Anyone cast in the basement?

[ronz]

I have some extra sheet metal so was thinking about making a hood for over the pot then using a window fan for exhaust

[I'll Make Mine]

With ventilation, I wouldn't think it a problem. I wouldn't want to cast in a basement without an exhaust of some kind, though (if nothing else, it would get uncomfortably warm before long).

[geargnasher]

I cast indoors with a fresh air source, vent hood, and remote blower ducted out through the attic, works great. 500 cfm is what I think should be considered a minimum fan rating, it will effectively be less due to friction in the pipe and how well fresh air flows into the room (open window). Multi-speed fan controls would be ideal, because you only need a little bit of flow when casting, much more when evacuating the smoke from fluxing and reducing oxides.

Gear

[ronz]

Have the perfect spot for it an old wood rack below a window
Just need to get some drywall for the back and sides
for the vent just going to use a small window fan I already have no idea on the cfm but think it should be more than enough it’s the kind with the 2 small 6”-8” fans in it
well it better be enough if the wife even thinks she smells anything from it :dung_hits_fan:
Ill post some pics when done

[Jack Stanley]

I cast in the basement and made a large hood out of sheetrock to hold the smoke while a to small fan takes it out . Next time Gear , I'll do five hundred or better [smilie=b:

Jack

[rhbrink]

I have for years with a hood and a vent with a exhaust fan. At a recent checkup my doctor suggested that I have my blood levels checked, he belongs to the same club and saw me one day shooting on the range. Turned out that my lead levels were below average. I am really careful don't eat or drink while casting, keep the fan going, and wash hands and face immediately afterward. So it can be done just use common sense and be carefull also have a planned escape route just in case.

RB

[mold maker]

I've cast in the basement for almost 50 years.
I use an inline (duct) fan with an old range hood to send fumes and heat up an unused chimney flue. There are 2 flues in the chimney, with the other serving the heat. It warms my flue and creates a natural draft during heating season. The fan is only needed during summer and while fluxing.
My blood lead levels haven fallen to "2" with less shooting at indoor ranges. They have never been higher than "4" with much time spent indoor shooting.
There is no excuse for not working clean when dealing with lead in any form. Treat it as filthy, get, and keep it off, before eating, smoking, or touching your face, period.
I just got interrupted by a call with a survey for Obama. After the first question, they were in a hurry to hang up. How rude.......

[bobthenailer]

I do 99% of my casting indoors in the basement for the past 40+ years , i have a squirrel cage exhaust fan in a alinumin housing , mounted to a piece of plywood that fits my window opening. the housing has a flexable car exhaust pipe that goes to a hood that a friend made works excellent, Ive made hundreds of thousands of bullets this way ! PB blood levels allways ck normal .

[atr]

I cast outdoors only !
No way I want to be breathing the fumes

[dragonrider]

I used to but moved out to the garage due to lack of room in the cellar. I used an exhaust hood to vent outside.

[ronz]

I
cast outdoors only !
No way I want to be breathing the fumes
With a decent venting system wouldn’t inhale anything
Outdoors you can’t control the wind so would actually be safer

[Dan Cash]

I fabricated a hood over my casting bench. After trying several other fans, (bathrro exhaust, portable fan etc) I bought a used furnace squirrel cage fan for $40.00 problem solved. All smoke up the pipe and out the window.

[RKJ]

I also cast in my basement/garage. (The garage is under the house) There seems to be ample ventilation but I always use a box fan blowing against and towards the nearest door. I'll open it all the way or just a little depending on the weather ( I dont cast a whole lot and the fan seems to keep the fumes out of the house (but blowing towards me so maybe I should invest in a respirator(?) I haven't had my blood levels checked for lead specifically but I haven't been told I at risk.

[ronz]

I still have the blower from my old furnace (brother wanted it but never takes it with him)
It’s about 3’x3’ and at least 4 times as powerful as the one in the new furnace
Would probably suck all the heat out of the house in 5 minutes
But on the bright side could probably cast on the other side of the basement on the slop sink next to the washing machine while she is doing the Landry with no complaints

[hudsonbay8301]

Everything I have been reading makes lead out to be a real B*****d. I am going to the docs to get tested. I am gonna make a room out of 2x4s and plastic sheeting to make a booth with a really strong negative pressure room. I will try and get plans posted if any one wants to use the plans of my room. I feel so horrible knowing how much lead I have casted with no lung protection and keeping my clothes on after casting. I did a lot of reading of lead dust from paint and how awfull it is. I really am kicking my self because I was trying to save a little money. What am I doing to my health. In the last 3 years I have developed head aches, nervous twicths and vision issues, who knows if this is solely from lead but I have casted over 10000 bullets and have shot more than that in my life at indoor ranges. Not to mention I police brass which is on the ground at the indoor range. I am letting people know that start taking calcium and iron supplements these aid in the blocking of lead absorbtion into the blood stream for you and your family (if they are going through your area or helping you).
Prevention Tips





On This Page


How are children exposed to lead?
Who is at risk?
What can be done to prevent exposure to lead?
Lead-Safe Work Coloring book
Reduce a child’s exposure from non-residential paint sources


Lead poisoning is entirely preventable. The key is stopping children from coming into contact with lead and treating children who have been poisoned by lead.
The goal is to prevent lead exposure to children before they are harmed. There are many ways parents can reduce a child’s exposure to lead. The key is stopping children from coming into contact with lead. Lead hazards in a child’s environment must be identified and controlled or removed safely.

How are children exposed to lead?

Lead-based paint and lead contaminated dust are the main sources of exposure for lead in U.S. children. Lead-based paints were banned for use in housing in 1978. All houses built before 1978 are likely to contain some lead-based paint. However, it is the deterioration of this paint that causes a problem. Approximately 24 million housing units have deteriorated leaded paint and elevated levels of lead-contaminated house dust. More than 4 million of these dwellings are homes to one or more young children.

Who is at risk?

All children under the age of 6 years old are at risk because they are growing so rapidly and because they tend to put their hands or other objects, which may be contaminated with lead dust, into their mouths.
However, children living at or below the poverty line who live in older housing are at greatest risk. Additionally, children of some racial and ethnic groups and those living in older housing are disproportionately affected by lead.

top


What can be done to prevent exposure to lead?

It is important to determine the construction year of the house or the dwelling where your child may spend a large amount of time (e.g., grandparents or daycare). In housing built before 1978, assume that the paint has lead unless tests show otherwise.
Talk to your state or local health department about testing paint and dust from your home for lead.
Make sure your child does not have access to peeling paint or chewable surfaces painted with lead-based paint.
Pregnant women and children should not be present in housing built before 1978 that is undergoing renovation. They should not participate in activities that disturb old paint or in cleaning up paint debris after work is completed.
Create barriers between living/play areas and lead sources. Until environmental clean-up is completed, parents should clean and isolate all sources of lead. They should close and lock doors to keep children away from chipping or peeling paint on walls. You can also apply temporary barriers such as contact paper or duct tape, to cover holes in walls or to block children’s access to other sources of lead.
Regularly wash children’s hands and toys. Hands and toys can become contaminated from household dust or exterior soil. Both are known lead sources.
Regularly wet-mop floors and wet-wipe window components. Because household dust is a major source of lead, parents should wet-mop floors and wet-wipe horizontal surfaces every 2-3 weeks. Windowsills and wells can contain high levels of leaded dust. They should be kept clean. If feasible, windows should be shut to prevent abrasion of painted surfaces or opened from the top sash.
Prevent children from playing in bare soil; if possible, provide them with sandboxes. Parents should plant grass on areas of bare soil or cover the soil with grass seed, mulch, or wood chips, if possible. Until the bare soil is covered, parents should move play areas away from bare soil and away from the sides of the house. If using a sandbox, parents should also cover the box when not in use to prevent cats from using it as a litter box. That will help protect children from exposure to animal waste.
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips.htm

[bowfin]

I cast in the basement, and I don't do anything special except run a fan to keep me cool.


