Water Casting - According to this Silver Bee

This is a long post...grab a cup of tea, coffee or whatever and relax.

Okay so I've been wearing my earrings made from pieces of silver that I've heated into a molten puddle and poured into a large pail of water and I can't believe the response. I've been asked over and over about how to do it. This is my best guess...maybe not the right word...my best...what the heck...my best guess!

However, first a little lecture on safety. When you are doing any sort of work with a torch wearing natural fibers and close toed shoes is strongly recommended for what I hope are obvious reasons. Next make sure that your hair is tied back, burnt hair is not a pretty smell or look. And while you are outfitting yourself throw in a pair of safety glasses…to actually use. A well ventilated area...oh like...the outdoors… is a must. A safe surface to set the crucible while you are melting the silver. A cookie sheet from the dollar store is not a safe surface! Unfortunately I learned that one the hard way. In the photos you will see I was using a cookie sheet but I've since mended my ways. I would suggest a fire brick or solderite pad. After all this...common sense...which you have to have if you've gotten this far with a torch...I hope. :-)

So you have your torch, it must be hotter than a butane micro torch. I use a propane torch with the largest tip I have. It's often referred to as a Shark torch because I use a disposable propane cylinder but the manufacturer calls it a Whale Torch and you can get a connection for use with a refillable propane tank. Consider your working space first before doing this.

You'll need a crucible with a handle. A little aside...I just found out that the crucibles are made from clay bonded fused silica...well I had been wondering! I use a 7 1/2 oz melting dish with a handle which looks like this...only bigger. Mine doesn't have a pouring lip but I'm sure it would be great if it did.

Next a large bucket of water...the taller the better. I fill it to the top with cold water.

Oh and I guess you'll be needing silver...preferably scrap. I never get upset when a project that I'm experimenting with goes awry because in my books it's just more for the scrap pile. I know not an especially thrifty viewpoint but I have to put a positive spin on my boo boos.

I also use Borax powder which is a component of most fluxes to sprinkle on the silver after it has melted.

One last little safety thing...please make sure that you have enough room to maneuver with the torch, brick, crucible and handle and large bucket of water.

Take a deep breath because we are about to start project "melt down".

Add a small amount of silver to the crucible. You can increase the amount in subsequent melting processes. The crucible will need to heat up before any melting can happen so be patient because the first time will take much longer that you think it should. Don't point the flame directly into the dish, as I found out, you'll starve it of oxygen and poof it's out.

By the way you can click on the thumbnail images and see a larger one...I just discovered this...yes I'm embarrassed.

Keep heating until the silver becomes a round rolling angry ball of bright silver, move the direct flame off the silver for a moment and add some borax powder. Focus the flame again on the silver and when it is molten use a carbon stirring rod or clean solder pick to stir it in. Technically I understand the use of the Borax but I just can't quite think my way entirely through this particular process but that's what I read to do...so I do it! So now you have that round rolling angry ball of silver again. Keep the flame concentrated on it while you move the crucible over the bucket of water. You want to keep the silver molten when you pour. Keeping the flame concentrated on the silver, pour it into the bucket. Voila you have created your first water castings! Congratulations.

Now you can collect your little treasures from the bottom of the bucket. You'll be excited to get at them so remember not to put your arm with the watch into the water or forget how deep the bucket is and have your sleeves go into the water...with the watch. No...not a good idea.

Sort through the pieces and put the rejects back into the crucible...remember it's hot...and add some more silver and you are good to go again. Because the crucible is hot you'll find the melting process with the silver much faster this time.

You will notice that a there appears to be two liquids in the crucible and there are. One of course is the silver and the other is the copper that has separated from what was an alloy. When you pour I've noticed the copper won't interfere and stays behind and coats the crucible. I'm sure that there is a very technical explanation to explain all this but the one I'm going with is...copper comes to the surface of sterling silver when you heat it creating oxidation. I'm guessing that prolonged exposure to the heat brings the most of the copper to the surface.

A few others observations about water casting:

1. If you don't keep the torch concentrated on the silver when pouring you will end up with a big ugly, in my opinion, lump of silver.
2. If you hold the crucible very close to the surface of the water and pour quickly you are more likely to get the 'splats' and the 'water bubbles'. This is what I'm looking for...anything else goes back into the melting pot.
3. If you hold the crucible a bit above the water you will most likely see long needle like pieces of silver. Attractive and useful for some designs...but not mine.
4. The ambient temperature makes a difference as well...so a warm day brings different results than a cold day.
5. Some people have suggested using Ice cubes in the water...maybe I did not add enough but all it did for me was to make for very cold water when retrieving the silver.

All of these photos are in the photo album but I thought that it would be nice to have a visual as you were reading.

One last note...I can't guarantee the results and these instructions are derived from my own experience with water casting not a formal source. Have fun with it and bee safe! :-)

I'd love to hear your questions or hear about your experience with the process, so post a comment or email me...with photos would be great, but not necessary. I'll do collective post of the results!

Comments

[Chrystal]

Wonderful tutorial! Love the detail and tips from recent personal experience and the photos of course. Can't wait for your next tutorial!

[Judy Mackenzie]

I love it Brendalee. This is a great site. What is it your were going to tell me. You were so wired on Saturday I didn't get a sense of what you were going to tell me.