Breathing Proctection/Lead Smelting and casting.

[Gooey]

Hello All,

I am unable to find any information on this site regarding the danger/safety procautionsof working with lead (ie smelting and casting). Inparticular, I am looking for informaion regarding lead popisoning from resparation of lead. Are there any resources here? Most info on the internet is industrial related.

I cast fishing sinkers...over the past 4 summer I probably processed 200 lbs of lead each year in a 20lb lee pro. Nice thing abou the lee pro or any electrical pot is that you have a very fine control of the heat.

I recently started casting 10lb and 12lb cannon balls with a propane burner...no thermostat means I just bump the gas up and down by feel. With much more lead and much more heat, I must be greatly increasing my exposure to lead vapour etc.

Anyone have any info on safety measures etc? Can't imagine those white dust masks helping much???

[KCSO]

If you are working in a well ventilated area you shoulodn't have any problems. I would not use lead for cannon balls. They are heavier and deform more than real cannon balls and will greatly increase the pressures you will run up. Get some rockcrete and make your balls from that. Less stress on the barrel and carriage and they will shoot just as well to 500 yards and OK to 1000.

[mag_01]

The white dust masks are no protection at all---- If you do a search you will find different set ups casters have used---- My lead level is High--- when casting I use A has mat masks looks almost like a double filter gas masks--- Only lately I have been taking precautions because of my level--- As far as reloading I use a white mask and latex glove on my left hand -- Keeps me from touching the lead--- I also feel it is better to cast out in the open. Hope I have been some help ---- Mag

[tomf52]

3M Manufacturing makes a white paper type mask that does in fact protect you from heavy metal contamination. They are disposables, about $6.50 each, and are available at many welding supply houses. Good for casting and also shooting, particularly indoor ranges where the threat of airborne lead is higher. I think the part number is 8214 or something like that. A Google search should bring up any needed info.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Basic precautions have kept me at normal lead level through forty years of casting. I have always cast inside garages, but in places famous for wind, with at least one door open to windward and one to leeward. Very important, don't eat, drink or smoke while casting or smelting. The easiest way to accumulate lead in your body is by putting it in your mouth. Lead does not vaporize and become a breathing hazard until heated to a temperature much too high for casting, and impossible to reach with the heat sources used by MOST casters. I would worry more about fumes from paint, grease, plastic wheelweight coatings, rubber tire valves, plastic tire labels, dog urine, etc. while smelting. It might be a good idea to smelt outside.

Still another way to reduce exposure is to adopt KCSO's recomendation of rockcrete for cannonballs, and my own suggestion of scrap iron for fishing sinkers. Holy Galena should only be used for the highest purpose-cast boolits.

[Dale53]

Outdoors, you'll have plenty of natural ventilation. Using a good thermometer and keeping your lead below 700 degrees both insure that you are not vaporizing lead and you are below the level of melting zinc. One zinc wheel weight melted in with your bullet metal will contaminate your entire pot and destroy its good casting qualities. A good thermometer is your best friend.

Lead oxides (dust) can become airborne. Keep your casting area clean and dust free. A shop vacuum keeps the damaging dust inside the vacuum. A regular vacuum will "broadcast" the dangerous dust over the whole room.

I have been casting for well over a half-century and my lead levels are normal.

Dale53

[Gooey]

Thanks for the input, good to know there are heavy metal masks availavble.

I cast in a open air garage (4 open sides) so it sounds like ventilation is not an large issue. But I have 2 young kids and in the car port (within 5 feet of the pot) are bikes and other yard toys...sounds like I may be a good idea to move the oporation the the back corner of the property...my kids health is something totally different to my own and I don't want to be contaminating things they come in contact with.

Someone made a comment about zinc ruining a batch of lead...the "cannon balls" I am casting are for fishing! they have a tail fin, 2 brass eye, and hang at the end of a wire cable (for trolling for salmon etc). I think that for this application, inpurities like zync or tin wouldn't affect my product at all...am I missing something? Sounds like the impurities may be a concern when casting bullet but not for me...

[44man]

You will not get the lead hot enough to vaporize so that is no concern with ventilation. The dust in the dross you skim is the bad part. A fan blowing away from you helps, just have to be careful with that part of the operation.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Gooey, any equipment used for casting your "cannonballs" that comes in contact with zinc can ruin a pot, ladle, etc. for use with lead. Zinc melts at a temperature of nearly 800 F, so most of us smelt at 600-650 so as to not melt zinc. By keeping the temperature low, zinc will float to the top and be easily discarded. Most of the floaters will be steel or iron, as can be easily determined with a magnet.

[Ernest]

This is all good information. Carefully wash hands before eating. That is the most important part. I have never had my lead level tested. I will have to do that.

[qajaq59]

You're in far more danger driving over to buy bullets then you'll ever be from casting them. Use a well vented area and wash you hands before handling food and you'll be fine.

[Gooey]

I have noticed some wheel weights that didn't metal down and were floating...I thought the just didnt get hot enough and I wasn't going to sit around and weight for them so they were skimmed off except for a few that I took a torch too on top.

How does the zinc ruin equipment? Does it get in a lower temp appliance like my lee pro and clog it up?

Thanks everyone, I really appecaite you sharing your knowledge.

[Pepe Ray]

Gooey;
I believe that any contaminated equipment can be cleaned, BUT the contaminated lead can NOT.
Zinc fowled lead will not allow your boolets to fill out. You'll loose your sharp edges, and not symetrically.
If you've not contaminated your melt TOO much, sometimes it can be deluted to a usable level by adding more good stuff. THIS is a judgement call as a melt too heavily contaminated will need lots of doctoring. Sometimes its best to just use it to make sinkers.
But be carefull next time. Pepe Ray

[Gooey]

I noticed that one batch of cannonball had areas where it looked like there was some shrinkage as the lead cooled, an indented area that wasn't smooth like the rest of the ball. This batch was done on mostly wheel weights and I assumed it was just a cooling/shrinkage factor...maybe I had some zinc in there too.

I found that by mixing my pure lead with wheel weights I could minimise that effect (as Pepe recommended in the post) so I will keep doing that when working with wheel weights.

As long as zinc doesnt physically damage my casting equipment, I should be fine.

[leftiye]

Gooey, Different alloys melt at different temps. Those that float are suspicious though (being light AND not melting), but they could have a lot of antimony, or tin too. Watch the temp, and try to keep it around 650, or at least below 700 while smelting or combining ingots. Things not having zinc in then will melt at those temps.