Biggest DIY Copper Melt on YouTube. 60 POUNDS of Copper Into Ingots. FarmCraft101

I melt a bit of copper, as in 60 POUNDS. That's a lot of copper, and it's the first time that I've used this crucible and lifting/pouring equipment. Getting ready for a big upcoming project that will require every cubic inch of my crucible...
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[@Kuibara]

Here's a little tip for when you use a metal mold. If you lightly coat the inside with some spray graphite lube, it will make demolding much easier without adding contamination to the alloy. Kind of like high temp pam. Hope this helps, Thanks

[@stevenjones4497]

He is right

[@rimmersbryggeri]

what about making some gypsum ingots and just make sand ingot molds?

[@ryanjones7543]

Great job! Awesome to be able to watch someone as a beginner. Thanks for being candid as you learn.

[@HeimoVN]

Molten copper has a high affinity for oxygen and likes to absorb it from the furnace atmosphere, you can solve this by adding some crushed charcoal to the crucible, the charcoal floats on top so it is easily removed before pouring, this also cuts down on losses due to slag... I will also just like to add that the standard practice is to pour molten metal above a sand bed, the spalling concrete can create a real nasty situation real quick...

[@researchandbuild1751]

You pretty much want a cover like that for any metal. Thars what Borax is for you pour that down i to the metal as a flux

[@HeimoVN]

@@researchandbuild1751 borax is fine, but adding charcoal helps reduce the available oxygen to cause problems in your melt...

[@SteveStone505]

ok

[@louistournas120]

+Heimo van niekerk: Also, the carbon from the charcoal reduces the CuO to Cu.

[@HeimoVN]

@@louistournas120 Another reason to add the carcoal indeed...

[@landroveraddict2457]

it changes colour after going into the water because when hot the metal is forming an oxide layer very fast. As the water boils it strips the oxide layer from the surface and once cool the oxide forms very slowly over days or weeks.

[@louistournas120]

+Land Rover Addict: When copper cools, it doesn't matter if it is in the shape of a cube, a cylinder, a tube, a sheet, it doesn't matter if you put it in water or leave it in air, the CuO layer occupies more space. The Cu shrinks and the CuO flakes pop off. That's something that I had observed in my home lab when I was 13.

[@landroveraddict2457]

@@louistournas120 Who said anything about the shape of the metal? Not me

[@louistournas120]

@@landroveraddict2457 : I did. I a not saying that you said anything wrong. I am just giving information.

[@robertlangley258]

louis tournas .....and we’re all so very proud of you louie.

[@blackpoolrock101]

This guy is some kind of genius, red hot metal into a plastic bucket (?) that he then sticks his hand into - to find the water is now red hot too. Fancy that!? And this is the same fella that's going to be in charge of a CANNON. Holy good gravy.

[@Jesses001]

A lot of people use muffin tins for making ingots. It does not look as pretty but I find it rather practical as the small round ingots are easy to throw in a crucible and melt when making something.

[@handy1arnwald947]

A worthy undertaking. As a new furnace / crucible owner with lots of experience with lead casting, I'm here to learn from others mistakes, hopefully making fewer of my own. Thanks for sharing.

[@cassieguernsey2877]

we're using your videos today for our homeschool lesson. thank you for doing what you do, my kids are hooked!

[@robertbragg9364]

It's amazing what a person can do with some tools and a little know how! Great video. It was the first I've seen from you but I'm looking forward to more.

[@Madlintelf]

Loved it, I use to scrap all the time and wish I had a furnace back then would have made way more money (back in the 1980's). As for the color change copper oxidizes when heated, when you cool it off in the water the H2 in the H2O releases the oxidized layers and viola, shiny copper color. Can't wait for the cannon, and thanks for the video!

[@stevelamperta865]

Can tell your really having a lot of fun with this ! I enjoy working with different metals myself .

[@darrenkaspers9331]

Big stacked never says "ouch"

[@maulwurf9414]

yeah well he also never gets molten metal on himself

[@darrenkaspers9331]

@@maulwurf9414 coz he's not stupid

[@stevenjones4497]

Haha well he is a pro

[@Bammer.D]

Bigstackd never says anything idiots.

