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View Full Version : Where do you do your casting?



tomf52
01-06-2006, 03:53 PM
I have been melting ww's down into ingots and casting the bullets in my garage with a 20" fan blowing the fumes out the walk through door. For this I've been using both the Coleman stove and a 10# Lee electric pot. I'm now thinking of using the electric pot in my basement with pretty much the same ventilation to cast bullets and doing the ww meltdowns either as I was or outside. The basement is much more comfortable to work in in the winter. What do the rest of you do? Thanks for insight into a good safe setup.

wills
01-06-2006, 05:20 PM
Fumes are not really a problem at the temperatures we use; it is contamination of the hands. Don’t eat without washing your hands.

Johnch
01-06-2006, 05:29 PM
Smelting is a back yard job .
I cast in the basement .

YES wash your hands .

Johnch

Nrut
01-06-2006, 07:09 PM
I cast under one of those grey hay traps which is also my roof...fairly simple living accomadations I have....cheers mic

bisley45
01-06-2006, 07:37 PM
I got real lucky I bought my fatherinlaws house and it has a 20 by 40 ft shop and it is in the country to boot melt cast and shoot and dont have to leave my house lucky lucky me

mike in co
01-06-2006, 08:00 PM
smelting in the garage....with front and back doors open, if there is no wind, i use a fan to move the air.
casting in the garage...not as much ventilation.

my only issue with casting inside is when i flux...its smokey....



mike

MT Gianni
01-06-2006, 08:04 PM
I cast in an unheated garage with a window partly open near the pot. I smelt outside on a clear day. Gianni.

Herb in Pa
01-06-2006, 08:21 PM
I cast in my shop/garage. I have a range hood ducted to the outside.

kenjuudo
01-06-2006, 08:36 PM
" I'm sorry Honey, don't know why I did/said that, must be all the lead exposure."

Works for me :bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2:

jim

imashooter2
01-06-2006, 09:25 PM
I smelt outside on clear days and cast in a work shed behind my garage. Used to cast in the basement over a natural gas burner I have hard plumbed down there. It was a nice setup, nicer than the Coleman I use now. SWMBO never said a word, but sometimes the smoke from fluxing got pretty thick. In the interest of détente, I moved to the outbuilding.

fecmech
01-06-2006, 09:34 PM
Until this past February I did my casting at work in the heated and air conditoned maintenance bay. Now that I'm retired I must slave away in my unheated (sob, sniff!) garage on my own time. Life is tuff but I will press on. Nick

BOOM BOOM
01-07-2006, 12:38 AM
HI,
I smelt & cast out on a covered deck out back.

NVcurmudgeon
01-07-2006, 12:57 AM
For the first time in my life I have a dedicated room for reloading, gunsmithing, cleaning, gun storage, etc. It is about 8' x 18'. Off the gun room is the furnace room which has a large surplus armoire for more storage and soft gun cases hanging from nails in the wall. There is also a very odd-shaped closet off the gun room that I have built ugly but sturdy shelves in for storage of ammo, components, and cast boolits. all the above is my "clean shop." I not only have plenty of room, but I do not have to share it with laundry, garden tools, or SWMBO's projects cabinets. Seperately, in the garage, is my purpose-built casting bench. Whoever built the house must have laid it out for a caster. There are two man doors at the windward corners of the garage, with the big rollup door directly to leeward. This makes a very reliable circulation. The next valley to windward has wind warnings almost every day, and we as a consequence receive moderate Washoe Zephyrs. All casting and smelting is done in the wide-open garage. As I use a Coleman stove for both purposes, I can cast in any weather. All things considered, I can forego "Thou Beside me singing in the Wilderness," because my present shop, Mark VIII, is "Paradise enow!"

Buckshot
01-07-2006, 02:10 AM
...............Render scrap into ingots outside behind the garage, as below:

http://www.fototime.com/4F0787827D40539/standard.jpg

...............Cast inside the garage. No special ventilation. The garage door may be open during the day. Closed at night:

http://www.fototime.com/EB8491CA90B0461/standard.jpg

...............Buckshot

Ricochet
01-07-2006, 06:49 PM
I smelt out back, cast in the basement.

