Every jeweler, beginner or experienced, has a question in his head: how to melt gold at home. This is not as simple as it seems, because there are many pitfalls and nuances that should be taken into account by an individual who wants to engage in the business in question. For example, the metal should not be brittle and porous, as it turns out due to the action of oxygen on gold.
Let's figure out how to melt gold correctly. The question of how much remelting costs will also be raised.
What is needed for smelting
To melt this noble metal, you need the following:
- Crucible. Pure gold melts at temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees Celsius. Not everyone has a working container - a crucible - that can cope with such heat. But it can be replaced with raw potatoes. It is necessary to cut a hole in the tuber and put gold there. A container of natural origin will cope perfectly with melting.
- Forceps. Heat-resistant tongs are an essential tool when melting gold. They will have to touch the crucible frequently.
- A mixture of sodium carbonate and borax. It is used to make flux, which is added to gold before the smelting process. It takes two pinches of flux to clean every ounce of gold. The dirtier the noble metal, the greater the amount of this substance required for cleaning. Flux can also be made from baking soda and bicarbonate. When adding a substance, the contact between gold particles improves, and all impurities are better removed from the metal when it is heated.
- Oven or microwave. There is an option to purchase an electric furnace to melt metals or use a microwave. The latter must have a power of more than 1000 W, with a magnetron located on the side or behind the equipment.
There are furnaces sold at inexpensive prices that are specially made for melting metals. Such a device is designed for mixing several minerals at once, for example, gold, silver, aluminum, copper.
Attention! The microwave in which the precious metal was melted can no longer be used for domestic purposes. That is, heating and defrosting food.
If there is no oven or microwave, you must use a gas burner.
How to refining microcircuits at home
Despite the complexity of the refining procedure, you can carry it out at home yourself. You can refine both jewelry, household, and technical scrap, the same microcircuits that people usually throw away. The main thing is to create appropriate conditions, properly prepare raw materials and necessary equipment.
Necessary tools, materials and raw materials
What gold-containing parts can be used?
- transistors of the KT series 101, 103, 117, 603, 613;
- microcircuits from old televisions, tape recorders, radios;
- Soviet-made connectors;
- radio tubes containing not only gold, but also silver and platinum: from one lamp you can extract up to 16 grams of the purest precious metal;
- semiconductors, diodes, LEDs, zener diodes, thyristors, capacitors;
- computer parts: connectors, microcircuits in processors, there is a lot of special precious metal in old models;
- coating of Soviet-made metal wristwatches;
- SIM cards.
All this rubbish can lie somewhere in the attic or in the country for years, and the owner will not even suspect how rich he is in gold.
Gold-containing parts
What else is needed besides microcircuits?
- normal whiteness;
- sodium bisulfate.
Or:
- white;
- battery electrolyte;
- table salt.
By mixing these ingredients, you can get hypochlorous acid, which separates the precious metal from the components.
The procedure can also be carried out using iron sulfate. For this you need:
- iron sulfate: it is obtained by dissolving vitriol in water, and rusty nails are also added there;
- sodium chloride;
- hydrochloric acid.
Scrap melting (process)
You need to be prepared for the fact that there will be a lot of impurities in scrap gold. Sometimes their amount in the metal reaches 25%. Such scrap is not suitable for figure casting, but you can work with it using the printing method (that is, heat and stretch).
- First, you need to sort the scrap by color. The more copper it contains, the redder its hue.
- To speed up the melting process, it is recommended to divide the scrap into small pieces.
- Next, you need to carefully sprinkle flux inside the crucible and put the precious metal there. You need to start with larger items (if you need to melt a lot of things), and add smaller ones as the process progresses.
- So, when the gold objects are laid out in the crucible, the latter is placed inside the furnace and wait until the gold becomes completely molten.
- Then you should pour the resulting substance into molds. And after that, immediately harden the metal with water or alcohol so that products made of metal become stronger.
But what to do if you only have a gas burner made by yourself?
Melting using a homemade furnace
If it is not possible to buy a muffle furnace for melting gold, you can make a furnace for melting metals. The first thing you need to do is identify the requirements for such a stove. It should be compact and easy to use and at the same time have a wide heating range. With enough skills, you can assemble such a stove at home yourself.
