casting gloves

[ryokox3]

Hi all, What is everyone using for casting gloves? My old harbor freight welding gloves finally called it quits. They were a bit too thin and I'd like some better heat resistance this time. I usually only wear one as I need more dexterity for my other hand for the ladle and other tasks. Having something that protects from the heat yet also provides dexterity would be great, but as far as I know you can't get both.

Anyone using alternative materials like silicon?

Ty

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I bought a pair of Harbor Freight welding gloves and I wasted my money. I use some good leather work gloves with a cloth glove inside. The cloth glove is a gardening, grass cutting type glove. They work as good or better than any I have ever used.

Have a blessed day.

[Vann]

http://www.coopersafety.com/product/atlas-therma-fit-451-gloves-12-pairs-1310.aspx

You can find them much cheaper, this website just had the best description. I can pick up a full pot of molten lead and move it a round the shop and feel nothing, these are much better than welding gloves and you can actually pick things up while wearing them. I've held a hot mold for over a minute while wearing these gloves.

[mold maker]

Since I use the gloved hand to open the hot sprue plate, I do use the better grade of welding glove. Regular use softens the leather for better dexterity.
That means "Cast More Often".

[rbuck351]

I use a cheap leather/cloth work glove. It has leather fingers and palm area with cloth on the back of the hand. The inside of the leather has enough cloth insulation to handle the mold heat but thin enough to be flexible.

[ryokox3]

http://www.coopersafety.com/product/atlas-therma-fit-451-gloves-12-pairs-1310.aspx

You can find them much cheaper, this website just had the best description. I can pick up a full pot of molten lead and move it a round the shop and feel nothing, these are much better than welding gloves and you can actually pick things up while wearing them. I've held a hot mold for over a minute while wearing these gloves.

Thank you, I can get a single pair of these to try out on Amazon. How long do you find a pair lasts?

[ryokox3]

I bought a pair of Harbor Freight welding gloves and I wasted my money. I use some good leather work gloves with a cloth glove inside. The cloth glove is a gardening, grass cutting type glove. They work as good or better than any I have ever used.

Have a blessed day.

I agree on the waste of money. Never thought of the cotton garden glove inside though. Thanks for the idea.

[jmort]

Ove Glove = Dexterity and decent protection.

The claim"Withstands extreme heat up to 540° F," says the package of the Ove Glove, a mitt designed to let you handle hot stuff. It also claims to be flame resistant and machine washable. It's made of Nomex and Kevlar and has silicone grips. Prices are $14 to $19 per glove.
The checkWe heated a cast-iron Dutch oven in a 540° F oven for 90 minutes, then removed it using Ove Gloves, regular oven mitts, or pot holders. We placed an Ove Glove over a gas range's flame. And we splashed one with several foods and then washed it.
Bottom lineThumbs-up. With all the mitts and pot holders, including the Ove Glove, we could hold the Dutch oven for 10 to 15 seconds, but the Ove Glove didn't get scorched, as one pot holder did, or start to melt, as a mitt did. Held over a flame, the Ove Glove scorched but didn't ignite until after a minute (a regular mitt ignited in 30 seconds). Few food stains remained after we washed it. Handling was easier with the Ove Glove than with regular mitts and pot holders. It costs about $6 more than a regular mitt but might be worth a try.

http://static2.consumerreportscdn.org/cro/cdn-resources/images/magazine-archive/2010/july/con_nav_issue_cover-july-10thumb.jpgThis article appeared in
July 2010 Consumer Reports Magazine. (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/july-2010-toc.htm)

[Vann]

I saw some on amazon for around 4.00 per pair, but I didn't see any heat ratings on them listed any where but on the link I posted. I believe that the are rated at 300 degrees for 30 mins, but don't quote me on that. Mine last for several months of opening the sprue, and catching the bullet straight out of the mold, and placing it in my pan.

That price listed in the link was for a dozen so it really isn't that bad.

[Walter Laich]

I use a cheap leather/cloth work glove. It has leather fingers and palm area with cloth on the back of the hand. The inside of the leather has enough cloth insulation to handle the mold heat but thin enough to be flexible.
+1
HF has them in bundles of 3 pr or did when I bought mine. I've never seen a reason to carry a molden pot of lead across the garage or hold a mold in my hands for several minutes so these work fine for my casting operations.

understand others may have other needs as far as glove go.

[Budzilla 19]

Caiman brand welding gloves, they have an elbow-length glove with built in pad on the elbow, and padded palms, about $25 at your welding supply store! And the added length adds more protection to your forearms also. Just my .02.

