How To Melt Down Aluminum

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Melting aluminum cans yields pure aluminum that you can use for other projects. One time yous have pure aluminum, you can mold information technology into fun or useful shapes. Aluminum has a depression melting point, so you lot can easily melt it using a propane torch or a DIY foundry. Make certain that you piece of work outside and article of clothing proper safety equipment, such as heavy leather or Kevlar gloves, leather boots with reinforced toes, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants.

1
Crush the aluminum cans. Crushed, compacted cans melt faster. The more you compactly yous trounce the cans, the more easily they will melt.^[1]
- No matter whether or non you lot make clean the cans, there will be a layer of impurities like paint on top of the melted aluminum, chosen dross. This tin can be scraped off and disposed of.
Warning: Brand sure y'all melt the aluminum exterior. Melting aluminum can crusade fumes and fires, so information technology'due south of import to be in a well-ventilated, optimally outdoor space.
2
Fill a big glass basin with sand. The sand will insulate the bowl and the footing from the oestrus of the torch. It will also proceed the melting chamber in place.^[two]
- If you can find i, a steel bucket is even ameliorate for melting aluminum.
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three
Place a smaller steel loving cup in the eye of the sand-filled basin. The steel cup needs to be at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter to melt cans. Push the cup deep enough into the sand so that information technology is stable, merely the edge of the cup is still visible over the peak of the sand.^[3]
- Discover a cup that is plain steel without any coating or paint. These materials can catch on fire from the heat of the propane torch.
- Alternatively, you tin can place a steel cup, pot, or pan directly onto a nonflammable surface similar a cinder block.
4
Put one aluminum tin in the loving cup and heat it with the blowtorch. The offset slice of metal will accept the longest to melt. One time the get-go tin has completely melted, you can add more cans.^[4]
- Always take a bucket of cold water handy to put out any fires, if necessary.
5
Pour the aluminum into steel muffin tins. In one case the aluminum is melted down, pour it into a muffin tin to harden into ingots. Any impurities will stick to the steel loving cup and you will be left with pure aluminum ingots. Once the metal cools downward, you can remove information technology from the muffin tin and store it.^[5]
- You tin also pour the melted aluminum into a steel mold, if you have one handy.
- Never handle any materials that are all the same hot.

