Neighbors and smelting...

[thegreatdane]

My neighbor is a state trooper. One time he saw me smelting and came over to see what was going on. After my explanation, he smiled and said, "Cool!"

[sargenv]

I live on a hill between two other houses with houses all around me in a suburban developement. That being said my neighbors to the rear are 150+ ft away over the back fence, and up a small hill (the back fence is about 20 ft higher than my house slab). I have heighbors on either side of me, one above (his slab sits about 6 ft higher than mine) and one below (their slab is about 10 ft lower than mine). The lower neighbor has what could be described as a home mechanic's shop. I tend to do my smelting in the backyard and try to keep the smoke to a minimum by keeping the flux burning as much as possible.. California flake flux is nice smelling stuff I have had no issues with anyone asking what I was up to and I tend to not smelt on "spare the air" days so as not to attract attention. Spare the air days are those days when some local agency asks us not to burn fires or otherwise put more crud into the air..

[Dman4321]

I always smelt in the front portion of my garage, with the truck parked in front of me, and the doors hanging open to get the breeze. My neighbors come over all the time, and always comment on "how i'm always having the fun", ask what I am up to, and after an explanation, they usually hang around and B.S for a bit before heading back home. Or, if one of them has P!$$#d me off lately, I just fire up the smelting pot after work (Get home after dark!) and then dont have to deal with anyone being awake!

[bumpo628]

I tend to not smelt on "spare the air" days so as not to attract attention. Spare the air days are those days when some local agency asks us not to burn fires or otherwise put more crud into the air..

Oh yeah, those programs always work.
People just do extra on the day before and after.

[clodhopper]

I smelt at the garage door, the moulten lead, table that holds the stove and ingots, and the propane botle outside protected by the roof overhang, Most everything else inside. The door faces south with the road to the west about 25 feet, no sidewalks in my neighborhood.
I like to smelt on cool days, some neighbors stop by and say melting lead again hunhh? others tend to stare while driving/walking/jogging by. One lady jogger asked what I was cooking and I told her bullets, she just kept going. There is a KOA campground just two blocks away so we do get some weirdos jogging around.
I live in Montana's first subdivision platted 1914, no covenets, and no homeowners association, the lots are almost an acre so there is some room. We have some issues with property lines, lost survey stakes and and buildings on property lines so banks are very leery of being involved. So most of us have been here quite a while. Thirty two years for me.
Another bullet caster lives just up the road he smelts and casts in his driveway just a little farther from the road than I.
Some years back we had a new resident who wanted to "fix" our subdivision and start a home owners association, write up convents and who knows what else.
We had a neighborhood meeting in his garage. When my turn to speak came I said "I bought this lot and built my home here because there were no covenents.
If I could not stand my neighbor then I was going to get some pigs."
The newbie's place was just one lot away, downwind.
He sold out about three months later.
I dont mind the guy across the street having a firewood business, log trucks, buzz saw, conveyer. Don't complain about another's mule "HEEHAWW HEEHAWWW" if a stray dog bothers me I give him a firecracker. We get along pretty good here.

[deepwater]

In a town/suburban environment it would be best to be as discrete as possible.
However, I agree with Hastings that neighbors and random passersby that look may actually be interested in the process and it may be a productive time to create a positive NRA image. Talk alloys, casting, etc. that extends to industry like the engine block in their car. I have thought of getting a lead ornament or cowboy mold just for this purpose.

Not getting along with your neighbors is a terrible situation. Being afraid of your neighbors knowing about your legal and creative hobby is not good either.

[buyobuyo]

I smelt in my back yard. I almost never see my neighbors when I'm smelting, and only one has ever asked what I was up to.

When I'm sorting wheel weights, I dump them out on the front walk and sit on the porch steps while I sort.

[Mumblypeg]

No problem here. I shoot and pee off the back porch, nobody cares. They do it too.

[theinfamouselguapo]

Never had a problem so far. I'm positive the smell winds it's way to more than a couple backyards when the wind is right. Got a couple reloaders in the neighborhood but nobody else casts.

We're all pretty big boys with pretty big toys at my house. I think our neighbors all sort of got used to that after a while. At first they sort of kept their distance but I think once they realized with did remodeling work and had all of the cool tools they sort of warmed up to the idea and the big toys didn't look quite so bad anymore

[exile]

Seems to me that anyone who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan (and anywhere else for that matter) has earned the right to smelt wherever he pleases. Thanks for your service and good luck with the neighbors.

exile

[wiljen]

I have the same issue of neighbors gawking when I'm out smelting. Several of the more high-society types desperately wish I would move, but nothing in the home owners association stuff says you can't smelt in your driveway so no chance of them running me out. As long as their cat can use MY yard as a litter box, I am not gonna worry what they think of what I do in MY OWN yard.