Maybe you have gold jewelry that you want to melt. Or, you are an artist or jewelry designer who wants to create a new design by melting gold. There are several ways to smelt gold at home although you should always be careful to stay safe while doing so as this activity requires extreme heat.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Getting the Right Equipment
Step 1. Buy a melting pot to hold the gold as it melts
The right equipment is needed to smelt gold. A smelting vessel is a specially designed place to hold gold as it melts because it can withstand extreme heat.
- Smelting crucibles are generally made of carbon, graphite or clay. The melting point of gold is around 1,064°C, which means that high temperatures are needed to melt it. Therefore, it is very important not to just choose any container.
- In addition to the melting pot, a pair of tongs is also required to hold and move it. The clamp must be made of heat-resistant material.
- The home method uses potatoes to melt the gold, instead of a melting pot, if you don't have one. To use this method, make a hole in the potato and place the gold in it.
Step 2. Use flux to remove impurities in gold
Flux is a substance that is mixed with gold before the smelting process. Flux generally consists of a mixture of borax and sodium carbonate.
- You need more flux if the gold condition is not pure. Many different formulas can be used as flux mixtures. One method involves mixing borax and sodium carbonate. Add 2 pinches of flux per 28 grams of clean gold pieces and more for dirty gold pieces. You can use regular baking soda or store-bought bicarbonate. When heated, these materials will form sodium carbonate.
- Flux helps hold fine gold particles together, while also helping to remove impurities from gold when heated. When using the potato method, add a pinch of borax to the hole before melting the gold.
Step 3. Be very careful about security at all times
Melting gold can be dangerous because of the extreme heat required to do so.
- Consult a professional if you have no skills at all regarding gold smelting. Also, find a room in your house that is safe for melting gold, such as a garage or spare room. You will need a workbench to place the gold smelting material on.
- Be sure to wear protective eyewear and a face shield to protect them. Also wear heat-resistant gloves and a welding apron.
- Never smelt gold near flammable materials. This is very dangerous and you don't want to start a fire.
Method 2 of 3: Using a Heating Tool
Step 1. Purchase an electric furnace that is used to smelt gold
The furnace is a small, high-powered kiln specially designed to melt precious metals, including gold and silver. Electric stoves can be purchased over the internet.
- Some of the prices of these electric gold furnaces are quite affordable. These furnaces also allow people to mix metals together (eg gold, silver, copper, aluminum, etc.) and smelt them at home. To use it, you'll need the same equipment, including a melting pot and flux.
- If the gold object also contains a small percentage of silver, copper, or zinc, the melting point will be lower.
Step 2. Try melting gold using a 1200 watt microwave
Use a microwave that doesn't have a magnetron on top, but does have one on the side or back of the microwave.
- You can purchase a gold-melting oven or microwave. Place the melting oven on its rack in the microwave. The melting pot will hold the gold as it heats up and is placed in the oven with the lid on.
- Do not use the microwave to re-cook food if you have used it to melt gold.
Method 3 of 3: Finding Other Heat Sources
Step 1. Try using a propane torch to melt the gold
As already mentioned, you need to be very careful about safety issues when using a propane torch. However, propane torches can melt gold in just a few minutes.
- The gold must be placed in the smelting vessel. Then, place the container on a fireproof surface and blow the flames directly with the torch on the gold inside. If you have added the chemical borax beforehand, the gold can be smelted at a lower temperature, which may be required if using a torch.
- Blow fire through the torch slowly and be careful if there is gold powder in the container, as it can penetrate easily. Heating the container too quickly can also cause it to crack. Heat the gold slowly and thoroughly. An oxy-acetylene torch will melt gold faster than a propane torch.
- With the torch, keep the flame over the gold powder well and use a slow circular motion. When the gold powder starts to heat up and turn reddish, you can start slowly spitting out flames until the gold turns into lumps.
Step 2. Form the melted gold
You have to decide what to do with the gold smelt. Try making blocks or other shapes, such as gold bars.
- Pour the melted gold into a block mold or other mold before it hardens. Then, let the gold cool. The mold must be made of a material similar to that of the melting crucible.
- Don't forget to clean up the smelter! You definitely don't want to leave the heat source unattended or within the reach of children.
Warning
- 24 karat gold is very soft. If you want to make it sturdier, mix it with another metal.
- Gold smelting requires good skills, you can ask the experts first before trying.
