Pouring an ingot for wire

My husband and I recently cast some wire ingots with my clean gold scrap. Here is a quick tutorial for you. Don't forget...Be safe...always wear safety glasses, protective clothing and have adequate ventilation!

• Coat the inside of the ingot mold with the carbon soot from a reducing (smoking) flame. You do this by limiting the amount of oxygen to your torch. This soot acts like a lubricant, allowing your metal will pop out of the ingot more easily.

• Pre-heat the mold in a kiln or with your torch. This will dry out any moisture in the mold and help prevent the metal from chilling too quickly when pouring it into the mold.

• Put your dry and clean metal in a pouring crucible with a dash of dry casting flux

• It is best to have your ingot and crucible in a line for a smooth pour (left to right for right-handers OR right to left for south-paws). Begin to heat your metal...

• Melt your metal until it has a fluid (mercury-like) quality. When the metal is ready, position the crucible's rim next to the mold and pour. This will take practice, you are looking for a single consistent stream of metal for a pour. It is important that the flame is always on the metal during the melt AND pour.

• Let everything cool for a minute.

• Remove mold clamp and inspect the ingot for voids, cracks or any other flaws.

• Cut off the top button and file away any flashing. Isn't it pretty?
  

Tune in next Wednesday for....turning it into wire! Thanks for reading.