[gwpercle]

I just finished a marathon casting session and tried different gloves. The leather gloves were too bulky and it was hard to grip the mould handles, I pressure cast with a ladle so hold the mould in my left hand. I next tried some grilling gloves. A set by Weber, High - Temp Grilling gloves and a set my daughter gave me that are simply marked The 'Ove' Glove, off white with blue letters, silicon gloves material I think, these won the race....they are washable and flexible enough to pick up things...and allowed me to maintain a grip better. I could grab the hot mould with them and even wipe off hot lead with a gloved finger when some would spluck on the mould. I like them....Next time you at the home depot or lowes check out the grilling department. I like them 10 times better than leather.
Gary

[bangerjim]

HF gloves are the perfect thing. When they wear out, just buy another pair! For Cheeeeeeep!

You don't need heavy welding gloves to cast with. Any leather glove will work. The thinner the better for more flexibility. Most times I don't even wear gloves at all. Never been burned in these many years. But I TRUST MYSELF!

Re-melting is a totally different story! Welding gloves up to my elbows!

bangerjim

[MarkP]

I get mine from the MRO storeroom at work; they are heavy duty welding gloves. I think they are around $10 - $12. They have a thicker gloves but I loose too much feeling. I also wear a green industrial welding cost with cuffs buttoned.

[shredder]

Biggest leather gauntlet welding gloves I could find. Also leather apron. And did I mention the closed top leather shoes? Everything else cotton no nylon or synthetics.

[country gent]

I recently bought a pair of leather gloves at the local hardware store. The label read deerskin drivers gloves. They are reminesint of the old leather work gloves only very subtle leather with a great feel, they are also lined. Not Cheap at $27.00 but very nice. I could handle and use the small allen wrenches needed for my moulds and pick up dropped sprues with them on.

[Streetwalker]

I too, use deerskin gloves and they work GREAT as casting gloves and they last a long time. I get mine at Tractor Supply in the work glove section.

[HB0708]

My mom got me an ove glove when they first came out years ago. It was part joke on her part because the infomercial was so cheesy. But, they flat out work! I love mine, it works better at heat insulation than anything else I've used.

[rwadley]

I don't always wear gloves casting bullets, but I think I am going to start wearing thin ones. When making ingots, I wear insulated medium-heavy ones so that I can touch ingots and ingot molds. I do wear safety glasses, though. Skin replaces itself, eyes don't.

[bangerjim]

Safety glasses with side shields DEFINITELY when casting!!!!!!! A MUST. Gloves.....not so much.

Safety glasses as above + full face shield + long welding gloves + leather apron + leather cowboy/work boots + long cotton pants + long sleeve cotton shirt when re-melting gunky lead stuff. You never know about the evil fairy! Some use a respirator, but I personally feel that is way over the top. Just stand upwind! And move if the wind shifts.

banger

[rbuck351]

I probably don't cast as much as many of you but do most of my initial lead clean up in a 10Lb cast iron lead pot in the wood stove in the winter. I just fill the pot with raw WWs or what ever and set it in the stove with one of those fireplace poker things with the hook. Take it out after a bit and pour into mini cup cake pans and do it again. My loading room is by the wood stove so I can load for 30 mins, dump the lead and load. Don't have to watch it or worry about smoke and it only takes a couple minutes to open the door stir in some saw dust strain the junk off the top with a holey ladel, dump and refill and back to loading.

[Tailhunter]

Safety glasses with side shields DEFINITELY when casting!!!!!!! A MUST. Gloves.....not so much.

Safety glasses as above + full face shield + long welding gloves + leather apron + leather cowboy/work boots + long cotton pants + long sleeve cotton shirt when re-melting gunky lead stuff. You never know about the evil fairy! Some use a respirator, but I personally feel that is way over the top. Just stand upwind! And move if the wind shifts.

banger

I read all that and laughed about the respirator being the item that was over the top.

[frkelly74]

Ove gloves will spoil you. I have been using them for quite a while and find them very useful.

[ryokox3]

Thank you everyone who replied. I am quite honestly surprised by the number of you who vouch for the ove glove. I have used one for cooking and grilling with great results, but according to their documentation it is not so good for hot liquids. That made me think molten lead would not be good with it, so I never tried. Maybe I'll give one a try ( one not to be used for cooking). Anyway I did get a glove that was suggested earlier in this thread and will give it a shot my next casting session this weekend. If all goes well I'll post how it worked here :)

-Ry

[frkelly74]

Hot lead does not stay liquid long enough to wet the cloth and soak in. I open the sprue by hand and catch the cut offs to put them back in the pot before they cool very much. Be careful , have fun.

