How To Prepare My Favorite Ceramic Crucible for Pouring Ingots

How To Prepare My Favorite Ceramic Crucible for pouring ingots -In order to melt and pour silver or gold into an ingot mold the crucible must be coated in a thin layer of borax so the metal will slide out easily. I will demonstrate how to coat the crucible in borax step by step and point out any potential issues along the way. This particular crucible is my favorite, it heats up quicker than any of the others and it is a breeze to change out to different crucibles with this type of handle.
To purchase this crucible or any of my other metalsmithing tool favorites, please visit www.jewelryartstoolsco.com/shop

[@aethon6335]

Love your videos where ever you appear on the web. Thanks so much. Great idea filing the pour spout. I live in a humid climate half the year, so I put crucibles in the gas grill for a while to drive off the moisture. Especially before I melt precious metals. I'd hate to have one explode due to moisture.

[@JewelryArts]

I am so glad that you are enjoying them! :) and Yikes! a crucible exploding is a nightmare scenario.

[@chestercopperpot2219]

Yeah you’re right about this crucible. It’s the best. Light and super easy to pour unlike those heavy hollowed out hockey pucks. The only weakness is it’s fragile.

[@JewelryArts]

Fingers crossed, I've never had one break! :)

[@theonly7246]

You lead I follow 🙏🏾

[@JewelryArts]

I am so glad you are finding the videos helpful! :)

[@britchie528]

Thank you! Great video. So I would need separate crucibles for fine silver, Argentium silver and standard sterling silver?

[@JewelryArts]

Yes! There is always some metal residue left after pouring so you need to have separate crucibles for each type of metal. :)

[@JustME-ft4di]

Could you do this in an enamelling kiln?

[@JewelryArts]

The problem would be that the handle would get hot. That would make it more difficult to rotate the crucible and get an even coating of borax.

[@catherinemartina6469]

Can you use borax that you find at the grocery store the 20 mule whatever

[@JewelryArts]

Very similar but the roach killer is more pure. :)

[@bluefernlove]

I wonder if a glazed ceramic cup can be used as a crucible?

[@JewelryArts]

There are lots of shapes of crucibles but I have always used borox as the "glaze" :)

[@patriciastreber1610]

I tried this for the first time, using an Orca Easy Torch with the largest tip. Is it possible that I’m not getting enough heat from this torch to be successful? At this point I have too much borax on the surface with not enough coverage & I’ve spent more than an hour trying. I purchased a MAP gas kit but haven’t yet tried again. When I bought the Easy Torch, I was under the impression that it could handle this application as well as melting the silver scrap. Thank you in advance for a suggestion if you can respond.

[@JewelryArts]

So the borax doesn't get hot enough to spread across the crucible when tilted? That definitely sounds like a not-enough-heat problem. It usually takes a few minutes to get the borax hot enough to spread but an hour is way too long. Are you getting right in there with the torch?

[@patriciastreber1610]

@@JewelryArts I think so...but I bought a MAP gas torch kit to try ASAP. Thanks so much for your input...it just seemed like I couldn't get enough heat out of the EZ Torch...I'll let you know how it goes...I've had to take a break to get ready for Christmas.

[@JewelryArts]

@@patriciastreber1610 That should do it! More heat should be your solution. :)

[@britchie528]

How do you label/identify each crucible for the different metals?

[@JewelryArts]

I write on the bottom of each crucible what alloy it is in pencil :)

[@britchie528]

@@JewelryArts Ohhh in pencil. Ha! Thank you! 😬😊👍

[@JewelryArts]

@@britchie528 You are very welcome! :)

[@combatdrake1624]

Glasses...please...protective gear every step. That spatters, the crucible blows up, plan for the worst so you are always ready. Thank you for the video though, great job explaining things about the stubbornness of borax not wanting to do what you want

[@JewelryArts]

I've never seen a crucible blow up but that would be a mess. :)

[@michaelpaul721]

WEAR GLOVES

[@JewelryArts]

Lol, no need to yell. :)