Cold Weather - Casters beware

Well I learned a valuable lesson today and consider myself VERY fortunate..... The weather were I live in RI has been pretty cold lately, today the high was only about 20 degrees. I do my jig casting in a dedicated "Casting" shed that is unheated. I went out to the shed at about noon today and plugged in my two melting pots and hotplate and then went back into the house while they heated up. After about 15 minutes I went back out and got my work station set up to cast some road runner heads. As I always do before I start pouring, I attempted to skim the slag off of the top of the melted lead with my old metal spoon - well as soon as I put the spoon in the lead I heard a loud POPPPPPP. In a fraction of a second the lead had exploded all over the front of me !!!!! Luckly I had some protective gear on - Saftey glasses, gloves, and several layers of shirts. I literaly had splatterd lead all over my pants, shirt, and hat..... but no burns what so ever - I got VERY LUCKY today.

Now I am new to casting, but I assume the explosion was caused from putting the cold spoon into the 600-700 lead pot - I know that the spoon was dry so I dont think it was caused from moisture.

I know I deserve it soooo - please go ahead and give me my lecture for what I did wrong - I would like to learn from my mistake so I can cast more safely in the future.

Do people just not cast in the winter to avoid accidents like this from happen???

Tom D

your exactly right. Like puting water in fry pot full of grease....Warm all equipment thats gona be used in or around the lead pot

My set up sounds alot like yours,i haven't had that happen yet but it could very easily happen with the temps we've been having,thank you for the heads up because i would have never gave it a second thought.

I'm new to casting my own, so this is good to know. I did something similar the other day, I poured an ingot to gather the chips of lead in the bottom of the mold. It was all cold and bubbled twice and then popped. I thought that it was humidity gathered on the mold. Thanks for the heads up.

Thanks for the info. I have poured a fair bit, and some of it in cold weather, but I have never had that happen. This is something that I will certainly watch!

Thanks for your post - you just may have saved someone a LOT of pain, and possibly their eyesight!!!


Pete

You were not lucky. You were blessed. Glad you had your safety gear on and that you did not suffer serious harm.

Glad you're okay!!!!!!!!! I know how bad it hurts to get burned with lead!!!! and almost lost an eye because of it. While your spoon may have looked dry, looks are deceiving, it could have been as slight as steam on it, like blowing on a cold window and fogging it up, that's enough moisture to get you popped with lead.

Again I'm glad you're okay!!!!!! It only takes that happening 1 time and you'll never forget it!!!!!!!!!!

Fatman

That you for your post. Have poured a lot of lead, but not in cold temps. You just saved someone.