Learned my lesson last night!

[Andrew Quigley]

Wife and kids were working at my mother inlaw's house hanging wallpaper so I figured I'd get some smelting done. About and hour and a half into the sesson and on my second pot I did a dumb thing.
Using a dutch oven pot and turkey burner I wanted to tilt the pot over a bit so I could get all the lead to one side. Been sliding a 1/4 metal bar under one side of the pot. problem was I got the pot over balanced and dumped half the pot of melted lead onto the burner and ground under it.
It didn't splash up but at least I'm smart enough to use leather boots, long pants, safety glasses, long sleeves and gloves even if it's 88 and the humidty is sky high.
Lesson learned? Have the pot set at the angle you want before you start and leave it there! Don't do as I do but do as I say!!:mrgreen:

[dromia]

Glad your OK and and heeded the advice on appropriate gear.

These little frights all help us keep on our toes so as to avoid accidents.

Thanks for sharing.

Lead is heavy.

You've now got a job peeling up all the alloy and resmelting.

[USARO4]

Glad you'reOK. Our chosen hobby has its hazards.

[Dale53]

I have mentioned on here before but I'll mention it again...
I have a dedicated "uniform" for casting. It is:
1 - Boots
2- bib overalls (puts and additional layer over your chest)
3- long sleeved flannel shirt buttoned up and including the neck (sleeves
DOWN)
4- Hat (I use a fatigue cap)
5 - Glasses - face shield is a better idea
6- Full length shop apron (you can get splashed and the two layers will keep
you from getting burned).

NOTE: All clothing MUST be cotton only. Synthetics will melt and the effect is
like getting drenched in NAPALM. This is spelled 3RD DEGREE
BURNS. NO synthetic clothing, repeat after me...

When an accident occurs (not IF) you'll be glad, as Andrew is, that you were properly dressed.

Fashion consultants do not make good bullet casters, but for the rest of us, simple precautions can "Save the Day".

Dale53

[cbrick]

If the truth were told most of us that have been doing this for any length of time have had a total and complete brain fade moment a time or two. I know I have but luck was on my side and I wasn't hurt. Because I wasn't hurt I look at my brain fade moments as valuable and cheap educational lessons, they could have been (and very nearly were) extremely expensive lessons.

Today my safety precautions are far more strict than they were 25 or 30 years ago whether casting or smelting and include overkill ventilation casting indoors, smelting outdoors in a clean, un-cluttered work area with plenty of room for moving around without tripping, the clothing of coarse including gloves, safety glasses etc. and not overly tired and no distractions.

Rick

[copdills]

Glad you were not hurt, and thanks for sharing your experience , it will make us all think safety first

[TedH]

Yep, I've done the exact same thing. Luckily I was wearing jeans and boots as some did splash up on me. Didn't get burned, but I sure felt stupid.

[Andrew Quigley]

Did I mention I was on my pea gravel diveway. Talk about lots of fun picking melted lead off the driveway. Yeehaw! Lol.

[jhalcott]

Must be the Tinsle Fairy's busy week! I was making some ingots and had a ladle full of 3 pounds of liquid going for the ingot molds. I had a sneezing fit,about 3 good ones! Now I have a couple pounds of "tinsle fairy dust" on the driveway. Wife does NOT like it there!

[docone31]

I worked in a casting shop when I was a teenager.
At the end of the shift, we had some lead to put in the pot. My shift foreman just grabbed some damp lead and tossed it in. We used to just chuck the lead in. We did it so often we never made a mess.
Well, the lead he tossed in was damp. The lead went in, and silence, then POP. The walls had strings all over it. Lead everywhere. I mean everywhere. We had to pick it all up. It stuck on the cinder block walls, table tops, chairs, our clothes, windows, it was amazing.
Apparently, wet lead produces steam.
We got it all cleaned up, no one was hurt although we might have been. It was an experience I never forgot.
I have had quenched lead pop in the pot. Jogged my memory.
The thought of liquid metal pouring all over is not my favourite list of thoughts.
With good luck, casting can be very relaxing.
Always have a way to escape.
Fire extinguishing devices are also handy.

[warf73]

Glad you weren't hurt.

[montana_charlie]

NOTE: All clothing MUST be cotton only.
Note to self: Buy a cotton thong and ditch the simulated alligator.

[Red River Rick]

Note to self: Buy a cotton thong and ditch the simulated alligator.

And this is the normal attire for casters in Montana, yes?

RRR

[Handgunr]

Makes you shiver at the thought of how we did things in years past and made it to this point to talk about it, right ?

I've always thought that I did things safely, but as time goes on, and the more I do it, those old processes weren't anywhere near safe enough.......

Glad to read that the outcome was good......


Bob

[runfiveslittlegirl]

i put a sheet of sheet metal under the smelter and set the rear legs a bit higher.
i also have a sheet metal wrap around three sides of the smelter, and another that i can put
in front ,plus a piece i put on top of the pot lids.
do i still make a mess...yes but it is sooo easy to clean up.
also all lead that goes in the pot is put in with a shovel.
i put ingots and sprues in the pouring pot with distance also...

and an exit strategy.

[Andrew Quigley]

Ok now I'm havin to clean up the water I spit on the computer screen when I read the thong comment!

[montana_charlie]

And this is the normal attire for casters in Montana, yes?
Normal? Uhh...I dunno! Can anything really qualify as normal when it happens under a harvest moon?
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=188713&postcount=19

A thong works for me because I carry my eye of newt in an amulet on a neck cord...and don't need pockets. But I suppose the 'simulated alligator' was pushing things, a bit...
CM

[45nut]

5.8 oz. 100% Ultra-fine combed ring spun 1x1 baby rib cotton.

http://images.cafepress.com/product/144488969v2_240x240_Front.jpg

If there is enough interest I could put a group buy together. [smilie=1:

[sav300]

45nut.do they come with a left or right bias?colours?
Just the thing for casting in Aus,
Lionel

[montana_charlie]

Just the thing for casting in Aus,
Are you saying Australians cast under a harvest moon, too?
I wasn't real sure that Australia even HAS a moon...
CM