Boring day at work today so I killed some time surfing various foundry related video and I came across this, I haven't decided if I think it's a good idea or not but I thought it interesting enough to share.
There goes my idea. Somebody already has it. I’m going to build mine all from scratch. I’m putting a cam action lever on the operator side, to have an extremely tight fit. On the opposite side, I’m going to have an adjustable handle four different size crucibles. I also am making it allowable for a second dummy handle for very heavy pours. Watching the video, I saw that he was fumbling a little bit with the locking mechanism. As well it seemed like the crucible wasn’t held very tightly.
Just keep in mind those thin steel strips he spent so much time shaping at orange heat, will be at orange heat easily when lifting crucibles full of bronze or brass. They will then soften and let go of the load if it's much heavier than his small amount of aluminium. You have to assume your crucible lifter materials will begin to glow if you spend too much time trying to grab the crucible out of the furnace. I'm using a crucible gripper with 1/2" thick mild steel on the assumption that I have to get the crucible out reasonably fast (under a minute) before heat soak softens it and reduces the strength. The pouring shank steel ring that the crucible then sits in is relatively immune to heat as it would have to be hot enough to stretch.
Those clamps are total shit. I've had a few of them and anyone willing to trust their feet, legs and other bits to them are pretty much INSANE! That guy needs to stay out of HF. When I saw the anvil, I know it was going to be a clown show. He owns a welder, why not weld up some proper ones and not be so lazy?
Agreed, way too light in every aspect. The clamp lock isn't positive enough to suit me either. The design is interesting though. Although I've been talking about it for a year now, I have an iron pour in my future that will require a #10 and I don't want to use my 2in1 lift/pour tool (ala Myfordboy) for similar reasons as Mark described. The crucible contact areas are fine but there are two hinge pivot points that are the weakest link and although they're perfectly fine for aluminum and bronze I think my feet deserve more consideration. I'll be putting a set of conventional tools together. Pete
I like the concept for lifting tongs... but not the execution. Would never wanna pour w/ that rig. HF clamp is BS. Taking notes though, gotta fab tools over the winter.
This is my two man version of my 2 man Grab & Go tongs made from a set of Mifco tongs shown. It locks closed on the crucible and one person controls the pour with the handle bars which pivot the crucible about a point a little above the center of gravity of the filled crucible.