gloves?

[troy_mclure]

do you have smelting gloves and casting gloves? or they 1 and the same?

what kind do you use?

[ChaplainJohn]

I use a pair of $8 welding gauntlets from evil-bay for both. Welding gauntlets are usually fairly supple and comfortable even if they are a little clumsy and they sure increase the amount of time one can spend in inspecting a "new boolit"

[Bkid]

I got mine at Home Depot for $9.00 and I use them for both. I wish they made some that you can grab small bullets with easily. They have to be thick which makes it hard to grab small items. You get used to it though.

[HeavyMetal]

I've used several types of gloves and non are perfect.

For the last 8 o 10 years I've used a set of plain old leather work gloves, usually the right hand one only as I am a lefty and stand to the left side of the lead pot while casting.

This allows me to shield my right hand and still have an ungloved hand for "fine Control" when needed during casting.

When smelting I'll use both gloves the idea is to only use as much heat as needed to melt the lead WW without getting the zinc ones mixed in. For this the leather work gloves work best and I can feed the pot with a small steel spatula and then pick out the zinc and iron WW with a slotted spoon.

So far only an occasional small burn, and anybody that claims they don't get a speck of hot lead on them from time to time is..suffering from Alzhimers.

The welders gloves just bother me, I always feel the need to "push up my sleeves" when using them to smelt or cast with.

[sagacious]

For melting scrap lead, cheap leather welder's gloves are perfect. They will get burned and filthy while melting scrap, and the leather eventually loses it's insulating capability or the stitching burns out. Replace as necessary.

For casting, get yourself some Crusader-Flex Ansell-Edmont hot-mill gloves. They're a lot nicer to use than leather gloves for casting and other precision work, and they have much better insulating ability than leather. Last much longer too. Very comfortable to wear. A definite upgrade over leather in every respect.
http://www.firehouseinternational.com/usersite/safety/safetyitem.asp?categoryid=2280&productid=5350&itemid=1355&page=2

Good luck, and stay safe.

[danski26]

I use the leather welding gloves for both casting and smelting. Usually only the right one though. I'm left handed and I keep that free for the detail work.

[44fanatic]

Smelting: I use welders gloves
Casting: I use one each, leather glove on my left, welders on my right for cutting sprues...right handed. Found out that the leather gloves can hold a bit of heat for a few seconds.

[Bret4207]

Usually I cast bare handed. Sorry, I'm a neanderthal. I hardly ever remember safety glasses. I weld and cut barehanded too. If I do wear gloves casting it's usually cheap cotton masons gloves.

[Boondocker]

Usually I cast bare handed. Sorry, I'm a neanderthal. I hardly ever remember safety glasses. I weld and cut barehanded too. If I do wear gloves casting it's usually cheap cotton masons gloves.


I wear welders gloves to smelt with as I have been known to grab things when hot. ( As the cowboy say's to the blacksmith It does'nt take me long to look at a horse shoe after he flings a redhot shoe back into the pile.) Brett I am accused of welding in short sleeves and shorts with out gloves also. Clothes just make the sparks and slag stick longer lol. Being a wrench I cant count the many times I got burnt between the finger webs tho, no callous there. :grin:

[Spector]

I use leather gloves to smelt.

A friend gave me some nice Kevlar goves and I tried them for boolit casting. I love them. I use my gloved hands to push open the sprue plate on single and double cavity molds. I can dump bullets from the mold right into my hand for inspection. They offer great flexibility in a woven glove.

[NSP64]

Gloves? Gloves?

I don't wear no stinkin gloves.


The occasional lead splater makes me feel alive!

[mtgrs737]

I usually don't wear gloves during casting but I always wear safety glasses! For smelting I wear welders gloves and the glasses as you never know just when you might get a visit from the "Tinsel Fairy". :)

[qajaq59]

Whatever kind you wear, be sure they are large enough to come off quickly in case they get too hot.

