How can I smelt my own aluminum cans at home?
by 
Junk Yard Dog
ANSWERS: 6
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I wouldn't recommend it. You need very high temperatures to melt metal, and the right equipment to handle it for keeping it hot, and pouring it into casts. If some molten metal comes into contact with anything you could have a serious fire on your hands. Just recycle it and buy what you need. The trouble is not worth it.
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Do you mean melt down the aluminum you have and make something? I agree with geek on that one. I thought you meant you have some of the ore that has been mined for aluminum and you want to produce your own. Here are some excerpts from articles I saw by typing "smelt aluminum" in my search box. "Primary aluminum smelting uses large quantities of electricity. The energy required to smelt aluminum for one can would keep a 100-watt light bulb burning for two hours." "Unfortunately aluminum producers don't have the benefit of reducing their energy consumption. A certain temperature must be achieved in order to smelt aluminum" So as you can see, it's highly unlikely it can be done in the average home. If you own, or have use of a forge, then maybe.
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What are you trying to smelt the aluminum into?
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Check out this site: I haven't order the booklets, but the small furnace might be fun to build and use whether it is cost effective over recycling. http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/
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Smelting is very easy and takes very little energy. You take a can and put your nose up to it and inhale the odor. Thus you smelt it :)
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The amount of energy consumed in smelting aluminum isnt the question here. Even though a creative thinking individual can do it with little energy consumption. The question is how can someone do it at home. Simply put, its alot like having a furnace that can produce enough heat to fire and glaze ceramics since that requires an incredible amount of heat as well. Its simply a matter of handling the molten aluminum once its been melted without causing you or your tools considerable damage from lack of preparation. But some of the sites already posted are the ones I would suggest. And above all keep on your toes and be careful, molten metal in nothing to take lightly. :) So be safe and continue to be creative...
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