than clamping hard.
Well done. Thank you for educating an old man. I am so so glad I watched you.
Thank You for such a calm & well recorded teaching moment. I purchased this exact product. If I wear it out, I`ll treat it first.
Glad I could help, thank you.
Oh and one more thought,. Your lighting, sound, general demeanor is very very good. I wish other videos of this type were like yours. Again, well done. A plus plus 😃
Well, thank you very much, I appreciate it. I'm glad you got some useful information.
Good vid! I’m just getting started with my channel, so I am a complete novice to this whole process. I’m just glad you didn’t have a steam explosion from not pre-heating your molds!
Hopefully you will get great use out of it for many years out of it. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend
Thank you for this! I have the same set up, I didn't know about needing to do the refractory part and ran it without doing so! No harm was done to the unit, but I will get that done before my next burn! I very much appreciate the links as well. ❤
Ty, happy to help!
Thank you for the video. I've never done this before and want to see how it does with raw gold flakes
You're welcome
Thank you for this video. I just bought the gong Yi and I'm just starting out. I would have never known to do these pre-steps. Your content is highly informative and excellent content. Would you or anyone for that matter be able to recommend some PPE gear that doesn't break the bank and also what are the must have tools for metal scrapping/refining? Hope to hear back, definitely can't wait to fire this bad boy up!!
You're welcome. When it comes to liquid metal honeslty, there is zero room for error. I should have been wearing more ppe. Liquid metal will not simply brush wipe off when it makes contect with skin. You're looking at life altering injuries. Here it the minimum of what I would recommend.
1. Flame retardent jacket
2. Leather apron
3. Safety glasses
4. Face shield
5. Flame retardent hat
6. Insulated welding gloves
7. heavy work boots
8. Full length cottom pants or jeans.
Good luck and stay safe.
As far as essential tools for metal scrapping. I don't really do it very much. It would depend on what kind of medals you're searching for I would assume.
Were the fire brick goes? I have this question and your video it’s the best I found at the moment, I have the same machine
@piochaparro7389 If you mean the round one that looks like a ring, it goes on the inside on the bottom.
I just received mine Wednesday and as you did I checked mine with a magnet, The vessel itself did not attract the magnet at all but the top did so I'm going to say that the vessel itself is going to be around a 304 grade stainless steel whereas the top is probably grade 202
I'd say that's a fairly safe bet. But i'm pretty certain that it's gonna withstand the test of time and stay relatively rust free. We shall see.
Great show
I so wanted to just bust the thing out and start smeltin but went ahead and got the rigidizer and refractory cement. I still have no idea how to find crucible tongs anywhere without makin em myself. Like you said, the crucible is freaking huge for how small the tank is. I didn't have the problem around the bolts around the hinges you had. Too bad I don't know how to weld lol
You won't regret taking the time to set it up for high efficiency, trust me :) As far as finding tongs you could hire a welder/blacksmith to make you a pair. Or maybe modify an existing pair. I believe amazon also sells lifting tongs as well. But I can't atest to their quality. Thanks for watching!
@steelforestweldingandforge I've got some old tongs but theyre made out of cast iron lol, not sure if drilling into em and putting some curved braces would work. Guess it can't hurt to try
@@steelforestweldingandforge my refractory cement looks like normal cement whilst yours is white dust-like... rated for 2200°F but definitely not remotely similar in asthetic
Does anyone know if the little sleeve that goes over the gas jet opening is necessary? My kit didn’t come with one and I’m not able to find it online. Is it ok to use without?? Thanks!!
Do you mean the metal sleeve that screws over the brass nozzle? If yes, unfortunately it is 100% necessary. If you ordered it through Amazon, definitely report it.
If you were concerned about the tongs causing thermal shock damage, shouldn't you have also have allowed the crucible to cool in the furnace?
I missed what you did with the round white piece. Is that to sit the crucible on when smelting? I just got this model. I appreciate this video, good stuff!
That round piece sits at the bottom of the furnace. The crucible sits on top of it. Thank you and thx for watching!
Thanks I had the same question
love this vid! question- do you have to temper it every time you use?
Gald you enjoyed it! No, you do not to temper a crucible everytime. Only a new one.
Could you make a stand for it and lay it on its side and use as a forge as well?
Hmmm, that's a very good question. I would be inclined to say yes. The only problem is that because this has a bottom.You'll only be able to use it for very small parts
@@steelforestweldingandforge thanks for the reply!!
Another question…how many smelts are you getting out of a 5 gallon propane tank? Approximately of course.
@@okieadventures8548 You always get a few handful out. The exact number I couldn't tell you. I can't give this additional piece of info though. The larger the propane tank you have the longer you will be able to run it without the tank chilling to the point that it will not function as well.
