Machining Copper from Algaecide
We love it when we find someone on the Internet who has the exact same problem we do and then solves it. [Hyperspace Pirate] starts a recent video by saying, …read more Continue reading Machining Copper from Algaecide
Category Archives: smelting
Industrial Solar Heat Hits 1000˚C
While electricity generation has been the star of the energy transition show, about half of the world’s energy consumption is to make heat. Many industrial processes rely on fossil fuels …read more Continue reading Industrial Solar Heat Hits 1000˚C
This Stainless Steel Knife Build Starts with Raw Iron Ore
Making knives at home has become a popular hobby, thanks partly to reality TV and the free time and idle hands afforded by lockdowns. Depending on how far you get …read more Continue reading This Stainless Steel Knife Build Starts with Raw Iron Ore
Mining and Refining: From Red Dirt to Aluminum
No matter how many syllables you use to say it, aluminum is one of the most useful industrial metals we have. Lightweight, strong, easily alloyed, highly conductive, and easy to …read more Continue reading Mining and Refining: From Red Dirt to Aluminum
DIY Furnace Smelts Magnetite Sand Into an Impressive Chef’s Knife
Some people order their raw materials from a factory, missing out on 99% of the fun… or suffering, we’re not sure which. To make that call, you need to look in on the process [IllyriaD] used to collect magnetite sand …read more
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Water And Molten Aluminium Is A Dangerous Combination
It is not uncommon for a Hackaday writer to trawl the comments section of a given article, looking for insights or to learn something new. Often, those with experience in various fields will share kernels of knowledge or raise questions on a particular topic. Recently, I happened to be glazing …read more
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How Can Heavy Metal Fly?
Scientists found a surprising amount of lead in a glacier. They were studying atmospheric pollution by sampling ice cores taken from Alpine glaciers. The surprising part is that they found more lead in strata from the late 13th century than they had in those deposited at the height of the …read more
From Dirt To Space, Backyard Iron Smelting Hackerspace Style
When I went to a hacker camp in the Netherlands in February I was expecting to spend a few days in a comfortable venue with a bunch of friends, drink some beer, see a chiptune gig, and say “Ooh!” a lot at the exciting projects people brought along. I did …read more
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A Different Use For Microwave Oven: Melting Aluminum
Microwave ovens are a treasure trove of useful parts: transformers, an HV capacitor, a piezo speaker, and a high torque motor, to name just a few. In a new twist, [Rulof Maker] strips all that out and uses just the metal case to make a furnace for melting aluminum, copper and bronze.
His heat source is a quartet of 110 volt, 450 watt quartz heating elements which he mounts inside in the back. To reduce heat loss, he lines the walls with ceramic fiber insulation. Unfortunately, that includes covering the inside of the window, so there’s no pressing your nose …read more
Continue reading A Different Use For Microwave Oven: Melting Aluminum