megalomania
May 25th, 2003, 04:43 PM
FadeToBlackened
Frequent Poster
Posts: 201
From: Hell
Registered: MAR 2001
posted 04-02-2001 10:28 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calcium carbide is made by heating carbon with lime (calcium oxide)... right? How hot does this need to be to occur?
hodehum
New Member
Posts: 21
From: New Zealand
Registered: FEB 2001
posted 04-03-2001 12:11 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calcium carbide is produced by heating lime and carbon in an electric furnace at a temperature of 2800 °C
a little snipet in found in one of my chemistry books
Alchemist
Frequent Poster
Posts: 211
From: Woodland hills,Ca.,L.A.
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-08-2001 11:54 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
I have made Calcim Carbide and it works pretty good depending on the quality of the Carbon! If still interested send me a e-mail at Alchemist_0@hotmail.com and I will post it on the form for all!
------------------
Alchemist
Frequent Poster
Posts: 211
From: Woodland hills,Ca.,L.A.
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-11-2001 09:37 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Making Calcium Carbide
Hello all,
Well first of all it's been about five years or so since I last made some!
Yes, it did work and I did produce Acetylene with the Calcium Carbide that I made.
The quantities where small and I only needed it for use in a Potato Cannon that I was
Playing with at the time. Most chemistry books state that it is made by heating COKE
(Carbon) and Calcium Oxide -CaO (lime,quicklime,etc), in an electric furnace. Well
I could not get COKE, so I first used graphite powder, then activated Carbon. As I
recall both worked, but one worked better than the other. I forget what one was best!
I used 50% Carbon and 50% Calcium Oxide. Now comes the circuit. Below is a diagram!
12 to 15 ohm wire wound resistor, 650 to 750 watts
|-------/\/\/\--(- \ | |-/-----------(- 117 volts A.C. \ / --- Clay or Porclain Crucible
Ok, the first Carbon rods that I used where graphite pencil lead, but they burned away to fast.
Next I used Carbon rods from old batteries. Also I could not find a good wire wound resistor,
So after much looking I found a heating coil used in old heat lamps at the hardware store. It's 660 watts and measures 13 ohms. It uses Nichrome heating wire.This part of the circuit is very important for it to work right!
I am not sure if these elements are still around, but anything that measures about 12 to 15 ohms
At 650 to 750 watts should be ok.
REMEMBER this circuit is using 117 Volts A.C., and this can KILL so use caution! In most cases I had to start the heating process by striking the Carbon rods together then slowly separating them!
That means touching them at the ends (arching them) then pulling them apart. And of course this is done under the Carbon and Calcium Oxide mixture. If all goes right it will start to arc and flame! Soon an orange/red glow should start to spread through the mix . It should become molten, almost white hot!
You may have to move the Carbon rods now and then to keep it going as they will burn up fast! After it has Fully melted (become molten) remove the 117 V.A.C.. You should now have some Calcium Carbide after it cools. Remember to keep in air/water tight container. P.S., you may also have to break the crucible. Sometimes it just fell out after cooling and sometimes it seemed to become part of the crucible.
As a last note, this maybe better with real COKE and someone may wish to improve on the circuit.
Any questions? Bye for now then..............
------------------
[This message has been edited by Alchemist (edited April 11, 2001).]
P.S., I do not know way the diagram does not come out ok. It looks fine before I post it.
It is subpost to be a crucible with two Carbon electrodes in it. A insalated wire goes from one end of a carbon rod to one end of the resistor a second wire from the other end of the resistor goes to one side of the 117 volts A.C., and last another wire from the other rod to the other side of the A.C. to complete the circuit (series circuit).
[This message has been edited by Alchemist (edited April 11, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Alchemist (edited April 12, 2001).]
Predator
Frequent Poster
Posts: 141
From: Unknown
Registered: SEP 2000
posted 04-11-2001 11:08 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alchemist put in pre tags
(pre)
ascii drawing
(/pre)
replacing ( ) with < and > respectively
Anthony
Moderator
Posts: 2306
From: England
Registered: SEP 2000
posted 04-12-2001 03:35 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If the mix contains carbon/graphite then you shouldn't need electrodes or to strike an arc as the mix should be conductive.
I'll have to give this a go, calcium oxide is cement right?
Alchemist
Frequent Poster
Posts: 211
From: Woodland hills,Ca.,L.A.
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-12-2001 05:52 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Anthony,
Yes, I guess, but I really think they help to keep it going. Try it, experiment! Ask for a 20lb bag of lime or quiklime. I think 20lb's is the smallest you can buy, but it's cheap. After you get the circuit working try different forms of Carbon. Good luck!
------------------
firebreether
Frequent Poster
Posts: 110
From:
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-12-2001 11:09 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a question about the battery electrodes. I have heard that you can't use alkaline batteries, since they have no carbon rod. But these are the only, type of battery there is besides rechargeable. What kind did you use?
Alchemist
Frequent Poster
Posts: 211
From: Woodland hills,Ca.,L.A.
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-13-2001 12:10 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello ,
I have a store near me called the 99 cent store. I can still get Carbon/Zinc batteries there. Also I did use graphite pencil lead from a stationary store for mechanical pencils, but they do burn up fast! Also look at welding supply shops they carry carbon rods, but they are coated with copper so you must remove the copper first.
