Ouch

[Conditor22]

A little background first.:groner:
I know this is only a minor, if not a little painful injury. Much worse have happened and unfortunately worse will happen.
If posting about my ignorance and discomfort helps 1 person from getting hurt, it's worth posting.

I've recently been casting for a few days leaving my hotplate and PID (pot) settings the same.

After emptying the pot for the ?? time I switched to a harder alloy (2 parts Mono 1 part SOWW)

Using the same 6 cavity mold, I did my first cast getting a good sprue and when I went to move the mold the lead slid off the sprue and down my shoe.[smilie=b:[smilie=b:[smilie=b: My bad!!! There should have been a string of ** but I just shook my head:(

I know better than that. I know that harder alloys melt at a lower temperature and stay molten longer.

Surprising how fast a fat old man can move. My saving grace is that lead cools a lot quicker than molten steel.
Consequently, I only have a nice grouping of blisters on the inside of my right foot (which I immediately slathered with aloe) instead of charred flesh.

I wish I still wore bell bottoms, then I'd have been OK.

May this be a warning to some and a reminder to others --- the silver stream is pretty but it can and will bite. It's just a matter of time.

Soo it's either High top shoes, longer pants/bigger bell or leather shoe chaps.

[RED BEAR]

Glad you weren't hurt worse. I know from experience just how fast an old fat man can move.

[wddodge]

Thank you for the reminder. It tends to keep me on my toes when I read of other peoples oops.

My little oops today wasn't near as bad but still got my attention. I was reloading 440 gr for my 500 S&W when one rolled off the desk and landed on my little toe. I think I'll wear shoes from now on when sitting at the desk.

Denny

[Hannibal]

Kinda reminds me if the blissfully ignorant riding motorcycles in flip-flops, tank tops and shorts.

You think every day is gonna be perfect and nothing unexpected will ever happen?

God's gonna cut you down.

[Tom W.]

I'll wear sandals when handloading, but long pants and leather shoes when casting.... The drip-o-matic leaks very little since I lapped the hole and plunger, but enough that if I don't pay attention to the drips that sooner or later I'll get some little splashes on me. I've taken to using a Lodge ashtray/ spoon holder under the spout to catch the drips, then I can grab the pile with my pliers and put it back into the pot.

[Pete44mag]

Really glad your not hurt worse. Leather work boots, long blue jeans, leather welders apron and a full face shield for me. Hot lead doesn't bark, it just bites!

[poppy42]

A little background first.:groner:
I've recently been casting for a few days leaving my hotplate and PID (pot) settings the same.

After emptying the for the ?? time I switched to a harder alloy (2 parts Mono 1 part SOWW)

Using the same 6 cavity mold, I did my first cast getting a good sprue and when I went to move the mold the sprue slid of and down my shoe.[smilie=b:[smilie=b:[smilie=b: My bad!!! There should be a string of ** but I just shook my head:(

I know better than that. I know that harder alloys melt at a lower temperature and stay molten longer.

Surprising how fast a fat old man can move. My saving grace is that lead cools a lot quicker than molten steel.
Consequently, I only have a nice grouping of blisters on the inside of my right foot (which I immediately slathered with aloe) instead of charred flesh.

I wish I still wore bell bottoms, then I'd have been OK.

May this be a warning to some and a reminder to others --- the silver stream is pretty but it can and will bite. It's just a matter of time.

Soo it's either High top shoes, longer pants/bigger bell or leather shoe chaps.

Reminds me of when I was a collision repair man. I had a car come in with major front end damage and I was in the process of cutting the mangled front bumper off the car with a cutting torch, as was the common practice. What was different was for some unknown reason I decided to were a pair of engineer boots. You know the kind that slip on, and are wide at the opening. Well when you were this type of engineer boots tend to cause your pants to form a pocket at the top of the boot. Well imagine my surprise when a piece of red hot slag found it’s way into my boot! I still have a scar, dead center on the top of my foot! Needless to say I never wore those boots to work again!

[44Blam]

I wear glasses, but I commonly wear short sleves and shorts with sandals when casting...
I've gotten a sprue between the toes and the odd splat on the arm...
Probably should dress up. :-/

[Mr_Sheesh]

OW ow ow ow ow!

[RED BEAR]

Hannibal don't mean to get off track but thats exactly how i rode mine. Lost the helmet once out of town.

