[TheForge] one time use crusible

[James Binnion]

On Jun 6, 2008, at 11:26 AM, don schad wrote:
>
>
> I used to use stainless steel cook-ware (like bowls, etc) to melt
> Aluminum because it was easy to get and pretty cheap.  These were
> fairly thin walled, but they would work a number of times until the
> crumbled.   I think your Cu will require higher temps, so probably a
> thicker wall steel would be better.


At 1100-1200 F that the aluminum melts at even iron will work for a  
while but iron, steel or stainless will contaminate your melt to a  
degree. This may or may not be a problem depending on your intended  
use of the casting. At  around 2000F the copper will definitely eat  
significant amounts of iron out of the steel and it will make for very  
crappy castings in regards to strength and probably reduced corrosion  
resistance. Use the clay.

Jim



James Binnion
jbin at well.com