Casting inside garage?

[Echo]

I smelt outside, and cast in an ex-store-room that I've converted into a reloading/casting room. I's about 6x12, and lined with cabinets, and a bench I made next to one wall. If the fluxing smoke gets too oppressive, I can open the door, and the door to the back yard, and vent the smoke so I can see again. Weather here is so benign that a space heater is all I need in the dead of winter to keep everything snug. Problem is I have to make sure it's on the other circuit from the pot, or the breaker blows, and it's a trek to the panel to reset the breaker. I will NOT include a picture - I am totally embarrassed by how messy it is.

[troy_mclure]

i cast in my garage as well, garage door is usually open depending on weather and mosquitoes. i flux with sawdust or dowels so i have no bad smells problem.

[casterofboolits]

I am lucky enough to have an old food service building in my backyard. My casting room is 20' X 30' and has two ten foot exhaust hoods in it. One I smelt under, the other I cast under. I have cast in a basement next to a window with a fan to exhaust fumes and smoke. You don't want SWMBO PO'd by stinking up the house!

[Cherokee]

Bulk melting of scrap lead, making alloy, making ingots I do outside. Casting from ingots I have done inside for 40+ years.

[rockrat]

I cast in the shop. Warm in winter and cool in summer. Do my rendering outdoors and blending in the barn.

[MT Gianni]

I have cast in a garage wit hthe door open an few inches as my wife can smell things I can't. I now cast in an adjacent shop.

[excess650]

I do the smelting outdoors in my driveway, but cast in the rear of the garage. I removed the window and replaced it with plywood, installed a fan to draw and push the fumes out. Above my casting area (under the window)is a plywood hood, so most fumes are vented out.

[dragonrider]

I smelt outdoors and cast in my detatched garage that I heat with a wood stove in winter, AC in the summer. I don't flux my casting pot, except to stir with a wooden stick, so I don't stink up the garage when casting.

[AZ-Stew]

I render my alloy to ingots outdoors to avoid smoking up the shop. All casting is done in the shop with the doors closed. There are no windows. I installed a bathroom fan in the wall near the pot, but it is less than effective. Three years ago my blood lead level was 4. Two years ago it was 2. I didn't see any point in having it checked last year. There is always a drink of some sort a few feet from the pot. I always wash my hands thoroughly before eating. No problems.

Regards,

Stew

[Recluse]

Everything gun-related happens in my shop, except for smelting lead.

Made the mistake of doing that just ONE TIME when there was a light rain outside and I didn't want to smelt under our covered deck where I normally do.

Hooooollllyyyy Cow and pass the cornbread I won't ever do THAT again!

I flux, flux, flux and then flux some more when I'm smelting so that I don't have to flux much while casting. I have air-conditioning and a ceiling fan in the shop, plus three windows and fans, but I still don't like all that smoke hanging around. I light off the smoke as soon as I drop the flux (old lube) in the furnace.

All reloading and tumbling and brass sorting and the such happens in the shop. Have FIOS cable tv, telephone, fridge, stereo, running water. . . all I need is a cot and john and my wife might kick me out of the house for days on end.

You NEED a place to reload and cast that is to yourself, seriously. The "me" time is essential for your mental health and well-being, and I don't like having outside distractions bothering me while I'm reloading or casting. I can keep the TV on or the stereo on, but it is just "electric wallpaper" which actually helps keep me more focused on the tasks at hand.

[Merlin43]

In my office (one of three unused bedrooms, since all the kids grew up) - computer systems on one wall, storage on another, alloying, casting, reloading, & general gumsmithing on a third, desk & technical library on the 4th. Window with close-fitting 22", 1HP fan for things that make smoke or stink pulls air from inside door past melters and lab gear.
I keep thinking about using the barn, but it's too darn hot, too darn cold, full of farm stuff, and too far from the coffee pot.

[HATCH]

I do all my smelting outdoors and bullet casting in the cellar. Because I have emphysema I need to vent all the fumes and smoke outside. Here is what I came up with. Blows everything out the cellar window. I used a bathroom ceiling fan and 4" clothes dryer duct work.

thanks for the idea, I am gonna build one of those...

[BLTsandwedge]

I've got one hard and fast rule- don't cast in the bathtub.

[mpmarty]

I've got a 96' X 36' shop with a covered carport attached that is 42' x 14' and in the carport is where I smelt and cast. never inside. I've got my propane tanks and all that in the carport under cover and it has a sally port to my shooting range also.

[Calamity Jake]

Do all my casting in a closed garage with a vent hood only used when fluxing.
Didn't have the vent hood until about 10y ago.

[Merlin43]

I've got one hard and fast rule- don't cast in the bathtub.

BWAHAHAHAH!
Sorry, but I couldn't resist. The image is confounding.
I *do* "sky-clad" metallurgy, but Nadine? Whoo-hoo!

[AZ-Stew]

I've got one hard and fast rule- don't cast in the bathtub.

I don't know... Sounds like the prefect place to water drop. (Be careful where you drop! You might end up like that Jerry Lee Lewis song, "Goodness, Gracious, Great...)

Regards,

Stew

[warf73]

+1, cast in the garage all the time with the doors shut.

Same as above its now cold here so its time to really start casting.

[XWrench3]

when it is cold and snowing, i cast inside the garage. but when the weather is decent, i cast outside. i prefer outside. i do vent the garage when i am casting, by opening up the either the side door, or the main door a couple of inches. my garage has two roof vents, and since hot air rises, i figure that is enough.

[cajun shooter]

I have a 12 X 24 shop that is about 35 yds from my house. I do all my smelting outside under a covered shed. My casting is done in the 12X24. I have my casting bench next to a 4 ft open door. I also purchased and installed a electric attic exhaust fan in the wall above the bench by cutting a 18X18 hole in the wall. This fan runs the entire time of any casting session.