Melting gold.......questions -

[Craig 930 RS]

I want to melt 1/2 oz of gold leaf.....

Best method? Melting temp and way to melt w/o blowing it all over?
Suggestions welcomed !

[slodave]

It's probably not pure gold. Gold leaf, often is mixed with silver or copper, depending on the color.

[Joeaksa]

Why?

[on2wheels52]

I've sent bunches off to the melters but haven't tried it myself. Temp will need to be 1500-2000 F, depending on the alloy. An electric furnace would be best and some sort of ceramic crucible to hold the AU. A torch might be tough to control the temperature.
Jim

[Aurel]

Found that, if it may help...

http://www.wikihow.com/Melt-Gold

Aurel

[MBAtarga]

Wouldn't the gold leaf (assuming the sheets are usable as that product and not "scraps") be worth much more in that state than melted down?

[Craig 930 RS]

They are small pieces, light as a feather.

Is there a torch you'd recommend for heating a crucible?
Something to add to the gold so it won't stick, or ?

All ideas welcomed, thanks in advance!

[pavulon]

Don't put it in a brass freeze plug and heat it w/ a torch. Such was the fate of my father's H.S. class ring...by his own hand...reportedly turned into a chunk of "slag" that was pitched...brilliant

[kycarguy 935]

Originally Posted by pavulon

Don't put it in a brass freeze plug and heat it w/ a torch. Such was the fate of my father's H.S. class ring...by his own hand...reportedly turned into a chunk of "slag" that was pitched...brilliant

Brass melts at 1652-1724 degrees and gold melts at 1946 degrees fahrenheit.

[on2wheels52]

Re the class ring melted with the brass, it would still have scrap value, the karet %age would be considerably lowered.
Reminded me of a customer who was going to fix his wife's broken gold bracelett with his arc welder. fffffffffffft, vaporized.
Jim

[jensmusic]

When you melt down gold and after it is melted doesn't it become pure gold? By melting the gold it burns up all the impurities in it, right? Like for instance, if you melt down different types of karats of gold into one melting pot then doesn't it all merge together burning out the all the impurities that each gold piece had making it one pure gold piece? I don't know, just asking so I do know.

[on2wheels52]

No, you just change the shape. I've sent a lot off to the smelters but haven't made a study of how it's done. There's some time and expense involved. That's why Kitco only pays $1365/oz for 24kt scrap when gold is $1500/oz.
Jim

[G50-Love]

ship it up here - I'll melt it for you

[Zeke]

Wad the leaf up into a ball and beat it with a hammer. I bet you end up with a BB size of gold.

[lane912]

Fire brick
Propane torch
Borax powdered soap-


Place the small pile of "gold" on the brick as condensed as possible. Shake some borax on top. It acts as a flux and will help keep the metal clean and together. Gently aply heat melting the flux then the metal. Be gentle with the torch-

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by milt

Wad the leaf up into a ball and beat it with a hammer. I bet you end up with a BB size of gold.

I love it!
I don't mean to get all philosophical, but the answer to a lot of life's complicated problems is to beat that crap out of something with a hammer.

[id10t]

Ok - so what about things like the pins on older cpus? I've got a bunch of 'em, need a good way to remove pins from the die, etc. Snipping leaves too much on and sends too much flying.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by jensmusic

When you melt down gold and after it is melted doesn't it become pure gold? By melting the gold it burns up all the impurities in it, right? Like for instance, if you melt down different types of karats of gold into one melting pot then doesn't it all merge together burning out the all the impurities that each gold piece had making it one pure gold piece? I don't know, just asking so I do know.

Most of the impurities do not just burn away - they are other metals and materials mixed in. Gold is very very heavy, so when melted, it stays at the bottom, and you can scrape away the top layer of other stuff. It takes multiple attempts to get gold to a high level of purity.

[masraum]

Ok - so what about things like the pins on older cpus? I've got a bunch of 'em, need a good way to remove pins from the die, etc. Snipping leaves too much on and sends too much flying.

Aren't the pins coated or are they solid?

[nota]

micro thin plated
there might be a ounce in a ton of pins
only worth doing with china rate labor and no EPA
and tons of CPUs to deplate