You seem extremely defensive, as though I had attacked you or your business. I'm sorry you took it that way. I did, in fact, note that your site had interesting information, and the only thing I disagreed with was the use of steel crucibles. I still disagree with that, and always will. Simply because you haven't yet had a report of a catastrophic failure does not mean that it can't or won't happen.
Handling molten metal is a very far cry from handling boiling water or hot grease - look up photos of the injuries from molten metal sometime if you don't have a sensitive stomach. Molten metal does not merely make blisters, it removes skin, flesh and bone - almost instantly. To compare the safety of handling molten metal to that of boiling water is, at best, disingenuous. If you honestly think that having a very cautious approach to handling molten metal makes one a wimp or a whiner, you have a cavalier disregard for safety that I find rather disconcerting.
When graphite and silicon carbide crucibles are available and not unduly expensive, I think it is a false economy to use anything less. I will continue, as I have for more than 40 years, to advocate the use of only proper crucibles and safety equipment. I've been doing casting since 1968 and never had an injury, nor have my students, and I intend to maintain that safety record. As a moderator for this website, I feel it is incumbent on me to make every effort possible to see that the information on this site is accurate and promotes safe practices.
As I noted in my previous post, there is much information available on the 'net and users should peruse as much as possible in order to determine for themselves which is accurate or useful and which is not. In the final analysis, it is up to the individual to make his/her own decisions based upon the available information, and the more information obtained the better that decision is likely to be.
Donna, You seem extremely
Donna,
You seem extremely defensive, as though I had attacked you or your business. I'm sorry you took it that way. I did, in fact, note that your site had interesting information, and the only thing I disagreed with was the use of steel crucibles. I still disagree with that, and always will. Simply because you haven't yet had a report of a catastrophic failure does not mean that it can't or won't happen.
Handling molten metal is a very far cry from handling boiling water or hot grease - look up photos of the injuries from molten metal sometime if you don't have a sensitive stomach. Molten metal does not merely make blisters, it removes skin, flesh and bone - almost instantly. To compare the safety of handling molten metal to that of boiling water is, at best, disingenuous. If you honestly think that having a very cautious approach to handling molten metal makes one a wimp or a whiner, you have a cavalier disregard for safety that I find rather disconcerting.
When graphite and silicon carbide crucibles are available and not unduly expensive, I think it is a false economy to use anything less. I will continue, as I have for more than 40 years, to advocate the use of only proper crucibles and safety equipment. I've been doing casting since 1968 and never had an injury, nor have my students, and I intend to maintain that safety record. As a moderator for this website, I feel it is incumbent on me to make every effort possible to see that the information on this site is accurate and promotes safe practices.
As I noted in my previous post, there is much information available on the 'net and users should peruse as much as possible in order to determine for themselves which is accurate or useful and which is not. In the final analysis, it is up to the individual to make his/her own decisions based upon the available information, and the more information obtained the better that decision is likely to be.
Regards,
Rich Waugh