I've been smelt in the basement, but that's another story.

wills
01-07-2006, 09:31 PM
I cast under one of those grey hay traps which is also my roof...fairly simple living accomadations I have....cheers mic

HOw do you bait one of those hay traps?

1Shirt
01-07-2006, 09:34 PM
Smelt and cast in the garage with door open and fan behind.
1shirt

Ed Barrett
01-07-2006, 10:00 PM
Smelt outside
Cast in the basement with an exaust fan with duct right over the pot.

Say buckshot, How do you get the lead dropping and drippings off the concrete?
I moved my setup onto the gravel driveway to stop the wife from complaining but I would like to do it un near the house again.

Buckshot
01-08-2006, 06:08 AM
Smelt outside
Cast in the basement with an exaust fan with duct right over the pot.

Say buckshot, How do you get the lead dropping and drippings off the concrete?
I moved my setup onto the gravel driveway to stop the wife from complaining but I would like to do it un near the house again.

..........That's what that piece of wood down there between the pot and the table is for. Some few splatters have snuck past but I just push'em out with the toe of my shoe. Doesn't seem to be a problem. Probably really should cut that piece of wood so it'd go in between the legs of the turkey fryer and catch ALL the dribbles.

Sitting here looking at what I wrote, there very well could be some lead dribbles still on the concrete . Not an issue for me so I guess I haven't paid real close attention. If it was problem for Donna, THEN it would become an issue for me 8)

................Buckshot

Steelbanger
01-08-2006, 06:52 AM
I cast my bullets on an enclosed porch with a draw fan above the pot and the outside door cracked open for fresh air. Weather permitting I clean up wheelweights, etc. outdoors. My furnace is homemade and uses a propane burner from an old water heater.
I have a friend that casts in his kitchen at the gas range! And, yes, he's married too.

imashooter2
01-08-2006, 08:48 AM
I cast my bullets on an enclosed porch with a draw fan above the pot and the outside door cracked open for fresh air. Weather permitting I clean up wheelweights, etc. outdoors. My furnace is homemade and uses a propane burner from an old water heater.
I have a friend that casts in his kitchen at the gas range! And, yes, he's married too.

My Dad used to cast on the kitchen stove. I'd probably lose a kidney for just bringing it up in conversation...

MGySgt
01-08-2006, 10:15 AM
I put in a 10X12 Shed with an exhaust hood over my pots for casting, smelt WW out side, but I do blend in my shed.

While working in the shed, I leave the window open to draw fresh air in wiht the exhaust fan running. When it is cold out side (below 35) I have a propane heater I use to warm up the shed.

In the past I have cast on the stove in the kitchen and even smelted WW, not a very good idea! But the wife never complained.

Drew

carpetman
01-08-2006, 04:41 PM
I do my smelting outdoors using a Coleman stove and cast iron pot. I do my casting in my reloading room using Lee bottom pour. My reloading room is a shed type room added on to back of my house. I have two bikini clad Polonesian women that fan me with palm leaf fan while I cast. This is plenty of ventilation,except when one goes to get me a drink or something and only one is fanning.

Scrounger
01-08-2006, 04:58 PM
I do my smelting outdoors using a Coleman stove and cast iron pot. I do my casting in my reloading room using Lee bottom pour. My reloading room is a shed type room added on to back of my house. I have two bikini clad Polonesian women that fan me with palm leaf fan while I cast. This is plenty of ventilation,except when one goes to get me a drink or something and only one is fanning.

Is that what they call sheep in Texas?

glicerin
01-08-2006, 06:41 PM
I melt salvage lead and WW outdoors under a roof at gun club with propane 56000btu burner, cast bullets indoor with squirrel cage fan drawing through sheet metal hood. The DUST from scrap lead can be major contaminant, avoid it while transferring scrap, and when skimming wheel clips and skum from pot to garbage. Avoid handgun powder fumes, primers still contain lead compounds? Be safe, wear protective gear and don't put a live one in the pot!