Ive got same set up, can this melt copper it advertise that it can melt copper and gold. But i cant get it to melt copper.
The melting point of copper is VERY high, close to 2000 degrees F. It will take a lot of heat to do so. Did you add refractory material like I did? Or use it straight out of the box? You will also need to increase your propane output. And sometimes material will look like it hasn't melted when, in fact, it has. Sometimes, you need to stir it. I have not personally attempted to melt copper with it. I believe it would, though, if I attempted it.
i tried it right out of the box, it claims it can melt copper. ive tried a few times now havent been able to get it to melt it just turns bright red. im not sure how long i need to let it burn. i just dont think this furnace can get hot enough to melt copper
If they are claiming it can melt copper right out of the box, and it isn't capable. I would say that is the fault of the company. I'll get a hold of some.copper and give it a try. On another note, I would highly recommend adding refractory to your furnace, not just for increased efficiency. But for safety, the silica lining in the blanket lining the furnace becomes airborne when in use and over time will damage your lungs. Good luck to you.
I'll do that thanks buddy
i got this and there was no slider for the intake pipe to control the air even though the pictures on amazon show it should come with it, it even came with the extra screw for it, im looking at your video and i guess its not needed?
I don't think so. It seems to run pretty well without a choke.
Would this be hot enough to melt copper? I messaged the vendor and they said they cancelled that piece and partially refunded me $30. I’ve seen other videos with this product have that slider
@@thebroomisinmyhand When I purchased it it was advertised as hot enough to melt steel and copper. However the only thing i've melted with it so far is aluminum
Is it OK for me to leave it in the oven at 300 degrees instead?
I would strictly follow the instructions provided with the crucible or furnace
@@steelforestweldingandforge mine didn't come with instructions for the crucible only to assemble the parts for the furnace
@e701914 oh shoot. Well in that case I would use similar instructions to the ones that were provided to me. The main reason we do this is to eliminate any moisture that may be inside the crucible so that it isn't shocked and explodes when exposed to the heat from the furnace.
Once the metal is melted, remove the crucible from the furnace for the pour. Add the flux. and skim off the dross on top, (Just ONE TIME!) Every time you stir it, you create more slag. Slag is dirt, but also oxidized aluminum. When you skim, you will see a shiny surface, and this will gradually dull over as the next layer of oxide forms. (Temp to reconstitute aluminum oxide is 15,000 degrees F. so it is possible to keep re-skimming, and eventually convert all the aluminum you melted, into slag.) Do your pour, make sure the crucible is drained of molten metal, and put it back in the furnace and put the lid back on to cool slowly. You will discover that the aluminum residue in the crucible will just peel off like aluminum foil after the crucible is cold. Avoid scraping and hacking at the crucible while it is still hot.
good advice. I always thought you add the flux first. but im not an expert. thx for imparting your wisdom and thx for watching.
Do you have to heat up the casting molds before each use?
Yes, it will prevent you from shocking your molds and having them shatter.
@@steelforestweldingandforge That makes sense, thank you!
Did you spray the entire bottle of that or just a little? Lol I couldn’t tell if it was time lapsed or not
If memory serves me right, I think I used maybe a quarter of that spray bottle. Didn't take much to get the job done.
Nice video. Looks like you are working over concrete though? If so, this is very dangerous
Good point. Putting the furnace on firebricks would be safer. For those who may not know, concrete can have small air pockets. Heating those pockets can cause them expand and pop/explode. Kind of like popcorn. And with molten metal, this can cause a serious accident.
@@steelforestweldingandforge It's more the spilling of metal on concrete that's the problem.
Good video , but you seem way too scared but thank you
@@andretopy first time/new tool jitters
DON'T take the crucible out of the furnace to let it cool. Do your pour, put the empty crucible BACK in the furnace, put the lid back on it, and let it cool over the time of 8 hours or so. The slower you cool off the crucible, the longer it will last. When tempering it, fire it up, bring it to the red heat, and then just shut it off, and leave it alone. Don't remove the lid or take the crucible out of the furnace.
@williamMay-e7l Thx for the advice. A lot of this is still new to me. I'll never turn down constructive criticism. Any advice on maintaining and cleaning the graphite molds? I've noticed they're getting "dusty"
@@steelforestweldingandforge They will do that. Just the way graphite is. Molded graphite was used by the Germans for the control vanes that stuck into the nozzle area on the V-2 rocket, to guide the missile and keep it pointed straight ahead, since engine gimballing was beyond their technology. But at least you don't have to coat the molds with anything. They are just naturally dirty. But your metal castings should shrink as they cool, (which you showed in your pouring demo) and the metal should just fall out after it cools.
Don't need to know your entire life's history just hit the high points