gloves or no gloves.

[craveman85]

just thought i would do a poll on how many of you guys use gloves while casting. personally i dont because i cant stand having stuff on my hands. im also very clumsy when wearing gloves and have been known to spill stuff. ive been smelting lead and casting for about 5 years now and no burns except when you get a little droplet that bounces off the skin. (i do wear an apron, boots, and a face shield though)

[stubshaft]

I didn't used to and have the scars to prove it!

I wear one on my right hand mainly to turn the sprue cutter, and strike off the sprue. The sprue drops off right in my gloved palm and I drop it into the pot as I reach for my rawhide mallet to open the mould. It makes it so much easier.

[warf73]

+1 gloved hand, its the easiest way to open up lee 2 cavity molds. I don't alway used gloves when using lee 6 cavity molds.

[Ugluk]

I return the sprues to the pot after breaking it. I'm not man enough to do that without gloves. Also good when opening molds without dowel.

[Hickory]

No gloves=burns
gloves=no burns

easy choice.

[Ajax]

I use a glove on my right hand to open sprue plate,


Andy

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Burns suck gloves 100%
eye wear too

[btroj]

No gloves, always glasses.

[casterofboolits]

Always a gauntlet glove on the left hand, apron, safety glasses and a ball cap. Learned the hard way.

[songdog53]

Gloves and eye wear and boots too cause hot lead = burns and some can be really bad. Rahter be pouring boolits than healing.

[Guesser]

Been casting for 40 years, no gloves, no burns other than the minute ones caused by spatter from the Lee dripomatic I've been using since 1980.

[lurch]

As has been said, the sprue plate gets a bit too hot to contemplate opening it without gloves. I prefer not to beat on my molds if I can avoid it.

[biker_trash_1340]

No gloves, women love a man with scars

FRC (flame resistant clothing) and glasses from work

[buck1]

I make myself use them as well as safty glasses and a lond sleeve heavy shirt.

[BruceB]

In my industry (mining) it's called "PPE"...Personal Protective Equipment. Its use is MANDATED by law and regulation. This stuff saves thousands of workers from injury or death every year.

We may go along for years without really needing the insurance provided by such gear....but when the NEED arises, there will be NO TIME to re-think the issue. If you're not wearing it when the eventuality arrives, you are in for a WORLD of pain, and possibly scarring, crippling or blindness.

WEAR THE GEAR!

Do a search for "the lead tsunami" and find out how I ended up with a lapful of molten lead...AFTER forty years of casting with no such event ever occurring.

*I* was prepared...shouldn't you be? Don't try to make "excuses", because there are NO valid reasons for not wearing protection...NONE.

[thehouseproduct]

I love my gloves. I used to work at Oakley sunglasses and got a pair of our race car driving gloves. They are made with CarbonX and I can literally pour the molten lead on my hand and not feel while still being able to pick up a penny off the bench.

[cajun shooter]

I always wore gloves until I started casting with a different method. This in no way is saying to not use the safety equipment. I have a very bad back and set up my pot and bench so that I can cast from a sitting rather than standing position. I use a two mould method with a hot plate. The mould is filled and put back on the hot plate to start. After that the first mould is picked up and the sprue plate is lightly tapped with a plastic hammer while being held over a sprue bucket. It is resting on the side of the bucket and pointed down where the sprue is directed. The mould is refilled and returned to the plate and the second mould is picked up. This method keeps my hands away from the hot parts. I am aware that the accident factor is me and I go slow and easy. Speed in casting will give you scars to look at in later life. Again while not perfect it does allow me to cast as I would be unable to do from a standing position and use a glove for the sprue.

[Mk42gunner]

Like the old saying goes: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

PPE was pounded into my head while in the Navy. I like to cut the sprue by twisting it as soon as it hardens, kind of discomforting to do without gloves.

Robert

[skeet1]

I never used to wear golves till I read on this forum about opening the sprue plate with the gloved hand. I now wear gloves all the time when casting because I like this method.

Ken

[MikeS]

I always wear gloves, just feel safer that way. I started out using some leather work gloves, but they didn't really protect from heat that well, now I use welders gloves, I think they're insulated, as well as having a long gauntlet to protect my arms better than just a long sleeved shirt. Better safe than sorry.