a fly landed in my melt!!!

[mac266]

I've always read and heard the safety precaution of not allowing any water or liquid to get into the molten lead. I've been told if any amount of moisture gets into the melt it explodes. I've never wanted to test the theory, and figured I'd trust the experts who told me. So, I've never seen it happen until today, and I've been casting for about a decade now.

I was casting some .45 caliber 200 grain semi-wadcutters, and had been plugging away for a few hours with no problems. Then suddenly, a fly was dumb enough to land in the melt. *Squirt* a small amount of lead went flying as I heard the sizzling of the fly's body being incinerated. I was wearing all the safety gear, but fortunately didn't need it. The lead went away from me and was a very small amount, anyway (but I still wouldn't want it in my eye or on my skin!).

Has anyone else had a bug land in their melt?

[dilly]

That's humorous. Never happened to me but I hate flies and it makes me smile to think of them frying. Glad nobody was hurt though.

[BubbaJon]

Lol, nope never had that one happen. I've had sweat drop in. Long as it doesn't get stirred under should be okay.

[500MAG]

I was smelting once and had something pop and lead flew everywhere. I assumed it was a large bug.

[DrtRacr09]

I bet those 45's are going toooooo,,,,, FLY,,,,, sorry, had to do it.

[rockshooter]

I'm glad you mentioned that- I've been wondering about what would happen since fly season is upon us here.
Loren

[leeggen]

In FL. it would have to be a mesqeitoes or a sand fly, one of those flying jaws yaknow. Only thing bigger than flys in FL.
CD

[Green Lizzard]

ive always wished i could hear them scream

[williamwaco]

Never a fly but I have barbequed several moths over the years.

[retread]

Should be good flux

[Duckiller]

If you are going to get moisture in your melt keep it on the surface. It will evaporate. Moisture under the surface calls the tinsel fairy. Having said that it doesn't hurt to be careful with moisture. Accidents happen and water below the surface rapidly becomes steam and you will get lead where you didn't intend it to be.

[WILCO]

Has anyone else had a bug land in their melt?

No, but I once had a yellow jacket land in my charcoal chimney while it was running full boar.

[Win94ae]

That must be where flyers come from.

[LynC2]

That must be where flyers come from.

Good one! That got a chuckle out of me. :-P

[Shiloh]

Darwins law of weeding out the weak and not so smart from the gene pool.:violin:

Shiloh

[myg30]

I keep the bee's wax away from me while casting. I used some ONCE in the pot and it attracted a group of yellow jackets of which 1 was a dive bomber into the pot. Saw dust is my new friend while casting !
Glad you didn't get burned and also had on your protective gear.

Be safe and have fun, Mike

[44man]

I flux with all the stink bugs that are in my pot before I plug it in!

[500MAG]

In FL. it would have to be a mesqeitoes or a sand fly, one of those flying jaws yaknow. Only thing bigger than flys in FL.
CD

I live a mile from the Everglades. You wouldn't believe the amount of insects we have flying around.

[Jack Stanley]

I like Retreads idea ..... see if it makes good flux .

When I worked in the melting department at the shop one of my jobs was to melt the wet magneisium scrap the janitors collected from the machines . The proceedure was different that melting dry scrap to be sure . A fella on second shift ignored that one evening and sent about two tons of metal flying in every direction . He wasn't quite the same after that .

Jack

[w5pv]

I left a spider web/spider in a ingot mold got a pretty good visit from the tinsel fairy.Got burnt in several places but nothing serious but it taught me to be sure the mold is clean and dry.Now I hold the mold over the melt until all doubt is removed.

[williamwaco]

I left a spider web/spider in a ingot mold got a pretty good visit from the tinsel fairy.Got burnt in several places but nothing serious but it taught me to be sure the mold is clean and dry.Now I hold the mold over the melt until all doubt is removed.

Good plan. Cold ingot molds make ugly ingots. They look like silver prunes.

[fryboy]

i either set an ingot mold on top of the pot for a few or beside the burner if i'm smelting , never had the tin fairy before i started doing it but seeing a few bubbles sure raised my awareness of the possibilities !!!!

lolz @ that's where flyers come from :P but ummm since i havent had it happen to me yet ( flies in the melt ) ...i'm still looking for other explanations [doh]

[lmfd20]

I haven't had any lead splashing issues yet, but I work at a steel mill. You should see what happens when a full water bottle (we assume) somehow gets dropped into a full ladle while adding some alloys to 170 tons of molten steel. Very quick way have a very large skylight! I have bought some of the same safety equipment from work for my home casting and for melting my prospecting pay dirt.

[AlaskanGuy]

If folks can use breakfast cereal for flux, why not dry bugs..... :kidding:

[Charley]

Flies aren't bugs...different orders, diptera vs. hemiptera. Tough being an entomologist, but I've got to say something!

[Dennis Eugene]

But flys have been known to bug people

[Hawkeye45]

Just wait until the buzzard flys over your smelting pot and let's go. :groner:

Mr. Ed