In this indestructible I will show you how to make a metal melting furnace that can heat up to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 1: Materials

First here is a list of materials you will need for this project,

Steel bucket (with lid would be preferred and it works best with a 10 quart but I couldn't find one and made a 6 gallon bucket work)
8 pounds Plaster of Paris (possibly 12 if you do not have a lid with your bucket)
Bag of sand (normal play sand will work fine)
A 5 gallon bucket for mixing ingredients
2 1/2 quart bucket for measuring
Crucible of your choice(Temperature treated ceramic works best you can use a steel bowl but it oxidizes the aluminum which makes it harder to melt)
Steel Tongs
Heat proof gloves(I recommend gloves that can handle more than 400 degrees Fahrenheit)
A pair of channel locks
A steel pipe 1" in diameter by 10"
1" diameter PVC coupling
1" diameter PVC pipe 12" (long will work fine but you can get longer)
1" in diameter hole saw
For fuel you need charcoal briquettes
Hair dryer for steady oxygen intake for coals to get and keep it hot.
Drill
3" hole saw(only if you need to make a lid)

Step 2: Mixing

Use the 2 1/2 quart bucket to measure out the sand and water you will need for this project. Pour 2 4 pound packages of Plaster of Paris then measure 2 of the 2 1/2 quart buckets full of sand. Then you will add water add 1 and 1/2 of the 2 1/2 quart buckets full of water to the mix.

THEN GET MIXING!!!!

You will have about 15 to 20 minutes before it starts setting. Mix with your hand because you can make sure there is minimal clumps of sand. Once you are confident there is little to no clumps pour into the steel bucket slowly, it will splatter.

Once it is poured into the steel bucket if you have a 10 quart bucket you can use the 2 1/2 quart measuring bucket fill it with water and carefully put it in the middle of the steel bucket with the solution if you spill a little it's okay just try not to.

Make sure you leave a little space at the bottom for insulation or else there could be problems

If you have a 6 gallon bucket you can use a 2 gallon pitcher for the center section (that's what I used)

Note: Make sure if you use the pitcher to make the center part it does not have a handle.

Lid instructions: If you do not have a lid for your bucket here is how to make it.

10 Cups Plaster of Paris

10 Cups sand

7 Cups water

Mix together in the 5 gallon bucket used earlier and after you feel there is minimal clumps carefully put in 2 4" U-bolts and carefully stand them up right in the bucket mix.

After an hour it should be set and you should be able to pull it out easily.

Now to vent pressure use a 3" hole saw to cut a hole in the middle of the lid.

Step 3: Final Pieces

Now to make the hole for the air flow take the 1" hole saw and start drilling into the side of the bucket a couple inches from the bottom once through the metal tilt down and drill down at about a 25 to 30 degree angle so that if a crucible does fail it doesn't spill molten metal all over.

Attach the steel pipe to the PVC coupling and the PVC pipe then slide into air port attach hair dryer to the end of the PVC pipe. Make sure the PVC pipe and hair dryer have support or it could add pressure to the inside walls.

Now just add coals fire it up using lighter fluid to start the coals and once they are mostly all white drop in your crucible and start MELTING SOME METAL!!!!

Note: You can use a muffin pan to pour your molten metal in make sure it is steel and don't worry if it catches on fire it's the non-stick coating cooking away. Also was long as you have something that can handle a lot of heat (concrete will explode from the moisture stuck in it if you spill the molten metal on it) you can use little steel cookie cutters to cast your molten metal.