[brassrat]

I mostly have used one glove of the cheap knit type. Its mostly for rounding up and recycling sprues and bad boolets. Works well

[Nueces]

I don't know what current issue is, but the old USAF flying gloves had soft gray kid skin palms and woven Nomex OD green backs, long enough to cover the wrist. Could pick up a dime. I've used them for 40 years.

[gwpercle]

Thank you everyone who replied. I am quite honestly surprised by the number of you who vouch for the ove glove. I have used one for cooking and grilling with great results, but according to their documentation it is not so good for hot liquids. That made me think molten lead would not be good with it, so I never tried. Maybe I'll give one a try ( one not to be used for cooking). Anyway I did get a glove that was suggested earlier in this thread and will give it a shot my next casting session this weekend. If all goes well I'll post how it worked here :)

-Ry
Hot liquids , as in don't stick them into boiling water. Lead is not really a liquid , it drys fast fast.
Also don't get the ove glove wet and then try to pick up a hot pot. A damp dish rag acts the same way...the moisture conducts heat, I guess it actually turns to steam and that's what makes it too hot to handle .
Gary

[robg]

Leather gloves for me ,gardening gloves natural tan cheap and thick enough to do the job

[Bullwolf]

Brown or gray leather welding gauntlets, and sometimes even yellow.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d1/ac/16/d1ac1622eb06685d2f01edba9b783905.jpg

If I need more dexterity, (like to pick up a toothpick, or to take a picture) I can quickly slip one glove off.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52448&d=1308462430

I've used em for a long time now when smelting and casting boolits, and of course for welding.


- Bullwolf

[MrWolf]

Safety glasses with side shields DEFINITELY when casting!!!!!!! A MUST. Gloves.....not so much.

Safety glasses as above + full face shield + long welding gloves + leather apron + leather cowboy/work boots + long cotton pants + long sleeve cotton shirt when re-melting gunky lead stuff. You never know about the evil fairy! Some use a respirator, but I personally feel that is way over the top. Just stand upwind! And move if the wind shifts.

banger

That is me except no apron but I use a respirator. Safety glasses are tinted as that lead is shiny :bigsmyl2:

[Chris C]

Ove Gloves are great. Mine are rated to 660 degrees. Lot's of dexterity. Mine have the longer cuffs.

http://smile.amazon.com/Revolutionary-EN407-Standard-Gulife%C2%AE-withstands/dp/B00G3U21HQ/ref=pd_sim_194_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=61hH86PLxKL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR151%2C160_&refRID=11C89SV4GAB847AA84MS

[LAH]

I use a right hand glove [white mule clone]. I've never seen the reason for 2 gloves, at least the way I cast. I stand so no apron. I do wear glasses but no respirator. Short sleeves are no problem unless the room is cold.

[Handloader109]

I've got a pair of leather gloves that are a soft leather, was probably a driving glove actually that is fleece lined. Soft, can pick up a bullet. And can drop off easily if needed. Feels much nicer to my hands than a rough welding glove. Yes safety glasses and a good pair of gloves....

[Big Dog]

I wear a comfortable pair of "Mule Skinners", and finding 2XL that fit & feel right is not easy

[6622729]

I don't wear gloves when casting. I've come closer to causing very bad things to happen while wearing gloves than I ever have not wearing them.




Safety glasses with side shields DEFINITELY when casting!!!!!!! A MUST. Gloves.....not so much.

Safety glasses as above + full face shield + long welding gloves + leather apron + leather cowboy/work boots + long cotton pants + long sleeve cotton shirt when re-melting gunky lead stuff. You never know about the evil fairy! Some use a respirator, but I personally feel that is way over the top. Just stand upwind! And move if the wind shifts.

banger

[Smoke4320]

I guess I walk on the wild side ..
I wear Glasses now so eyes covered
No Gloves .. never been able to do precision work wearing gloves.. Hands are already too big
No apron
short sleeves almost always unless it below 40 degrees and the wind is blowing
sitting in chair
most of the time I have boots on when casing sometimes its leather shoes

been ever so slightly burned 3 times .. all my fault and Always looking for the issue to come
(on alert)
Kids are gone , wife knows not to bother me when casting

[Ural Driver]

Bought a 3 pack of these to determine how the sizes were running. Have not tried them with heat yet but I believe these will work just fine. :idea:

http://www.coopersafety.com/product/atlas-therma-fit-451-gloves-12-pairs-1310.aspx

[brtelec]

I wear welding gloves because I get them for free. Leather apron, eye protection, long pants and shoes. No respirator, lead does not vaporize at the temperatures we cast. Living in Az. shoes and long pants are not my regular uniform. If it is not chilly and the wife sees me walk through the house in jeans and shoes she knows I am going out to cast.

[BigMagShooter]

good and thick is what I use