Casting protection?

[RegCom7]

I'm new to casting, and I bought a welder's apron, a pull-down face mask, and leather gloves. But I haven't used them yet, although I plan to at least start using the apron from now on. So how many of the rest of you use protective gear? What kind of gear do you wear?

[putteral]

Me I use gloves,hat, safety glasses and long pants but that's about it. Just make sure you keep water away from the lead and be safety contious and you shouldn't have many problems.

[carpetman]

If someone mentions condoms as protective gear, they probably wont be allowed to post pictures.

[putteral]

Geez I forgot about condoms. :drinks:

[supv26]

Protection? what's that??
:holysheep[smilie=f:

[mold maker]

Brimmed cotton hat, long cotton clothes, welders gloves, high top leather shoes, safety glasses, and a long leather apron if seated.
Seeing me wearing that garb, in the summer, keeps the nosy neighbors away. They don't want any of my cooking, especially when they see it flame up ever so often.
Seriously if there is an unprotected bit of skin, the tinsel fairy knows how to send 750* rain into it. The resulting burn is likely to get infected, causing all sorts of problems.
Note.....Only cotton, leather, etc. Synthetics just help the hot lead penetrate and stick to skin.

[Johnw...ski]

Summer: flip flops, shorts, t-shirt.
Winter: what ever I happen to be wearing.

John

[Bret4207]

Work clothes, I wear a hat all the time anyway, no gloves, safety glasses if I remember, no apron, face shield or any of that. I don't see how anyone could possibly cast wearing welding gloves. Thin leather driving or cotton gloves maybe, but not the welders gloves I'm familiar with. I've even seen pics of guys smelting outdoors wearing a respirator! Comon', there are limits.

[Houndog]

I'm gettin ready to show the hillbilly in me! I wear a hat,long sleeved shirt, a pair of high topped shoes, cotton gloves safety glasses, and a pair of Pointer brand bib overalls. sort of the same thing I like to wear around the farm every day. DO NOT wear anything made of synthetic material!!!!!! If you happen to have a major lead spill on it or catch it on fire, it'll act just like heat shrink tubing and melt right to you! ( been there, done that and got the scars to prove it!)

[Dale53]

I have worn out two pairs of welders gloves (bought a new pair today as I went through the index finger and thumb on my right hand. No problem using them at all. I LOVE the protection that they provide.

Dale53

[Ole]

I wear a face shield, heavy gloves, and dedicated casting clothes with long sleeves when smelting.

I'll occasionally cast in shorts, but I always wear everything else while doing that.

[Whitespider]

Cotton cloths only. Jeans and a Tee-shirt in the summer, leather shoes.
I worked as a welder for about a year, wore short sleeves, I guess the skin on my arms is tough.
Tried casting once wearing cotton shorts and some slip-on canvas shoes, no socks. Damn sprew flipped just right and landed in my shoe, right next to my arch. Holy crap, my feet ain't as tough as my arms, that bugger hurt like hell. Long jeans and leather shoes fer sure now.
Some times I wear gloves, or just one glove, but prefer to cast bare-handed (I use a ladle).
Don't know if I'll ever learn not to pick up one of those pretty new boolits before it cools off, seams I burn at least one finger-tip every castin' session.

I do wear a my leather welding apron and welders gloves when smeltin' though, mostly to protect myself from the dirt.

[R.C. Hatter]

I wear a ball hat, a long sleeve shirt, a pair of Pointer bib overalls, leather shoes, my
glasses, which are large prescription safety glasses. While I do not wear gloves while casting, I do wear them when pouring ingots and/or smelting. After a few spatters, one learns quickly what to wear. Avoid all moisture around molten lead.

[targetshootr]

I started out wearing gloves and a long sleeved shirt. Now it's a short sleeved shirt and no gloves. Pants and shoes of course and my glasses.

[rhead]

Long sleeve shirt, long pants usually kakis, glasses, light leather gloves for the sprue cutter.

[Echo]

Glasses, sometimes a long-sleeved shirt - just depends on what I happen to have on - and gloves. Gloves are the only 'special' thing. Otherwise, I just wear whatever I'm wearing! As often as not, shorts. And, so far (40+years), the tinsel fairy has been absent.
Oh, I make sure I'm wearing socks! A hot boolit into the shoe would be very distracting!

Gloves are mainly so I can pick up sprues and put back in pot, and inspect fresh boolits, rolling them over, while the next cast is setting up.

