Making bronze in Valheim using a forge and smelter

Valheim has historical periods of sorts. You will start playing in the Stone Age, with only a stone ax and simple rag clothes. The next step will be the production of bronze weapons and armor. Next will be iron and elite materials. But today we will talk about the second period. You will learn:

• where and how to get resources to create bronze;
• how to build a smelter for crafting ingots;
• what is needed to create a forge that will turn ingots into bronze;
• What can bronze be used for?

Let us immediately warn you that creating bronze is fraught with danger to the life of the main character, so be sure to store all valuable resources in chests, and also acquire the best armor and weapons available at the beginning of the game.

Technology for the production of bronze products

This model can be wax, metal, plaster, wood, plasticine or made from other materials.

A gating system for supplying molten metal is attached to it - the supply channels will then be removed, so they should not spoil the product at the points of their connection with the figurine.

This creates a working matrix with sprues for casting a wax copy of the future bronze product.

When they order a bronze sculpture from us, everything happens according to the same scheme.

Silicone based material mold

The mold is cut in a special way so that you can get a high-quality wax

Main stages

To obtain high-quality cast products, strict adherence to the technological sequence is required. The casting process is as follows:

1. Making a model or copy according to a sketch or drawing. Materials for the model are easily melting at low temperatures: stearin, paraffin, wax and others. The ability to completely fill the volume of internal space in a mold has made these materials widely used.
2. The gating system is attached to the model by gluing, soldering or mechanical fastening. Thus, feeders, channels, vents and other elements are formed.
3. The production of injection molds is made from a refractory mixture. The main composition of the mixtures is fireclay or alumina clay and quartz sand.
4. The mold is released from the model composition by heating with steam or immersion in heated water.
5. Typically, bronze casting is carried out by free pouring using centrifugal machines, excess or insufficient pressure (vacuum).
6. Cooling is done in air or using a thermostat.
7. After cooling, the model form collapses. The gating system is cut off. The workpiece is sent for cleaning using washing or chemical compounds.

Next, the straightened wax is fed into the silicone mold under pressure.

It evenly fills all cavities, forming a wax - a wax copy of the bronze product being developed.

After the wax has cooled, it is checked for defects - the presence of a waxy flash, bubbles: first the flash is removed,

then the wax copy is transilluminated, and if there are no bubbles, it is polished.

It takes 12-15 minutes to produce one wax, so you can get up to 4-5 copies from a silicone matrix in an hour.

This is what a waxer's workplace looks like. The photo shows rubber molds and waxes

Stencils of various products

How to determine the value of bronze scrap metal

Price for scrap bronze and its components

Scrap bronze is a widely sought after material for recycling. It is taken continuously, and its cost depends on the following factors:

• Quality and content of the alloy;

• Cleanliness of the product (no debris, mechanical damage, etc.);

• Type of scrap metal (pieces, shavings);

• Batch size.

Tin bronze has the highest cost, since tin is an expensive non-ferrous metal, and alloys containing it are also highly valued.

Cleanliness as a pricing factor

In order for your scrap to be valued as highly as possible at the collection point, it must be cleaned. Remove all debris from the products, get rid of non-metallic elements, if any. You should also divide scrap metal into groups according to size or other parameters, for example, lumps from shavings. This way you will increase the quality of scrap metal, and, consequently, its value.

Such clean products will be highly appreciated at the collection point

Effect of composition on cost

In order to determine the cost of bronze, you need to know its composition, since it is an alloy. Alloys containing different metals have different prices. The cost of the same product, but made from different alloys, will not be the same.

For example, scrap wire made from aluminum bronze will be cheaper than scrap wire made from tin. You can find out the type of alloy by markings or using a special analyzer at the receiving point.

The influence of the type of bronze scrap metal on the price of reception

Bronze scrap is:

• lump;

• scrap mix;

• shavings;

• products (casting).

Lump scrap is the most expensive, while bronze shavings are considered the cheapest. Works of art and decorative elements made of bronze are often sold as bronze scrap metal. Their cost is usually determined based on the composition of the product and the time of its manufacture.

