As requested, I decided to write about how I melt zinc. You can do this yourself to make some miniature metal portraits!
First things first: source the zinc. As I stated in my previous post, you can find zinc in metal children's toys like cars, balance weights on the rims of real cars, and from this flower I find on every planet I visit:
For more interstellar flora click here:
https://steemit.com/gaming/@proto26/my-futuristic-dream-garden-in-space
I have these cars I've found.
I also have this scrap and some pure zinc.
Next, you need a melting pot; I use this electric one.
Next, find some suitable subjects for your clay forms. I will be using Gimli, son of Gloin,
and Skarku the Beast Lord.
Next I made moulds of their faces using clay from the dollar store.
It is important to cup the clay so that enough molten metal can collect and pool in the form so you get a successful cast.
Now that we have all our materials, let's get to melting the scrap.
Night night, Lightning 🌃 !
Minutes later his paint darkened even more,
and he began to melt.
I also added this ring I tried to make but the band failed (I have a finished one in my jewelry collection [found and made]).
And does anyone have any idea what I could do with these zinc castings of my teeth? I was thinking maybe somehow make a nut cracker from the molars. Comment below!
Finally, you get liquified zinc. Carefully pour that into your moulds.
The clay sizzled and made smoke, probably from the moisture inside of it. Unfortunately, my Gimli coin didn't work but at least I have a zinc bullion now.
Make sure to always use a form of these when working with hot metals.
Here is my successful cast.
I do a short go with the hand wire brush, avoiding the eyes and other spots where you want to keep the dark burnt color to give the face more features.
Click here if you haven't seen my other faces: https://steemit.com/foundry/@proto26/my-homemade-foundry
I hope you enjoyed this short experiment detailing the process of how to make art out of melted down children's memories. Next, we will be melting down waste....
In the form of aluminum cans! That will require the foundry I wrote about in my last post. It is for hotter and larger scale melting. Stay tuned!