[ghh3rd]

Nothing fancy required. I have some of the cheap leather gloves from Harbor Freight (I think I paid $7 for 5 pairs) I have been using one pair for a year. They are pretty crusty, but I can still grab hot things without getting burned.

[MT Gianni]

Leather work gloves without a cuff to smelt, welding gloves to cast. I cut the sprue by hand so go with heavier gloves to cast. 3/32 rod is small enough for me to pick up with them on and boolits have a lot more surface area than that.

[bigdog454]

No gloves. It's usually warm enough around the ole pot that they are not necessary;)

[DLCTEX]

Leather work gloves for me, I don't bang on my moulds, just push the sprue plate open with a gloved thumb. A quick squeeze cuts the sprue without getting the glove too hot. I agree with getting large gloves so you can sling it off if you fondle the hot iron too long.:oops:

[mpmarty]

Cheap cowhide rough side out on both hands for smelting and casting. A pair of vice grip pliers come in handy for moving stuff around too.

[montana_charlie]

I wear gloves every day to protect from points on barbed wire, splinters on fence posts, and sharp edges on farm and irrigation equipment. If they aren't on my hands, they're in my hip pocket...all of the time.

I wear buckskin (deer or elk) gloves because they often get wet. Buckskin doesn't get hard like cow leather.

When casting or smelting, the gloves I use are the ones in my hip pocket.

CM

[sqlbullet]

I use leather work gloves, usually with insulation.

I also have a pair of foundry mittens given to me by a friend. They are huge, but allow me to pick up a dutch oven with molten lead in it and pour out the last 8 lbs or so. They are made from spun ceramic, with a steel mesh coating. No dexterity, but no head gets through.

[montana_charlie]

No dexterity, but no head gets through.
There's no head on your lead when you pour it from the pot?
CM

[fredj338]

Yep, cheap heavy duty leather wrok gloves w/ the short gauntlet work for me. Just don't hang onto lead ingots too long.

[Von Gruff]

No gloves for me either. I wear glasses so they are always on. I dont like the lack of feel that gloves give.

Von Gruff.

[paul45120]

I like the cheap brown Jersey gloves. One pair of medium under a pair of large. Pretty good insulation and I can still do whatever needs doing without taking them off. When the top pair gets worn just replace the one pair.

[10mmShooter]

I use the standard length welders gloves, heres a pic of mine the blue ones


http://www.keithrussell.net/casting.jpg

[tactikel]

For casting I wear the cheapest all cotton gloves I can find. Canvas work gloves, or jersey gloves will protect from lead drips and hot surfaces. I can pick up sprues, bullets, and splatters. If they wear out (at the finger tips) Im out $3.

[RP]

Gloves only when its to hot for my hands most of the time only when iam smelting a few buckets of WWs and the ladle gets hot. Casting mine is a bottom pour and I use a mallet to cut spuce and close it just a lite tap and thats it faster then glove method for me. But dont do as I do Do what works for you Iam not know for making the best choices.

[ghh3rd]

My gloves are marked "Lead" in 1" letters so no one will decide to use them for anything else. In fact carboard box tops (good when casting), pots, pans, utensils, dutch oven, etc. are permently marked "Lead". Guess I'm paranoid that they could wind up being used by someone again someday.

[whisler]

I use welders gloves for both casting and smelting because I know I am a clutz.
Also us safety glasses when casting and a face shield when smelting. I'm a clutz but I don't want to become a badly scarred clutz.

[Mk42gunner]

I wear a pair of plain leather work gloves, thick enough to provide protection, thin enough top still have a degree of touch. I use them for welding also, I don't like how thick most welding gloves are. I wish Wells Lamont still made their White Mule gloves, I used to wear those hauling hay, they lasted forever it seemed like.

I do have a pair of the new mechanics gloves that showed up somehow, (I know I didn't buy them) that I am going to try next time.

Regarding eye protection, I usually wear glasses and a face shield when casting.