[@Bammer.D]

@neo blue realm oh.. did you get your feelings hurt little baby? Go fuck yourself..

[@skinnytothefeet3531]

These KZbin recommendations are wild but I’m not complaining

[@mr.misunderstood4904]

Anytime I'm melting metals, i like to leave about a 1/4 of molten liquid left when I have more metal to melt, it seems to me its easier to to melt any metal when you have a bit in a liquid form in the crucible than having to re heat as if you were just beginning to melt. I haven't gotten to the point where I can melt copper so its satisfying to watch. Aluminum it is for now.

[@beepIL]

That is exactly what you do when welding with solder, you always leave some solder on the tip of the welder then touch the solid solder with it to transfer the heat a lot faster and melt it almost instantly. The liquid transfers a lot of heat fast to the solid metal because the surface area is a lot bigger when the liquid wraps the solid object, as opposed to a few contact points the solid object has with the crucible when no liquid metal is present, which makes transferring heat to the solid metal a lot harder

[@jonny-b4954]

Gongji 6kg furnace on Amazon for $179 I have melts copper. It's stainless steel. It's pretty decent for it's price. I've been making bronze and now brass. So, it'll do it. Just one propane tank and I've got like 15 ingots out of it already. 10 melts or so.

[@getwoke1148]

Great vid. I work in HVAC and Refrigeration industry and I have a lot old copper pipes I've been saving over the years. I also learned all pennies made before 1982 are 100% copper so I'm starting to save to those too.

[@debdottir]

Copper is so pretty. That was fun and interesting to watch. Thanks.

[@jamesbraithwaite478]

The ingots after you sanded them were kind of, oddly, beautiful. Recycling is cool to watch.

[@broc2238]

Looks like a great couple days of fun. Looking forward to seeing you blast things out of that cannon 😁

[@Alltakenbla]

To the point and fun to watch. Thanks FarmCraft101!

[@TheThreekeys]

The finished cylinder was a work of art!! Great video!

[@captainjerk]

Awesome pours! Very nice collection of heavy ingots! I love that cylinder! :D Thanx bud! I look forward to watching the canon pour!

[@UnaSheil]

This should be called the half-arsed channel! literally everything he does half-arsed. The dross, the pour, the sanding! Can't wait to see the cannon!

[@chuckbraman72]

Jimi hendrix didnt pick upa guitar and Play Voodoo Chile the first time, did he? If as you say everything is half-assed then try this experiment in EM otional Intelligence....Offer some constructive advice, share your knowledge not your time thieving non-contribution to the learning process. Your comment if Full assed. It makes a declarative statement of process/procedural and product quality with no metrics or supporting date to back it up nor do you offer a solution of any kind. Less than useless....-10 points to House Griffen-Jerk

[@edhansen876]

Love your videos. This was a very interesting process and takes a bit of tenacity. Thanks.

[@blademan6075]

Very interesting. I have a better understanding and respect now for what all goes into getting copper ready to form and shape. I never really gave it much thought.

[@ahaveland]

Slag is mainly copper oxide as the copper reacts with the air. You can recover the copper chemically. If you want to melt copper without slag, then use an argon atmosphere.

[@ahaveland]

Should just add that the copper is black because of the copper oxide. When you quench it, the layer flakes off and exposes the copper underneath, which is why it changes colour. You should see the flakes remaining in the bowl - you can get the copper back from these too! From the net: "Between room temperature and 100 °C copper forms a thin Cu₂O layer; at about 150 °C a complex oxide forms Cu₃O₂; and at 200-300 °C CuO forms."

[@Lily_Orchard]

Forbidden caramel

[@carlwhite8225]

Just found your channel and right up my alley, Thanks.

[@GrillWarrior]

How can you not love this video, thank you for making it.

[@jeremiahmullikin]

That looks very satisfying. Liked and subscribed. Thanks for making this great video.

[@steven2212]

Great hobby, plus recycling. Love it.

[@americanrebel413]

WOW! This was awesome! Thank you for sharing this.