Prevent children from playing in bare soil

I played in the dirt...my kids played in the dirt...I suspect (expect) my not yet born grandkids will do the same.

[Ajax]

Same here bowfin. Clean your hands before you smoke eat ordrink any thing and you will be fine.

Andy

[legend 550]

I also cast in the basement with a vent hood. Outside I flux with sawdust. Indoors when I flux the pot I use oak smoker chips ground up in a blender and a touch of beef tallow. Smells like brisket in the smoker and nobody complains about the smell if a little smoke gets away.
Oh and don't let the kids lick the boolits and wash your hands.

Now how can I mine the range berm if I can't play in the dirt?

[David2011]

Hudsonbay,

After writing several paragraphs, I deleted the rest and leave only this:

Of all of the people I have know that cast and shoot lead, only one, that I'm aware of, has had elevated lead levels. He bought his boolits from a commercial caster.

Please read up on how lead enters the system. It is different for children and adults. Lead paint is not the same as metallic lead. While they're both Pb, lead paint just begs to become dust if disturbed. Ingots and boolits do not. Molten lead doesn't vaporize until above 1100 degrees F.

David

[ronz]

Was thinking the same thing old crumbly paint is dusty and tiny particles get airborne in dust

[bobthenailer]

of all the people i know who cast bullets as well as the ones who only shoot them, the only ones that i know of who got lead poisening, shot alot at poorely ventlated indoor ranges and both were cured with a drug prescribed by the doctor, the oldest is now 82 years old and still kicking and shooting regulary.

[MtGun44]

Always cast in the basement. Lead "vapors" is a myth at our temperatures.
Ventilation is necessary to keep smells from fluxing from stinking up the house.

Bill

[ronz]

It’s the smell from fluxing I’m worried about
Wife knows better than to tell me I can’t put it in the basement
But if she smells anything from it I’ll be back out in the driveway casting
Have it about half way done just need to get someone to caulk what’s up so far before I finish it

[ChuckS1]

Always cast in the basement. Lead "vapors" is a myth at our temperatures.
Ventilation is necessary to keep smells from fluxing from stinking up the house.

Bill

Finally, some common sense! I don't know how many times I roll my eyes when I read some post about how we're all getting lead poisoning by being close proximity to molten alloy. Don't man to be harsh, but most of the circumstances I read can be corrected by a little common sense and hand washing.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have cast boolits everywhere inside my house. From the kitchen table to a sturdy wooden table in my bedroom I have cast hundreds of thousands of boolits over the last 18 years to feed my hungry weapons.

However my smelting operations always take place outside with a fan blowing the smoke away from me over the crucible. The stink from grease and assorted debris and such in wheel weights and other lead sources is nasty smelling and definetly something I do not want to inhale.

I have a large cast iron dutch oven which I use along with a Ballard ladle and I stir with wooden paint sticks. I use Pat Marlin's CCC flux which does a great job. When I am done I have clean and well fluxed ingots of about 5 # which fit great into my RCBS Pro Melt Furnace.

I do not do much fluxing when casting as I use kitty litter on top of the melted alloy to keep the oxidazation levels down and save my precious tin.

I always wear protective equipment including a full lexan face mask, long pants, leather apron, boots, longsleeved shirt and I even keep Sgt. Rambo (My attack Chichuahua/Dauschound) away while casting.

I am not afraid of fumes from melted lead as they will not change molten lead into an airborne form until well above any temperatures I achieve with an electric furnace.

The few fluxing operations I do involve the CCC flux and make the place smell like Christmas.

However there is no SWMBO around to direct, control, command nor advise me in my own place.

Sounds to me that all the above listed posters have to deal with various partners and other ill informed people who are afraid of lead fumes and do not like nasty smells.

As for myself I tend to gag on many of the perfumes and colognes that are worn by today's weaker sex.

