Safety flashback!!!

[coffeeguy]

Sheesh...Got a sobering reminder today that even with 25 years' casting experience it's still possible to make dumb mistakes.

I took about a 3-year break from casting and reloading due to time constraints because of our son being born, changing jobs, and moving. This past week I built my new bench, dug out my presses and got everything set up. I just needed to cast a little bit. My normal setup (Lee Production Pot with PID-controlled power supply, folding chair and sturdy wood table) was still in storage but I had a Palmer hot-pot (handheld and holds 2 lbs of alloy) and plastic adirondack chair handy with a makeshift table and set up on the front porch.

At least I had on proper PPE...Leather boots, jeans, long-sleeved cotton shirt, leather gloves and safety glasses. Anyway, while casting some .45 RN I had to refill the casting pot which empties fast with the big boolits. Once it was melted and up to temp I sat down, picked it up, shifted my weight...and one of the plastic chair legs splayed out to the side and let go. They say God takes care of drunks and fools...I ended up on the ground in a sitting position, but somehow didn't spill any lead out of the pot and everything was fine other than the adrenaline rush. I took a minute to collect myself, unplugged the pot and called it a day. It could have and should have turned out much worse.

[gpidaho]

I had a bit of a surprise today myself. I had a shotgun primer detonate in the primer seater station of a shotgun press. I still don't know what caused it as the primer wasn't dented or crushed, no sign of damage of any kind. Just went off, bang. Right under the feeder tube of powder that had just been filled. I hear you about the adrenaline rush. Gp

[upnorthwis]

I had a folding table leaf give way dumping 10 lbs. of lead on me. Since it was winter, I had a snowmobile suit on. The lead vaporized the nylon shell on the suit and the boat cushion I was sitting on. Used up one of my lives that day.

[rking22]

Glad you wern't hurt! I can't convince myself to sit down to cast, the downside of a serious spill and it landing in my lap is just terrifying! I always stad up and my setup is built for that standing position. Molten metal in my lap might be a rarity but just cant see how you guys do it.

[lightman]

I'm glad you were not hurt. Those chairs are comfortable but I just don't trust them. As to standing vs sitting, standing is no doubt safer but some of us can't stand for long periods of time. I cast with a ProMelt furnace which is nice and stable on a steel workbench. Think 1/4 inch top on 2 X 2 inch square tube legs. I sit in front of this setup on a stool. Think semi sitting or semi standing. Which ever, it leaves me kind of mobile.

I had a lead spill when I first started casting. We were not injured but it made a lasting impression. Dad had a steel table with a swing out stool attached to one leg. My buddy, a fairly heavy fellow, decided to swing it out and sit on it. The table turned over spilling a 10# Lyman pot. We both got splashed with molten lead but fortunately we both were wearing jeans and boots. I still have that table and use it for welding but the swing out seat has been retired.

[Gtek]

Glad you were not hurt. Yes i know they are light, yes I know they are cheap, yes I know you can stack them, now take your Sawzall and put all those death trap chairs in the recycling bin.

[mdi]

Yep, good save! Didn't spill a drop. Good that you got through with no burns or broken bones. I had "crashed" in those chairs on occasion (I'm 6-0 230 lbs and those chairs seem to be made for kids) so I don't buy, borrow or steal them. Same with folding tables or "card tables". If I can't lean on one, I don't use it...

[Bent Ramrod]

Those plastic Adirondacks seem to have a service life of 2-1/2 years out here. I think I’ll get wood ones to replace them when they’ve all taken their early retirement.

Congratulations on your poise and coordination, and I’m glad you got out of it all right.

[HangFireW8]

I use a stool, light enough to kick out behind me as I beat a hasty retreat. I make sure nothing is blocking rearward egress.

I find Adirondak chairs comfortable, but too loungey and confining for casting.

[RedHawk357Mag]

Glad to hear no injuries were sustained. I use one of those Kobalt chairs from Lowe's that look like a bar stool. I built a small table to mount to mount to my garage wall at the height to cast comfortably. Works fairly well and has a small foot print. 2x4s frame it, 1xs for the table surface the width of the furnace, screwed into wall studs. I will take a picture tommorow of the setup.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[ioon44]

I have always cast bullets standing up, the thought of a lap full of hot lead never was a option.

[mattw]

Can't cast standing up for very long... so, I use a cast iron McCormick tractor seat that is very old that I bolted to a steel set of legs that are welded to about a 14 inch pulley from a combine. I love the seat and look forward to each casting session in it. Glad you were not hurt!

[fredj338]

I cast standing so no issues with chairs giving way. My casting setup is on a solid bench, no issue there either.

[jimb16]

I use a heavily built wooden stool and alternate between sitting and standing to keep my back from stiffening up. The pot is on a sturdy plywood bench that I built specially for casting duty. It is stable and strong enough to hold my 250 pounds without any wobble. Short of blundering and somehow knocking over the pot, my setup is as safe as I can make it. But I'm still careful. I have been visited by the tinsel fairy on a couple of occasions and I once had the bottom pour spout stick open. No matter how safe you try to make it, things can still happen. Murphy was an optimist!

[megasupermagnum]

Leather boots, heavy pants, and a leather apron will protect you from lead spill. It's also necessary that you have room behind you to get out of the way if needed. I'm 6'5", I'm not going to hunch over and cast bullets. Where I work, guys often take 1200+ degree molten Magnesium to the same leather apron and boots without harm. Granted it's just little drops, not a whole pot. With proper PPE, I don't think anyone will fare any better standing up.

I'm sure it's been said over and over. Stay away from synthetic fabrics. They will cause a burn worse than lead on skin will.

[Baltimoreed]

I also cast standing but I’ve got a tall stool that I sit on occasionally. My melting pot is on my work bench while a water filled plastic jug [from a water cooler] with the top cut off sits on an upside down 5 gal bucket that I drop my boolits into.

[coffeeguy]

Those plastic Adirondacks seem to have a service life of 2-1/2 years out here. I think I’ll get wood ones to replace them when they’ve all taken their early retirement.

Congratulations on your poise and coordination, and I’m glad you got out of it all right.

Poise and coordination...HA!!! Pure luck or divine intervention... You're right about those chairs though. I lived in North Phoenix for about 20 years and went to U of A so very familiar with the toll the sun takes on outdoor furniture.

[coffeeguy]

GPIdaho...Yeah, that would be an attention-getter for sure! I've read the occasional horror story about primer mishaps and tend to prime by hand. Takes longer but I've got enough brass in my rotation that I just take an hour on occasion and prime whatever I'm planning on loading soon then bag it with some dessicant. I can feel right away if something is 'off' and avoid squashing one. Weird that it happened like that on yours. Static, maybe?

[PBSmith]

Coffee, thanks for sharing the reminder.

Back when I cast from a Lyman electric pot, I worked off a makeshift table - not even a table - piece of plywood on sawhorses. I never had any close calls, but then sometimes we don't know how close we are to close calls.

When I got serious about cb I had to smelt junk lead in a large container and saw no alternative but to get down on the garage floor with the operation.

That's where I've been casting ever since - sitting on a low stool with the lead close to the floor. I'm hoping this will reduce the dangers should I accidentally dump the 20-pound ladle pot. It's all risky, though, whatever the outfit.

[Winger Ed.]

Whew, a close one.
I cast standing up so I can jump back from the pot if I need to.
I need to take a break and go sit down more often than I used to, but to sit in front of the pot:
There's several things that can happen, and all but one of them are real bad.