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The Crucible
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Categories: Instruction and information; Projects and equipment

Word count/read time: 343 words; 1-1/2 minutes

No jeweler's tool collection is complete without at least one crucible, the quintessential piece of equipment for making things from scratch. They come in all shapes and sizes and myriad materials: steel alloys, graphite, silicon carbide, clay, hybrids, etc. Each has its pros and cons but graphite and silicon carbide versions have proven worthy for most shop applications.

I melt scrap in a steel crucible but after umpteen sessions, it has been retired. My large graphite ones are expensive so they are best saved for special pours. Melting up to 300 ounces at a whack is no laughing matter if something should fail.

The crucible was untouchable - why would I make one? For the same reasons as everything else: keep it in-house, reduce costs and time. A quick internet search turned up instructions and ingredients for making one. It's more involved than welding a piece of steel pipe.

These instructions were for his metal of choice, aluminum. It puts less strain on a crucible than precious metals both by reduced density and much lower melting temperature. His crucibles seemed to work under those conditions so we'll see.

 
For the same reasons as everything else: keep it in-house, reduce costs and time.
 
It took a few months to acquire the ingredients. Silicon carbide and fire clay were abundant. Powdered graphite was neither easy to find nor cheap but nothing compared to powdered borosilicate glass (frit) at $16/lb! The glass supplier suggested using a garbage disposal. Marginal would describe the outcome so I tried a blender. It produced acceptable results. However, the first batch completely wore away the hardened stainless steel blades. DOH!

The first attempt will commence once the molds are ready (probably years away, lol). The mixture can't be thrown on a wheel like typical pottery clay; instead, a hydraulic press must compress it to ensure a uniform, void-free interior. It will be messy.

Either way, I will do one or more of the following: make crucibles, learn glass-blowing, design pottery, or load my sandblast cabinet with a new abrasive. And maybe create a few new swear words. I am definitely looking forward to the latter.


Posted by M: October 25, 2018


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