First attempt at pouring silver!

[Nemo86]

First attempt at pouring silver and I have to say I have a new found appreciation for you guys that pull this off 🤣

 

Wee addition for my sons xmas but may melt down and try again now I.....think I know what I'm doing haha

 

[EagleStacker]

Nice work! I plan on getting into refining and pouring my own metals in the near future! this adds to my motivation.

[Nemo86]

Meant to say that these both wieght 20grams 🤣

[MetalMandible]

Aside from that little rash on leftie, I'd say you done a pretty good job 👍

[Nemo86]

Thank you my dude much appreciated. I'm waiting on a coin mould to arrive to try my had at that bit I have my doubts 🤣. Need a new blowtorch as I have melted this one 

[Foster88]

I think you’ve done a good job if this is your first attempt.

If I tried that, the ‘FS’ wouldn’t stand for Fine Silver, it would stand for the phrase I’d most likely be saying, **** sake.

Well done for trying.

[Nemo86]

Definitely stands for **** sake 🤣🤣🤣

[Simmi]

I think it looks really good. I look forward to see more in the future

[Rll1288]

Well done, looking good... I poured and re-melted many many times before I was happy.. and that's the beauty of it👍

[Midasfrog]

They both look like nice little bars 👍 the bubbling affect on the left one makes it look toxic 😷 Would love to have ago

[Nemo86]

21 minutes ago, Midasfrog said:

They both look like nice little bars 👍 the bubbling affect on the left one makes it look toxic 😷 Would love to have ago

It caught covid and now has to self isolate for 14 days 🤣👍

[greendragon]

That's excellent! well done

care to tell us how you do it?

type or furnace , technique etc

i want to learn all i can before i also try

cheers 

[Nemo86]

I used what's known as a whip (I think). It's a ceramic /silica bowl that attaches to a clip on handle. Added a pic as my description is pish. 

Then used a run of the mill butane blowtorch to melt the silver grain in the dish. 

Waited till it was pooling together and poured into a graphite mould. 

Was inspired by @BackyardBullionearly YouTube videos.

One thing I've learned is I may have to give mapp gas a go as it burns hotter than butane. Found it very difficult to keep more than and oz liquid. 

Honestly I found it a cool little experiment and will probably keep having a go for my own uses. 

My hat goes off to all the guys that mass produce this stuff. Absolute legends 🤣👍

[Nemo86]

Also purchased some metal stamps online and had a bash at that 🤣

Another note is get a blowtorch with long metal nosle as I melted the plastic off mine and not confident I won't explode on next use 🤣

[greendragon]

That an interesting way to do it

must be a bit of a juggle keeping it molten whilst getting the mould hot at the same time

Maybe build three sides with fire brick to keep it all hotter may help?

Good start though 😁

[Rll1288]

1 hour ago, Nemo86 said:

I used what's known as a whip (I think). It's a ceramic /silica bowl that attaches to a clip on handle. Added a pic as my description is pish. 

Then used a run of the mill butane blowtorch to melt the silver grain in the dish. 

Waited till it was pooling together and poured into a graphite mould. 

Was inspired by @BackyardBullionearly YouTube videos.

One thing I've learned is I may have to give mapp gas a go as it burns hotter than butane. Found it very difficult to keep more than and oz liquid. 

Honestly I found it a cool little experiment and will probably keep having a go for my own uses. 

My hat goes off to all the guys that mass produce this stuff. Absolute legends 🤣👍

There are quite a few YouTube pieces on pouring from a crucible.... You do have to keep the flame on the silver right until the pour.... To be honest I haven't used that often and stick to using a Kiln.. Mr @BackyardBullion has been a source of solid information on that and you can join his community for many in depth pieces

[Damon]

Hows the pouring going on? Just got a furnace what's your opinion on using old 925 jewellery?

[BackyardBullion]

4 minutes ago, Damon said:

Hows the pouring going on? Just got a furnace what's your opinion on using old 925 jewellery?

Personally I would steer clear of 925 jewellery. If it is hallmarked you are destroying some hallmarked silver and turning it into an unhallmarked blob - not very marketable at all. 

If it was not hallmarked there are a lot of fakes that just stamp 925 when it is really a lot less. 

The main issue with any silver less than pure 999 is that it will come out all oxidised and black and will not have smooth surfaces as the copper element of the alloy will be there too - its often quite messy and not pretty at all. 

Here are some I attempted right at the start of my pouring - the central areas are just all pitted - also, the amount of work I put in to get them looking shiny was HUGE!

Here is my favourite 925 piece I ever made, I call it my Rugged Bar - its very different to 999 silver though and to avoid disappointment I would say to steer clear of 925 silver

 

[Damon]

They still look nice , where would you recommend getting some 999 grains from ?

 

Thanks