[@patrickcalhoun682]

How would you get rid of the porosity in the castings? such as on the round in the lathe? Thanks for the great vid

[@akmccue]

Those ingots are beautiful

[@kasnitch]

that was some tasty guitar playing in the outro . .. much less spillage when pouring from a 1/2 full crucible, particularly when doing it solo with heavy liquid metal . you might want to fab up a pouring stand for quality of life .

[@SunRabbit]

I like it. The melody sounds Russian.

[@mr.oddlyfox6934]

Very cool video, severely enjoyable to watch! Thanks for sharing!

[@BillCarter2k19]

You're channel is the first one I've come across where the melter talks! Good stuff!

[@llamedosr7843]

When the lathe and polishing compound comes out, you've gone overboard

[@tightywhitey6466]

But we got to see shiny copper.

[@adame924]

Agreed, I think the word "canon" kept me watching.

[@shortchanged.]

Not when building a Cannon...

[@andrewwilson8317]

A CANNON! Oh hell yes! Looking forward to that! A fifty pound weight cannon is going to e amazing. In my mind that going to be shooting golf ball sized projectiles? Every man should have a cannon in his life. I made one from a section of really heavy wall tubing that I found in an oil rig support company yard, probably a bit of drill pipe. Made an awesome cannon that fired coke can sized projectiles. At full powder load it fired way over half a mile out to sea! Brilliant laugh till it was deemed inappropriate and confiscated!

[@andrewwilson8317]

Yes,they deem things in the absence of any proven facts and it's impossible to reason with them! My new baby cannon does not fire projectiles so they can stick their deeming up their arses! It is merely used to fire a saluting charge and that's pretty much exempt everything. Still makes an awesome boom but nothing leaves the barrel other than a bit of flame. Not quite as much fun but close enough as I can get. Up yours deemers!

[@chacdogful]

Andrew Wilson where do you live that has deemers?

[@andrewwilson8317]

Garrett Poppell was hen lived in Brunei. They pretty bad deemers. They have deemed that being born gay or having a bit of nookie is worthy of being stoned to death! They have deemed strict sharia law is the best way forward!

[@Evergreen1400]

Good job i like the Finished product you worked through any issues that may have come up and you got it done.

[@MrRahimhosein]

When you see how much work and effort goes into mining copper its amazing that people just throw this out in the garbage. My friend gave me 100 pounds of clean solid copper wiring from an electrical job he did.

[@bindaredundat8498]

Gave you 100 lbs from his job? Who gives away that much copper from a job? Ive never even seen big union contractors give away 100 lbs of copper. People steal that much from jobs but if it was, say a resi job and a big house, ALL the wire it might be half that, if it was a commercial job it sounds like the trim from 350 or 500 MCM feeders which every company recycles. Copper is expensive but he just GAVE it to you huh? Wow, what a guy!

[@dsloop3907]

A bonus feature--Flaking Concrete where the molten copper hits it.

[@AlumiTube]

Hehe big ones 😊 great job

[@singingvirginity8104]

That’s what she said

[@vrominatorx2668]

Sweet, the ingots look fantastic!

[@alwcurlz]

That was fun to watch! Thanks for creating a great video!

[@ricpla6930]

Hank hill of the copper world. “I like copper and copper accessories”

[@VerifyVeracity]

And he used propane & propane accessories.

[@GMCLabs]

man that had to be a bear to pour. Biggest I did was 6lbs of copper and that cooked the heck outta my skin, even with ppe.

[@Ra463]

hi farmcraft101 i was just wondering where you got either the schematics for your furnace or where you bought it from? as i melt scrap and resell the bullion for a porfit as extra income and i am looking to increase the output of my little devilforge to a more industrial capacity.

[@Aelleix]

Very interesting and cool!! A trick to keep your LP tank from freezing is to put it in one of your blue buckets or a old rectangle cooler with some water in it. If you have a full tank of LP fill to a little under half way up the tank. If less than half tank of LP then just enough so it don't float. It helps the gas stay cold and flow out to the last drop.

[@fernandojimenez3583]

try fire clay on your molds .make a mixture with water some what muddy texture mop the mold then sprinkle dry fire clay to dry it... it will come right out , i work at a lead smelter. nice video 👌

[@NahaleGuitar]

... You did this in the BEST unsafe way possible... Good job lol 👌

[@buentaste]

Abronymous can you point out those “best” unsafe way please?

