Soldering block for melting metal

[Sheen]

Hi all, I want to get myself a wee solder block (in addition to my vermiculite mat) to balance items on and to melt some bits of silver into balls. Usually peeps use a charcoal block but i don't fancy that as it's dirty and smelly. Can i use a normal asbestos substitute block to do this instead?

[CJ57]

I have fire bricks as a base in my hearth. You'll get them at a builders suppliers for not very much. Lots of suppliers in Perth

[china]

I do all my soldering on k-23 insulating fire brick, will out outlast charcoal 2:1 I have soldered silver gold brass platinum and never had any problems
and yes I use them to ball up items as well

[enigma]

Yes, this is what I use for melting small pieces into balls :
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...prcode-999-968

[Sheen]

Thanks everybody.

[NickD]

Smelly charcoal blocks?

[mizgeorge]

Smelly charcoal blocks?

I wondered about this one too. In fact I went and sniffed one of mine and nope, nothing odd there...

[Sheen]

I wondered about this one too. In fact I went and sniffed one of mine and nope, nothing odd there...

Oh i read they can reek quite badly..of charcoal. Although it's a natural smell for some unknown mysterious reason it can make me feel a bit sick, same with bonfires and candles. Random piece of info, read that magnesia blocks can also be stinky.

[handmadeblanks]

Smelly charcoal blocks?

Add me to the list of confused as I was certain that activated charcoal is used in water filters and air fresheners. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activat...l_applications

Unless they are two entirely different types of charcoal?

Either way, mine aren’t smelly either. Although I wouldn’t use them in a “kitchen” workshop as I discovered they do tend to release cinders when they are new, not something you want floating around inside the home.

[Dennis]

Charcoal sniffing has become a big problem for jewellers. The government should step in.

This brings me to the question of how to revive soldering blocks, because they quickly become pitted and grooved and have rough patches of fused-on flux.
Here are some remedies:

Rub them on an outdoor paving stone. Works well, but leaves a mess until the next rainy day.
Rub two together over a bin. Slow and dusty.
Rub with the rough side of a piece of honeycomb block. Plenty of those around if you've ever bought one. Works like a grater. Dennis.