Whats needed for casting copper ingots?

Metal dealers in my county won't take copper wire here due to thievery.
I was cleaning out my garage and found a large box of wire remnants of assorted lengths and gauges too small to be of any practical use (6"-3') so I stripped off the insulation and am wondering if I can cast it into ingots to trade in for lead. I have a nearly full coffee can of the stuff.


I've never tried casting copper, so what do I need to know about it?
What I have is an old Coleman 2 burner propane stove and cast iron saucepan and an aluminum "muffin pan" that does the job with lead, but with copper?
I thought I'd ask the wise folks here if this is even possible.

Your not gonna be able to melt copper with that setup.
Pure copper melts just shy of 2000F
Your muffin tin will be soft if not melted around that same temp.

Copper: Melting point 1084.62°C, or 1984.32°F
Not getting there w/ a LEE pot or a open Propane burner...

I doubt if it will be cost effective without getting real serious about the set up and doing a huge volume.

Otherwise, you'd see more people doing it.
Also, if it can't be tested out to be 100% pure Copper, I doubt the yards would give any sort of decent price for it.

Here, the yards break it down to #1 or #2 Copper.
If you have a 20' long Copper tube with even one soldered joint/fitting on the end-- it's #2,
and they only pay a bare fraction of what #1 or pure Copper brings.

Of course they cut the fitting off and sell the 19' and 11"s to the foundry as #1.
But they won't buy it as #1 unless you cut it off.

Vevor (I think) sells a little foundry type melting unit. I saw it in a youtube video where the guy used it to melt lead. Way overkill for lead, but it would work for copper.

However it would cost more than the small amount of copper you have to melt.

I think the best thing to do is put your coffee can of copper back in the garage and wait until you can sell it as is.

Robert

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Originally Posted by Winger Ed.

I doubt if it will be cost effective without getting real serious about the set up and doing a huge volume.

Otherwise, you'd see more people doing it.
Also, if it can't be tested out to be 100% pure Copper, I doubt the yards would give any sort of decent price for it.

Here, the yards break it down to #1 or #2 Copper.
If you have a 20' long Copper tube with even one soldered joint/fitting on the end-- it's #2,
and they only pay a bare fraction of what #1 or pure Copper brings.

Of course they cut the fitting off and sell the 19' and 11"s to the foundry as #1.
But they won't buy it as #1 unless you cut it off.

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That's why I take the time to cut off the fittings, and any ends that have solder on them

I like playing around so I bought a small furnace to melt stuff like copper, brass, aluminum, zinc, etc. It runs off a propane tank but is well insulated and has a crucible to hold the melt. It is a bit finicky to run but melts brass even alloys that are almost pure copper, I have not tried pure copper. My scrap yard takes copper, but they record your driver's license and send you a check in the mail no cash. The place is funny, they have from time to time paid me #2 copper for bullet jackets other times just brass price.
The furnace was just a bit over $100, I put an extended chimney on it to make it run better and hotter. If I am not careful it will burn zinc to ash. Don't need a furnace for zinc, just use a lead put on full bore.

Tim

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Originally Posted by Juan Jose

Metal dealers in my county won't take copper wire here due to thievery.
I was cleaning out my garage and found a large box of wire remnants of assorted lengths and gauges too small to be of any practical use (6"-3') so I stripped off the insulation and am wondering if I can cast it into ingots to trade in for lead. I have a nearly full coffee can of the stuff.


I've never tried casting copper, so what do I need to know about it?
What I have is an old Coleman 2 burner propane stove and cast iron saucepan and an aluminum "muffin pan" that does the job with lead, but with copper?
I thought I'd ask the wise folks here if this is even possible.

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Son would take brass and copper and melt it in a furnace to pour in a lost wax art projects.. You could ask at an art studio or collage art program if they would care to buy ? Or just donate it to collage are program and write if off on your taxes as a donation ??

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Originally Posted by dtknowles

. Don't need a furnace for zinc, just use a lead put on full bore.

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Hang onto it. As Lead dries up, more and more guys are casting Zinc Boolits from the new generation wheel weights.
It's the future of casting. I've even found a couple in the berm at our range.
They weigh about 60% what Lead does from the same mold, but you can push them to up around jacketed speeds.

Thanks guys!
I'll put my coffee can back in the garage.