[@rexscates]

Buentaste well one is over concrete, as you saw the spattering was water in the concrete vaporizing, no safety glasses, gloves? And so on

[@edsmith2650]

Stop crying

[@stevenjones4497]

We he is obviously not a pro yet. But at least he is trying. Good on him

[@and7barton]

One of my favourite metals to cast. Interesting the way it swirls around in the crucible (convection currents ?). Another favourite is zinc with its amazing ivory-white flame.

[@hairystag]

Great video, thanks for sharing. Do you heat your moulds before pouring?

[@andie_pants]

I'm about to move into my first house, and guys like you, ArtByAsrock, and bigstackD are giving me terrible ideas for the workshop space! :-P

[@TacoStacks]

This was enjoyable

[@mannye]

Question... if you keep skimming dross do you eventually get close to pure copper? And when do you know it's dross vs just the copper cooling on top?

[@kennethjensen9235]

Great journey - thanks for posting!

[@TheClearwall]

I need to see this cannon being made

[@holdfast7657]

When you had that chunk of copper, I saw the perfect slug for an I.E.D. Anyway, once the ingot has solidified, quench the mould and the ingot should tip out for your next pour. Watch out for hot water when quenching. Would help if you got a metal bin for the quenching.

[@offroad6309]

Freeze a couple plastic containers full of water. Pop out and set ingots on ice block. Surprised you kept pouring more batches on concrete. Would love to have a 2" rod or two. Now I need to find the cannon build.

[@mysticdavestarotmachinesho5093]

I like that you are smart enough to have safety equipment on and are aware of the concrete spalding issue. I have not heard of using charcoal as a protective barrier from the gasses. Would a floating layer borax work?

[@1414141x]

What stage did you add the tin and brass ? Also what flux did you use ?

[@MarkSmith-to7xi]

Oxidation it what causes it to go black, cooling it in water stops the oxygen getting to it meaning it stays copper coloured

[@bigrockets]

you are exceeding the vaporization capacity of your propane cylinder that's why its freezing up.A 20# bbq cylinder is too small to run your burner for much time, a pair of 100 pound cylinders running in parallel with each other would run much better and maintain pressure better.

[@obfuscated3090]

CGA-510 tees aren't expensive so if he doesn't care to haul the big cylinders it's easy to manifold BBQ jugs in parallel. Welding suppliers carry all the CGA-510 (AKA "POL") hardware and stainless braid pigtails one could want.

[@Trytotakem]

Warm water will also bring the pressure up in the tank. But if it's a cold day or if the moisture content in the tanks are to high. It's going to freeze somewhere anyway. Even if it's at the regulator. That's basic physics. pressure & temp go up & down together. Low temp with drop pressure. But from the looks of the tank it was just low. Causing it to only freeze on the bottom. Using that many BTU's even a larger tank is apt to freeze getting that low.

[@alockworkorange7296]

Could have used a tank water also to suck the cold away and buy alot more time

[@cliffthompson4149]

Man that copper looks extra beautiful after coming off the lathe. I recently learned how to make chainmail. So I started making it out of copper wire. Then soaking it in ketchup after I finished. Really good looking chainmail.

[@ShamblerDK]

That polished copper is so pleasing to the eyes.

[@DividedWeAllFall]

I have one of those trash cans with wheels people leave at the end of the driveway for trash trucks to pick up full of copper pipe. Probably atleast 200 pounds.

[@petepeterson4540]

use soot from acetylene gas will help your casting break free easier

[@davidpontius7031]

Now that is interesting. You're talking about the black stuff from oxy-acetylene welding, right? Why exactly would that help?

[@davidpontius7031]

@Dennis Young oh yeah the energy of the heat would be consumed in furthering the oxidation reaction. Smart idea.

