Chapter 248 - 111: The Most Generous Delivery
The wicker weaving craft book was already an unexpected delight, but what excited Chen Zhou even more was that this book was only a part of the "big gift package."
In other words, the contents of this reward go far beyond just this.
Carefully wrapping this "textbook" comparable to gold in layers of plastic film, he put it into a backpack and placed it under a rain shelter to prevent it from getting soaked due to any accidents. Chen Zhou took out another item from the box.
At first glance, this thing looked like a black, round glass cup, with a diameter of about 18cm and a height of around 30cm, and it felt quite hefty when held.
Although it looked like a cup, Chen Zhou knew the name and actual use very well——
This was a graphite crucible.
It is typically made from high-temperature-resistant materials such as graphite, clay, and silica, primarily used for smelting non-ferrous metals and alloys like copper, gold, silver, lead, and zinc, occupying an important position in modern metallurgy.
Don't be fooled by its "plain appearance," which seems like a small village pickled vegetable jar.
In Chen Zhou's view, its function is not inferior to those two hand axes and might even be more important.
Among various types of crucibles, graphite crucibles are one of the best categories for metal smelting.
They can withstand temperatures of up to 1800° while possessing outstanding thermal conductivity, and high-quality graphite crucibles usually have a special glaze on the surface, greatly enhancing their corrosion resistance.
Additionally, graphite crucibles have a longer lifespan than other types, offering some resistance to thermal shock, excellent chemical stability, and do not produce chemical reactions during the smelting process.
Their inner walls are smooth, making it difficult for melted metal liquid to adhere to them, suitable for pouring metal liquid and casting molds.
You can say the graphite crucible is one of the most important tools for "small workshop"-style private smelting.
Without it, no matter how good the refractory clay, the melted metal liquid will be full of impurities and might stick to the inner wall, basically serving as a single-use item. The heat conduction performance of refractory clay is poor; the same volume of metal blocks might require several times the fuel to melt when using refractory clay.
However, relying solely on one graphite crucible to smelt metal is not so easy.
According to Chen Zhou's understanding, a proper crucible, in addition to the crucible itself, should include accessories like a slagging spoon, crucible cover, bonding ring, crucible stand, and stirring rod.
Unfortunately, none of these items were included in this gift package, so to use a crucible, he would need to make these accessories himself.
Despite this, to Chen Zhou, this dark "cup" was still very useful.
When the next dry season arrives, he plans to build a charcoal kiln to produce charcoal in batches—this could be applied to large pottery kilns and metal smelting.
Iron items unloaded from the ship can serve as raw materials, cast into pickaxe heads, rakes, iron rods, or made into armor components, adding a touch of safety while battling with the natives.
As for those lead plates, they can also be melted into lead liquid and made into spherical lead bullets.
Chen Zhou even thought about the issue of liquidating these precious metals after the challenge ends and returning to modern times.
As a regular family member, it's difficult to explain where a large batch of gold and silver coins from Europe, cast with authentic 17th-century technique, came from.
If, twenty-some years later, he successfully captures that Spanish plunder ship, the wealth he holds would reach a staggering level, making it even more necessary to consider how to cash in a large quantity of real gold and silver.
If he waits until returning to modern times to smelt these metals, whether purchasing crucibles, gasoline torches, liquefied gas tanks, and oxygen tanks online, or asking someone to help, it would draw attention from others.
A pervasive network, ubiquitous surveillance, he cannot guarantee the secrecy of his actions, nor can he explain the source of immense wealth.
At this time, it becomes necessary to process the precious metals in advance during the challenge.
Although turning collectible gold and silver coins back into scrap gold and silver would significantly degrade their value,.
Upon careful consideration, even without smelting them, selling a heap of antique coins that exceed the market's current inventory would rapidly reduce the price of gold and silver coins.
It's better to keep a small portion of gold and silver coins and convert most of the precious metals into generic, easily explainable gold and silver for sale.
Once his wealth lifts his social status, expands his social circle, connects with more capable individuals, and consolidates safer channels, he could then dispose of the remaining assets through overseas auctions or private transactions.
And when smelting gold and silver on the island, the role of the graphite crucible is significant.
However, Chen Zhou wonders if this graphite crucible will last until twenty-some years later, till he captures that Spanish plunder ship.
The graphite crucible is high-temperature and corrosion-resistant, not quite fragile, except it fears moisture.
Using a moisture-damaged graphite crucible could lead to issues like cracking, bursting, losing the bottom, or shedding the sides, potentially even causing workplace injuries.
While other storage conditions on the island are manageable, the heavy moisture is hard to resolve.
Especially during the rainy season, coastal air seems to contain tiny drops of dew; in such an environment, keeping a piece of equipment dry is a very challenging task.
Fortunately, with a wicker guide at hand, Chen Zhou plans to use toilet paper to wrap the crucible—since he has been very conservative with its use, he still has plenty of toilet paper left.
Then weave a wicker basket, place the tightly wrapped crucible inside, and hang it on the wall.