What safety measures should I take when operating a backyard aluminum furnace I have made a DIY furnaces out of cement. Before I do any smelting, I would just like to take any suggestions in regards to any safety measures I should take.

I plan to only melt aluminum cans and small parts. I then plan to pour them onto a flat plane to make aluminum plates. Later I plan to make casts.

My furnace is very similar to the one pictured below.


I plan to connect a hair drier to the hole (with an extension metal rod) in order to increase air flow. It will operate by burning charcoal brickets.
Set this up in an area free of leaves and debris.

I recommend wearing safety gear: heat resistant goggles and fire-resistance clothing and gloves that will protect you from heat, especially when pouring.

Get a couple practice runs in pouring before using it so you get a feel for the best angle to hold in and learn what NOT to do. Even better, you could assemble something that would do the pouring for you. (I'm thinking of something along the lines of this, but it doesn't have to be as elaborate.)

You may also want to scrape the paint off the cans before putting them in. Otherwise, you'll  get a lot of crud from the paint in your molten aluminum.