Today I'm preparing my crucibles for their first melt. The crucibles will be baked at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour, then put into the furnace with borax to put a "glaze" on the inside of them, and to help cure them for melting. I'm using my Devil Forge furnace, a size #1(1KG), and a size #3(4KG) crucibles. Thank you for watching! }}}Become a member! ruclips.net/user/jwscoinsandhobbiesjoin }}}Subscribe to my channel: ruclips.net/user/jwscoinsandhobbies }}}Follow me on Instagram: jwscoins }}}Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/jwscoins }}}If you'd like to visit my Amazon suggested lists, click here: amzn.to/3iszQn9 Amazon Metal Pouring Link: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1K9GBRG57B5GI?ref_=wl_share
Just remember, borax is hard on your crucibles, minimizing its use will prolong your crucibles. I am still using my original crucibles, and they are still in good condition, but I don't use borax. Its truly not needed for what we do, and, like you see in most videos, your not supposed to mix it into the metal, it should be sprinkled over the top to form a layer over the top of your metal to prevent oxygen from forming and keeping dross down, but the dirtier the metal is the more dross you will get. Just some tips, hope it helps. Your gonna have a blast melting stuff in the furnace, if all possible, use a different crucible for different metals
Just started pouring and am learning about "seasoning" the crucibles with borax, etc. Thanks for the advice! LOVE my devil forge! Hot crucibles make interesting vids! I have my custom scorpion mold coming from a guy in Canada - can't wait for the first pour into that! Good warning on keeping moisture of any kind AWAY from the hot stuff. I've had good luck with silver and brass (copper soon), but my aluminum was a disaster - so I'll be watching your vid on that.
Just a few questions for the experts out there. 1. Do you have to do this with every crucible? 2. Do you always need to preheat before melts? Or is this a 1 times deal?
You don't need to do this with every crucible, in fact I haven't done it to my new ones and they melt just fine. Always preheat the metal that you will add to melted metal, to drive off moisture and prevent it from popping on you. If you're adding a cold crucible to a hot furnace, I usually heat it up a little with the torch just to avoid a little shock for the crucible
Looks like you are ready to go now. Just checking to see if you got the 1-up box because I show it arrived yesterday. Good luck and looking forward to the video. I had sent you an email saying the mailer I put in the box wasn't a flat rate one.
Once you’ve cured the crucible can you use them to melt different metals or do you need to use one for each type of metal you melt so you don’t cross contaminate? Or does the borax cost it so metal isn’t absorbed?
You can use the crucibles to melt any types of metals, you don't necessarily have to have one for each type. I just take out the cooled metal once it's all cool and that prevents it from mixing into other metals.
Just received a 10 Kg crucible for my new Devilforge, but we have a problem - The crucible only just fits into the space. There's barely 1/4 inch of space around it. I applied the rigidiser as advised, but it looks like my liner is too thick. There's no room for get lifting tongs down the sides of the crucible ! - Looks like I'm going to have to remove the rigidiser, which incidentally, has remained quite flexible and it's now several weeks since applying it. Has anyone else had this problem ? - Should I have pressed the ceramic wool harder against the sides of the forge before rigidising ? The crucible is 175mm in diameter at the top. According to Devilforge's specs, the inner diameter of the forge should be 200mm, but it's actually around 185mm.
@@JWsCoinsandHobbies Trouble was, I bought a "10Kg forge", and then bought a "10Kg crucible", thinking this was a good idea. I need a good capacity crucible as my next project is to create a decent quantity of bell metal and cast a bell (lost foam). My earlier furnace was too small for a decent-sized bell.
I was made to believe there borax will degrade your crucible quicker than just firing the crucible alone and having the silica bond it together. Have you tried both ways ?
@@TEXAS-SMITH it probably should be, it’s pretty deep in here.. or the Chanel should remove outdated info and make new content. No hate, we all learn, it’s why we are here.
A couple of questions. I was advised on crucible seasoning just fire up the torch but just heat the crucible for 5.minutes 10 minutes 20 minutes 30 minutes 45 minutes 1 hour I purchased 4 graphite crucibles. After each heat we let it cool naturally back to room temperature. I bought 4 crucibles so this took about 4 days. The low minutes we could do two to three a day but by the time you get to the hour it took some time. A couple of bottles of gas also. It did put a pretty glazed shell on the inside and outside. Did I just do a whole bunch of extra work and spend some unneeded money on gas? No one said anything about borax in the seasoning but I have added some to my aluminum pores to help float slag. You said it was more up to the individual but what is your take I am real green. Does the soap help with longevity? I was advised to get a seperate crucible for each metal I would be targetting so I bought one for lead aluminum, brass, copper. If I ever find the need I'll get two more for gold and silver. Is this true not to melt diffrent metal per crucible? Do not melt copper in the one you do aluminum in. Your thoughts please sir.