Dependence of price on batch size

The larger the batch of bronze scrap metal you hand over, the more you can get for it. Many collection points increase the cost of metal per 1 kg if the batch is large enough. It is also recommended to hand over all available scrap at one time, without dividing it into smaller lots and without stretching the handing over process over several days. This way you will get more profit.

Average prices of bronze scrap

A kind of Christmas tree is formed from ready-made wax copies.

To do this, several workpieces are attached to one axis - in the form of a bunch at 45° to the base.

After completing this stage, you get a Christmas tree consisting of many waxes.

The more bronze items you need to order, the more trees will be prepared for the next stage.

Waxes with gating system

Rules for accepting bronze scrap metal

Admission Process

After the end of its service life, any bronze part needs to be recycled . Reception of bronze scrap metal at collection points usually occurs as follows:

1. Conclusion of an agreement. An agreement for the delivery of scrap metal is concluded between the collection point and the seller. A citizen handing over scrap for recycling indicates in the contract his passport data, scrap metal parameters, date and signature;

2. Inspection and evaluation of scrap metal. After drawing up the contract, acceptance employees inspect the scrap metal, evaluate its quality, weigh it, and also determine the content of various metals in it using special electronic analyzers;

3. Payment of funds. After inspection based on the parameters of the scrap, as well as taking into account its weight and the cost of metal per 1 kg, the depositor is paid a monetary reward and given a receipt.

Such disused products are perfect for handing over to a collection point.

Documents for delivery

When handing over bronze for processing to a special collection point, you must have your passport with you, as well as property documents, if you are handing over large items or large quantities.

Reception point services

Various metal receptacles, in addition to preparing the accompanying documentation, provide their clients with a variety of services in the form of removal of scrap metal from the territory of the seller and dismantling. If you are handing over a large batch of bronze scrap metal, then these services can be provided free of charge.

The penultimate stage is product processing

All sprue attachment points are polished by hand, after they are removed with drills.

On special machines, bronze figures are processed with brass brushes - their soft bristles remove the last of the scale.

Then polishing occurs with textile wheels using polishing pastes and special impregnations.

The craftsman grinds down the remains of the sprues with a drill and polishes the places where they are attached to the figurine

Products before blackening and polishing

Polished bronze products, if necessary, undergo a blackening procedure (antique aging)

If you need to order an antique bronze sculpture, this step is required.

After the bronze figurines have been treated with acid compounds, they look like real antiques.

At the end, final polishing and tinting with a cloth is carried out - the product finally acquires a marketable appearance.

Only after this does it fall into the hands of the buyer.

Source

How is bronze formed?

Copper is produced from copper ore through a process known as smelting. This is heating the ore to a very high temperature and removing impurities. At this time, other alloy components can also be added to the molten copper, where they melt and combine with the molten copper. Nowadays this is done with extreme precision to ensure the consistency of the bronze. Because even small changes in the alloy "recipe" can result in very different physical, castability and aesthetic qualities.

Melting point of bronze and how to melt and cast at home

Bronze is a copper-based alloy that does not contain nickel and zinc as the main alloying components. Characterized by a relatively high melting point, the metal becomes liquid in the range from +940°C to +1300°C. The most refractory is tin-phosphorus. Bronze alloys are used to produce long products, sheets and pipes, engine parts, elements of transmission devices, liners for shut-off valves, fittings, taps, souvenirs, instrument parts and much more. You can make casting at home. Bronze is smelted in muffle furnaces or furnaces. At the melting temperature, bronze becomes thick and does not flow well into the mold; you need to know some tricks in order to do casting yourself.

General characteristics of the metal

Bronze is an alloy that may contain tin, copper and other components. Foreign impurities include zinc, aluminum, beryllium, lead, nickel or silicon. If we talk about composition, bronze can be divided into two groups:

1. Tin alloys. The material may consist of two or several components. Tin is the second most abundant component of the alloy.
2. Tin-free alloys. The composition may include aluminum, lead, silicon, lead or beryllium. These components change the characteristics of the alloy.

The characteristics of the bronze alloy include:

1. Density. This indicator depends on the tin content in the composition. Average number 9.1 kg/cu.m. cm.
2. The temperature at which metal melts. Varies depending on the components of the composition. Range 880–1060 degrees Celsius.
3. Heat capacity - 0.385 kJ / (kg*K).
4. Electrical conductivity - 0.176 μOhm*m.

