Online Catalogue last updated 17th of September 2023
Melting metal requires a heat resistant vessel with a higher melting temperature than the metal you are melting. Such vessels are called crucibles and they are generally made of clay or a mixture of clay and a binder such as ground up fire brick (grog) or graphite.
Since they are made of clay, the process of making crucibles falls under the heading of pottery work and the technique is simple. You mix up a batch of clay, you ram the clay in a mould to form the crucible, you fire the formed crucible to harden the clay and you're ready to melt metal. It really is that simple, and this book shows you how to do it.
You'll begin by learning how crucibles were made 100 years ago. Then you will take what you learn and convert it into practical information you can use today. Such topics as crucible composition and how to mix a batch of clay. How to build moulds and use them to form crucibles from your clay mix. You'll learn how to cure and fire your new crucibles, how to make crucible tongs and more. The information you need to get started is right here. Consider trying your hand at making crucibles. It's a log of fun and you'll be preserving a lost art while you're at it. Once you're set up, they cost very little to make. So if you're a do-it-yourselfer, you like to tinker, and you like to experiment, then have a go at it.
Code No. 010133, 60 pages, ISBN 1878087274, $18.00