Building a Mini Forge to Melt Metals in Few Minutes. Secrets and tips
![Melting tin cans](https://steemitimages.com/0x0/http://i.makeagif.com/media/2-04-2017/NgQM4a.gif)
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Hello friends!
Today I will write a guide about building a forge to melt aluminum, copper, silver, bronze and even gold.
On the internet are a lot of guides to do this but each version has a some good points and bad points.
To do this guide I experimented with 3 ways
The first forge I made from from a simple iron container and a butan gas flame
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![melting cans](https://steemitimages.com/0x0/http://i.makeagif.com/media/2-04-2017/mkys1Q.gif)
As you can see it is working but is very slow and you have to wait a long time and the gas will eventually ran out.
The second way was building a mini forge from plaster...but this was a mistake as I will explain down:
This is what I did :
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cvoGIhBP_3s/WJX3cfJRhCI/AAAAAAAAE0Y/fPvtc0L9pF0YcvNE8HnKFExXgiZERKoogCLcB/s1600/dadadada.jpg)
Ingredients were :
- plastic bucket, big and small
- metal bucket
- plaster
- metal net
- sand
- water
Method:
Put 1/3 parts of sand, same amount of plaster in the same amount of water and mix them until the mixture will be omogen (one color)
Now just put the mixture inside the bucket and in the middle slowly put the smal plastic bucket.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2SB_-WfDdE/WJXyCOkCFKI/AAAAAAAAEy8/MjMOT0z1h1cprJLh7qC6P1bpYrw7REtpACEw/s1600/20170201_213543.jpg)
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Now take some pliers and remove the bucket by twisting it from the midle towards the center and then lift it up.
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And now let us make a lid for our forge with the same materials and we just add 2 nails. So I bended 2 nails and created really fast a form for my lid:
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aivKvHZ1V34/WJXyLyTj4ZI/AAAAAAAAEy8/ysT8IH95UhkTRiKgN_IqSRUmuZ8nirDLQCEw/s1600/20170203_094156.jpg)
I just poured the mixture iside my form and put the nails, after that I put a bottle (2l) of water in the middle to create the hole.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C_j1AyXVMPA/WJXyMnzaPKI/AAAAAAAAE0E/4_PophSFUxs9LRkam7gy0CgLriPrbDQwgCEw/s1600/20170203_094200.jpg)
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At this point I was thinking that everything is perfect and I almost started to put the fire but the I had the Ideea to test the plaster....and the result was explosive....My goodness...it was a bomb....a real bomb!!!
I was upset and happy in the same time ....upset because I asked at the store if the plaster resist at 1250 degress ....and the so called expert told me it will.....What I found was that it does ressist at that temperature but...it explodes...
I find this by just putting plaster in a fire and boom ...small bomb.
Now the method was correct but my mistake was only the plaster. For this type of forge you will need PLASTER OF PARIS.(ROMANIAN- PRAF THE SAMOTA-MORTAR SAMOT)
At that point I was tired...I tried to find some plaster of Paris but no luck ...but then I remembered that that plaster is between the briks that we make the fire ....more exact....it is clay and stone...
I had some clay in my garden ...so let us do this again!!!
This is the corect way of making a simple mini forge!
First we take out the old plaster....
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6P2Wi4Y2oVg/WJXyThymcSI/AAAAAAAAE0E/JZAdr3hkvUcpDgjzc_l_QU7NWDerhsyUwCEw/s1600/20170203_115557.jpg)
Now I had my brick (made from plaster of Paris age 17 years) the bucket water sand and metal net.
I put the net and clay bricks at the botton and then cover all with clay and sand
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Now I made a long pipe that was made from steel at the tip and hard plastic from the middle up, at the top I put a hairdryer the blow in the flames.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfB7e7sF1Cw/WJXyfPsl-6I/AAAAAAAAEyA/iiGPF_GIlDsqBdka2XY4tK6cyDggb5YBQCEw/s1600/20170204_114328.jpg)
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I put my crucible inside and cover it with charcoal and I start the fire and then start the hairdryer .
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![mini forge ep 1](https://steemitimages.com/0x0/http://i.makeagif.com/media/2-04-2017/BjmyNo.gif)
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The aluminum was starting to melt
![Mini forge ep 2](https://steemitimages.com/0x0/http://i.makeagif.com/media/2-04-2017/mip46J.gif)
I carved a shape in a smal clay brick and then I put the melted aluminum inside .
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Uzj3SxYAvo/WJXyqDWLdMI/AAAAAAAAEyw/LMOcRWUhZcgyCqTzWY7aVsZmTc5iwouuwCEw/s1600/20170204_131319.jpg)
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Now I just put the ingot in the cold water...
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![Aluminum ingot](https://steemitimages.com/0x0/http://i.makeagif.com/media/2-04-2017/Z51Iuh.gif)
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Secrets and tips when using a forge like this:
- the more strong the ventilator is the faster is the process
- the ventilator or hairdryer can be replaced with a propane gas pipe
- the air must hit the crucible from the middle towards down for a faster process
Metals that you can melt with this mini-forge:
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dW-2WjOvl_w/WJYIsvQSgdI/AAAAAAAAE1U/lsVufJL0tys5GpuvcY4XfPrkpei6uJiiQCLcB/s1600/table.png)
Now of course there are other metals but those I find are better suited for bringing some income without serious risks.
And boom I am done for today! I am Cynetyc and I approve this message!
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If you have questions put them in the comment section bellow!Cheers!
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This is a really fun and unusual post. I love that you have this to offer--a rarity amongst the masses. I love that you also shared your bomb experience. Awesome post @cynetyc. Upvoting and following you!
Thank you very much @everlove ! It was something that I wanted to do from a long time and I am happy that it was a success. I will continue making small and big ingots from aluminum and eventually after I gather alot I will sell them and even make some art from them.
Putting it to good use!!! Looking forward to see where it takes you. Thank you for sharing!!
Very good man, keep it up, i like how the forge turned up, and looks like its working good.
Thank you @xardas ! I had a lot of fun and I now know what to do in the future to improve it .
Excellent work dear friend @cynetyc, a very interesting and ingenious post congratulations my friend
Thank you very much @jlufer ! I tested it for 3 times and I am glad that my forge is working good.
Glad you didn't get hurt in the explosion! I'm looking forward to seeing your future pours!
O yeah I will improve the design of it but until then it works just fine.
A..and the explosion was a small one because I just tested the plaster on a small doze. What it happens is that melted metal in contact with my previos plaster (cement based) starts to jump few centimeters of the ground.
So it is good that I tested it before I used because ... the whole forge could have...blown up.
You have the right idea -- test small and then scale up -- just like Steemit! Here's to a lot of well-melted metal! : )
Awesome man it looks like silver after the melting!
Thanks @mindlock I am glad you loved it!
Interesting. I've melted silver in the past in order to make a ring using the "lost wax casting" technique. I'd love to give it a try again!
@kus-knee (The Old Dog)
Cool @kus-knee in the future I will gather more materials and I will melt silver too.
PS: I visited your channel and I found it to be interesting and funny so I followed you!