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MuranoSilver
08-03-2010, 04:43 PM
I got a Delft Kit from Cooksons last week and Today my Jay Whaley WHIPS arrived (Wire Handled Ingot Pourer for mucky minds)
I wish I'd watched his cool video on conditioning a crucible (http://www.ganoksin.com/benchtube/video/49/Wire-Handled-Ingot-Pouring-Device--WHIP) first ~ would've made life easier...

The first pic is how it arrived -
The second is the mess I made trying to heat it with my Nimrod Hand torch
(carried on putting way too much Borax in, which then cracked like crazy)
Third is after using the Rothenberger Oxy Propane torch....to try & remelt/flow the mess...
Hope it's still OK even though I buggered it up :confused:
I know which I'll be using for casting now ~ looks like my Rothe is going to be my new best friend!
Nic xx

stu_clouds
08-03-2010, 04:58 PM
where did you get your whips from Nic? iv got mine on my Rio Grande shopping basket. im getting them for pouring ingots should be much easier to pour with the short handles.

im having to purchase a propane sievert to do my ingot melting & have a 2kg furnace for my Lost wax casting but the crucibles for this are a pain to pour accurately into ingots :(

my work shop is fast getting full of equipment but i want and need more more more..

stu

MuranoSilver
08-03-2010, 05:02 PM
I got mine from Palmer Metals (they just started stocking them)
Right with you on the "packed out" workshop but however big the workshop
a tool junkie like me will fill it, lol :D
nic xx

stu_clouds
08-03-2010, 05:22 PM
woooo no over priced continental delivery charges and VAT & overcharge from delivery company ripping me off for a handling fee. thanks Nic its now deleted from Rio and hello Palmer, it can be added to my finding list for them :D.

Haha yes we always manage to find space, everytime i have new tools turn up i have to completely re organise the hole workshop but it makes it more fun i suppose.

Stu

nickr
24-03-2010, 10:21 PM
If you spend too long heating a crucible it tends to go porous. Use oxy-propane or oxy-acetylene and lightly flux. I dont flux small crucibles at all, just a pinch of borax on the metal when melting and get the metal as hot as possible as quickly as possible to prevent oxidation. If you are using a big torch use some refactory bricks to reflect the heat back to your crucible, this speeds things up a bit.
Nick

Ominicci
25-03-2010, 11:03 AM
I find it strange that Palmers don't sell the borax powder to go with the casting grain, dishes and WHIPS. :mad:

ps_bond
25-03-2010, 11:05 AM
I buy powdered borax from my local Chinese grocers.

MuranoSilver
25-03-2010, 11:08 AM
I got mine from cooksons ;)
Nic xx

Ominicci
25-03-2010, 11:19 AM
I know they've got some Nic - but a 1kg pot, when you only need a 'few pinches' each time!!?

Peter thanks for that - have just been looking it up - it seems that it is widely available from many sources e.g. as a detergent. I just wanted to make sure it WAS the same product.

Lindyloo
25-03-2010, 08:36 PM
Widely available from where? Tesco used to do it, but don't any more.

ps_bond
25-03-2010, 09:33 PM
Do Boots still carry it?

Di Sandland
25-03-2010, 09:40 PM
I'm pretty sure they do - I make a paste with it using honey. Good for mouth ulcers

Kwant
25-03-2010, 09:47 PM
I am desperate to do some casting. I have melted a little bit of scrap on my heat block thing and love the way it looks. My partner is now hiding things he thinks might get nabbed for melting. I read today that quite a number of you have little jars full of spheres much like the ones Nic made for her twisted bangle which I might say was lovely.

I still have some way to go before I get into all that, but still it looks like it could be great fun. I have well noted the way to condition a crucible, though I might need to get a better torch first :)

Di Sandland
25-03-2010, 09:49 PM
Making silver spheres (and gold but not so many of those ;)) is one of my favourite pastimes. I use a lot of my scrap up that way and then have a ready supply for granulation.

Watching the stuff spin and the little clouds pass across the surface is quite addictive.

Nikolai
05-04-2010, 11:21 PM
Its good idea :)

arian
06-04-2010, 11:51 AM
Wilkinson's stock borax.

Ominicci
06-04-2010, 05:39 PM
They don't have it in my local Tesco, Boots or Wilkinsons grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

mizgeorge
06-04-2010, 05:42 PM
They don't have it in my local Tesco, Boots or Wilkinsons grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

You can just scrape some off your borax cone though Nicci - you don't have to have the powdered version.

arian
07-04-2010, 10:30 AM
They don't have it in my local Tesco, Boots or Wilkinsons grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Shame. I've not seen it in Tesco, but I got a couple of boxes from Wilko.

Ominicci
07-04-2010, 11:35 AM
You can just scrape some off your borax cone though Nicci - you don't have to have the powdered version.

OMG I have been praying for someone to say that George! I had though it was a no no as there might be something else it was mixed with to make it into the solid cone shape. That is a perfect use for my now largely redundant borax cone!

THANK YOU GEORGE :flowers: