Where do you cast in the winter ( northern guys)

[JWFilips]

OK another "NuBe to PB" question:
Where do you folks cast in the winter time? I just set off every fire alarm in my house trying to melt some old lead pipe I had.
(Granted, my pot had a nice preserving coating of oil on it) Don't think this is going to happen in my basement in the winter.
Plenty of places when the weather warms but ...Winter time? I need some hints
Thanks

[btroj]

I cast in my attached garage. I flux lightly so not much smoke. If it is warm enough, above 30 or so, I open a garage door. Same place I cast in the summer.

[JWFilips]

Do the unheated conditions affect the casting?

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I cast in my attached garage. I flux lightly so not much smoke. If it is warm enough, above 30 or so, I open a garage door. Same place I cast in the summer.

i do the same also use a kerosene heater

[btroj]

Being unheard affects me far more than it does the castings. 750 degree lead is 750 degree lead. Get the mould hot and get a good rhythm. Not any issues at all.
Biggest concern is not adding cold ingots to a pot. Small amounts of condensation can be a huge problem. I set ingots on the edge of the pot and add those first. I then add warms spruce until it won't melt instantly. Cold ingots go on top on that, gives them plenty of time to warm before hitting the melt.

[40Super]

I do all my winter smelting(minimum) and casting in my heated garage. I try to minimize smelting until it is maybe above freezing so I can crack open the top of one garage door. I made a ventilation fan and shroud that hangs over the pot and runs out a window, I then open a window a bit on the other side of the shop so the air is moving straight out the vent. It works ok, I do need a faster fan, but works as long as I don't keep throwing to much sawdust in the pot. Most of my smelting I am trying to do in the summer so I can do it outside though. Just can't seem to get enough done before winter to hold me through always.

[MT Gianni]

I cast in my unheated shop. The temp difference between 20 and 70 is minimal when the melt is 700F. It is a lot easier with the small two cavity molds like my bator 22 dc as the molds cool quickly. I must be getting up in years as I now limit my time out there to 4-5 hours.

[longbow]

I cast outside year round. I will be casting later today, most likely. It has been running around 0 degrees C to about -8 degrees C. I have cast at down to about -10 degrees C.

I never find the outside temperature has any significant effect on the casting except for my temperature! It can get a little cold on long casting sessions.

Longbow

[fcvan]

When I lived in Tehachapi CA, it got rather cold at 4000+ feet. I cast in the driveway summer or winter. My Lee 10lb pot sat on the tailgate of my truck. I had a painters tarp coving the tailgate and the ground under the lawn chair. I eventually built a carport and so I was still outdoors but covered. As a previous poster noted, the pot will be set to the appropriate temperature and the mold will cool somewhat faster so adjust accordingly.

I then moved to the Northern CA coastal town of Crescent City. It doesn't get as cold there in the winter but they do have some horrific rain storms. I would cast on the back porch at my house or my brothers house, both of which are covered. 45 to 55 degrees is pretty average during the winter months. Colorado Springs is a different story. I cast in the driveway on sunny days and there are way more sunny days in Colorado Springs than in Crescent City. In fact, it is frequently warmer in the springs than it is in Crescent City, at least during the daytime.

I will be building a shop for my reloading and other hobbies. The shop will have a casting station which will include a metal top for the bench and a range hood with a vent to the outdoors. With good lighting and an ergonomic setup I should be able to cast of an evening in relative comfort.

Winter or summer, I cast while wearing protective clothing, safety glasses, and good gloves. The physical activity is enough to keep my upper body warm. On really cold days I wear a second pair of oversized pants and my boots do a good job of keeping my feet warm. I don't think it will ever be as cold as the U.P. of Michigan but I'm sure I'd figure out a way to keep casting in a safe and comfortable way.

[d garfield]

I cast in my cellar the year round, I put a 21" fan in the bulkhead and don,t over flux.

[wyoduster]

In my basement .. I have a small kitchen there and its my domain...

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

I cast in my storage shed, about 12x12 non insulated. I usually don't cast if under 20 degrees.
I use a propane camp stove to cast on, its warm on the knees and chest cold on the back.
I have not mastered casting behind my back yet, to warm the other side- I keep missing the sprue hole!

[JWFilips]

Well I'm thinking of opening my blacksmithing shed for the winter Plenty of air ( very cold air!) Got to run an electrical cord for the pot however!
May save a lot of complaints from the wife.

[Cherokee]

Melting unprecessaed lead and blending alloys I do in the warm weather outside. I get everything ready so that I can cast boolits in my heated/cooled basement year round.

[dragonrider]

Heat and A/C in the garage so outside temps do mean a thing. Smoke from fluxing with sawdust isn't much of a problem either as I don't flux my casting pot very often at all. I flux repeatedly when smelting.

[zuke]

I do all my casting in the summer.
It's suppose to drop to -25 here tonight, it was -16 this afternoon.

[Boolseye]

I cast in my daylight basement right next to the door, which I keep open. I ventilate to the max and don't worry about it.

[ipijohn]

I do all of my smelting outside in Spring through Fall. In the Winter I cast in my basement workroom. I installed a PVC drain pipe that goes up and out through the sill plate of the house with a screw in plug outside for when I am not using the system. I installed a 15 CFM inline fan in the pipe to suck air out of the house. The inlet is about a foot over the top of my 20# bottom pour pot. I have checked the inside of the inlet (after several hours of use) with my IR thermometer and have never gotten a reading over 150* F. It works very well year round. I only cast about once a month. When I get low on something I will cast everything I think I will need for a month or so.

[wallenba]

I try to get my winter shooting boolits made by late fall. Right now I have enough to last through next summer. Occasionally, if it's warm (near 40f), and the wind isn't blowing, I'll do some in the garage with the door open.

[runfiverun]

i smelt scrap lead out back in the summer,and cast in the garage in ,well,, all year round.
i lube,and reload shot shells in there too, but that's what the garage is for.
i will even pull the cooker in there and alloy different melts if necessary in the winter.