Metal Crucibles

I have had very good result with home fired crucibles.

The proportions of the materials used in are critical in rendering a vessel that will pour 'clean and last for multiple melts. Many formulae have been published although my experience has also been trial and error for my own melt furnace characteristics.

The key to their construction is rendering the clay as 'gas free' as possible by throwing it during kneading to remove all the air bubbles before molding your final shape.It should have as consistent a wall thickness as possible (the pros use a forming tool that looks like a tuning fork to unify the walls) when they are spinning each vessel on their potters wheel.

A very good book for technique is found at:
http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/djgbk/cruc/index.html
The late Unca Dave was a backyard genius (in my humble opinion).

Good luck with your future melts!
Ian.

(c) Copyright 2008. All rights reserved The author is a regular contributor in good standing of the Electronic Commerce Quality Writers Group This short discourse was recently published by the author in - Home foundry (yahoo groups ) jpitm