Secrets of pouring high quality silver bars | melting silver | refiner ready silver
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 22 мар 2020
- Pouring a quality silver bar takes skill and you need to know what you are doing. I will share the secrets of getting good results from melting and pouring silver.
For those who want to learn more about Prospecting and finding gold check out my book, Fists full of Gold. It’s an encyclopedia of everything on the topic of prospecting. It’s available on Amazon. You can find it at (affiliate):
www.amazon.com/gp/product/098...
For even more information on prospecting, minerals, gems and other related information you can also check out my website at:
nevada-outback-gems.com/prospe...
The Prospecting and Mining Journal magazine can be found at:
www.icmj.com 
Хобби
I'm 38 just picked up prospecting about 3 years ago. Awesome hobby.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Love and positivity to you and your family
Welcome aboard!m Thanks for your comment.
Good presentation!
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Good video as always, thanks again Chris...!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Howdy Chris I just subscribed👍🏻👍🏻thanks for the very informative video thank you.
Thanks for the sub! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you sir for the video, I am kinda new/moderate to pouring, have done pure gold, 14k gold, pure silver, constitutional silver, and copper and have produced some beautiful pieces. It's all been trial and error though. I have been using an acetylene/oxygen torch to keep the temp up on both the mold and crucible, but it is costly and I see you don't need it. I have found pure silver is the one that cools faster. The clads I believe pour nicely because the copper content helps keep the temp up. My takeaway is I realize I need to heat up my metal above melt to keep the temp up! Thanks!!
Way better to use some sort of furnace than a torch - so much easier to keep uniform heat, propane is cheaper than oxygen - acetylene, and with small stuff you risk blowing away your gold.
I just started smelting my gold lode concentrates not as easy as it looks any demos on that would be appreciated.love your real no BS info.thanks
Be sure to subscribe, a number of videos of extracting gold and silver from lode ores are coming. There is no one treatment that works for all ores, so I am going to do a number of different ones.
finished the geology section I read a page or 2 here and there helps a lot have a good day boss
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Wow Sir Thank you..
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
I would have like to see the silver you used to make the bars where did you get the silver from.? Thank you for what you do.
It was from various types of scrap.
While I have never poured metal bars, I have never liked the appearance of the typical RUclips poured metal bars. Good information!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
I have autism and my dream is to become a great prospector like yourself. I find it to be the most interesting job out there and one where i will never stop learning. I hope youre well during these tough times friend
I wish you the best of luck.....
@@ChrisRalph thanks friend this made my day! Its so nice to see youre so active on your channel :) you rock.
I also hope to get your book :))
I think you will like it.
@@ChrisRalph im sure i will love it :D youre very right
Chris
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I’m retired now, and after about 3years have found a hobby I enjoy. I purchased new a kiln with a crucible (electric) and have tried melting down afew old silver coins. The instructions for the kiln didn’t explain anything other than the operation. I watched a few RUclips’s and attempted a melt.
I used borax (2 tablespoons) with the silver and slowly increased the temp since it was new. I set it for 1000 degrees, and gave it ten minutes more after the temperature was reached.
I poured, and the ingot came out uneven and discolored. With some slag on top.
I watched a few more videos, to see what went wrong.
I’m assuming I didn’t have the correct ratio of borax.
1. Is borax the best to use?
2 what is the ratio?
I attempted to our again, and it came out worse the silver was uneven and didn’t fill cleanly. The top looked like it was climbing the walls. It looked worse than the first
So I guess my question is
1 what should my temp on the kiln be?
2 what is the ratio of borax to silver?
3 why didn’t the bottom pour evenly into the mold?
4 why did it splatter?
6. How do I get the excess out of the crucible?
Any help is greatly appreciated
Thanks
Rookie John
Silver melts at 960 C, Copper at 1063. Most silver alloys have copper and other things, that may raise melting temperatures up close to 1000. You simply did not get it hot enough. As soon as you poured it started cooling and it didnt have far to cool before it solidified, so it was lumpy. That is the problem with electric melters, they have serious limits in melting the metals, if you get them too hot, they burn out the heating elements. It spattered because you had a trace of moisture in something. The mold maybe? Things need to be preheated to dry them out.
