QuestionQUESTION: I have read many of your other answers and find them interesting. I have 3 questions for you.
1. I have a bracelet that is stamped .925 and is gold toned/plated. Am I able to cut this up in small pieces and melt it in a crucible so that I can pour it into an ingot mold ?
2.Do I need to coat my graphite ingot mold (2 oz) with anything to make a silver ingot come out easier?
3. If I melt .925 and pour it in an ingot mold (after I use a carbon rod to collect the trash from the top of the silver) do I now have .999 silver?
Thank you in advance for you input.
Patrick
ANSWER: Greetings,
Yes you can melt if, and it wouldn't be necessary to cut it up first. The elctro plate will burn off in the process.
I would use a ceramic crucible and line it with melted borax.
Once you melted it, you will have Sterling Silver - 925. 75 parts of the 1000 are of pure copper, the other 925 parts are Fine Silver. If you want fine silver then you need to refine it first..
Cheers, P
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hello,
Well I made my first attempt today at melting .925 scrap into an ingot using a crucible glazed with Borax and a graphite mold. All went pretty well for a first attempt but I do have a question. The first attempt I failed to keep the silver hot enough while I poured it. I then melted it again and poured it into the ingot but it seems to have the Borax stuck to it in places. Did I use too much Borax or am I doing something else wrong? Thank you in advance for your time.
Patrick
AnswerHello,
It could have simply been through not enough heat. If a crucible becomes too coated with borax, heat the empty crubile bowl and then hold the crucible on its side with heat still on... should drop any excess borax.
Soak in a 10% solution of sulphuric acid on low heat and the borax will dissolve.
Cheers, P