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1
Environs a pipe with perlite and cement within a 6 gallon (23 L) steel pail. Use a 8 in (xx cm) pipage cut down to about the same meridian as the saucepan and a 60% perlite, forty% Portland cement mix. Fill the bottom 3 inches (7.6 cm) of the bucket without the pipe within. So, in one case the mixture dries, place the piping on elevation and fill the rest of the bucket effectually the exterior of the pipage with the same mixture. This will be the mold for the melting chamber.^[6]
- It's important to use steel to make a homemade foundry because it won't melt in the extreme temperatures you'll employ.
- Perlite can be found at gardening centers for a cheaper price than at hardware stores.
- The perlite and cement will accept anywhere from ii-seven days to dry out, depending on the climate.
- Alternatively, y'all can utilise sand and plaster of Paris to surround the pipe, which will harden in around 1 hour.
2
Create a lid for the foundry. Cascade the aforementioned mixture of perlite and Portland cement (or plaster of Paris) onto the lid of the bucket. To create handles, stand upwards two 4 in (10 cm) U-bolts in the mixture, placing the ends with the basics down in the mix. Look until the mixture has dried, and so slide information technology out of the chapeau. Drill pigsty in the top of the lid using an electric drill and a 3 in (7.6 cm) pigsty cutting saw.^[7]
- If your bucket didn't come with a lid, employ a second bucket to create the lid. Fill it to around 2 inches (v.1 cm) with the mixture.
3
Remove the inner pipage and drill a hole in the foundry for air supply. Remove the pipage from the foundry. Y'all may need to employ a pair of pliers. Then, drill a hole 1 3/eight inch (3.5 cm) in diameter about iii inches (7.6 cm) from the top of the saucepan. Employ a 1 3/8 inch (iii.v cm) pigsty saw connected to an electrical drill to cut a hole into the bucket. Once you take cutting through the bucket, position the blade at a 30-degree angle and drill.^[8]
- Look for a drill that is specifically made for cut through metal.
4
Adhere 12 inches (30 cm) of steel tubing to a PVC pipe. Screw a one inch (2.5 cm) PVC coupling onto some i inch (2.5 cm) steel tubing. So, slide a ane inch (2.5 cm)-wide PVC pipage into the smooth end of the coupling. Slide the metal end of the pipe into the foundry.^[9]
- The tubing should slide easily into the hole. If it doesn't, either drill a slightly wider hole or find a slightly narrower piece of tubing.
- The PVC pipe will attach to the source of air that volition go on your foundry hot.
5
Place a steel crucible into the foundry with charcoal. A plain steel cup around iii inches (vii.6 cm) in diameter works all-time as the crucible, or melting sleeping room, for aluminum cans. Utilize a plain, unpainted steel cup. Pigment or decoration might catch on fire. Fill the foundry with charcoal briquets. Charcoal that you would use for grilling works perfectly fine. Fill the foundry around the crucible.^[10]
- You can also make your own crucible out of something like an old fire extinguisher. Make certain whatsoever you use is fabricated of steel, which is sturdy enough to withstand the loftier temperatures needed for melting aluminum.
- Place a few charcoal briquets underneath the melting bedchamber to surroundings information technology with the nearly heat and cook cans more effectively.
- Ever use your foundry in a well-ventilated area, preferably outside.
6
Attach a hair dryer to the PVC air piping using duct tape. The hair dryer volition direct air into the foundry and get the flames hot enough to melt aluminum. Support the hairdryer past placing information technology on elevation of something stable to reduce strain on the walls of the foundry.^[11]
- Alternatively, you tin can duct tape the hair dryer to a PVC pipe coupling, which you lot can slide onto the PVC pipe. This will brand it easier to remove the pilus dryer.
vii
Lite the charcoal briquets and turn on the pilus dryer. Use a propane torch to apace and evenly lite the charcoal, or your ain preferred method of lighting charcoal, if you accept one. Turn the hairdryer on low to straight a steady stream of air to the charcoal and get it hot.^[12]
- Employ the foundry's embrace to keep heat within and warm up the coals even faster.
8
Use steel tongs to place cans into the crucible when it'due south glowing orange. Later around x minutes, the entire inside of the foundry will start to glow orange. At this point, y'all tin use steel tongs to remove the lid and identify a single aluminum can into the crucible.^[13]
- Once the first can has melted completely you lot can start to add more cans.
- Add more cans until the crucible is full of liquid aluminum.
nine
Remove the full crucible using steel tongs. Make certain you can get a secure grip using your tongs. You may want to test out removing the crucible using tongs before heating up the foundry to make certain you volition be able to become a skillful grip without spilling whatever aluminum.^[xiv]
- This is the most dangerous function of the process. Make sure you lot are wearing heavy leather or Kevlar gloves, leather boots with reinforced toes, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants.
x
Cascade the aluminum into a steel mold. Employ muffin tins to create small bricks of pure aluminum. Or, use a steel block pan or a steel mold in a fun shape to create a molded design out of aluminum.^[15]
- Thrift stores oft have steel cake molds available for less than a dollar.
- Any dross, or impurities in the aluminum, will stick to the crucible and won't cascade out. Information technology will too deed as a strainer and hold dorsum more than dross, so you will be left with pure aluminum ingots.
eleven
Place hardened aluminum into a bucket of common cold water using steel tongs. Once the aluminum has hardened, it is still much too hot to touch with your bare hands. To cool it down faster, use steel tongs to place the aluminum into a bucket of cold h2o. After about x seconds, the aluminum will still be hot, merely safety to touch with your bare easily.^[16]
- The aluminum will crusade the water to eddy almost immediately. You will have to use fresh water for each brick.

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Always wear proper safety gear to melt aluminum. Wear heavy leather or Kevlar gloves, leather boots with reinforced toes, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants.

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Aluminum tin can give off toxic gasses, especially if it is impure. Piece of work in a well-ventilated space, or preferably outside, and consider wearing a respirator.

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