You can use the same crucible for all metals ONLY if you don't care to contaminate your metal. In that case you may as well leave slag in your pours also. Once you contaminate your different metals, good luck trying to purify them. You surely know this by now but I am writing this for anyone else who may have had the same question but the content creator didn't come back to answer.
I'm getting ready for a big pour and now that I found my pc editing software I think I will show the whole process. I have many molds. Coins, Bars, muffins, and even a bagel. Now I need to get more crucibles and real tongs.
The borax coat on graphite clay crucibles is painful to me. just vitrifying the crucible without any extras will do. now you will have borax flux in every melt whether you want it or not. just dry fire and cool your crucibles people.
Today I'm preparing my crucibles for their first melt. The crucibles will be baked at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour, then put into the furnace with borax to put a "glaze" on the inside of them, and to help cure them for melting. I'm using my Devil Forge furnace, a size #1(1KG), and a size #3(4KG) crucibles.
Thank you for watching!
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ruclips.net/user/jwscoinsandhobbiesjoin
}}}Subscribe to my channel: ruclips.net/user/jwscoinsandhobbies
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Amazon Metal Pouring Link: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1K9GBRG57B5GI?ref_=wl_share
Do these need to cool all the way down before the first melt? Or can you drop some metal in and start melting?
Just remember, borax is hard on your crucibles, minimizing its use will prolong your crucibles. I am still using my original crucibles, and they are still in good condition, but I don't use borax. Its truly not needed for what we do, and, like you see in most videos, your not supposed to mix it into the metal, it should be sprinkled over the top to form a layer over the top of your metal to prevent oxygen from forming and keeping dross down, but the dirtier the metal is the more dross you will get. Just some tips, hope it helps. Your gonna have a blast melting stuff in the furnace, if all possible, use a different crucible for different metals
I did buy multiple crucibles for different metals, so that's already done.. Thank you for the other tips!
So you do not do this to your crucibles?
Thanks for explaining what you were doing. Now I can go prep my crucible and forge for the first time!
Super important step for them and the furnace
That's good stuff. I'm excited about seeing something melt!
Looks like the fun is about to begin...Just add Gold and Silver!!! Great video!
Just started pouring and am learning about "seasoning" the crucibles with borax, etc. Thanks for the advice! LOVE my devil forge! Hot crucibles make interesting vids! I have my custom scorpion mold coming from a guy in Canada - can't wait for the first pour into that! Good warning on keeping moisture of any kind AWAY from the hot stuff. I've had good luck with silver and brass (copper soon), but my aluminum was a disaster - so I'll be watching your vid on that.
Thanks! I did aluminum last night as a practice run, and I'll say...60% of the bars are keepers, but thats why we practice
So much prep! Melt some stuff already! Love this string of videos though.
Wouldn't the borax just melt off, and when melting aluminum, contaminate it forming aluminum borides?
Playing with fire is fun!😁
In the words of Gizmo, "Bright Light! Bright Light!" Lol. Cant wait to get me a forge. Great video bro
I can hardly wait to see your pours and you know I going to buy too.
👍Thanks for sharing JW. Hope everyone has a great day!
Right on, brother!🍻👊
Let's goooooo melt some stuff!!!
Can't wait to see some melting videos!
Just a few questions for the experts out there.
1. Do you have to do this with every crucible?
2. Do you always need to preheat before melts? Or is this a 1 times deal?
You don't need to do this with every crucible, in fact I haven't done it to my new ones and they melt just fine.
Always preheat the metal that you will add to melted metal, to drive off moisture and prevent it from popping on you.
If you're adding a cold crucible to a hot furnace, I usually heat it up a little with the torch just to avoid a little shock for the crucible
Looks like you are ready to go now. Just checking to see if you got the 1-up box because I show it arrived yesterday. Good luck and looking forward to the video. I had sent you an email saying the mailer I put in the box wasn't a flat rate one.
I responded to your email, I already sent it on and recorded the video. Thanks!
Nice looking crushers bro👊
I’m in the uk will borax substitute be ok as u can’t get just borax hear 🙄
Nice video thanks for sharing
Once you’ve cured the crucible can you use them to melt different metals or do you need to use one for each type of metal you melt so you don’t cross contaminate? Or does the borax cost it so metal isn’t absorbed?
