Painful safety reminder

[338RemUltraMag]

Learn from the pic I am about to post, just because your hands were dry going in the welding gloves does not mean they didnt sweat producing steam when picking up a cast iron skillet of lead. Did this little number while smelting down some range lead.

Learn from this because trust me STUPID HURTS!!!!!

http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj609/joshaaronelli/gun%20and%20game%20pics/20130523_013440.jpg

[freebullet]

Owee!!! be careful bro.

[fcvan]

That shows a lot of courage to share your experience, but also a lot of class. Some folks wouldn't share their mistakes for fear of ridicule. You have shared yours as an example of caring more about others safety that your 'pride' or whatever. A very good tip as most folks might not think of the sweat threat. Kudos for you and thank you.

I would like to add that leather gloves are great as the leather holds up to heat rather well. The stitching in leather goods degrade faster due to the heat and seams can give way. I have had seams fail leaving the ability for skin that should be protected turn out to be quite vulnerable. Check your safety equipment. I have two sets of gloves, two sets of eye protection, and several sets of pliers or vise grips at the ready. Whenever I have help, or a trainee. I like to have the equipment for them to safely assist or to cast with and not have to share equipment. I still want to get a leather welders apron from Harbor Freight even though I've never had cause for the need of one. A barrier used and not needed beats the other way around.

[338RemUltraMag]

It got bad because I had about 7-10 lb left in the skillet, not enough to dip out but enough to pour out. Once I had it in hand and it started to burn I had to carefully place the skillet back on the burner before letting go. These were the really nice welding gloves from tractor supply, not some harbor freight crapola. I have been doing this for close to 10 years and this is the worst burn yet.

It will heal but if it keeps one person(new or experienced) from doing this I will take the butt chewing!

[41mag]

One other thing about the leather gloves is that once you start to feel the heat, just setting it down or turning loose doesn't always guarantee that it's going to cool down right then either. The heat will still be soaking through even after you put the hot stuff down, so keep that in mind.

Being a welder and fitter for a dozen or so years I can testify to plenty of things I should have let go lots quicker than I did. The bad thing is that the nerves in my hands aren't quite as sensitive as they once were, or should be, so nowadays usually by the time I feel hot hot, it's usually either blister time or the white seared skin if I don't have on gloves.

[newmexicocrawler]

That one reason i WILL NOT pick the pot up....i spoon it out

[41 mag fan]

Well I'm glad you showed that burn as I had one that's finally healed, but heres my story. It was cool out 2 weeks ago, so I was wearing sweats while casting. With my left knee having a torn ACL and Hamstring Ligaments torn and inflamation thru out, I can only stand so long and sitting on a bar stool is a no no..
But I sit in a computer chair, and was casting. Well the bench is higher than the chair, I pulled the mold back from under my Lyman furnace and hit the spout as I was bringing it out.
Well the sprue was hot, the lead came off the puddle and just did a perfect landing right where my sweats ended and my socks began.......needless before I could get the mold set down, and get to moving the fabric away from my skin, I had a 3rd degree burn the size of a half dollar.
So long story short...wear clothing like jeans that cover to your ankles!!

[imashooter2]

That one reason i WILL NOT pick the pot up....i spoon it out

And there is the safety message of the day.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

trigger finger to that sucks

[LynC2]

And there is the safety message of the day.

Yes, lots of excellent advice here about "Murphy's Law" and kudos to 338RemUltraMag for starting the thread.

[338RemUltraMag]

trigger finger to that sucks

Yes it does, I shot my Keltec PT-40 without thinking about it because of it being bandaged up. Painful reminder number two: No skin on shooting hand means no shooting pistols!

[mdi]

Hmmm. Medium rare?

Thnx for your sharing your OOPS! We all learn from others (How to do something, and how not to do something).

[dverna]

It is really easy to get careless when you first start casting and you go for weeks/months without a mishap. EVERYONE will get burned eventually. Hopefully your first accident is minor and you realize that wearing good PPE is a given when casting. I see pots on make shift "supports" or rickety tables and cringe. Accidents waiting to happen. I actually saw one guy casting in sandals. Jeesh!

[338RemUltraMag]

It is really easy to get careless when you first start casting and you go for weeks/months without a mishap. EVERYONE will get burned eventually. Hopefully your first accident is minor and you realize that wearing good PPE is a given when casting. I see pots on make shift "supports" or rickety tables and cringe. Accidents waiting to happen. I actually saw one guy casting in sandals. Jeesh!

I have been doing this for close to 10 years, first major mishap, if read you would know I was wearing welding gloves. I have picked up the skillet many times with the gloves but it finally bit me.

[Sensai]

Thanks for sharing. I had never thought of the time factor from having picked up the melting pot and not being able to just drop it like I'm sure you wanted to. One of my old flight instructors, years back, told me that we HAD to learn from the mistakes of others because we wouldn't live long enough to make them all ourselves!

