From: Snag_one@msn.com   
      
   On 10/15/2025 6:05 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:   
   > "Snag"  wrote in message news:10cn56c$32g7v$1@dont-email.me...   
   >   
   > On 10/14/2025 6:05 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:   
   >   
   >   ... My temp probes are metal tubes ... I've had one of then over 2000   
   > degrees in my gas forge . I've used them to check melt temp of molten   
   > aluminum just before pouring into molds too . Lead temps are not a big   
   > deal ...unless you leave a trace of moisture in an open top ingot mold .   
   > Got a couple of scars from that adventure !   
   > Snag   
   > --------------------------------   
   >   
   > When I was young and had only woodworking machinery I cast lead salvaged   
   > from broken discarded batteries in wood ingot molds routed on the   
   > Shopsmith in vertical knee mill mode. The wood slowly charred and   
   > degraded and a plaster coating didn't hold up either so I had the bright   
   > idea of trying to cast under water since I knew molten copper poured   
   > into water would insulate itself in a stable steam bubble and briefly   
   > remain glowing.   
   >   
   > Lead also quietly filled a flooded mold cavity and hardened with a shiny   
   > unoxidized surface. I thought I was onto something until I poured into a   
   > cavity with a dimple in the bottom, an old nail hole that the lead   
   > flowed over. The resulting steam explosion plated the ceiling with a   
   > thin shiny layer. Luckily I wasn't in its path. After that close call I   
   > became more careful.   
   >   
   > Molten aluminum dribbled into a snowbank freezes into shiny teardrops   
   > with pointed tails.   
   >   
   > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Rupert%27s_drop   
   >   
      
      And molten aluminum poured into ant or yellowjacket nests forms some   
   awesome sculptures .   
   --   
   Snag   
      I appreciated foreign cultures more   
   when they stayed foreign ...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)