@@ChrisRalph last question (for today) what is the proper ratio of boron to melting material?
Thanks a million
Roughly equal vaolumes up to 2 times the volume of borax to gold. Note this is volume, not weight.
Thanks for showing us how to do a good job! It would be great if you had someone behind the camera that could look over your shoulder (safely) while you go through the process so we could have a close-up view of what you’re doing. I’d love to have seen that bar as it came out of the mold!
I'll set up a second camera next time. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Chris
Is there an email you a few questions? I’m new to the silver smelting and having rookie problems
Thanks
Just ask here . If its private questions, I dont offer consulting services.
Hi Chris hope your keeping well thanks for the video p.s iv found my first few little nuggets now and 1 specimen from Victoria Australia :)
Found some gold - That is awesome! Got a video coming about how to process specimen / hard rock gold. Going to go from ore rock to gold button.
Great video! Did you make your own furnace? Is that propane you are using? Are there electric furnaces that are worthwhile or is propane the way to go? I'm subscribing to see what else you have coming! Thanks again!
I did not make the furnace. Propane is the way to go. I have lots of older videos you might want to look at. Check out this video where I make some gold from gold ores and then pour a gold button. See: ruclips.net/video/rJqFxu0Wko0/видео.html
I want to put it back. I'd mimic a cherished specimen rock as an improved version for enhanced visual display, ease of cleaning, marketable targets etc.. It would be nice to pour some into crystals, lace, wire etc. Then use jewelers torch to set into a highly mineralized specimen.
OK.
@@ChrisRalph No I'm serious. We'll call it redefining refining. We now have a guaranteed silver value, there is no need to further refine it we just put it back in a more valuable and appreciable way.
In One of your videos you mentioned that you respond to comments... so here goes! I've been prospecting off and on for several years now. Slowly collecting equipment for every aspect of ... finding to smelting. My question is about smelting... . I'm using a RioGrande CS2 tabletop kiln with programmable settings, 8wx7d that said my environment will be a controlled one.
My concentrates, how clean do they need to be?
I'm in Colorado, my dirt is quite near the gold mines in the Cripple Creek/Victor area, with that said, is there a flux you'd recommend for my smelting? One that's already prepackaged. Several sites are throwing out technical names of each component aling with recipies..
Too too much info for me to digest! Crucible size, am I silly to think I could do much at a time or? I've had a fairly proper collection and fire assay done, results were 1.2 oz of Au and Pt per ton.
If this is more than you'd like to take ok n perhaps you could refer me to another source.
A lot of the info I'm finding online is pretty technical and is starting to get too confusing. ...
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Have a blessed day and hope to hear back
And here I am responding to your comments. I admit I do not know every brand and model of kiln that have been built. I know of Rio Grande, who sells stuff for jewelry use, I've bought stuff from them before. For easy success, your cons should be at least 50% gold, and you need to use a good amount of borax flux to dissolve the black sand. Probably twice the volume of borax as compared to the cons. You need to get your kiln (which I assume is electric) right up to the maximum temperature to get the gold to melt. It is possible to burn out the resistance wires that make the heat at that temperature. You also must have enough gold to collect and form a bead.
A CONTROLD ENVIROMENT U SAY. U got biger issues that my friend. IM PRETTY SURE UR WHOLE SET UP IS COMMUNIST / SOCIALIST / DEMOCRAT. INFACT HOW LONG YA HAD IT BECAUSE OLD HILLARY HAS BEEN M _ I _ A RECENTLY.. Best of luck.
Yeah brah. I’ll chill and get my questions in order and get back to ya
OK.
Interesting video, where do you get the silver to melt?
propane furnace.
I mean where do you find the silver that you melt? Do you buy scrap silver to melt?
Cool
Glad you enjoyed it.