[Gunslinger]

I usually don't wear any protection equipment. Have come to the conclusion that thats pretty dumb. Already had lead splatter around me twice. Once the muffin pan had a drop of rain in in, another time one of the ingots must have had moist in/on it... it splashed a little when i put it in the furnace!

Hmmm..... 17 posts, lotta gloves, lotta glasses, lotta longsleeved shirts... but not ONE SINGLE mask to protect from the fumes? I know, cast below 800, don't stand down wind and you should be fine. Is this what everybody does?

Maybe I'm paranoid, I just thought I might buy a mask with active filters in it.....!?

[jonk]

I rarely wear anything to protect ME- rather to protect my clothes. I've burned a few holes in jeans, flannel shirts, etc. so now wear an apron, but that's it.

I've accidentally poured a fair amount of lead on my bare leg already. Eh. Tore off the top layer of skin, blistered, left a small scar. Wasn't pleasant but it didn't kill me.

[Willbird]

If someone mentions condoms as protective gear, they probably wont be allowed to post pictures.
Casting bullets is the ONLY time I ever take my condom off :-).

Bill

[jdgabbard]

Honestly...whatever I'm wearing. Mostly I try to use work cloths, or a pair of German BDUs that I aquired from cheaper than dirt some years back. Never wear gloves unless I'm putting those hot sprue droppings back into the pot. Never really wear safety glasses, and depending on the temp outside I may or may not wear a long sleeve shirt.

I know. Its stupid of me not to wear the gear. But like JohnW said. Shorts and Flip Flops.

[McKee Boykin]

Buck nekid!

[jdgabbard]

Buck nekid!

Thats a sight I could do without :roll:

[Whitespider]

Buck nekid!

Hmmmm..... Now where was that thread?
Something about the Harvest moon and a leather thong?

[Huntducks]

I wear what ever I got on.

I don't know how anyone can cast with glove's on to each his own.

NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE HOT LEAD IN THE MORNING.

[Ugly Dwarf]

Buck nekid!

I've never tried casting this way, but I'll tell you this... never, EVER, cook bacon buck nekid.

I'm new to this hobby, but I wear leather work gloves when sorting WW or doing anything that requires some dexterity and welding gloves when working with the smelting pot. I usually wear a leather welding apron (because I have it - dunno if I would have bought one for this), cotton (natural fibers!!!) pants / shirt(s), leather work boots, a brimmed leather hat and safety glasses (as the safety video says... "when you gamble with your eyes, the best you can do is break even").

I hope to have a lot of years in front of me, so I've also taken to wearing a HEPA respirator when I'm smelting (I may start when casting, but haven't been yet), as I figure that's when I'll encounter the most nastiness.

[Linstrum]

For sure safety glasses. I have only one really good eye, so I protect my vision because I done run out of spare eyes.

After safety glasses, I usually wear a boonie hat, leather welder's gloves, cotton long sleeve shirt, cotton pants, and boots.

I normally wear a boonie hat, cotton long sleeve shirt, and cotton pants, as well as 9-inch boots as my usual attire, but I think they afford a bit more protection from the tinsel faerie than being bare-headed, wearing a short sleeve shirt, shorts, and low top shoes. Unrelated to casting I have been badly burned twice and it is NO FUN. I have had a few surprise visits from the tinsel faerie over the last 45 years without any injury whatsoever, though.


rl511

[rmark]

Face shield, outer flannel shirt buttoned to neck, jeans, thin leather gloves, cap. A bit hot in the Oklahoma summer time, however -

I HAVE seen what a drop of water in molten lead can do and don't allow anyone into the garage while casting.

My dad was using a lead soldier casting kit which heated lead in a ladle - probably heated about one pound at a time. Likely a drop of water ended up on a piece of old lead type we were using, resulting in a spray of lead across the ceiling. Luckily we were all in the front room waiting for the ladle to heat up again. Had lead splashes across the kitchen ceiling for a few years until it was repainted. Very decorative.

ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GLASSES.

[cohutt]

I'll post some pics from the lapse in safety judgement i had last september every time this come up.

These were 5 days after:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/burns/footburn923b-1.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/burns/footburn923a-1.jpg

[Dale53]

cohutt;
They say a picture is worth a thousand words - I BELIEVE!!

I have been casting for well over fifty years. I am a pretty careful lad, all 'round. However, I have had an accident or two[smilie=1:. I am here to say that practical safety gear costs nearly nothing (far, far less than your skin grafts:confused: as a "for instance") and most damage can be prevented with the use of protective clothing. These comments are not meant to be criticism of you in any way. Just thanking you for sharing with us and suggesting ways for others to avoid that kind of outcome.

