Title says it all. Much safer and cooler way of doing high-temp chem than a blowtorch outside, easier to get full isolation of the hot side. We could offer a class in its use, also in the principles of its construction for those interested in making their own. It would then be a new tool available to maker community. I have heard there is one in metal shop, still think we could use one here.
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Do you use a metal crucible with the induction heater for high-temp chemistry?
I just assembled one, it will be in electronics tonight if you want to look at its construction.
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Crucible is perfect. I had not realized electronics had already made a DIY induction heater, or I would not have posted this. Still would like to hear what uses people have for such heaters.
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It was a personal project. I would love t o hear how youāll use this type of thing for chemistry.
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Misunderstood you, would use insulated non-conducting crucible like graphite, the metal inside would melt from induction, outside would be relatively cool. I only want to melt bismuth (only 600 degrees) but I would like it to cool slowly, so heating from inside out rather than outside in makes sense. Hope to make beautiful crystals from slow cooling. Would you like to assist me? Look up Bismuth crystals, they are beautiful. Yeah, you can do this on a stovetop, but I am betting induction will make much better crystals. Definitely faster to melt and more even heating, since heat generated evenly throughout metal instead of gradually conducting inward from pot.
I have about a pound of bismuth I was planning on doing this with.
I have 20+ pounds of Bismuth in my car.
I have 2 bismuth projects. Beautiful crystals is one project. The second is around magnetics.
Would love to join forces as Team Bismuth.
Iām tempted to give this a try and determined to find the time to do it.
If I could get 1000*F or so I could use it for wax burnout at home and do lost wax casting.
I have an induction heater just like Walterās that I would loan for this project.
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Letting bismuth cool in a graphite crucible is going to mean the crucible is a one time use object.
Folks are more then welcome to use my device, we just need a committee that will let us keep it at the space. @artg_dms ?
I also suggest that this melting be done outside the building.
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An induction heater will not heat wax or investment. It might work if the investment were inside a metal, preferably steel, mold.
Yes, I understand that it wonāt heat anything non-metallic. The intent was to use a steel flask for the investment. I would probably have to experiment so that I could raise the heat gradually, though.
Neat idea for wax burnout, Iāve been considering a microwave for a larger volume but there are definite hurdles. The induction heater would be small but wouldnāt have to worry about heat protection as much.
wow! we are a team. What kind of magnetics are you thinking about? You do
know bismuth is strongly diamagnetic, right? (repels mag field)
why would cooling bismuth in a graphite crucible hurt the crucible? I was
planning to reuse many times. Obviously only for Bismuth, reserved
crucible.
science committee will go for it. i will talk to ashley.
why would cooling bismuth in a graphite crucible hurt the crucible? I was
planning to reuse many times. Obviously only for Bismuth, reserved
crucible.
I am sure science committee will be glad to adopt heater as a tool if made available to makerspace. Would people have to be trained on it?
I wonder if we made wax with very fine suspended conductive particles, if that would heat and flow even in investment.
As metal cools may crack the crucible. The other problem will be extracting the material. These crucibles are very fragile.
YES. That is why I am interested.
On YouTube search bismuth and magnets. There is a project where there are 2 magnets and 2 pieces of bismuth. The lower magnet floats between the hunks of bismuth suspended by the larger magnet. The lower magnet is in a state of levitation. VERY cool. So far, my version has such a small fine plane for the effect the lower magnet is not floating or stuck to the top magnet. The instructions suck. Frustrating.
A fresh set of eyes would be appreciated.
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