Margica tools

Flask tongs

The flask we use for investment casting needs to be removed from the oven at around 500 to 600 deg. C. Instead of buying some flask tongs, I just buit a pair.

As a basis I used some kind of surgical clamp bought at the flea market a long time ago. I kept it around just waiting for an opportunity. Well, here it is. There was also a bit of 10mm flat stock in the workshop and used that to make the actual grabbing part.

After finding an appropriate diameter steel disc, I bent the flat bar around it, then used the wire bending jig I built a while back to bend back the ends of the circular sections.

Then I cut the end off of the surgical thing and drilled and tapped two holes for each tong. Of course I broke a tap in the process so had to drill another hole. So much for symmetry.

After a couple of matte black high temp spray paint, the tongs are done.

Here it is being tested out. Works great, and the built-in spring prevents you from dropping the flask.