Homemade crucible for melting scrap metal

Ben -

Need a crucible to melt your scrap metal? You can make one of your own using a few simple tools and materials. Here’s how to do it.

What You'll Need:

  • 1 gallon of sand
  • Heat-resistant cement
  • 1 bag of charcoal
  • 4 bricks- Ceramic plant pot
  • 5-gallon metal bucket
  • Iron muffin mold
  • Metal fireplace tongs
  • Shovel
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Work gloves

Directions

1. Mix cement according to package directions. Avoid pouring the cement too quickly, as this can cause toxic dust to rise up. Mix your cement until you get a paste-like consistency. If the mixture is too thick, dilute it with water.

Place the plant pot and metal bucket into the cement mix. Roll them around, coating them inside and out. Set the bucket and plant post aside on a metal or wooden surface to dry.

Pour the remaining cement mixture on the ground where you want to make the crucible. Use your shovel to smooth the cement, then place a few bricks in a small enough square to sit inside the 5-gallon bucket. Let the containers and cement base harden for at least 24 hours. The cement should be kept as dry and warm as possible.

Put the large container on top of the brick and cement base. Add a gallon of sand. Place the small container in the center of the sand and set the charcoal around it. Avoid placing charcoal pieces on top of or underneath the small container; doing so can reduce the purity of your melted metal or cause it to spill as charcoal burns.

Light the charcoal. Keep an eye on the crucible. The metal should melt in 15 minutes to one hour. When the metal is molten, remove the small container using your tongs. Pour the molten metal into the muffin mold.

Follow the above steps, and in no time you’ll have your own crucible for melting down your broken jewelry, outdated silverware, and scrap metal. Good luck!

Have you made your own crucibles before? Let us know how you did it in the comments.