You can use the crucibles to melt any types of metals, you don't necessarily have to have one for each type. I just take out the cooled metal once it's all cool and that prevents it from mixing into other metals.
Just received a 10 Kg crucible for my new Devilforge, but we have a problem - The crucible only just fits into the space. There's barely 1/4 inch of space around it. I applied the rigidiser as advised, but it looks like my liner is too thick. There's no room for get lifting tongs down the sides of the crucible ! - Looks like I'm going to have to remove the rigidiser, which incidentally, has remained quite flexible and it's now several weeks since applying it. Has anyone else had this problem ? - Should I have pressed the ceramic wool harder against the sides of the forge before rigidising ? The crucible is 175mm in diameter at the top. According to Devilforge's specs, the inner diameter of the forge should be 200mm, but it's actually around 185mm.
Sounds like the crucible you have is just a little too big. I use 6kg typically, because I don't need to pour/melt anything 10kg size.
@@JWsCoinsandHobbies Trouble was, I bought a "10Kg forge", and then bought a "10Kg crucible", thinking this was a good idea. I need a good capacity crucible as my next project is to create a decent quantity of bell metal and cast a bell (lost foam). My earlier furnace was too small for a decent-sized bell.
I was made to believe there borax will degrade your crucible quicker than just firing the crucible alone and having the silica bond it together. Have you tried both ways ?
I have tried both now, and with a combination of buying a different brand/type of crucible, I have zero issues. I don't put borax in them anymore
@@JWsCoinsandHobbies Shouldn't this comment be pinned?
@@TEXAS-SMITH it probably should be, it’s pretty deep in here.. or the Chanel should remove outdated info and make new content. No hate, we all learn, it’s why we are here.
Great video brother. Didn’t even know you had to prep those
Really should prep any crusable
A couple of questions.
I was advised on crucible seasoning just fire up the torch but just heat the crucible for
5.minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
45 minutes
1 hour
I purchased 4 graphite crucibles.
After each heat we let it cool naturally back to room temperature.
I bought 4 crucibles so this took about 4 days. The low minutes we could do two to three a day but by the time you get to the hour it took some time. A couple of bottles of gas also.
It did put a pretty glazed shell on the inside and outside. Did I just do a whole bunch of extra work and spend some unneeded money on gas?
No one said anything about borax in the seasoning but I have added some to my aluminum pores to help float slag. You said it was more up to the individual but what is your take I am real green. Does the soap help with longevity?
I was advised to get a seperate crucible for each metal I would be targetting so I bought one for lead aluminum, brass, copper. If I ever find the need I'll get two more for gold and silver. Is this true not to melt diffrent metal per crucible? Do not melt copper in the one you do aluminum in. Your thoughts please sir.
You can use the same crucible for all metals ONLY if you don't care to contaminate your metal. In that case you may as well leave slag in your pours also. Once you contaminate your different metals, good luck trying to purify them. You surely know this by now but I am writing this for anyone else who may have had the same question but the content creator didn't come back to answer.
good way to recycle the cans
Nice furnace, JW! I enjoyed the video! What are the crucibles actually made from??
They're made from clay, coated with graphite. Thanks for watching!
Nice man. Well, with the cost of electricity, propane and borax... think I'll just buy another crucible when it goes. they are cheap enough.
Now for some pouring
My can crusher in my foot lol .can’t wait til tomorrow’s video
I tempered my stove and my crucible but didnt coat them with borax. What exactly is this supposed to accomplish?
It coats the inside to give it a "protective barrier" when melting
Lots of people still don't do it, and there's lots of people against it. Only you can decide what is best for yours
I'm getting ready for a big pour and now that I found my pc editing software I think I will show the whole process. I have many molds. Coins, Bars, muffins, and even a bagel. Now I need to get more crucibles and real tongs.
I heard yours hissing propane so I feel safe with mine now🤣
I have a can crusher to my foot lol 😂 I can’t wait for mine to come
Like #6! You forgot to bake the brownies at the same time JW... 😧 😉😂 Keep Pushin!
I'm on a diet! Hahahaha thanks brother!
Also FIRST!!
The borax coat on graphite clay crucibles is painful to me. just vitrifying the crucible without any extras will do. now you will have borax flux in every melt whether you want it or not. just dry fire and cool your crucibles people.
👍⚪👍nice how to🎇😀✳️🔥🍀💥🎆