Had a crucible handle snap on me during a pour last Friday

We were doing a run of bronze for some custom marine fittings, about 1600 degrees. I went to tilt the crucible and the steel handle just gave way right at the weld on the bracket. The whole thing lurched and I had to jump back, lost maybe a third of the pour onto the floor. It was a mess, hot metal everywhere. The handle was on a Morgan crucible we've had for maybe three years. I think the constant heat cycles just finally got to it. We had to shut down, clean up, and I spent the rest of my shift grinding off the old weld and putting a new, thicker handle on. Has anyone else had a crucible handle fail like that? What's a good rule for checking them?

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4 Comments

rowan_reed685mo ago

Three years is pushing it for any handle.

5

xena5825mo ago

You ever think a handle could last longer? I used to, until I saw one snap on a buddy's old furnace. Now I'm with you, three years is asking for trouble.

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corah755mo ago

Check that weld every single time you heat the crucible. Three years of thermal stress will fatigue any metal. Glad you weren't hurt, that's a nightmare scenario.

0

phoenix_martin405mo ago

My buddy's forge handle gave out after two years. That's why I check mine before every single melt now.

3