Electric Kiln for Metal Melting
Contents
Advantages
- Low cost - essentially the cost of a $10 kiln heating element, and balance for refractory material and steel for case and legs.
Howto
- Connect 2 heating elements by threading around a threaded rod - 3:30
- 1.5 meters long works for 250V - 3:40
- Resistance in his case - 33 Ohm when cold - 3:45
- Fire Bricks - 5:20. Note CEBs work well as fire bricks per results from Hydronic Stove, and results would probably improve if we used perlite. This would be a good product.
BOM
- Kiln Heating Element - $10 - [1]
- Clay graphite crucible - 10kg for $40 - [2]
- Make your own graphite crucibles - flake graphite - 25 cents/lb for ton quantities. Or 16 lb (1 gal) for $45 [3]
- Silicon carbide - $1.75/lb - [4]
DIY Clay Graphite Crucibles
- Open Source Metallurgy Crucible
- Article - flake graphite + silicon carbide + high fire clay - [5]
Limits
- Nichrome wire melts at 1400C
- Kanthal wire melts at 1500C - good for steel melting? [6]
- 20kW, 150lb aluminum furnace - [7]
- 2350F for this one - [8]