SCRAP GOLD OR SILVER JEWELRY, BULLION, COINS, ETC.
Yes, you can smelt scrap gold or silver jewelry, etc., in your microwave kiln. The flux included in the kit makes this possible. Warning: Do not get into your wife’s or girlfriend's jewelry box, looking for something to smelt, without their knowledge; they remember EVERYTHING that’s in there regardless of what you may believe!
Your old wedding rings, coins and old jewelry are fair game. I melt a lot of the old silver coins that I find metal detecting, if they’re all crapped up and not worth anything over spot. I do the same with the old crapped up gold and silver jewelry that I find as well. Save the stones, smelt the rest. The purpose of the flux during the smelting process is to hold the impurities contained in the mixture being smelted in suspension and to protect the crucible during the firing process. When firing the black sands concentrates, the iron oxides, etc., are held in suspension by the flux, so that the precious metals can be separated and poured into the mold as liquid metal. Scrap gold and silver jewelry, etc., actually contain much smaller amounts of impurities compared to an ore or black sand concentrate, therefore the amount of flux necessary is much less overall. I’ve had great success using the following recipe:
- 1 oz. shot glass of flux added to the crucible.
- Scrap gold and or silver placed on top of the flux up to 3 ounces.
- 1 oz. shot glass of flux poured on top of the scrap gold or silver.
Place the kiln into the microwave and microwave on high power for 35 to 45 minutes. I use a two depression conical mold and the above recipe will completely fill one of the depressions with the metal and molten flux. As with the black sand concentrates, your experimentation will ultimately determine the best recipe for your use, when smelting scrap gold and silver. I’ve been able to re-use the crucible several times when smelting scrap gold and silver. Since there are few impurities contained in the scrap, the process is much “friendlier” to the crucible. Always inspect your crucible carefully after each firing for erosion or cracks prior to reusing the crucible.
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
- Set up your workspace away from your home, in a well ventilated area, such as the garage with the door open, or outside.
- Keep your workspace free of flammable materials.
- Do not use the microwave kiln in the house. The temperatures achieved during the process are in excess of 2300 degrees Fahrenheit and the danger of fire is too much of a risk. Also: there are fumes coming off of the crucible during the smelting process that can be hazardous if not properly ventilated.
- A separate, dedicated 1200 watt microwave is recommended. Do not use your household microwave for smelting and expect your coffee to taste good after you warm it up. Using a microwave with less than 1200 wattage is not recommended, as smelting times would take much longer.
- Allow at least 1 inch space between the top of the kiln and the ceiling of the inside of your microwave oven.
- Allow the microwave to cool at least 20 minutes between firings.
- Keep microwave door open between multiple firings, for effective cooling. Always remove the kiln from the microwave after firing, to prevent heat from building up in the microwave and damaging it.
- Do not try to heat a crucible in the microwave alone, without Ceramic Fiber Kiln in place around it.
- Do not leave microwave unattended while the smelting process is underway.
- Immediately turn off the microwave if any sparking occurs or if a crucible breaks. If you cannot reach the control panel, pull the plug.
- Allow the microwave and kiln to cool before trying to deal with any type of spill.
- Always clean microwave after use.
- Do not attempt to fire materials other than listed in these directions.
- Use common sense during this process, always wear your protective gear and the world will be great.
DISCLAIMER
No guarantee is given on the amount of gold or silver obtained from this process, as it depends upon the quality of your material to begin with. The kiln is not a toy and is not to be used by children. IT IS A KILN THAT ULTIMATELY GENERATES TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF 2300 DEGREES! Please do not allow small children in the same room when you are firing! Use at your own risk and follow all recommended and common-sense safety precautions! Sellers are not responsible for accidents or injuries caused by hot kilns and your using one purchased from this seller acknowledges that you use it at your own risk. Please remember that a traditional kiln is composed of fireproofed materials and a microwave oven is made of materials that can burn under certain conditions.