[@devinhallsworth5531]

I have never been so excited by copper ingots before in my life. XD

[@marvinkitfox3386]

Thanx for the great instructional video! 3:36 "how to (not) melt copper with no splashing" 4:42 "basic safety when working with molten metal, chapter 2: balancing a pot of molten death on a rickety brick" 5:05 "How to copper-plate your driveway" 5:48 "Playing whack-a-mole with redhot hammers" 8:50 "Redhot metal vs. blue plastic, which will win?" You are doing a lot of things correctly, and carefully. But with some things, you might want to put a bit more forethought and planning into it. Your way of working will give a safety inspector multiple heartattacks.

[@UltraGamma25]

Yepp. He's doing pretty good but does need some improvement on his precision work for sure.

[@AdolphusOfBlood]

Getting back wasted metal from the slag is an option, but to do it you have to turn to the wonders of chemistry, not heat.

[@scotts.2624]

Have you thought of moving the pouring to a sand box? It is a lot less likely to have a steam driven splatter of molten metal hit you.

[@ThorsgaardFoundry]

sand boxes retain moisture and cat poop. I'd rather spall a bit of dry concrete..

[@atomicmonkeysquad]

Would quenching the ingots in oil prevent oxidation? Granted you'd have a flame flash on your hand...

[@stillhere007]

What furnace would you recommend for volume smelting?

[@matttaylor7289]

Your ingot mould walls are to thin and need to be at a greater angle that’s why it’s not releasing, also you should have running water in your bucket to help with the quench You might also find that if you heat the crucible before you add any metal it should not take as long to melt hope this helps. Good luck with that cannon it’s going to be awesome

[@lucusloc]

0:03 "I 'borrowed' all this from my neighbors house while they were on vacay. . ." 2:09 You totally should shoot it like that. For Science! 2:59 Translation: furnaces are hot. Brought to you by Science! 3:34 "So fresh from the neighbors it sill has water in it!" 8:10 I bet if you put it on top of the furnace to keep it warm you wouldn't have that problem. I'm not saying you wouldn't have *other* problems then, but we should probably just try and solve one thing at a time. 9:10 I'm gona go with something to do with changing crystalline structures. Also it's no longer glowy hot. And maybe an oxidation coating. Was I helpful? 9:21 "Next time on FarmCraft101, cooking with fresh copper ingots." 13:00 Alternatively: Shop Glitter! 15:55 "Because I hate my driveway so much I had to show you twice."

[@FarmCraft101]

Haha. These are good!

[@lucusloc]

@@FarmCraft101 Shop Glitter has to be good enough to be marketable. Or at least a demo video.

[@360playz7]

lucusloc no, stop begging

[@ralphkleyer9324]

I see you have buffing wheels that fit right on your bench grinder. Did you buy them like that , and if so where did you get them? Or did you modify them to fit?

[@betpatpatten3840]

Congratulations!!!👍👍💞💞💞 I hope you get bedroom and indoor pluming done before baby arrives!!

[@rightleg5920]

So you're the guy taking the copper from my house?!

[@SeraphX2]

It's amazing how many videos I watch of these and people are wholly unprepared. Why is it so hard to buy multiple containers for ingots? My OCD in me wouldn't allow me to make different formed ingots or to leave ANY slag.

[@marcobering3945]

Agreed. Half a dozen ingot molds aren't that expensive, and you'd have a bunch of pretty ingots instead of those Frankenstein cylinders.

[@thedoubleboiler6971]

Loved every minute. Very informative! Thank you!

[@guymandude999]

Good videos, keep 'em coming. I'm learning while you're learning, I like that. Hey instead of sanding, couldn't you put the ingots in muriatic acid?

[@jacobthompson1682]

Pour parallel to the mold not perpendicular. It gives you a bigger target.

[@icenesiswayons9962]

Right on!

[@theRhinsRanger]

Little things like that can make a big difference........so my wife says

[@HelloKittyFanMan.]

Also, try using a comma between "mold" and "not." That gives you a NON-run-on sentence.

[@samuelluria4744]

John Kennedy - Boo! What a horrible attitude!!!

[@samuelluria4744]

Hello Kitty Lover Man! - Although I can find ways to interpret the words in sensibly as a non-run-on-sentence, I credit you for the observation!

