Casting gold

I cast with gold scrap and have been using an additive called "
Majic Cast " to do away with oxidation problems. The
manufacturer recomends using 5% added to the metal, but I only
use 3% and get very clean results. I’m very happy with the
results, but not the cost. A bottle costs about $35. for majic
cast, and $18 or so for another company’s product. I would think
this stuff is mainly zinc. Could someone give me a little help
with making my own additive for casting scrap gold. I can’t
help but to believe there is a much cheaper way to go about this.
I somehow feel foolish spending the money when there has to be
an equivalent that costs pennies. Thanks for your help!

Rick Barnes
Gainesville, Florida

Hi! You may send your scrap to a good refiner. It will cost you,
may be 5 to 10 % and you will always have pure gold. And you can
make your own mix with your favorites alloys. The results will
always the same.

Nice to meet you

Vincent Guy Audette
gaudette@videotron .ca

I cast with gold scrap and have been using an additive called "
Majic Cast " to do away with oxidation problems.  The
manufacturer recomends using 5% added to the metal, but I only
use 3% and get very clean results. I'm very happy with the
results, but not the cost.  A bottle costs about $35. for majic

I use copper-phos, a deoxidiser. Used by Philip Baldwin who makes
all thos wonderfull alloys and bimetals at Reactive Metals.

Get it in tiny pellet (or shot) form from a foundry supplier as
they use it also in bronze castings (if it’s not already in the
alloy).

I use a tiny amount (less than 1%) 20 sec before pouring. Too
much, though, and the metal’s short. Just remelt, as the phosphorus
just keeps on depleting itself, getting oxides out from right
inside the melt. Fluxes work best on the surface only.

Brian
B r i a n � A d a m J e w e l l e r y E y e w e a r �
@Brian_Adam1 ph/fx +64 9 817 6816 NEW ZEALAND

http://www.adam.co.nz/workshop/ NEXT ONE - Queenstown Mar11 to Mar18 '98
http://www.adam.co.nz/ruthbaird/ across the bench from me

     Could someone give me a little help with making my own
additive for casting scrap gold.  I can't help but to believe
there is a much cheaper way to go about this. (SNIP)

Mr. Barnez, Contact United Precious Metal Refining at
1-800-999-FINE and order some of their additive for recasting old
gold. I think it is the exact same stuff as the Recastit (basically
silicon copper and zinc). It costs about $5.00 per ounce! Great
Stuff! Ken

    I can't help but to believe there is a much cheaper way to go
about this. I somehow feel foolish spending the money when there
has to be an equivalent that costs pennies. Thanks for your help!

My 14k yellow alloy uses 6.666…% zinc. Whenever this metal is
heated, a little zinc evaporates. Likewise I am sure that virtually
all 14k yellow alloys use zinc. Speaking of costing pennies, todays
pennies are copper plated zinc and in a pinch, I have used them to
make alloy.

Bruce D. Holmgrain
@Bruce_Holmgrain
http://205.177.16.22
703-593-4652

Rick: you’d probably be right but not sure. Make an alloy of 50%
pure zinc and 50% fine silver and toss it in after the gold has
melted. Let it suck the oxygen out a short time , reheat and cast.
Let me know how it works for you. I’m not a professional jeweler
but I remelt old gold rings and use that alloy to get bright gold
for rolling. Also, don’t forget zinc has a really low melting point
and doesn’t go into a mirror like ball when alloyed with silver.
Melt the fine silver first and alloiy with zinc.
Experiment…Dave

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