Frequent Poster
Posts: 201
From: Hell
Registered: MAR 2001
posted 04-02-2001 10:28 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calcium carbide is made by heating carbon with lime (calcium oxide)... right? How hot does this need to be to occur?
hodehum
New Member
Posts: 21
From: New Zealand
Registered: FEB 2001
posted 04-03-2001 12:11 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calcium carbide is produced by heating lime and carbon in an electric furnace at a temperature of 2800 °C
a little snipet in found in one of my chemistry books
Alchemist
Frequent Poster
Posts: 211
From: Woodland hills,Ca.,L.A.
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-08-2001 11:54 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
I have made Calcim Carbide and it works pretty good depending on the quality of the Carbon! If still interested send me a e-mail at Alchemist_0@hotmail.com and I will post it on the form for all!
------------------
Alchemist
Frequent Poster
Posts: 211
From: Woodland hills,Ca.,L.A.
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-11-2001 09:37 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Making Calcium Carbide
Hello all,
Well first of all it's been about five years or so since I last made some!
Yes, it did work and I did produce Acetylene with the Calcium Carbide that I made.
The quantities where small and I only needed it for use in a Potato Cannon that I was
Playing with at the time. Most chemistry books state that it is made by heating COKE
(Carbon) and Calcium Oxide -CaO (lime,quicklime,etc), in an electric furnace. Well
I could not get COKE, so I first used graphite powder, then activated Carbon. As I
recall both worked, but one worked better than the other. I forget what one was best!
I used 50% Carbon and 50% Calcium Oxide. Now comes the circuit. Below is a diagram!
12 to 15 ohm wire wound resistor, 650 to 750 watts
|-------/\/\/\--(- \ | |-/-----------(- 117 volts A.C. \ / --- Clay or Porclain Crucible
Ok, the first Carbon rods that I used where graphite pencil lead, but they burned away to fast.
Next I used Carbon rods from old batteries. Also I could not find a good wire wound resistor,
So after much looking I found a heating coil used in old heat lamps at the hardware store. It's 660 watts and measures 13 ohms. It uses Nichrome heating wire.This part of the circuit is very important for it to work right!
I am not sure if these elements are still around, but anything that measures about 12 to 15 ohms
At 650 to 750 watts should be ok.
REMEMBER this circuit is using 117 Volts A.C., and this can KILL so use caution! In most cases I had to start the heating process by striking the Carbon rods together then slowly separating them!
That means touching them at the ends (arching them) then pulling them apart. And of course this is done under the Carbon and Calcium Oxide mixture. If all goes right it will start to arc and flame! Soon an orange/red glow should start to spread through the mix . It should become molten, almost white hot!
You may have to move the Carbon rods now and then to keep it going as they will burn up fast! After it has Fully melted (become molten) remove the 117 V.A.C.. You should now have some Calcium Carbide after it cools. Remember to keep in air/water tight container. P.S., you may also have to break the crucible. Sometimes it just fell out after cooling and sometimes it seemed to become part of the crucible.
As a last note, this maybe better with real COKE and someone may wish to improve on the circuit.
Any questions? Bye for now then..............
------------------
[This message has been edited by Alchemist (edited April 11, 2001).]
P.S., I do not know way the diagram does not come out ok. It looks fine before I post it.
It is subpost to be a crucible with two Carbon electrodes in it. A insalated wire goes from one end of a carbon rod to one end of the resistor a second wire from the other end of the resistor goes to one side of the 117 volts A.C., and last another wire from the other rod to the other side of the A.C. to complete the circuit (series circuit).
[This message has been edited by Alchemist (edited April 11, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Alchemist (edited April 12, 2001).]
Predator
Frequent Poster
Posts: 141
From: Unknown
Registered: SEP 2000
posted 04-11-2001 11:08 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alchemist put in pre tags
(pre)
ascii drawing
(/pre)
replacing ( ) with < and > respectively
Anthony
Moderator
Posts: 2306
From: England
Registered: SEP 2000
posted 04-12-2001 03:35 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If the mix contains carbon/graphite then you shouldn't need electrodes or to strike an arc as the mix should be conductive.
I'll have to give this a go, calcium oxide is cement right?
Alchemist
Frequent Poster
Posts: 211
From: Woodland hills,Ca.,L.A.
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-12-2001 05:52 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Anthony,
Yes, I guess, but I really think they help to keep it going. Try it, experiment! Ask for a 20lb bag of lime or quiklime. I think 20lb's is the smallest you can buy, but it's cheap. After you get the circuit working try different forms of Carbon. Good luck!
------------------
firebreether
Frequent Poster
Posts: 110
From:
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-12-2001 11:09 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a question about the battery electrodes. I have heard that you can't use alkaline batteries, since they have no carbon rod. But these are the only, type of battery there is besides rechargeable. What kind did you use?
Alchemist
Frequent Poster
Posts: 211
From: Woodland hills,Ca.,L.A.
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 04-13-2001 12:10 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello ,
I have a store near me called the 99 cent store. I can still get Carbon/Zinc batteries there. Also I did use graphite pencil lead from a stationary store for mechanical pencils, but they do burn up fast! Also look at welding supply shops they carry carbon rods, but they are coated with copper so you must remove the copper first.