Does anyone have a good idea for a heat shield for the tongs used for the 3kg electric foundry furnaces? When pouring bronze my hands in the gloves get warmer than I would like. I'm trying to avoid reinventing the wheel. A photo would be great. I normally use two pairs of tongs, especially for bronze. One to lift the crucible by the neck, and a second to support it from the middle to help tip it for pouring and decrease the stress on the neck.
Until you get the heat shield figured out, get a pair of tight fitting cloth gloves, wet them and wear them inside your regular gloves when pouring. That should keep your hands comfortably cool long enough to complete your pour.
I'd suggest that most of the heat is Infrared radiation so a simple sheet metal shield would likely make a huge difference.
I've had damp leather gloves (to make them flexible) give off steam and nearly cause burns from the radiant heat of a crucible and furnace. It's not something I'll try again.
Always a trade-off between comfort, safety, and percieved safety. I don't mind feeling the heat, it reminds me not to put my body in the way. What are you using for gloves? I imagine ARC-welding type? Insulated? You could try a second pair of TIG welder's gloves underneath, or kevlar heat-resistant ones. But if you have decided a heat shield is necessary, then as garyh has said, any bit of sheet metal (around here, colloquiallly "roofing tin") that you can affix between the crucible and handles will help you out.
BTW, these pure graphite crucible wear out much faster than graphite clay ones. I use graphite clay crucible in my electric furnace as well. But I have no ToAuto like furnace.
Thanks for the suggestions and comments. I'm clumsy enough with a single pair of gloves, double gloves would likely be a disaster. If I cobble something up I'll post a photo. I've had good luck with ToAuto's crucibles and they gave me outstanding customer service when one of their electric furnaces failed soon after I received it several years ago so I have stuck with them. I don't know if there is a clay graphite crucible available in the style used in these 3KG furnaces.
Here's something I made several years ago and I still use it. I don't really do much casting but I try. It's just a short piece of vent pipe, lined with Ceramic wool. Then I put on a shield and a handle. I slide the crucible in it and pour it like a pitcher. The top strap holds the crucible and skims the metal. That's a 5 Kilo clay crucible with Bronze in it.
This is another use I would have for the #10 food can lids. Or, splitting a #10 can in half lengthwise and putting the handles through a slit in the middle.
