[Jewelry making - Article 00146] - Re: [Orchid] Understanding Casting Shrinkage

[richard hart]

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>     Bob the caster who taught me many of his tricks is now 70 years
>     old and in perfect health. He even smoked for a few years in his
>     teens. He cast and quenched for at least thirty years with no
>     venting what so ever. What gives? Is casting to be viewed like
>     sucking unfiltered Camel cigarettes? I will always advocate the
>     safest and practical way to do things. Are those who can only
>     research about technique the only real authority on jewelry making?
>     I don't make this stuff up folks. If you are lucky enough to ever
>     get into some of the industry casting facilities as I have you
>     would see how it is done. 

    I have cast 18-27 3x7 inch flasks every week for 12 years, quenching
    in a 5 gallon plastic bucket. I have been casting for over 20 years,
    not great investment hygiene. I live at 5200 ft above sea level, and
    I have normal lung function. I was not going to start in as I usually
    do, but since you mention it... I believe in being careful. I was 
self
    taught as a silversmith and for 20 years observed no safety
    precautions for torch use or for soldering fumes. I did wonder how
    many on this forum observe safety precautions, but smoke cigarettes? 

    I do tend to be more careful, and more paranoid from the posts on
    this forum. However, at 60, however careful I am with diet, care with
    chemicals, ect. from what I observe from those around me at the same
    age or younger, good health is a crap shoot. There is a fine line
    between being cynical or realistic, and I find being realistic a
    challenge as whatever I can conceive of to protect myself does not
    include what I do not take into consideration that sneaks up behind
    me and bites meon the tush. 

Richard Hart
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