It will look like this: carbon graphite powder is poured between two electrodes, which are made of graphite and to which a voltage of 25-50 V is transmitted. For the stove you will need a very powerful transformer (suitable for a welding machine). Graphite powder produces gradual and intense heat due to its characteristics, making gold melting as efficient as possible. The main advantage of such a furnace is the fact that it can heat the required sample to very high temperatures, including those necessary to melt gold.
The furnace heats up in 3-5 minutes, which allows you to quite accurately control the metal soldering process. The oven itself is made from available materials: ceramic or cement tiles, mica and graphite. The dimensions of the furnace, that is, the distance between the electrodes, directly depends on the output voltage of the transformer. The volume of the furnace will be enough to melt several grams of metal.
Brushes from a powerful motor are used as electrodes; holes should be made in the sides for stranded copper wire. It is necessary to make a notch on the inside of the electrode to improve contact with the powder. Reinforce the outer walls with tiles, and use bricks as a stand. Used rods are suitable for carbon graphite powder.
Melting gold occurs like this: in the middle of the furnace, a hole is made in the powder, where the metal is placed and buried. To make sure that it has melted, you need to shake the furnace - if the surface of the powder fluctuates, the molten metal is turned over and heated further. Melt until the molten liquid becomes homogeneous and acquires a spherical shape.
Making a homemade burner
First, let's look at how to create a gas burner. To do this you will need the following materials:
- injector;
- sprinkler from sprayer;
- automobile pump;
- sealant;
- tin can with lid.
It is necessary to visually divide the jar with the lid horizontally in half, and make two holes for the hoses in the upper part of it. Insert the pump hose into one of them, and the hose leading to the sprinkler into the other. Next, connect the latter and seal the holes.
To check whether the container is sealed or not, you should pour a little gasoline into the jar and start pumping air. Ideally, it should fly out of the sprinkler hole. If this happens, you can start melting at home.
Melting metal using a torch
Using a gas torch, you can melt metal in a matter of minutes.
First you need to sprinkle the crucible with borax (flux), then put the scrap in there, which has already been crushed. The more borax, the lower the temperature required to melt.
Next, pour in alcohol, set it on fire and wait until it burns out completely. It must be remembered that the crucible must be placed on a refractory area.
Turn on the burner and adjust it so that the edges of the flame are yellow and the middle is blue. The process is carried out using an open fire, so the crucible cannot be heated quickly. A crack may appear on it. The procedure is carried out slowly and evenly. The flame is kept at a distance of several centimeters from the metal.
The redder the metal, the lower the burner should be lowered to it. This is necessary so that all the ligature from the metal disappears, and parts of the material are melted down faster.
At the end of the procedure, the precious metal is poured into molds and hardened with water.
How to melt gold with a ligature?
Usually the metal used in jewelry is not pure. Additives to gold are:
- copper;
- rhodium;
- silver;
- nickel;
- chromium;
- palladium.
If the gold alloy is yellow or red-yellow in color, then copper and silver have been added to it. In this case, the more copper there is, the redder the color. If the product does not contain copper, but there is quite a lot of silver, then the tint of the alloy will be green. The remaining metals are contained in white gold.
Remember: if the gold is very red in color (meaning it contains a lot of copper), then it is not intended for figure casting. Such an alloy can be heated and drawn.
If you want to melt metal with mixtures, then melting gold would look like this:
- To begin, sort the raw materials by shade.
- It is necessary to grind the scrap, as small grains melt faster.
- The raw material is poured into the crucible.
- Then you need to pull the gold out of the furnace and pour it into the mold. After this, the melted gold will no longer contain the alloy, since it will burn out first.
Melting down pure gold
Unlike scrap, pure gold can be melted down in a barbecue with thick walls.
We light coals in it and place a crucible there with metal pre-cut into small pieces. You need to monitor the fire every minute and periodically blow it. When the metal is completely melted, it is poured into molds.
Tips for Beginners on Melting Pure Gold
- You cannot melt precious metal on a kitchen stove, as there is a high risk of starting a fire. Gold smelting is carried out either in a room specially designed for this procedure, or in a courtyard at a summer cottage (for example). Definitely need a table.
- Beginners are advised to consult an expert before the procedure.
- The individual must follow safety precautions, so he must wear a mask and goggles to protect his face. You should wear heat-resistant gloves and an apron when working.
- There should be nothing flammable near the melting point. This also applies to interior decoration elements.
- Beginning “masters” without experience should not immediately take on gold of the highest standard, as there is a high risk of spoiling it. You should start with 999 fine bullion, which can be purchased at any state bank. As for the crucible, you can buy it in online stores.