[ronz]

Well pretty much done with the casting bench
Kind of jerry rigged together but really didn’t want to tear everything down just and rebuild it just so it looks a little better
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_25172508a0298cc818.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=7175)
cant tell from the pic but there is about 7" from the bottom of the 2x4 to the celing
top of the window is about 2" from the celing

[spasmonaut]

I hope I'm not committing a deadly sin by responding to this thread, but the information and responses seem fairly timeless so I didn't see much harm in digging it up. I hope that speaks for my reasoning in doing so...

Having said that, I'm in the same predicament. As it's December here in PA, and a solid few days of rain with some slight gusts, I'm not enthused about sitting outside to flux and put together ingots or boolits. During the warmer months, again, it's the wind blowing around and truthfully the rampant mosquito population that we have in my area that makes outdoor stationary work a real bother. That brings me to the reason I'm responding to this old thread. I have no garage or other enclosed work area (unfortunately) at the house that I rent, which has a full basement that I've turned into a little workshop. It spans the 900+ square feet of the floorplan so it has decent space to it. There are 3 ceiling fans hung in the basement that I run 24/7 to keep moisture at bay along with a dehumidifier that I run and monitor nearly all year.

I tended to have similar theories such as those espoused previously about lead not really being a "vapor" at the temperatures we melt at with electric pots, and that careful clean-up afterward consisting of clothing changes, washing your skin thoroughly, and avoiding consumables until you've cleaned up should keep your relatively harm-free. So to the heart of my quandary and reason for my post...I rent, and that affords me little in the way of renovations or modifications that I can do. I'd love to include some form of exterior exhaust but the windows don't really afford that. If I don the appropriate garb and use a respirator, I would assume I'd be in pretty sound shape. Are there any concerns I should be on the lookout for or practices to adopt if I choose to do this on a regular basis of working about 5-10 pounds of lead at a time?

[JWFilips]

I cast in my basement ( cold cellar) Large opening to outdoor: Circulating fan. More concerned about the residual smoke then any lead contaminates.
I'm old , no children around: Not much worried. Better then being stuck 2 hours in a traffic jamb with the windows open in the heat of summer!

[bruce381]

I cast in my shorts and tee shirt with bare feet, i like to live on the edge.

[tinhorn97062]

I cast in whatever I happen to be wearing at the time, and do it on my kitchen stove with Southern Gospel going in the background. My biggest concern is not cleaning up before my wife wants to cook dinner. Lol...

[spasmonaut]

Yeah the indoor creature comforts are definitely a perk and another reason I'd prefer to be indoors, particularly if I'm up later in the evening with some free time on my hands (yeah right). Fire up my talk radio for the latest on Obama's disasters and start making some nuggets of freedom. I've certainly heard the range of arguments for and against casting, and it seems so have many of us, along with having different approaches. I welcome the various points of view. Really, my concern is that there's no LARGE source of circulating fresh air to reach my basement. The only entrance/exit is the stairway leading up to the kitchen and I don't want to vent any of the **** up into the rest of the house. Ideally I'd like to find a room air filter that's not too pricey that just filters the air with the ability to handle industrial applications such as lead melting, soldering, etc. I think Shop Vac and others make such units. I don't really want to dump $100 or so but I suppose if it's really of benefit, I can try to squeeze it into my budget somehow.

[robg]

my casting bench is at 90 degrees to a window with a large desk fan blowing across my pot to the open window

[mold maker]

We all have to do, what we have to do. Cleanliness and care to use only enough heat is imperative in a closed space. Locations without ventilation pose their own problems.
If it is necessary because of rental property or such, limit temps to just enough. Limit time exposed, and be diligent to clean up afterwards.
Pray for an early Spring.

[dikman]

Spasmonaut, my 2c worth. If you're only casting in short runs, and are using clean lead (i.e. all impurities and crud have been removed) then I don't see where it's likely to be a problem. The impurities and fluxing are what make a mess and smoke things up. As has been stated, melting and pouring clean lead, at the temps. that we use, does not create any noxious lead fumes.

