gloves or no gloves.

[metweezer]

GLOVES! You're crazy if you are not using them. & a full face shield.

[Bret4207]

GLOVES! You're crazy if you are not using them. & a full face shield.

...and a leather welders jacket with a neck guard and a leather apron over that and a Nomex fire suit covering everything including your steel toed boots. Better not forget the respirator and 2 way comm with mission control!

Some people simply take all the joy out of life. Reminds me of the guy n a tractor forum wanted to put deadman switches, ROPS, angle detectors and a whole mess of other useless krap on a late 40's farm tractor. Just makes me shake my head.

But then, I'm crazy........

[metweezer]

Bret,
Golves? Yes because your hands are only 4" away from molten liquid that is 700 degrees. Full face shield? Yes because safety glasses won't do much to protect your face in the event that the tinsel fairy is aiming for it. The only part of your dissertation that I agree with is what is quoted below.
Steve

But then, I'm crazy........

[juniorsonic]

Gloves. Absolutely. Every time. (I think anyone who has been burned by molten lead - even a LITTLE bit ....and only ONCE - would subscribe to this religiously).

[LAH]

Gloves. Absolutely. Every time. (I think anyone who has been burned by molten lead - even a LITTLE bit ....and only ONCE - would subscribe to this religiously).

Been burned a few times. Only once that really took some time to heal. Still I only wear one glove. I've cast for years in tennis shoes & tee shirts but if it makes everyone feel better I don't wear shorts at the lead pot.

juniorsonic;1409473..........your post was kind. You didn't call me stupid or crazy. Others seem to think I am but for the life of me I can't understand how anyone can cast with all that stuff on their body without being in a very cool room. My problem is HEAT. My casting sessions tend to go 4 or 5 hours, running 3 or 4 moulds. I don't/can't stop except for a drink of water or to pee. Yes I said pee, sorry.

My casting place isn't air conditioned so the less I have on the better for me it is. Along these lines I've used many pounds of welding rods in a tee shirt. The only time I wore gloves or a long sleeve shirt was when it was cold outside or doing overhead welds. Same with the cutting torch though I do wear gloves each time I pick one of those bad boys up.

I've been burned my share of times. But a burn outside a 3rd degree isn't something I fear. I don't want to be burned but I also don't want to spend hours in my own sweat with no where for that sweat to go. A little first aid goes a long ways for the simple burns & a little common sense goes a long ways to prevent bad ones.

So I've been burned. Also been cut a few times with a chainsaw but don't wear gloves or chaps when using one of those either...........Why????? I don't like the HEAT. You guys that wear all this stuff & suggest others do so...........that's fine, but please don't look down your nose 'cause I don't. I'm really a good guy & even wear a seat belt..........most the time.

[KCSO]

Ever have a gloob drop down your glove? No Gloves.

[Jon K]

Ever have a gloob drop down your glove? No Gloves.

Get longer gloves!

No Gloves = NUTS...

Jon

[Bret4207]

In 30+ years of casting I've had my share of minor burns. The nicest gloves I've had for casting were cotton masons gloves, but I just can't feel what I'm doing wearing gloves. As I said in another post, if I get burned bad some day casting bare handed without a space suit on, I promise I won't come crying to anyone else. But the safety Nazis are just sucking the life and fun out of everything these days. I refuse to participate in the chickification of America. So no gloves or face mask when casting, often no helmet or chaps when chainsawing, no foolish helmet when riding a bike or horse and if I could get them I'd still be playing lawn darts. Call me crazy, call me whatever you want, but people have got to stop trying to Mommy us to death.

[phaessler]

I wear nitrile gloves under my heat resistant gloves(welding gloves).
I figure I can at least have a semi clean hand if natures calls while casting.
That and I have a fear of lead ingestion....

[Bret4207]

Kinda like wearing 2 condoms, just in case?

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Without a doubt, some of us need full safety gear and probably robotics to mold with safety. Some shouldn't mold at all. Others more adept, more knowing, more conscious,have no trouble molding and none is likely.

Like the feller balancing 20 pounds of molten lead on top of a propane throway bottle burner with a cheap setup. Alas, we have shooters like that too, and drivers, and peers on the job.

