Home foundry safety
All these videos of molten metal flying around on this site reminds me of a time when I was melting lead for some turnout (switches) weights for a 7 1/4 gauge railway. I always wrap up well when pouring any molten metal. I being a long suffering welder have access to all of the protective gear one needs for foundry work, flame retardant overalls, full face visor with helmet, thick leather gloves, the full works, any way back to melting the lead. I had a pot which was some 6 diameter x 6 high and nearly full of molten lead I added one last bit of old lead pipe BANG WHOOSH and the pot was empty in a split second. It rained lead all over and me and the surrounding area.No harm done the protective gear did its job.
What I had done was introduced a small amount of water to the melt which had flashed into steam.
This happened to me again some years later, which just goes to prove you can still get caught out. This time it was scrap brass from a local plumber. I usually strip the old taps of rubber and the like, but on closer inspection a small water trap exists in the tap.
What have I learned is pre heating your scrap metal on top of the furnace or in the open flame should get rid of damp and take away the thermal shock you may introduce into the molten metal. And always wear the safety clothing.
A local Aluminium scrap refiners was totally flattened and two guys killed when they put a skip of wet scrap into a furnace.
The death toll would have been higher if not for the fact they were working on nights.
Keep safe Dave Bick
All these videos of molten metal flying around on this site reminds me of a time when I was melting lead for some turnout (switches) weights for a 7 1/4 gauge railway. I always wrap up well when pouring any molten metal. I being a long suffering welder have access to all of the protective gear one needs for foundry work, flame retardant overalls, full face visor with helmet, thick leather gloves, the full works, any way back to melting the lead. I had a pot which was some 6 diameter x 6 high and nearly full of molten lead I added one last bit of old lead pipe BANG WHOOSH and the pot was empty in a split second. It rained lead all over and me and the surrounding area.No harm done the protective gear did its job.
What I had done was introduced a small amount of water to the melt which had flashed into steam.
This happened to me again some years later, which just goes to prove you can still get caught out. This time it was scrap brass from a local plumber. I usually strip the old taps of rubber and the like, but on closer inspection a small water trap exists in the tap.
What have I learned is pre heating your scrap metal on top of the furnace or in the open flame should get rid of damp and take away the thermal shock you may introduce into the molten metal. And always wear the safety clothing.
A local Aluminium scrap refiners was totally flattened and two guys killed when they put a skip of wet scrap into a furnace.
The death toll would have been higher if not for the fact they were working on nights.
Keep safe Dave Bick
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