Is it absolutely necessary to use flux when melting 999 silver? I see other videos and your the only one who mentions using flux with 999 silver. Most of the other guys usually must polish the finished bar and noticed yours didn't need it. Is that a product of using flux?
Probably not for .999 but my mix was a lot of different stuff.
Gotta say you and I got some very similar look there no shit. I’m a Mackey. Mamma was a Finn though
Got plenty of Irish.
Man that silver bar has a shape like the bread my mama used to bake..... But more valuable and better looking of course ....... Thanks brother now I need to find some silver since the price and even gold is shooting up......Hard to find any silver to buy, the US federal reserve is sold out....They have zero silver coins for sale ......
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Chris... Great information! However, I just about jump out of my seat when you yell "Hey I'm Chris Ralph." Keep up the educational videos....
Turn down the volume, but I'm glad you enjoyed the videos.
You might consider a color other than green.
I'd also suggest if you want to be safe, set up somewhere that you don't have large rocks to stumble around on.
When you make suggestions you should be less vague. Green what? Tree? Grass? I wasn't wearing green and nothing else was green, so You dont really say. If you meant green lettering on the White Board, I already noticed that and will make some changes.
Yes, I meant the green writing. Thought it was self-evident, but of course I was looking at it and you weren't.
What is Flux?
Something that melts at a fairly low temperature and helps collect the gold into one piece.
I hope that was not toilet paper you used to light the furnace!!! I would have payed you $100 for that amount of toilet paper!! LOL! Great video can't wait to see the future smelting vids!!!
It was a bit of used paper towel. Still some street value, but less than TP.
Hi Chris are you to process rock material to finishing product ?
Yes. THose videos are coming right up. Stay tuned.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
What flux did you use?
A mix of sodium carbonate and borax.
Have more visits on this process?
Hey Chris. Is there a way to contact you. I have a few questions and Id love to pick your brain when you get a minute
You are contacting me now. Send a comment with your question.
@@ChrisRalph
Well me and the wife are planning a Trip. Ive been prospecting for a few years now and have gotten ok at reading a river. But mostly I checked BLM and water rights maps for claims and so on. Once I have a general Idea of decent places to look its not difficult. But I wanna learn everything.
I just bought a metal detector a gold monster. And I would really love to learn how to read deserts and so on. I was wondering if I come out that way if you wouldn't mind spending a week showing me around and what to look foot. Ive been studying your page and plan on getting your book. And books are great but all of that pales to real life experience and learning from one who has it.
I didn’t hear anything about the temperature to melt the silver or the temperature to keep the mold at.
Should take silver up to about 1200 C, it melts at 960 C. Mold should be at least 300 C.
Chris Ralph, Professional Prospector
Thanks Chris.
Like your pouring episode. Aside from raising the white board. Also try a different angle so other colors than black appear more bold. Great videos, I really like your Chanel. P. S. Even though I have been watching a short time. I noticed in this video that sometimes you skim over instead of going more in depth. Like getting to the proper temps. Still a fan.
White board already raised for future videos, going to just use black for all lettering. I get complaints that I go into too much depth, so its real hard to meet what everyone wants, some want more, others want less. Cant please everyone.
I have some criticism that I hope will improve your content as it is really good.
People are primarily visual and the presentation lacked detail. Example, heating the mold, do you put it in the furnace or over the the top? You know and I know but your other viewers may not. Visually you want them to make great pours but to do that they need a great example of how that is done and I encourage you to make changes to become a better teacher and mentor. I have learn a lot from you and I know I will learn even more.
You can see where the mold is in the video if you look. Check 8:17, you can see the mold suspended over the exit hole of the furnace. I'll do better with that in the next videos.
Chris I know you will do better with the next video that is why I wrote my encouragement. Your followers are going to try to do this and they need to see what you see and learn what you know up close so they do not make mistakes.
I know in future videos you will suggest refining equipment from suppliers for them to consider like you did with your detector videos. You are very knowledgeable but the transfer of that knowledge has to be blended with your experiences and then understood and applied by those watching to reproduce what they see you do. Not many people out there with your knowledge and experience are willing to share it and I very much appreciate you doing so.
