Warning: That family BBQ question about your job

My uncle always asks if I just stand by a big fire all shift. I used to give a full rundown on pouring and molds, which bored everyone. Now I just say I make metal puzzles that get really hot. It's vague, but it shuts down the follow-ups. They usually just nod and talk about sports instead. Saves us both from a pointless chat.

5 comments

5 Comments

corab773d ago

Actual foundry molds are more like big metal containers than puzzles. That's the part nobody ever pictures right.

anthonyh103d ago

Yeah always pictured them as those puzzle piece things. That comment about metal containers totally changed how I see it now. Makes way more sense.

bethjackson3d ago

Wait, is it really that big a deal how people picture them? I mean most folks only ever see molds in video games or movies anyway. They get the general idea of pouring metal into a shape, idk if the exact container matters. Maybe it's just me but this feels like a weird thing to correct.

sandrab913d ago

Never realized they were containers, that explanation totally changed how I see it.

abbycraig3d ago

When bethjackson asks if it's a big deal how people picture molds... it kinda is. Like @anthonyh10 said, calling them containers changes how you see it. Puzzles make you think of little pieces, but real foundry molds are huge and heavy. They're more like industrial buckets that hold liquid metal. Getting that wrong means missing the whole point of the job. So yeah, the exact image in your head matters a lot.