Cupola Tender

Controls cupola furnace to melt and refine iron, scrap metal, and other additives to produce gray iron castings: Closes and props door in bottom of cupola. Shovels sand into cupola and tamps sand to form wedge-shaped layer on cupola bottom sloping toward taphole. Kindles fire, using gas torch, to ignite coke bed in cupola, and starts and sets speed of blowers that supply air to cupola. Signals CUPOLA CHARGER 512.686-010 to begin charging metal, coke, and limestone into cupola. Reads gauges indicating temperature of molten metal in cupola and amount of air flowing into and out of cupola, and adjusts controls accordingly. Taps molten metal from cupola. Estimates, from color of slag draining from surface of molten metal, physical properties of metal being melted. Pulls prop from bottom doors of cupola, when shutting down furnace, to allow residual materials to drop out. May charge layer of excelsior, rags, and wood over sand bed to protect cupola from initial charge of coke and to ignite fuel.