- To prevent pure gold from becoming brittle and porous, which will definitely happen to it because oxygen gets into the metal, it is necessary to shake it before pouring the liquid metal into the mold and only then quench it with water or alcohol.
- You cannot melt precious metal using a gas welding machine. After all, they only melt steel - the gold will simply evaporate.
- If the procedure takes place in artisanal conditions, not in a crucible, but in a potato tuber, then a hole is made in it and borax is poured into it. And only then do they begin to melt the metal.
- 24 carat gold is very malleable. Therefore, to make it stronger, it is necessary to alloy it with another metal.
About the melting point of gold in degrees
According to experts, gold of the highest standard will melt at a temperature of 1064 degrees. This applies to 999 gold. If a different thermal regime is applied, this will lead to complete burnout of the precious metal. Newbies often wonder whether it is possible to melt gold on a gas stove? Due to the fact that the temperature resulting from the combustion of natural gas depends on the distance to the burner, experts advise not to take risks.
Near the burner itself, the temperature ranges from 300 to 400 degrees. Having reached its peak, it will be 1500 degrees. Before you begin, you should know the exact melting point of gold in degrees. Precious metal of 375 standard will melt in a mode not exceeding 770 degrees. 585 standard - at a temperature of 840 degrees. It is considered the most popular among professional jewelers. This sample is often faked by scammers. According to experts, it is impossible to melt 999 gold using a homemade method. It is possible to achieve a temperature of 1064 degrees only in factory conditions. Some home craftsmen, out of ignorance, make the mistake of using ordinary welding machines as a means of heating. However, these devices can only melt steel. If the welding machine is used for gold, the precious metal will completely evaporate.
Remelting cost
Not many people think about starting a business by melting gold. But this is quite a profitable business.
There are many situations when, for example, a capricious lady does not like the shape of jewelry, or the size is not suitable. That's why many people order their jewelry melted down.
How much does it cost to melt gold? Experienced craftsmen name the cost depending on the weight of the jewelry. Therefore, it is not advisable to melt down jewelry that weighs no more than three grams. It's easier to fix - it will be cheaper. Items weighing more than 10 grams are usually sent for melting.
The cost of melting gold of the lowest standard is 500-600 rubles per gram.
The worst gold is found in cheap Chinese or Turkish jewelry. Few people would agree to do such hard work. The best sample is considered to be 585. The more qualified the master, the more he charges for his services. On average, the price ranges from 1200 to 1700 rubles per gram.
Interestingly, during the remelting process, the product evaporates by 10%. This happens due to metal splashing during melting and volatilization during remelting.
Remelting gold, the price of which is minimal, will take longer: the worse the quality of the metal, the more impurities it contains, which will take several hours to remove.
Table 1 - cost of gold smelting depending on the sample (Moscow prices)
| Try | Cost of regular execution (RUB/g) | Cost of urgent execution (RUB/g) |
| 375 | 500 | 650-700 |
| 500 | 700 | 910 |
| 583 | 1200 | 1560 |
| 585 | 1400-1500 | 1820-1950 |
Getting to know metal
Surely many of the buyers wondered why gold is so expensive? The reason for this is the attractive color, thanks to which gold products look very impressive.
In addition, this material has a lot of advantages that make it popular in industries such as jewelry, medicine and industry. In its natural form, gold can be represented by grains or nuggets. Therefore, before being sent to a store or bank, the gold is processed. This is mainly a factory procedure. However, judging by numerous reviews, it is also successfully implemented in a homemade way. Read on to learn how to melt gold at home.
What is the heating device made of?
If it is not possible to get professional equipment, you can melt gold using a gasoline burner. Before you start making it, you need to acquire the following:
- Airbrush spray. An air injector or garden equipment that sprays chemicals is quite suitable for this purpose.
- A jar. It is important that it has an airtight lid.
- Automotive air pump. A machine compressor is also suitable.
- With a hose.
- Sealant.
How to make a burner?
The melting device is made as follows:
- First, the jar needs to be equipped with two holes into which the hoses will be inserted.
- Insert the hose connected to the pump into the first hole, and the sprinkler hose into the second hole.
- The connected hoses are carefully sealed.
At the end of the work, make sure that the gasoline and air exit through the injector nozzle. The flame must be blue. Judging by numerous reviews, such a device is no worse than a special furnace for melting metal.