Robert

[Echo]

I wear plain leather work gloves, both hands, for casting and rendering/alloying.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Each time we are up there I go to Big R or whatever Farm store I am near and get 3 pair of soft usually yellow colored glove either pig or deer hide.
Flexible and comfortable..
I use them for either task. Generally I try to find them for NO more than $6 but last tiem up I had to pay $7.50

[Bret4207]

I wear a pair of plain leather work gloves, thick enough to provide protection, thin enough top still have a degree of touch. I use them for welding also, I don't like how thick most welding gloves are. I wish Wells Lamont still made their White Mule gloves, I used to wear those hauling hay, they lasted forever it seemed like.

I do have a pair of the new mechanics gloves that showed up somehow, (I know I didn't buy them) that I am going to try next time.

Regarding eye protection, I usually wear glasses and a face shield when casting.

Robert

Me too. Anything of good quality seems to be gone these days.

[XWrench3]

mine are one in the same. just an old pair of good thick 100% leather motorcycle gloves that i used to wear back in the day. it didn't take very long for them to get ugly though. so whatever you use, leave them with your casting stuff. as they will permanantly be discolored in a short time. funny how heat does that. fyi, when they get real ugly, i wash them with soap and water (just like i was washing my hands), do that fast, so the leather does not get a chance to saturate, or when they dry, they will be a size smaller (just ask O.J.) LOL! rinse them and let them dry. then i re-apply a little neatsfoot oil and work it in.

[qajaq59]

I'm a clutz but I don't want to become a badly scarred clutz. Whisler, you may be a clutz, but at least you are a smart clutz.

[bootsnthejeep]

I couldn't lay hands on my leather work gloves last time I set to casting, but I did come up with a set of Mechanix style gloves that I got free with a cordless impact. They were "anti vibration" gloves or something like that, with extra padding in the palm and the fingers, it actually worked quite well. Until I figured out that when I was inspecting the bullets, that funny black sheen on them afteward was the rubber/felt fingertip pads melting. Other than that, ship shape.

I use a set of welding gloves for smelting. Always have an extra set around, since I seem to go thru welding gloves pretty quick. I'm pretty good about long pants welding, casting, and always smelting, but I have been known to do them all in a t-shirt, and usually pay the price in a few small burns. But when its 90 and humid as hell, I'm not breaking out the leathers and making it worse, I'll take a burn once in a while.

[MT Gianni]

I wear a pair of plain leather work gloves, thick enough to provide protection, thin enough top still have a degree of touch. I use them for welding also, I don't like how thick most welding gloves are. I wish Wells Lamont still made their White Mule gloves, I used to wear those hauling hay, they lasted forever it seemed like.

I do have a pair of the new mechanics gloves that showed up somehow, (I know I didn't buy them) that I am going to try next time.

Regarding eye protection, I usually wear glasses and a face shield when casting.

Robert

The new mechanic gloves are a synthetic blend and would not be used around my casting bench, though I have worn them for work. I see a melt through if it gets hot. Cheap chinese leather is abundant.

[jonk]

I rarely use anything. If I do it is a glove on my right hand to cut the sprues without a dowel.

I have spilled molten lead on my bare skin and yes it hurts. But being as I use a bottom pour pot, such is likely to be only a few drops, not a whole ton; and as such, the mobility afforded by no gloves outweighs the inconvenience of a few drops stinging for a few minutes.

[Hickory]

I've been waiting for Crash Corrigan to comment.
:bigsmyl2:


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=40238

[casterofboolits]

I use welding gloves for smelting and leather work gloves with long cuffs for casting. Also have a pair of foundry gloves if I need to move something really hot.

[Shepherd2]

I use the same type leather work gloves that I use around the farm. I keep a pair with my casting equipment and I use them for casting and smelting. The give enough protection so that you can pick up a newly cast boolit or sprue. You just don't hang onto it for very long.
I have a pair of welding gloves but I don't even use them for welding. I feel like I'm wearing boxing gloves when I'm trying to work with them on.