[sparkz]

MAN! 338RUM ya gota watch out,,
I am still new here but at least let me get to know ya before ya Roast your self,,
that can happen to anyone,,
Guess when we get comfortable and start to think about other things and not the work at hand,,

Keep it clean and get some neosporian (sp) and PVC Tape on it, I recommend +33 scotch brand (Electrical tape really works on a hard working hand)

Man that has to hurt out of this world,
Hope ya feel better

Patrick

[bruce drake]

Worst burn in my casting experience was on a splash to my right wrist (I'm a lefty) of about a teaspoon of lead that came up from the pot and hit my Timex Ironman and then as it melted the rubber strap into my wrist it then trickled down under the band to my skin itself along the inner wrist. I was wearing short nomex combat gloves that stopped at the wrist. If I wore my usual gauntlet-length Nomex Avaitor Gloves I would not have gained a permanent scar on the inside of my wrist as well as a ruined watch.

Bruce

[243winxb]

I dont use gloves for melting scrap or casting. After many years, i learned what works & what dont.

[trapper300RUM]

Ouchie

[LynC2]

Any of us that have been around for a bit have learned from the school of hard knocks...unfortunately. Let's hope this keeps a few from learning the hard way!

[Cherokee]

Thanks for sharing, a good reminder. I use long steel channel lock pliers to pick up the near empty pot and drain it, with gloves on too.

[jimb16]

All of us who have been casting for years have at least a couple of burns. Most minor, but all of us have them. Even if it was accidentally brushing against the pot or a mold, or maybe a splash from the pot. But it doesn't hurt (if you'll excuse the pun)to remind ourselves to be careful. I got a little splash the other day while casting. Just enough to raise a red mark the size of a dime, but it still stings. Thanks for the reminder.

[lka]

Any of us that have been around for a bit have learned from the school of hard knocks...unfortunately. Let's hope this keeps a few from learning the hard way!

I do, not that bad but I do, I have one on my hand still from when I was a kid messing with lead.

[PhantomF4E]

Good info for noob and experienced caster . Safety first . Thanks for being stand up . Nice to see the comments are civilized as well . You almost always see someone who will take the low road . Glad to see there are some adults out there !

[383]

Ouch! Reminds me of the time I took a pan out of the oven using a slightly damp dish towel.

[Bzcraig]

I appreciate you 'manning up' with your mistake as a reminder to the rest of us. As mentioned it also points to your humility, thanks!

[BruceB]

For a similar discussion and more safety tips, do a search for "tsunami" and scroll down a bit to "The Lead Tsunami".

[338RemUltraMag]

The best/worst burn I ever had was on my leg from my motorcycle, was straping down my backpack and left skin and flesh on the pipes. It is a wierd feeling to liaten to your once attached skin sizzle.

That was years ago AND the last time I wore shorts while riding. (Lets make this safety reminder number two!)

[bbqncigars]

Always a good idea to keep safety in mind. I wear full coverage cotton clothing & leather shoes when casting after learning that hot lead will result in melted polyester stuck to your skin.

[ghh3rd]

That reminds me, I need a new pair of gloves. I've put up with a small (1/8") hole in my glove almost where I clamp down on the handles. Every once in a while, the hole lines up with the mold and I get zinged a bit. Time to drop by Tracor Supply.

Randy

[Big_Blue]

Noob in need of clarification. Are you saying that welder's gloves on a sweaty hand are not as effective as welder's gloves on a dry hand? Was there a hole in your gloves or is this universally true with all gloves?

[wallenba]

I used to weld something just about every week when I was restoring my old Plymouth. I can't do it worth a d#%N with gloves on, but I was very aware of what I was doing. Then I went about a year before I had to weld again. Yep, after I finished, off came the eye shield and I reached down like a dummy to pick it up after knocking off the scale. What was I thinking? It hurt like the dickins for about a week, especially in the shower.

[facetious]

Along time ago i was told that there were only two kind of casters. The ones that have burned them selfs and the ones that are going to burn them selfs. Its just a mater of time. PS I have my scars so no I no not have to do any more.

[Shiloh]

It's raw and looks like it hurts every time you move it. Nasty, gross looking wound.

[338RemUltraMag]

Noob in need of clarification. Are you saying that welder's gloves on a sweaty hand are not as effective as welder's gloves on a dry hand? Was there a hole in your gloves or is this universally true with all gloves?

That is exactly what I am saying, welding gloves allow you to get too comfortable, you think it is ok to touch something hot because the gloves will protect you. This is a hella steam burn and the only thing I can assume is it was the sweat off of my hands. From now on I am going to wear mechanix gloves, they will protect from the oopsie of a little splashed lead or glancing against a hot object BUT I know they will not serve any long term heat resistance (like picking up a skillet full of lead)

[plainsman456]

When you have sweated in your gloves and pick up something hot it turns to steam.

It will not take long for you to know that it is to heavy to hold on to any more.

Around the farm i have had several things that got real heavy fast.