[Spector]

I wound up with a 310 grain boolit dropped straight from the mold into my shoe. Aside from not being dressed properly for casting l was also sitting with the Lee pot situated between my knees. So when repeated attempts to kick my shoe off failed l just had to endue the heat until l could carefully get up and not overturn the pot.

It was bad and got worse by the day. Finally l went to my doctor and she gave me Silvadene which started the slow healing process.

Accidents can and do happen. Burns are particularly painful and slow to heal.

Mike

[Rich/WIS]

Gotten myself several times with bullets that rolled off the folded towel I drop on and when reaching in for the next fill put my forearm down on them. Even through a cotton shirt it gets your attention.

[Conditor22]

The 100% pure Aloe Vera Jell got the blisters down (I coated the burn with aloe then wrapped it with saran wrap) BUT it (the burn) likes to keep reminding me it's there, sometimes really getting my attention (woke me up several times last night).

I do have a tube a Silvadene if the Aloe doesn't continue healing it.

Remember to always wear eye protection and wear cotton clothing that covers your arms and shoes.

I built a sprue opening jig ( I no longer open sprues by hand or hammer on them) so I only wear lightweight mig/tig gauntlet style gloves for casting.

[Burnt Fingers]

I had a six cavity sprue hit my apron the other day, bounce, and then end up under my right thigh. I wear shorts because of the heat. I now have a nice six cavity sprue burn on the back of my right thigh.

[JBinMN]

I am glad it was not worse for ya.

Heal well.
:)

[Petander]

I only wear lightweight mig/tig gauntlet style gloves for casting.

Here are mine,do you mean this kind of gloves?

242547

[RED BEAR]

I cannot seem to cast anything with out some burn somewhere. My wife says she loves me but i am not the most graceful person.

[EMC45]

I used to cast in flip flops all the time. I was careful. I wear "crocs" some times now when I cast or sneakers. I have a drippy Lee pot as well and the first few drips are ok, but then the puddle creates a dished out spot and it starts splattering.

On a side note........ While repairing my dehydrator last night I grabbed the soldering iron by the barrel like an idiot. They get pretty hot. I don't have a stand for it so it rests on the handle and you have to be very intentional in how you pick it up. I wasn't.
The switch finally gave up and basically dry rotted out of the housing. I just jumped it direct to the plug and soldered/shrink wrapped it. 19 years of beef and deer jerky.

[country gent]

Keep a good disinfectant salve on those burns metal burns are notorious for infections keep it cleaned out and covered. Glad it wasn't worse.

[Sig556r]

Glad you're OK with digits still intact down there...care to share the shoe type that saved your day?

[Conditor22]

Here are mine, do you mean this kind of gloves?

242547


West Chester IRONCAT 6141 Premium Top Grain Kidskin Leather TIG Welding Gloves: XXX-Large,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KG837TM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://i.imgur.com/yhellu5.png?1

** NOTE ** These are thin, not good for opening sprues by hand

[Conditor22]

Glad you're OK with digits still intact down there...care to share the shoe type that saved your day?

You force me to add insult to injury.
The "shoes" did not save my day, they did come off quickly though. The lead coated the outside and the inside of the "shoe"

I was wearing Loafers[smilie=1:, never had a problem with them before but [but I can't remember having all the lead slide off the top of a 6-cavity sprue plate before] this time my pants leg had ridden up and didn't cover the top of the "shoe":groner:. Something to be said about protective clothing and not getting complacent. A good pair of cotton socks would have helped[smilie=b:

On the brighter side, the instances of reliving the initial pain of the incident have subsided and the aloe seems to be doing its job.

[Petander]

West Chester IRONCAT 6141 Premium Top Grain Kidskin Leather TIG Welding Gloves: XXX-Large,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KG837TM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://i.imgur.com/yhellu5.png?1

Yep,I ordered two pairs of similar gloves just a few days ago.

Been getting minor burns all winter,using completely worn out gloves. Holes everywhere...

[Texas by God]

I have injured my body in most of the minor and major ways that you can injure a body, but burns are the worst. And I have the scars to prove it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[mjwcaster]

On a side note........ While repairing my dehydrator last night I grabbed the soldering iron by the barrel like an idiot. They get pretty hot. I don't have a stand for it so it rests on the handle and you have to be very intentional in how you pick it up. I wasn't.
The switch finally gave up and basically dry rotted out of the housing. I just jumped it direct to the plug and soldered/shrink wrapped it. 19 years of beef and deer jerky.

