Hand Poured Bars

[colu41]

So another question for any bar makers out there. My latest pours have been getting this bump in the center of the cool lines. I'm not sure why it's doing that.

Usually it would be concaved, not convexed on the bar.  Im really looking for that nice deep smooth pour line look. I don't mind pour lines but it seems at the center of lines I'm either getting these weird bumps, or kind of a spatter look.

I plan on doing a few 8 to 12 oz chunky bars, and am really looking to get as close to this as possible. 

Any tips?

[BackyardBullion]

My only thought is that you might have a small air pocket as you poured the silver and that has risen up before the silver cooled and then cannot escape.

Another thing might be the mold having residue on it and that residue caused bubbling to happen like I experienced here.

Although, mine eventually settled as it was a very big piece and then you had the concaved look. 

Not sure if that helps but maybe has something to do with it!

Good looking bar you made there though regardless!

[Mcgrimes]

If the pour was slow, could the silver be solidifying local to to the stream? Is your mold heated prior to the pour?

Your bar looks like it has little cleanup, are you using flux?

[colu41]

Thanks BB. I'll check over my molds and make sure everything is in order. Any tips on cleaning them if they do have some residue?

And Mcgrimes, my pours are very quick and liquid. After the poor I actually have a little time to watch it cool. It just seems to leave this little hump.

I'm gonna get everything cleaning up and do another today and post some pics.

Thanks guys

[Mcgrimes]

Could it be rubbish in the bottom of the crucible? I’ve always ended up with a concave shape as you’d expect.

I vote you make a video! That would speak volumes about your methodology.

[colu41]

Thanks Mcgrimes. No my crucible that I did this bar with is brand spanking new. Nicely seasoned and clean.

I'm going to have to get my daughter out here to help with holding the camera for me so I can take a video. That sounds fun.

[colu41]

I took a video. Just have find a way to upload it. Might have to use YouTube. But here's a few pics. 

Turned out ok but still has that bump! My biggest thing with this is, with that bump, these bars aren't stackable. I love things to be able to be stackable. With the concave to most bars, they're easily stackable.

 

Since the video isn't up yet I'll tell you how I did this one. Started off with some skull melts that I had. Put in a clean ceramic crucibles. It was heated in my propane forge along with my graphite mold. The mold comes out nice and red hot. I then pour, with a Mapp Gas torch on the pour and on the bar until it has completely solidified. Now. This is a little different than how I did the original bar in this thread. I just heated the mold with the torch, poured with the torch on the silver, but pulled the torch off before the silver solidified. Getting the same results. 😕

Any clues guys? I may melt this again and try a different method.

[colu41]

Melted it 2 more times. First time I tried just hearing the mold with the torch, and the same when pouring. Same result. Then. I put the mold back in the forge, got it red hot. Poured the silver and then just let it sit. No torch, just cooling naturally. And I got this. Probably my best, flattest smoothest bar I ever got!

I'm going to touch up the spot where the flux settled, and then throw it in the tumbler.

[dicker]

I rather like it.  Well done. 

[Bullionbilly]

1 hour ago, colu41 said:

I took a video. Just have find a way to upload it. Might have to use YouTube. But here's a few pics. 

 

 

Very nice 

[colu41]

Thanks guys. Here's a few pics out of the tumbler. 

I think a little more tinkering and I'll get exactly what I'm looking for. I'm liking it so far.

 

Now just out of curiousity. I'm going to stamp this bar now. Ive always liked bars stamped vertically. Is there much interest in stamping horizontally. I know each company does it different, I just would like to know what most people like the most when looking for these hand poured bars.

[Bullionbilly]

Why not use a marker and try one each side ? 

[Bullionaire]

Vertical would be my choice. Lovely chunky bar that! 

[SILVERFINGER]

I wonder if the height that you are pouring from is having an effect, if you poured water into a bucket from different heights it would effect the look.

[colu41]

1 hour ago, Bullionbilly said:

40 minutes ago, Bullionaire said:

Vertical would be my choice. Lovely chunky bar that! 

 

I agree BullionAire. I went ahead and did it how I usually do vertically. 

I love it! Will definitely be doing more. Another thing I've noticed is different quality, or even textured graphite leaves a different t cast. I make all my molds so I've noticed this recently.

[danmc82]

Looks like a pro bar 👍 Silver looks great in big chuncky bar form.

[colu41]

Thanks Dan. Appreciate it. I'm really liking these. Might make another similar mold for 10oz pours also. Hopefully I can recreate this pour 😊

[SILVERFINGER]

I thought it was one you had bought also, love it very impressed.

[colu41]

Thanks silverfinger. Hope to be making a few more soon.

[Mcgrimes]

@colu41 looks fantastic; I’m even more impressed you make your own moulds, are you CNC’ing?

[colu41]

6 hours ago, Mcgrimes said:

@colu41 looks fantastic; I’m even more impressed you make your own moulds, are you CNC’ing?

Thanks! I have a standard mill. I just do all of my simple bar molds. Any specialty stuff I purchase elsewhere.