So what was the temp you ended up pouring at
I should have mentioned that. It was at about 1100 C, silver melts at 960 C.
You should set up a camera closer so that you can actually see the pour. Also can't see the bar when you were working on it.
True. I was in a hurry. I'll remember that next time.
@@ChrisRalph sounds great cant wait to see the up coming videos =) keep up the great work =)
chris ralp you are elder vlogger
OK.
you need a darker marker to write with great video though
I did get darker markers after that.
Misleading headline, it is a silver bar but not nice
ok.
First !!!!!!!
Very cool I enjoyed watching you pour that silver once this craziness is over looking forward to doing some prospecting with you !! Stay safe ❤️
I've seen your recent videos, looking forward to better weather and a chance to do some prospecting together.
@@ChrisRalph me too more Rain here tomorrow !!
What a good place to roast your weiners!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
What’s up blood. Go Raiders Madden brah. Your backyard the light ambience reminds me of my cousins in Danville and you seem like a Livermore cat to me. Madden in Dublin and yo the Mack born and raised Merritt Hospital Pill Hill blood. Anyfuck don’t mean to freak anyone out though I have freaked on some hoe cakes back in the day I like smoking reefer playing disc golf with Pepe and painting and gonna get me a detector. Got the mind lab 600 gonna return go I wanna go for the gold in Reno northern Nevada saw a video you up in dem parts. But the Monster Mind lab for my parts is to sensitive for my terrain. I know you recommend the fisher gold pro with the African men but I looking for something a little bit fancier and cool looking led screen s o is there a pulse induction detector fir gold at 1000.00 bucks for northern Nevada desert here. Of course I don’t expect a response sorry for being a knucklehead but I having difficulty with grammar and my head was rocked in civilian and army life. Deus Dues. Is there stuff legit. I’ll research more and then maybe I’ll get my shit straight good day sir
only so many different detectors, have to pick one that is best for you. Not located anywhere in CA.
I enjoyed the video but I’m sorry... that was not a high quality bar, that thing was ugly 🤣
Fair comment, it was fairly clean without any grinding or polishing.
It resmbles a democrat on black tar heroine so yea a piece of sht
Is he a rookie? That has to be one of the worst pours I've ever seen. Not kidding.
glad you enjoyed the video.
You're making a video on "how to" pour high quality bars, yet the bar you just made is hideous. You didn't even level your mold, nor did you even fill it. And looks like you're using way too much flux. Not sure what Planet you're living on but you shouldn't be teaching people how to do things wrong.
You are wrong about the too much flux.
@@ChrisRalph If you're pouring 999 silver, you barely need any flux. Depending on what youre pouring with. If it's ceramic all the flux you need is enough to coat the inside of the dish, that's it. So no, I am not wrong. Go ask real a professional.
So you spend the first part of your video rubbishing the efforts of other silver pourers and proclaiming that your methods will produce better bars - but I couldn't tell if it was a good bar or not - we didn't get to see it close up!! Then watching you stumbling around on that uneven stoney surface - and picking up a brick with a hot mold on top with a pair of tongs....really?! And where were your safety glasses? Not a great video I'm afraid - very amateurish and not a good example to set for anyone just setting out melting/pouring metals.
The criticism of someone who has never made a video themselves counts for nothing.
@@ChrisRalph Not a good comeback - the whole basis of your video was '...pouring high quality silver bars...' I don't need to have posted a video to observe that there was neither evidence that it was a 'high quality silver bar', or, that you observe any safety precautions whatsoever. Instead of trying to rubbish my criticism, you'd do better to comment on what I actually said - then maybe produce a more professional video. And by 'professional' I don't mean better production quality - I'm referring to the content.
Your video quality is terrible. Can't see anything really, and choose a better color marker. You poke fun of those who don't prep properly when pouring bars, but then----ya didn't do a good job prepping your camera set up, etc. errrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
You have no videos on your channel. Your lack of any "expertise" shows your comments have no value.