My dehydrater got me last year.
Ok, really my stupidity and laziness got me.
The door on my Excalibur dehydrater wasn’t fitting right, some of the trays were sticking out.
Pulled all the trays out to take a look, there is a metal screen over the fan and electrical connections.
Just needed to be bent in a little.
I think I should really unplug this thing.
And the factory electrical connections should really be insulated, they were just bare terminals.

But I already have my head and hand in the dehydrater and it would take only a few seconds to bend the screen back.
Yep only a second or two to bend the screen enough to touch the bare incoming 110 terminal.
Got a neat imprint of the screen on my finger as it arced before the breaker blew.

So instead of taking 10 seconds to make things safe I spent 30 minutes gathering tools and fixing the dehydrater.
Those terminals are now insulated.

I thought I had gotten smarter and safer as I got older.

Guess I was wrong.

My biggest safety issue with casting/smelting is that I wear a flip down visor.
But some times I forget to flip it back down before playing with lead.

So now I just take it off instead of flipping it up. Seems I notice I am not wearing it more reliably than noticing it isn’t down.



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[Tom W.]

If I need to move any lead while casting I have two or three pairs of gauntlet gloves that I had when I worked at the sawmill. Some of my job involved welders, stick, MIG, and and TIG, and a lot of time was melting and molding a LOT of Ni. Babbitt to make guides for the circular gang saw.
And to think that I love to cast boolits after casting every day at work.
One day I took a Lee mold and a small ladle and made a pile of Babbitt boolits for my .357 in short order.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Question, if sitting down has anyone tried a leather apron to cover their feet/legs/lap? Or a carbon felt welding blanket might do as well? I'm "Vertically Challenged" due to bad knees and can only stand so long, may be able to use a stool for casting though, once I move; For now I'll be on a concrete slab though.

BTW I like Zoro Tools; https://www.zoro.com/search?q=West%20Chester%20IRONCAT%206141 will show you why I say that. But for the XXXL gloves I'd be stuck with Amazon, oh well, if you have Yeti hands, you have 'em!

[6bg6ga]

Full pants and shoes are a must as well as really good gloves.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Only shoes I have that're "full shoes" are my hiking boots, feet too large to find anything else that fits properly. I guess I need to learn to make my own. Toes are permanently cramped from years of too-short shoes...

[bullseye67]

Good morning,
Well, I can relate to the “hot lead in the shoe” incident. I always wear bib coveralls and leather shoes when casting or (S)melting lead. My old bibs were looking fairly used up, holes and some scorch marks, just wear and tear from several years of casting. So, at the work wear store and they have a assortment of bibs on sale. Not really paying attention to the labels I picked up a new pair. Second or third time I’m casting away and somehow I ended up with a hot foot? Now I didn’t get a blister but it was very red and sore for several days. The “new” bibs were a poly blend and a large splash shaped hole was burned through the leg just about an inch above the top of my shoe. The “old” bibs were heavy cotton and probably twice as thick. The next day I took the “new” bibs back and exchanged them for a pair of cotton bibs.
Problem solved!!

Like all things in life not all is as it seems.

The store clerk said almost every pair of coveralls from that brand had been returned due to burn holes. Seems I wasn’t the only one that didn’t check the labels!!!!

Please check and make sure you are wearing COTTON CLOTHING...I can’t imagine the burn poly blends would create....I am sure 3rd degree or worse with the melted fabric in the burn..

It’s a fun hobby.. Please be as safe as possible.

Bullseye67


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[Burnt Fingers]

Question, if sitting down has anyone tried a leather apron to cover their feet/legs/lap? Or a carbon felt welding blanket might do as well? I'm "Vertically Challenged" due to bad knees and can only stand so long, may be able to use a stool for casting though, once I move; For now I'll be on a concrete slab though.

BTW I like Zoro Tools; https://www.zoro.com/search?q=West%20Chester%20IRONCAT%206141 will show you why I say that. But for the XXXL gloves I'd be stuck with Amazon, oh well, if you have Yeti hands, you have 'em!

I wear a denim apron https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B074CL79FC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This covers me from neck to foot. I'm 6'3" and this apron is almost too big. My mistake the other day was trying to catch that six cavity sprue and bouncing it under my leg.

[PHyrbird]

Anyone had a squirt of liquid Pb when holding the sprue plate to the pot for pressure filling the mould? Ruined a watch band!! I wear at least one welding glove now when casting. They also make it easier to grab sprues or other stuff to return to the pot. Plus if any thing splashes, at least your hands & wrist will have a better chance. I also like the denim aprons, keeps hot out of my shoes. Cotton or leather is our friend.

