Follow-up Report:
I contacted Hercules about the melting stands. Though they are out of warranty, and I have no sales receipts (I've probably had these 8-10 years, or more), they are sending me three new stands! It is refreshing to find another company that, like Alembic, stands behind its products and goes the extra mile to treat customers right, even if they aren't making any money on the particular transaction. Companies like these are few and far between. Kudos and thanks to Hercules!
Bill, tgo