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?

4 comments

4 Comments

rowan_reed681mo ago

Three years is pushing it for any handle.

xena58213d agoTop Commenter

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.

corah751mo 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.

phoenix_martin401mo ago

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