Walk away from obvious hazards in a hobby no matter the circumstances, if you cannot manage them.

BvT

[waksupi]

I can see some of the guys on this topic, need to stay COMPLETELY away from a blacksmith shop. There are things in there that make lead look super cooled.
Might get burned.

[LAH]

I can see some of the guys on this topic, need to stay COMPLETELY away from a blacksmith shop. There are things in there that make lead look super cooled.
Might get burned.

Stop it yer killin' me. HEE HEE

[Moonman]

Safety needs to be a Way of Life in your thoughts and actions. Knowledge learned from the past was learned at the expense and blood of others, why add your blood to it?

Rambo and Mall Ninja thinking towards the subject of SAFETY will lead to PAIN and SUFFERING by the subject and their loved ones needlessly at sometime in their life.

BE SAFE-NOT SORRY.

[Bret4207]

See, in a way I agree Moonman, but there are degrees to everything. I recall a picture that was posted here somewhere of a guy rendering down lead, outside, wearing a complete leather outfit and a respirator. I mean, come on. You stand up wind and that's all you need for fresh air. I've seen other pictures of people wearing welders gloves and TRYING to cast. Of course they can't feel anything anything and can't understand why their boolits are dropping different sizes. If those little speckles of alloy on your hands bother you, light cotton masons gloves work just fine for that. Big leather gauntlets invite drops of lead to fall down into the cuff when you're fumbling around trying to grasp the mould handles.

I'm a big believer in seatbelts, but that doesn't mean a 6 point harness and a helmet are required.

[Moonman]

Most people have never been tested for elevated lead levels in their body. People who Cast, and especially those who shoot at INDOOR ranges should have their Body Lead Levels checked. A couple people at my indoor gun club shoot wearing FULL RESPIRATORS due to their elevated lead levels.

Some people need SIX POINT SAFETY BELTS and HELMETS because they try to approach everything they do in life at 300MPH, which is not always the smart approach to things.

[mold maker]

I've had these hands for near 70 years and would like to use them till the end. There have been several times when lack of attention or just plain luck caused injury. The next time wont be because I didn't wear gloves appropriate for the job.

Nope,,, it doesn't add to the dexterity. Yep,,,, it is awkward to some extent. So is a deep burn, when it could be so easily avoided.

If you feel that it's OK to wear synthetic shorts, no shirt, flip flops, and no gloves, it's your party.

I have rendered (smelted) and cast literally tons of scrap lead, and common sense has kept my blood lead level at low normal, and me burn free.

I try to never influence a newbie to start out foolishly. You can always take gloves off, but a serious burn, lasts a long long time.

[jlchucker]

I use a pair of leather-trimmed work gloves, and a face shield over my bifocals. I've always done it this way. I used to wear those plastic safety glasses, but since attaining the age of geezerhood, I need bifocals, and the face shield gives me and the bifocals satisfactory protection. I've got two cats that I feed. I don't need the added expense of feeding a seeing-eye dog too. I find Moonman's comments interesting. The first foreman's job that I was assigned when I worked at the New Haven Winchester ammo plant in the early 1970's was in the lead shop. This was pretty much pre-OSHA, and even then, the company mandated those working in that department to get checked for evidence of lead poisoning--every 6 months, as I remember. I do my smelting and casting outdoors, in the late spring, summer, and early fall--on sunny days. For me it's safety first.

[Suo Gan]

I no long "wack" the spur plate I wear welding gloves and open the plate with the gloved hand. Has to be easier on the mold .Faster also

There is nothing faster about using your hand. To me this is like wanting to use your hands for eating everything because you might wear out your fork. And then telling everyone it is much faster and better and silly to want to wear out your fork when you can use your hands. I don't think it is faster using your hands when breaking a sprue, but I don't really care either because it is ultimately EASIER ON ME! As the aches and pains of life creep up on you, those are words to live by. I wish someone would have told me that I could replace tools when I was younger rather than using my body as a buffer to save wear and tear on them...what about wear and tear on me? Ahhh, to be young and dumb again! As they say ignorance is bliss, I am living proof.

[cast405]

glove on my left hand for spru plate ,boots ,glasses ,coveralls no burns yet want to keep it that way.