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imsmooth

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Joined: 07/02/2008
Location: United States
Posts: 214

Posted: 01:18am 10 Jun 2010

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I posted a related topic some time ago. I have been working on an induction heater that could levitate and suspend molten copper and steel. For anyone that knows about induction heaters, this is very difficult. A professional unit costs about $10,000. It is not easy to make a stable, reliable 10kw unit in one's garage; however, I did it.

My first go I was able to melt metals. The second revision allowed me to levitate low-density metals like aluminum and copper tubing. The third revision is able to handle much more power.

You can see the video here.

This unit can melt steel in seconds.

Enjoy.

VK4AYQ
Guru

Joined: 02/12/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2539

Posted: 02:36am 10 Jun 2010

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Hi Smoothy

Pretty impressive with a bit larger coil and a graphite crucible it would make a useful hobby foundry, not to mention a good hot water heater in the winter.

Top stuff mate. keep us informed we may have the first solar / wind powered foundry.

All the best

Bob

Foolin Around

Downwind

Guru

Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2333

Posted: 09:14am 10 Jun 2010

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Very clever.

I wonder how it would go melting metal off old circuit boards and if you could control the heat well enough to melt and extract different metals in a progressive process, like solder first and then pehaps gold or copper next.

Well done

Pete.

Sometimes it just works

Janne
Senior Member

Joined: 20/06/2008
Location: Finland
Posts: 121

Posted: 12:29pm 10 Jun 2010

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Hi,

Once again absolutely brilliant, like always with your projects. That thing requires 3 phase power, right? I wonder if you will need to upgrade your main fuses for the next bigger one

If at first you don't succeed, try again.

My projects

imsmooth

Senior Member

Joined: 07/02/2008
Location: United States
Posts: 214

Posted: 01:24pm 11 Jun 2010

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Believe it or not, I am running this off of single phase.

Go here where I have a web tutorial explaing how I made it. I have to add a few pages for the final version as I am now using a microprocessor to control the resonance tracking.

Edited by imsmooth 2010-06-12

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