I have a "casting outfit" (even the neighbors know it[smilie=1:). I wear a cotton shirt with long sleeves (light in summer and heavy in winter) with a pair of bib overalls and a long cotton work apron. My pants cover my boot tops. I wear welders gloves and after they are broken in they are NO problem whatsoever. Most of all, I wear glasses EVERY TIME. I also wear a hat (that is necessary whether you have a full thatch or like me, nearly nothing:mrgreen:).

I didn't start out particularly "pretty" and I cannot imagine 3rd burns will do anything positive for my looks (never mind the horrible pain that this will cause).

Just use a bit of common sense and be ever vigilant!

Dale53

[supv26]

When I cast I usually wear a glove on my right hand so I can pick up the hot sprues and sometimes I have to make sure my mold is closed correctly.

[snaggdit]

Willbird - You know what the commercials say... If you experience... more than 4 hours, call your doctor. LOL

I have been only begun casting this fall. Since I live in Wisconsin and it is Winter, I always have on heavy clothing. For smelting, I use leather gloves. For both casting and smelting, safety glasses. Beyond that, normal (not synthetic) attire. I keep my gerber multi tool handy for stray sprues and drips from my bottom pour. I return everything back to the pot as I go.

[BruceB]

I'll suggest that y'all also take a look at my thread up on the Shooters.com forum. It's called "The Lead Tsunami", and it is VERY applicable to this discussion.

I posted it in hopes that some of the nay-sayers on this Board might just do a little honest self-criticism, and TAKE ACTION to protect themselves.

"It can't happen to me!"????? HAH.

[carpetman]

Lasting over 4 hours call your Dr???? I'm calling the newspaper I don't want it limited to just the Dr knowing.

[Linstrum]

Hi, McKee Boykin, you got the wrong activity for buck nekid, we only do that for thinking up boolit loob and boolit loads, which besides buck nekid also usually involves dancing around a fire under a full moon at midnight out in a clearing in the woods and litter saved from the litter box of a black cat.

Cohutt and BruceB, thanks for your input, those certainly drive the point home!


rl512

[McKee Boykin]

Well at least it got someone to post some pics of what can happen if you don't protect yourself!

[popnfresh]

I have only been casting for a month, I hope I don't get careless with time and start underdressing. I currently wear jeans, shirt, leather shoes, welding apron, blacksmith gloves(thicker leather and longer gauntlets than welding gloves), safety glasses, face shield, and a baseball cap.

I ladle cast and have no problem working with the heavy gloves, I like to be able touch anything without worry of being burned.

[mtnman31]

I hang my safety glasses on the work light above my casting pot. When I fire up the pot and turn on the bench light the glasses are right there so as not to forget them. I also wear welding gloves as I turn the sprue plate by hand on most of my 1 & 2 cavity molds. I usually am wearing jeans and an old cotton lab coat. I also keep a fan blowing across the pot to keep any fumes headed towards the garage door. The key to being safe is paying attention to what you are doing and minimize distractions.

I'd say anyone who doesn't at a minimum wear safety glasses is a fool but, that might be insulting. So, I'll just say it politely -
WEAR SAFETY GLASSES!!!

[**oneshot**]

glasses, flannel shirt, jeans, work boots, cotton/leather gloves. I'm very careful when I cast and still got burned. A plop of bird **** in your melting pot can do more than you think. TRUE STORY, I have the pock mark scars that were left.

[Goatlips]

My game is to make darned sure that my pots don't tip over and spill into my lap. I zip-screw my casting and feeder pots to whatever surface I'm working with, usually a picnic table with plywood atop. My smelter stays on the ground. Other than that, just my normal glasses. :castmine:

Goatlips

[Hardcast416taylor]

I always suit up with adequate protection. A welders canvas long sleeve jacket, leather unlined farm gloves, of course a hat worn the right way and not backwards, and of course my leather welding apron. I wear saftey glasses as a second nature thing, I use a fan blowing across from side to side with plenty of air movement and open windows or doors in the barn. I keep the area around where I`m melting free of trip hazards also. But the most needed bit of safety gear is between your ears and the sense to use it! I`m not going to say anything about the attempts at humor on this site as I`m sure these people realise that hot lead won`t yell "Look out Stupid I`m Hot" after they get a burn because it was too much trouble to practice safety.:castmine: Robert