Vent: I was burning through crucibles for a year before a guy at the scrap yard told me my preheat was way too fast.

I was ramping up a 200 lb silicon bronze melt way too quick, like 500 degrees an hour, and it finally clicked when he said 'you're shocking the clay like a cold beer glass in hot water' and I haven't cracked one since. Anyone else have a simple tip that saved you a ton of money on consumables?

3 comments

3 Comments

val_taylor1d ago

My old neighbor used to kill every tomato plant by watering at noon in the full sun... he said it was fine because the water was warm. It's that same idea of ignoring how materials react to sudden change, just to save ten minutes. People get stuck on their routine even when the evidence is cracked and sitting in front of them.

felix47828d ago

Maybe that guy was just lucky with his method. Some people run their furnaces hot and fast for years without any problems. A slow preheat just wastes time and fuel if your crucible can handle the stress. Different clays and binders might not be as fragile as the ones he was using. The real issue could have been a bad batch of crucibles or uneven heating, not the ramp rate itself.

theabennett28d ago

Yeah but @felix478, I've seen too many crucibles crack from thermal shock to risk it. A slow ramp is cheap insurance, even if your clay mix seems tough. It just isn't worth the mess and danger.