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No worries about the safety discussion. I don't mind reading more about safety. I appreciate it as so many of the places I see people discuss casting tend to almost ignore it. And videos show things that even as a beginner I know are dangerous. I know this forum is more about forging. Just seemed like you had some casters too. And I am interested in forging as well. So I might just keep that here and look for casting elsewhere. Seems like insulation and refractory applies to both, at least for the beginning levels. But if that's not done around here, I don't mind following the rules.

I might try pewter first, thanks. I've done a little work with lead, but nothing I would consider very useful from an experience perspective. Custom shaped counter weights for a project. Which makes "dump lead in an altoids tin" sound way more interesting than it is. And, obviously, lead has other problems. Like I said, no big rush to get melting things. I'll get there when I get there.

Thanks for the info Frosty, The tongs the vendor included are basically large pliers. I could see them being used for forging to hold the work, maybe loading material into a hot crucible, but I've seen a number of people concerned about crucible damage with tools like that. What I would call crucible tongs as a newbie would have some shape to grip large areas of the crucible to distribute the forces, ideally just gravity. It sounds like what you described with "Pouring tongs or ring don't apply anything but lifting forces to the crucible." is what I want, but what I have would put compression forces on the rim of the crucible to hold it while lifting if I used them. I do understand about concrete, having managed to cause spalling with welding. I do appreciate the extra warning though. Safety has to be at the front of the mind when working with things that can hurt you. Area... That is a good point. 30' is a fairly large area, more than I expected to be concerned with as a primary work area. I was initially planning to set up a work area with firebrick lining for the "hot" areas. I also like the pour box idea you mentioned. I planned to work outdoors with flammable material removed. Mostly concrete areas, but with coverings for safety/spills at least where the work will be. I'm still evolving the ideas for this area of concern. I plan to buy a couple more extinguishers to dedicate to the area. Probably another first aid kit as well. I have one nearby, but having it right there would be better. I can't say I've had a recent class, but I am familiar with how to use it and have worked on myself. I leave real work on people to the professionals, but I can generally get things good enough to get to a pro. Spotter, yes. Experienced, no. Not sure how to find someone that is. The Utah group here is pretty dead. I've been learning online and from books like those from Gingery and other older material. And youtube, but I take things there with a grain of salt. I'm reminding myself daily that I know nothing. I don't intend to melt anything for weeks, at best. Initially it will be open molds for ingots and similar. Taking time to learn and fix up the furnace. I'm only planning to light it to do the dry-out of the lining materials and crucible. Since we're in the insulation sub-forum, do you have any thoughts on my insulation plan?

Thanks I updated my location. Good idea on rehearsing movements for moving the crucible while cold and empty. I can see that being helpful and it's something I've done when learning other skills that could cause harm. I'll certainly be doing that, and re-reading safety info before melting anything. I'm trying to take it slow and learn. In that direction, I think I'll make sure I start with small quantities of material. Less molten material at a time is probably safer overall.

Hello all, I'm new here but have been reading the fine forum for a while. I am currently looking to set up for casting. I'm looking to start slow, so no I'm not planning to melt steel as the first project etc.. Aluminum to start, possibly as high as copper/brass/bronze later, but I'm not in a hurry. I started building a basic furnace a while back but I didn't like the way it was going and decided to read up more and consider the form. It started as one of those little garbage cans, but I think I was trying to stuff too much into it. So I decided to set it aside and go with a larger unit. I picked up a 12kg forge/furnace kit from Vevor. I know commercial links are not allowed, so I won't post one. It is a stainless dual burner setup that you can lay down to use as a forge. I know it's not ideal, the idea is to have a base to start from. It comes with what they claim is 1.2 inches of ceramic wool insulation, maybe in the lid, but the main unit is probably more like 1 inch. I'm tossing around adding another 1 inch blanket in there, but it and the refractory would likely make the crucible not fit. Not the end of the world, I could use a smaller crucible and save the one it came with for the future. Is it worth the bother to make the insulation thicker? It came with "refractory cement". Not sure what kind, but from the videos I've seen of people using it, I don't think it's going to get used right now. I have 15lbs Kastolite-30. And Matrikote for the IR layer. Of course fumed silica for the rigidizer. The plan is to rigidze the blanket then fire it. Perhaps adding more wool here. After cooling butter the inside and apply kastolite. After setting, which sounds like it needs humidity and time, dry and fire again heating slowly to make sure water is gone. Then another cycle for the Matrikote. I might need to look at building a form for the kastolite, but it sounds like pressing it on the wool by hand is enough. I'll also be making some lifting and pouring tongs. The kit included some, but they grip the side of the crucible, which sounds like a good way to break it.