[Walks]

I wear cotton, long sleeve shirt, overalls, even socks. Wear NON-Steel toe Wellingtons. A pair of big fit over glasses for my reading glasses. A solid top corduroy hat. A leather welding apron, slit and fitted with straps to fin my calves.
A welding glove on left hand, a casting glove from Buffalo Arms on my right. And an old Cowboy Cuff on my right wrist because the casting glove has no cuff.

I've been casting for 55+ years. Wear a full face shield when mixing alloys, pouring ingots.

Been burned once.

My DAD cast this way. Standing opposite his Brother, ladle pouring H&G 8-10 Cavity molds over a 100lb Plumbers pot.

Protection/Safety is PARAMOUNT.

A stream of molten lead pouring over a steel-toe Boot will burn your toes just as fast as if you stuck your bare toes in the molten lead pot.

[Mr_Sheesh]

How would Dry Waxed Canvas fare in this situation? Not quite as good as Leather or Denim, I Imagine - But FAR better than synthetics I'd think?

[lightman]

Glad you were not more seriously inured. Keep a watch out for infection.

[Burnt Fingers]

I use these in the summer heat here in Texas.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BHM5ZR8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Conditor22]

↑↑↑Superior KKWC18TH Kevlar Double Folded Knit Stockinette Sleeve with Thumb Hole, 18" Length↑↑↑ Look interesting
I just use a light long sleeve cotton shirt (when I do cover my arms when casting in the summer).

I 'm more concerned with my #1 Eyes, #2 digits, #3 Feet.

Had to see the doc yesterday for an A1C and lead test. He said the burn should be healed within a week.

He also said that burns that are cooled within 60 seconds can diminish the severity

[Conditor22]

Update

A month later, only a couple of scabs remain. Only the area around the scabs is still red but the entire burned area is tighter/more "leathery " than the surrounding skin.

[Burnt Fingers]

Update

A month later, only a couple of scabs remain. Only the area around the scabs is still red but the entire burned area is tighter/more "leathery " than the surrounding skin.

I've got a few of those patches.

[SSGOldfart]

My dehydrater got me last year.
Ok, really my stupidity and laziness got me.
The door on my Excalibur dehydrater wasn’t fitting right, some of the trays were sticking out.
Pulled all the trays out to take a look, there is a metal screen over the fan and electrical connections.
Just needed to be bent in a little.
I think I should really unplug this thing.
And the factory electrical connections should really be insulated, they were just bare terminals.

But I already have my head and hand in the dehydrater and it would take only a few seconds to bend the screen back.
Yep only a second or two to bend the screen enough to touch the bare incoming 110 terminal.
Got a neat imprint of the screen on my finger as it arced before the breaker blew.

So instead of taking 10 seconds to make things safe I spent 30 minutes gathering tools and fixing the dehydrater.
Those terminals are now insulated.

I thought I had gotten smarter and safer as I got older.

Guess I was wrong.

My biggest safety issue with casting/smelting is that I wear a flip down visor.
But some times I forget to flip it back down before playing with lead.

So now I just take it off instead of flipping it up. Seems I notice I am not wearing it more reliably than noticing it isn’t down.



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Here your sign :popcorn:

[Gatch]

You guys definitely aren't australian. Most guys my age would sustain a burn, complain it wasn't their fault, that they weren't trained correctly and try suing lee for causing them injury.

I'm a machinist/fitter and I know there's not much to humble your confidence quicker than seemingly harmless bits of shiny metal...

[jimb16]

I wear a full length denim apron over heavy denim jeans, leather gloves, long sleeve shirts and high leather shoes when I cast. Don't worry too much about the face. I need glasses so they are always on and with a full beard, I have yet to have any lead penetrate to the skin. I have damaged a couple pair of glasses though and keep them for casting. Not saying I haven't gotten a small burn or two over 50+ years of casting, but I'm been very lucky as well as careful. Biggest burn was size of a dime. I'll tell you though, I'm not getting complacent. I know just how easy it is to make a BAD mistake.

[nueces5]

I'm glad it's just a superficial burn, my wish is that it recovers quickly.
Things happen very fast

[GregLaROCHE]

We all worry about our hands, legs and feet, but most important are our eyes. Just a little pop from the lead pot is enough to wipe out an eye.

[Springfield]

Wearing glasses is important, but wearing a hat with at least a visor is highly recommended, to keep those high flying splashes from coming down right across your eye. The lead doesn't always come at you in a straight line.