If you want to change any of the characteristics of the alloy, a certain amount of foreign impurities is added to its composition.

Main characteristics of bronze alloys

The color of the bronze alloy depends on the quantitative composition of alloying elements. They influence the physical properties: ductility, wear resistance, melting point of bronze. The alloying components are metals (tin, aluminum, beryllium, lead, manganese) and non-metals (phosphorus, silicon). You can melt any bronze alloy at home. Knowing the markings of the scrap, it is easy to determine the exact melting point of bronze. But usually the composition of bronze pieces prepared for melting varies. Then the appearance of the metal is assessed.

Bronze alloys are classified into two categories:

For industrial casting, tin bronze with a low melting point, up to +1000°C is used.

Unlike brass, bronze is more viscous at its melting point. When filling forms of complex configurations in production shops, centrifuges are used. The alloy, heated above the melting point by 5°, is given additional acceleration so that it spreads evenly. When making handicraft castings, it is advisable to take into account the viscosity of the bronze alloy at the melting point so that there is no defect on the surface. Foundry workers consider low shrinkage during cooling to be an advantage of non-ferrous metal. It is possible to obtain castings that do not require lengthy finishing to the specified geometric dimensions. High-quality shaped castings are made from bronze alloys.

Casting molds

There are two types of casting molds: disposable and reusable. It all depends on the material from which they are made. If a clay-sand mixture is used for manufacturing, then to maintain its shape, metal flasks are required to prevent the destruction of the mixture.

Reusable molds are made of steel with a horizontal or vertical parting line. To increase the casting ability of a copper alloy, lubricants are used to prevent the occurrence of welds, burns and other defects.

Is it possible to melt and cast bronze at home?

It is impossible to recreate industrial technology using a homemade method. The metal is overheated to improve fluidity. At a temperature above the melting point, a certain time interval is maintained, only after this the melt is poured into molds. Technologists calculate the temperature regime for each alloy.

You can independently produce simple small parts that require serious fine-tuning to precise dimensions. How bronze is melted at home is worth telling in detail. This requires special conditions and tools. Scrap bronze does not melt in a tin; it requires a fireproof crucible or old black cast iron utensils. The melt is poured into homemade molds. Larger castings are made on the ground or on a concrete floor.

For scrap, alloys of similar color are selected; bronze is difficult to crush; metal scissors are required. The crucible is heated to the melting temperature of the scrap in a forge by throwing in coal, or in an electric muffle furnace. The hot container with the melt is clamped with special tongs with a long handle to minimize the risk of burns.

Bronze scrap collection points

Where to take it

As mentioned above, bronze is a unique alloy that has many properties that are in demand in all industries. Because of this, the annual consumption of metal is growing, and the importance of its processing and recycling is becoming increasingly important.

Recycled non-ferrous metals allow metallurgical enterprises to save on ore mining , which is why they are primarily interested in accepting bronze scrap, when for the population this can be an excellent way to make a profit by getting rid of unnecessary trash.

As a rule, scrap bronze is accepted by metallurgical plants, various companies and environmental companies that organize special collection points. In order to properly store, accept and transport bronze scrap metal, they have special equipment, prepared territory, employees with professional knowledge and experience, as well as an appropriate license for such activities.

Often, private traders or fly-by-night companies do the buying. Buying non-ferrous metal from a garage, they then sell it at a higher price to a larger organization. You should not use the services of such buyers, because... They usually accept scrap at a reduced price and are not licensed.

It’s better not to sell metal to buyers in a garage

It is necessary to hand over bronze scrap only to official collection points.

How to choose a collection point

You should choose a collection point for handing over your scrap metal wisely. First you need to study all the metal collection centers that are available in your city.

To view collection points in your city, use the “Select recyclables and city” button located on the right. You will be able to familiarize yourself with prices, addresses and telephone numbers, and based on this, choose the acceptance that suits you best. It should be noted that preference should be given to those reception points that are closest to your place of residence.

Casting process

Bronze casting begins with preparing the workplace. Install a stand under the flask and a crucible. It is made of fire-resistant material. You can pour a layer of sand into a tray or use a metal plate.

