Today I MADE

[Bjay]

Started on the next one today. Looks like I managed another forge weld. Yeah I know I should finish the first one first but that’s how I roll.
Seem to have almost lost the outside two layers.? Maybe some sacrificial mild steel on the outside would help with this. Anyway I’m just winging it so if anyone knows feel free.
Only lost a little skin too which was a bonus.

 

[Bjay]

Polishing a sharp knife by hand is a bad idea. The old thumbs copped it today.

 

[dam it]

Now WHO IS BLEEDING

 

[sand surfer]

may be reach out to bazz Bjay he may be able to help with the billet and knife making

 

[cnoz]

Do your legs get very sweaty?

No more than the snake guards you can buy

 

[Bjay]

Almost finished the first knife. Second billet is starting to look good. Went with a twist to see how it’d go. Seems to have worked out ok. May cut it and re weld and see what happens, nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

[Bjay]

Just finished the first one.
Found that the oil from by hair makes a great wood polish.

 

[user 12139]

today I made some sense

 

[Manpa]

Very nice BJay, lucky you didn’t scalp yourself getting the oil on the handle!

 

[grubstake]

Very nice BJay, lucky you didn’t scalp yourself getting the oil on the handle!

The nurse said it'll be at least a week until the bandages come off!

 

[Bjay]

All good here no blood. Now I’m all growed up I remembered to tape the edge. I do think lanolin from a sheep may be safer.

 

[Manpa]

Can’t say I made them today, they took between 30 and 40 hours each over the last two months but I’m pretty pleased with them. Frame them in a couple of days and find somewhere to hang them.

 

[David-Karratha]

Just finished the first one.
Found that the oil from by hair makes a great wood polish.

Yup,
Pretty much any oil will work on wood. Ideally, something that won’t go off or rancid would be preferred. As to how often wood should be oiled? The old saying still holds very true:
Every day for a week.
Every week for a month.
Every month for a year.
Every year, for evermore.

 

[Mackka]

I remember my Dad buying me a new cricket bat and a can of Meggitt Linseed Oil and that was what he told me David and that it had to be rubbed in with the palm of your hand. Mackka

 

[sand surfer]

then get a old soft cricket ball and play the bat in mackka(tap tap tap)

 

[Mackka]

Absolutely SS.

 

[Moneybox]

Today I made a big mistake

I destroyed a lot of gold. We had a lot of nuggets that had a lump of quartz inside or attached so I tried to remove it.



I didn't photograph the gold first but I should have. I put all the little species and nuggets into Caustic Soda.



I added a bit of water so that the caustic was not trying to heat dry.



It didn't take long for the water to steam off and the brew turned to mud.



The molten caustic got to over 400°C.



After I drained the caustic off the gold was all glued together in the bottom. After it cooled enough I added water and boiled it again. It eventually came out in chunks so I added some hydrochloric acid to neutralize the caustic and it helped to break it up.



The result looked pretty good until I realized what I'd done.



This 48g nugget had a few little bits of quartz attached so it was in there.



That 48g piece ended up 34.8g. That's 13g on one piece. How much did I lose all up?

Caustic Soda is not supposed to dissolve gold, don't believe everything the experts tell you, it can get quite expensive when they get it wrong

 

[silver]

Almost 14g floating around in your rubbish heap somewhere somehow still then hey.... perhaps

 

[Bjay]

Well I won’t try that method. That sucks too loose that much. It still should be in the solution if it dissolved?

 

[Moneybox]

Well I won’t try that method. That sucks too loose that much. It still should be in the solution if it dissolved?

If I'd expected it I'd have saved the old caustic. I poured off the top into another container so I might have half but I haven't worked out what to do with it yet. The caustic can be used to extract the dissolved gold from Aqua Regia but that's not what I have to start with.