Caution: Cold weather jig casting....

[Uncle Grump]

All

I had recieved some wheel weight lead from my mechanic, and have been melting it down, cleaning out the debris (clips, dirt, etc), and creating cup cake sized ingots for later use.

It's been getting down in to the lower thirties in the mornings, (frost), but I was working inside my pole shed (future shop), which at this time is un- finished / un-insulated. I started about 5.30 am, and things were moving along. The sun came up, more light, things were still good.

I poured some jigs from the lead for the swap, and then poured my ingots. The pan was empty, and the molten lead had just solidified in the muffin tin when it happened.....

Drips of water started falling from the underside of the roof, they hit the stove where my pot of lead had been, and on the muffin tin.

What happened is that warm air from my propane stove rose and condensed & froze on the cold sheet metal roof. When the sun came up and it started to warm things up, the heat melted the frost on the roof, AND the condensation on the underside of the roof, and the "shower" began.

Had this happened when the lead was molten, it would have caused some splattering and possibly some really nasty burns if it contacted me.....

I had on a jacket, gloves and a face shield, but I still wouldn't have wanted to be in the splatters.

UG

[oldwun]

Water and hot lead is a disaster waiting to happen. Years ago I used to cast pistol bullets by the thousand each month. A fellow caster had a soft drink setting on a shelf above his pot. Somehow the drink tipped spilling the drink into his pot. Huge splatter causing him to loose his right eye. Be careful when casting at all times!!

[Fatman]

Uncle Grump

Glad you're okay. Could have been serious, I have a burn mark on my eye from when I was 14 and that one and a few on the face made me wake up and get safety conscious.

Fatman

[smoothlures]

Glad you're ok. Another thing to look for is if you store them outside in a shop or something is to make sure you dry your molds and pot good before you start pouring. They can have condensation in them and that is not good!

[Fatman]

I pour in the garage in the winter and usually before I start I'll use a blow dryer on the lead and melting pot and tools and never have a problem. Molds and hooks get stored in my bedroom.

Fatman

[shipahoy41]

Be careful. Glad you are ok.