Before loading the crushed scrap into the furnace, it is necessary to prepare the flask. It is heated well and kept for at least 2 hours at +600°C. The refractory crucible at this temperature begins to emit a yellowish glow. While the heated mold is cooling, begin melting the crushed scrap.

The melting pot is filled to 1/3 of its volume. Place the pieces of scrap in a hot oven and leave until completely melted. The crucible or other melting vessel is set to heat when the temperature in the furnace is close to or has reached the melting point of bronze. Tin bronzes become liquid up to 1000°C; tin-free bronzes have to be heated longer and have a higher melting point.

When all the bronze has melted, it is left in the oven for 3-5 minutes so that the melt warms up well and becomes less viscous. Then the melting pot is removed with tongs or a special hook. The melt is ready. It's time to start making the casting.

Pouring bronze into a mold

The molten metal is poured into the hole of the mold in a thin stream; the bronze should evenly fill all the voids. It compacts under its own weight. To ensure that the hot form is filled well, it is placed on a rotating stand with a manual or electric drive. This trick is necessary to obtain high-quality casting. If you pour bronze calmly, the corners of the casting will be rounded. Spin the mold with the hot melt during filling. Once the bronze sets, the casting shape cannot be changed. In factory conditions, technological centrifuges are used. At home, craftsmen make similar industrial installations based on used washing machines.

It is necessary to impart movement to the alloy when making small complex castings. The bronze melt will not have enough of its own weight to fill all the voids. It will harden unevenly, and cavities and folds will appear on the surface of the casting.

How to make a casting mold

Independent production of a casting mold begins with the selection of a body into which the future casting will fit freely and half of the space will remain free. This can be a tin can or a specially made container. Traditionally, the size of the flask is 1.3–1.5 times greater than the dimensions of the casting. This ratio is necessary so that the sand-clay mixture forms an even layer on all sides of the part. The filling for the flask is made from materials that can retain heat. The cast workpiece will only be of high quality if it cools gradually.

The form is made of two parts:

For packing, make a mixture of sand and clay in a 3:1 ratio. To accumulate heat, 1/5 of the coal chips is added to the clay; it is better to use hard coal, it has a higher heat capacity. A homogeneous mass is placed in both parts of the flask. The mixture should not be compacted too much so that the clay does not cake and remains loose while heating in the oven. Before placing the part in the prepared bottom box, it is thickly coated with talcum powder or graphite powder. Then a hole is made to pour bronze, heated to the melting point.

The finished form must be dried before use.

The product is removed from the mold only after cooling. The mold is carefully disassembled, then the casting is removed.

Technology for obtaining higher quality castings

It is difficult to obtain castings of the required geometry using a homemade method. You need to be prepared for the fact that the casting will have to be polished, ground, and brought to the required dimensions for a long time. The process of melting bronze at home is associated with a number of limitations. Nuances that it is advisable to take into account when making bronze castings yourself:

Paraffin molds are made on the basis of plaster casts made from the future part. In this case, the accuracy of casting production increases. Gypsum flasks are convenient for small castings; they can be made one-piece. True, the process of their manufacture is more complicated: first, a mold for a paraffin model is divided, and then it is filled with molding plaster. It is convenient to place such structures in a centrifuge.

When starting to melt bronze scrap at home, you should take into account the composition of the alloy. It depends on the chemical composition of bronze. The viscous molten bronze slowly fills the flask. To avoid voids, the filled form is spun in a centrifuge. Under the influence of centrifugal force, metal heated to the melting point is distributed evenly. The casting is of high quality.

Source

Marking of bronze alloys

How to decipher the brand of bronze

Marking any alloy allows you to accurately determine the level of content of a particular metal. This is necessary both for the production of new products and for those who sell scrap metal to know what alloy is at your disposal and how much profit you can make from it.

For tin bronzes, markings with the initial letters BrO are used, where Br is bronze, O is tin. The next letter indicates an additional component that gives the alloy special characteristics. For example, the BrOF marking indicates that phosphorus has been added to the composition of tin bronze, and zinc is present in BrOTs bronze.

