Melting steel

N

Natlek

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Jun 9, 2015
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I have a chance / friend of me / to melt some steel .I have a lot of pieces of different steel which I can melt in one NEW steel .I do not care what will turn out in the end .What I want to know is WHAT would happen with CARBON in that to call new steel ? Will be carbon be still there or it will disappear?
 
If you can melt it in an oxygen free environment, your carbon will be preserved. If you melt it in an oxygen rich environment, the steel will burn, not melt.
 
He have manu different size crucible and they all have a lid ? I do not know if that's enough ?
 
I think you need some sort of molten flux. Not sure what most guys use. I also think it destroys the crucible. I am sure someone here has made wootz or similar. THere are videos online, I just can't remember the flux. I think they may use glass.
 
By what method will it be melted? With what equipment? Under what atmosphere? How experienced is your "friend" at performing the melts?
 
Larrin said:
By what method will it be melted? With what equipment? Under what atmosphere? How experienced is your "friend" at performing the melts?
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He has electric furnace for melting steel .About his expirience ... he melt iron , bronze , Al...... to mold some decorative elements , most for fences and portal/door ....
 
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Has he attempted to produce steel to a specific composition before?
 
Natlek said:
He has electric furnace for melting steel .About his expirience ... he melt iron , bronze , Al...... to mold some decorative elements , most for fences and portal/door ....
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Cast iron has a much lower melting temp the steel. If he casts iron, bronze and aluminium I bet he is not set up to melt steel. You are talking over 2500° to melt steel, depending on the aloy. And a lid will not prevent the steel from burning.
 
Rick Furrer, of Door County Forgeworks, has crucible(wootz)steel classes. It is entirely possible. I doubt it produces superior steel(he doesn't claim it, either) but it sure is cool. Rick, is a friendly guy and I'm sure he'd give you some pointers if you contacted him.
 
JT is correct in that conventional melting furnaces often do not reach temperatures necessary for steel. If the "iron" that was previously melted is cast iron that would potentially be cause for concern.
 
Sorry guys , I use wrong word ...for mild steel here we use word iron . So , I m sure that he can melt mild steel . ....
 
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