Recycle anodes

whiteoaks7

whiteoaks7

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www.seasolutions.co.uk
I now have three half used pear anodes which between them will have sufficient zinc to recycle into one nice shiny new one. (a) is there a commercial organisation set up to do this, (b) anyone tried melting them down and recasting at home?
 
I have cast lead for diving weights and it is a pretty dangerous business. I think zinc has a higher melting temperature so I suspect home casting even if you got a suitable mold would be difficult. olewill
 
Melting point of pure zinc is 420C, well within the range of gas torch.

Some anodes are zinc alloy which may have a higher melting point.

Casting should be no problem PROVIDED that you have a firm mould which is COMPLETELY dry, and well supported. Ensuring that the steel bolts or tags are firmly bonded during the moulding process may require some care.

Please be careful you dont inadvertently add a magnesium anode into the mix. The fireworks will be memorable to say the least.

Usual H&S kit as well.
 
I have melted old anodes in a baked bean tin using a gas blow lamp.

I made a (baked bean tin shaped!) anode to hang over the side of the boat, wired to my saildrive, as extra protection when I stayed in the water all last winter attached to shore power.

It takes a while to get going but there were no problems provided you are sensible, lots of fresh air, stable base, no water present etc.
 
Re: Recycling anodes

I have 'recycled' old anodes by attaching them to our mooring chain - I know various folk have said that this is not effective, but I like to think that they are doing something positive in their new role.
I inspect the mooring every 4 months or so using a scuba tank, and the anodes do appear to be working.
 
A handy mold is the frog in a house brick - find one with a small frog.
Bake the brick in an oven to get rid of any water in it first - and wear goggles !!!!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have cast lead for diving weights and it is a pretty dangerous business. I think zinc has a higher melting temperature so I suspect home casting even if you got a suitable mold would be difficult. olewill

[/ QUOTE ]It is mis-information like that that puts folk off. If one has the facility to melt and cast lead, melting old zinc anodes recasting them is not a problem.
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
[ QUOTE ]
Please be careful you dont inadvertently add a magnesium anode into the mix. The fireworks will be memorable to say the least

[/ QUOTE ]Why should one have any fireworks? Mg is not that reactive unless in ribbon or powder form. Speaking as one who has smelted magnesium and zinc, amongst other metals, I find your comments suprising not to mention misleading. Professionally, I am would be very interested as to what metallurgical or or pyrotechnical principles you base your opinion.
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
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I haven't done it, but I have heard of it being done! The melting point of Zinc is not that high. Just be sensible about the way you do it. Molten metal is highly hazardous stuff!

[/ QUOTE ]Ah, the voice of reason at leat - except I would not go along with "Molten metal is highly hazardous stuff!" - It can be but with a little common sense and a few basic precautions there are no major problems. Man has been doing this since the bronze and iron ages with out all this H&S bull.
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I haven't done it, but I have heard of it being done! The melting point of Zinc is not that high. Just be sensible about the way you do it. Molten metal is highly hazardous stuff!

[/ QUOTE ]Ah, the voice of reason at leat - except I would not go along with "Molten metal is highly hazardous stuff!" - It can be but with a little common sense and a few basic precautions there are no major problems. Man has been doing this since the bronze and iron ages with out all this H&S bull.
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

[/ QUOTE ]How kind! Perhaps I should have been more explicit. I have cast lead items a number of times - I haven't tried Zinc. I remember my father casting me angling weights when I was about 12 because he (quite reasonably) saw me losing lots on the beach and was too mean to pay fishing shop prices. Little wooden moulds that got scorched and were only good for a few weights.
 
[ QUOTE ]
How kind!

[/ QUOTE ]Not really, just acknowledging a voice of reason and practicality rather than one of doom and gloom or hysterics. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
"Be <u>very</u> careful" would be more like it - the fumes can be rather nasty however a handful of "borax" thrown/sprinkled on top of the melt keeps them down - the same "trick" works when smelting / remelting Mg alloys. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
[ QUOTE ]
There was a letter in one of the magazines (PBO?) asking for advice about recycling anodes. The magazine's response was wholly discouraging.

[/ QUOTE ]Naturally it would be. In this age if the magazine says O.K. great idea and this is how to do it" and some pillock burns themselves even as a result of doing something stupid like testing the temperature of the metal by sticking their finger into it the mag could be liable for not warning that the molten metal is hot and you WILL get burnt if you stick your finger into it.

Also, the anode manufacturers and sellers would not be happy if we all recycled our old anodes ourselves.
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
Thanks everyone. While there seems to be some debate about the degree of danger involved I would like to add that I spent part of my apprenticeship in Alcan where aluminium was remelted. The guys there all wore leather aprons from head to foot and boots with no laces so they could be removed easily should the molten stuff get down inside. They had all covering facemasks and special hats too. None of this stopped someone getting molten ali in his eye which, it was reported, rolled around the eye socket until it cooled enough to solidify. The cause was put down to casting into a cold/possibly damp mould. We can all make mistakes it seems, even when prepared and protected.

In the cable factory where I spent a lot of my working life cables were made by extrusion of plastic onto the conductors. To clear out the extruders between each run plastic was allowed to fall into a candle on the floor. One half-asleep operator with his mind in neutral picked one up and discovered that plastic at 150C sticks completely to the skin!

I hope I can be careful enough to cast my anodes, and if this puts people off then maybe it's better that they are - at least they keep their eyes and hands intact.
 
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