The following designations are used to mark tin-free bronzes:

BrAZH – copper, aluminum + iron (aluminum);

BrKMts – copper, silicon + manganese (silicon);

BrB2 – copper, beryllium (beryllium);

BrS – copper, lead (lead);

BrKh1 – copper, chromium.

Common brands

BrOF10-1. Used for the manufacture of bearings, bushings, gears.

BrOF4-0.25. Used in instrument making for the manufacture of springs and tubes.

BrOTsS5-5-5. Used in mechanical engineering for the manufacture of valve bushings and antifriction parts.

BrOTsSN3-7-5-1. Used in shipbuilding.

BrA7. Production of parts where various springs are used.

BrAZH9-4, BrAZHN10-4-4. Used for the manufacture of parts for car engines.

BrAZhMts10-3. Used in mechanical engineering for the manufacture of bearings, bushings, gears.

BrAmts9-2. Shipbuilding details.

Metals in bronze alloy and their qualities

Modern technologies have made it possible to use a large number of different additives to improve the performance properties of alloys. Now alloys with the addition of zinc are widely used. This metal looks great in various cast decorative elements and is perfectly polished and polished.

The addition of phosphorus to the alloy provides bronze with elasticity and fluidity. This metal has increased strength and hardness, and products made from it are widely used in heavy engineering.

Aluminum gives the metal the appearance of real gold and makes the alloy super resistant to corrosion. Aluminum bronze is used to make various jewelry that imitates gold.

Aluminum bronze bull is very similar to gold

The addition of silicon gives the metal elasticity and increases electrical conductivity, due to which such alloys are widely used in work related to the installation of electrical substations.

Where to find Surtling cores

Materials such as wood and stone are easy to find. At the same time, getting surtling kernels is not easy.

10 pieces will be needed to build a coal furnace and a smelter - two key buildings needed for the production of metals. To find the surtling cores, you need to find the burial chambers.

Around the entrances to the dungeons there are small stone structures guarded by skeletons, found in the Black Forest. Before entering, you need to create a torch to illuminate the path in the crypts. You will need 1 wood and 1 resin.

The burial rooms contain several winding corridors, wooden doors and skeletons. You will need to examine the cameras and find 10 Surtling cores (they look like glowing cubes).

What can I do with bronze?

Bronze itself has many uses, including machine components, strong hulls, IndustrialCraft2 tools, and armor. Thus, a good supply of bronze can provide many useful things, especially if you are planning to start forestry projects.

Bronze as armor is not something extraordinary. However, it provides 30% more strength than iron. Additionally, bronze is not that hard to find when exploring a mine. However, the recipes are the same as for creating any type of armor in Vanilla Minecraft.

Bronze is an excellent alternative armor that is superior to iron but inferior to diamond. However, the availability of bronze in most terrains makes it an optimal material to collect early in the game.

Using bronze to make tools is a great approach, providing sustainable tools to gather resources before they reach the diamonds. In addition, bronze tools are 30% more durable than iron ones.

Finally, you can use bronze to create the IndustrialCraft Wrench and the Forestry Wrench. The forestry wrench is handy for quickly picking up logs, as is the durable casing.

Reviews about the delivery of non-ferrous metals to MskTsvetLom

Vasily Ivanovich - pensioner 12/24/2019

I am a retired metallurgist; I didn’t have to think for a long time about how I could earn extra money without a job, since throughout my life I have had decent experience working with different metals. I decided that I would collect non-ferrous scrap metal. From the beginning, I handed over to another acceptance site close to me, but half a year ago I accidentally found out that “MskTsvetLom” buys non-ferrous scrap at increased prices from the plant. Now I only hand over all my metal junk here. I am especially pleased with the prices for scrap copper, the correct assessment of the cost and the fact that their acceptance scales are honest.

Find Tin Ore

Once you find copper, you will also be close to tin. Tin is found near pools of water in the Black Forest biome and is a much darker color, sometimes with these bold black stripes running through the deposit. Dig it up.

Remember that neither tin nor copper can be transported through the portal, so you need to carry them yourself. Create a nearby storage base for your items. If you were feeling particularly efficient, you could set up a forge, smelter, and furnace near the forest biome. We'd say you can build a cart, but it requires bronze nails.