I'veBecome A "Closet" Caster

[leadman]

Ihave been casting in my garage with the door open but with the strong wind gusts this has caused the fumes to be blown back over me even with 3 fans behind me.

Last week I built this "closet" to cast boolits and shot in. I wanted something I could build that didn't require me to put a hole in the garage wall or remove a duct before closing the door.

It was built with about $30 worht of OSB board and a few 2x4s. The rest of the wood and other items I already had on hand.
I have used it and everything seems to suit me so I will paint it and of course add a Cast Boolits sticker.

The wind gusts can no longer blow the fumes back over me since the walls are 6' tall. The box fan does a good job of sucking out the fumes. I use wax to flux most of the time and even though the pot is about 1' to 1 1/2' away from me I can not smell the scent from the wax and all the smoke is sucked right towards the fan from the pot.

I have not made any shot since I built this but don't anticipate any concerns.

I made it so it can be broken down into 4 large sections by removing screws.

[Calamity Jake]

Nice setup. Think about putting a kitchen range hood over your closet and use metal water heater flex duct to pipe the smoke outside.
Then you can cast with the door down when it's cold.
You could make two 1" angle iron straps across the top to hang the hood on.

[leadman]

Cold is not a problem here in Phoenix even in the winter. The lows the last couple of days have been in the low 90'.
In the winter it is usually around 70' by 10 a.m or so.

[montana_charlie]

Does that whole rig get plugged into a single 120V outlet?
CM

[454PB]

Good idea, and east to construct.

The Lee Pro-4-20 pulls about 7 amps, the 10 pounder pulls about 4 amps, and the fans should be less than 5 amps. Assuming a typical 15 amp receptacle, you should avoid turning it all on at once.

[leadman]

I can run the Lee 20# pot and the ladle for the shotmaker, along with the fan. The yellow box has a breaker in it and it does trip if I plug in the Lee #10 pot also.
I can plug the fan or the Lee 10# pot into the flourescent drop cord light that is held to the metal plate by the magnet.
The light and yellow box are plugged into a wall plug that is wired with 10 gauge wire from the breaker box. This was here when I bought the house. Former owner had some large machinery of some type in the garage.

I am going to do some "cleaning up" of things like the electrical box, probably change to 2 breaker protected circuits. I would like to be able to run the 2 pots and the shotmaker at the same time. I am going to enclose the stand with the pots on it so I can use desicant on one shelf to keep the moulds from rusting.

You can't see it in the photos but I have a hook in the ceiling over the shotmaker to hook a small block and tackle to. I use this to lift the basket out of the coolant that weighs 60 -65 pounds. I can lift it without the b&T but being old and arthritic it is easier.

[wallenba]

I've got to get busy and build one in my garage too, winter will be here all too soon. I'm planning to just frame it in and staple thick mil drop cloth around it and ventilate with a high flow bathroom exhaust fan and dryer duct right thru the east wall (prevailing wind is out of the west here in winter ). Mebbe the pot will keep it warm enough inside.

[leadman]

wallenba, what part of Michigan you at?
Wife and I are heading to Grand Rapids, Michigan on Thursday. Taking the travel trailer. Goint ot visit family and stay 3 days at Holland State Park. Might try to catch some perch off the pier.

[wallenba]

wallenba, what part of Michigan you at?
Wife and I are heading to Grand Rapids, Michigan on Thursday. Taking the travel trailer. Goint ot visit family and stay 3 days at Holland State Park. Might try to catch some perch off the pier.
I'm on the other side (the dirty side) of the state, just west of Detroit. You will will like it on the west, cool breezes off lake Michigan, nice time of year to be there.