[@NotSoCrazyNinja]

Seeing this video makes me realize that if I want to materialize one of my life goals (to melt and pour enough ingots (unsure the kind of ingots at the moment) to build a tiny shed), I might want to invest in a full-sized household propane tank, and equipment to make the pouring process a lot easier and safer. Why a "brick shed" made of ingots? Why not? I can imagine an 8ft x 10ft shed made entirely of highly polished aluminum bricks, or a mixture of aluminum, copper, and maybe some silver here and there. Maybe throw in some iron decorations. Would probably take years.

[@daletaco835]

interlocking pieces, maybe plastic pieces too, i have similar idea of building shelter from recycled metals ir scrap, use a mold to make interlocking bricks

[@jeffmaxwell7390]

how did you temper your new crucible ? I am being told you have to put BOAX in it after you preheat it in the oven for 400 degrees for 1 hour low heat. is there a better way ? should I put it on a charcoal grill ? or something else ?

[@chacdogful]

Where did you get the 3kg cylinder molds from

[@HILLBILLYSFIREWOOD]

Heat the mold up with the torch before you pour you'll come out with perfect bars

[@SonofSethoitae]

He did heat it, around the 4 minute mark

[@daniellaw2528]

Graphite powder keeps it from sticking so bad

[@ThePsycoScout]

Correct Title: "How to NOT forge copper ingots, unless you want to die"

[@FlyingFerris]

ThePsycoScout must be a new process to forge molten metal into ingots.......

[@johnalexander2349]

"How to forge copper ingots, unless you're a little bitch"

[@reviewsrestorationshintsan888]

He didn't die or did I miss it

[@anefloussamine9394]

hi first of all thx for the video, i would like to know what type of copper grade is your ingots ?

[@user-qg8jm7jk7g]

perfect! what kind of music at the end?

[@peanut3050]

set your mould on top of furnace to preheat= no riples in castings.

[@honestlynate7922]

I love that you went big. But the soldier in me cant help but tell you that you need a safety brief. Thats alot of molten metal on the end of a stick for 1 man. Cant wait to see the cannon.

[@T3hderk87]

You had me laughing pretty hard just now...

[@CarlFlashbang]

@Jerry Rose And you've made a cannon? Melted [any] metal? You people that have all this direction have FAILED in producing jack-sh*t but have all this "useful" commentary on "How To".... STFU already...

[@silverdime2385]

What’s the name of buffing compound? Thanks for video it was cool impressive tools you have in your shop

[@lemondemon1674]

Perfect! Thats really nice.

[@Flymochairman1]

Copper has a lustre to it when polished like few other metals, I think anyway.

[@statusquo9520]

Copper needs polish, cotton needs pickin.

[@TheLorkM]

So amazing, dangerous but so amazing^^ I Will make my first melt next week, i hope my furnace Will be enought hot to have liquide copper🤞🤞🤞

[@lukeaabbcc313]

Post a video on YT

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

TheLorkM I've been in the propane industry for over 38 years and. I recommend you either use a 100# cylinder or bank 2or more 20# cylinders together to give you better vaporization to avoid the icing problem. Liquid boils at -44 F and if you draw more than be vaporized your screwed.

[@TheLorkM]

@@lukeaabbcc313 i'll try^^

[@toptimmy5150]

I find these videos relaxing and satisfying. Very enjoyable. Thank you!😎😎😎🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@Samantha1lady2gotic]

I cheered for you all the video! It's so cool to learn along with you

[@eformance]

Now you can gold plate that ingot and sell it on ebay as "low alloy gold ingot" ;-)

[@robertlangley258]

EFormance Engineering ........now i don’t care who you are thats funny. Whats really funny though is ,sadly, there are about 20% of 300,000,000 red bloodied Americans out there that would be interested in buying it. p.s. Don’t ask more than $50 or they will lose interest.

[@stivelars8985]

Have you calculated how much it cost in gas to do a melt?

[@JifeLacket]

This would be interesting.

[@andrewlara7992]

Just an idea, he could use a coal fire to preheat it to 600° F., then gas to melt and refine it.

[@russellbehrman6175]

Have you tried graphite power in the ingot mold so it releases?

[@theHBauer]

Respect to you for your foundry work. Personally, I would wear some full leather upper boots so when the slag splashes on to my laces I will not be jitter bugging my ass to the burn unit.