[toallmy]

Well as much as I smoke , and as slow as my mind works already, I just cast in the basement . I onely flux with beeswax in the house , and do all the dirty work out in the open. I am more concerned about old paint in the basement than my casting. For God"s sake keep your close on I use a lee 4/20 .

[Green Frog]

I'm fortunate to have a workbench, made of rough cut oak, in the basement directly in front of a window (lower sill about 4" above the bench surface.) I put a full sized window fan in that window and turn it on exhaust before I plug in my pot, and I have no fear of fumes! :D This also keeps my casting activities away from my loading bench which is about 20 feet away... an additional bonus. I don't have to tear down one to do the other.

Froggie

[popper]

Plastic collapsible dryer vent pipe & a small fan should do the job and can be easily packed away. Fluxing can't be any worse than sitting next to a camp fire or candle. Smelt WW outside.

[DocSavage]

I cast in my cellar during the winter it has a field stone foundation and there is some air circulation. I cast using Marvelux and there is a bit of smoke but no fumes. I had a tenant who accused me of giving her lead poisoning explained that would be impossible as my heat source couldn't generate sufficient heat to vaporize lead. I do wash up throughly after casting .

[DerekP Houston]

I cast in my shorts and tee shirt with bare feet, i like to live on the edge.

Yeah same here...burned myself a few times but that's life. Mosquito's are the killer here....I use a covered patio for my casting with an oscillating fan for air movement.

[Reverend Al]

Funny you should bring this up. This year we FINALLY renovated our old single car garage into my new gun room / reloading shop and as part of the process we built a dedicated casting bench right beside the front entry door. There are two power outlets below the bench and two more above. We've mounted a new stainless stove hood over the bench so it has lots of direct lighting plus 3 fan speeds. Since this photo was taken it has now had flex pipe installed and is vented to the outside of the shop through a "flapper" style dryer vent. I'm also going to cover the casting bench top with a metal cover plate to catch any lead spills / pot drips. This area will also be used for powder coating bullets since I bought an Eastwood PC gun and a few pounds of powder to test.

:grin:

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd466/Reverend_Al/Workshop%20progress%20022%20Large_zpsp118kvue.jpg (http://s1221.photobucket.com/user/Reverend_Al/media/Workshop%20progress%20022%20Large_zpsp118kvue.jpg. html)

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd466/Reverend_Al/Garage%20reno%20update%20003%20Large_zpspuxg5met.j pg (http://s1221.photobucket.com/user/Reverend_Al/media/Garage%20reno%20update%20003%20Large_zpspuxg5met.j pg.html)

[DerekP Houston]

That is a sweet looking setup Reverend!

[Reverend Al]

Thanks! (Building the entire shop was only about 20 years overdue ... and it's still a work in progress ...)

[Gew]

In my basement I use a 50 cfm vent fan mounted to the ceiling with aluminum flex duct dropping about 4 feet that is positioned 4 inches over meter and it is adjustable to anywhere on my melting bench. No fumes escape this setup.

[Brotherbadger]

As long as you vent properly, I don't see an issue. I personally don't do it though.

[Hickok]

Always cast in the basement. Lead "vapors" is a myth at our temperatures.
Ventilation is necessary to keep smells from fluxing from stinking up the house.

BillRight on.
I do remember well some 40 years ago when I was newly married and we were living in a small rented apartment. I just had to have some boolits for my revolvers, so I went into the kitchen, turned on the gas cooking stove and did my thing. Everything is going well, I throw in a chunk of the old black Lyman sizing lube to flux, shazzam, a big cloud of smoke off the pot, I light the smoke, poof, a nice fireball of the pot!

In comes my new bride of 3 months,......to this day my wife never uses cuss words......but that day was different! She didn't just cuss in sentences, she filled paragraphs. Casting was something like she had never seen before, and SOMEHOW I forgot to tell her about the process!!!!:bigsmyl2:

[tazman]

Right on.
I do remember well some 40 years ago when I was newly married and we were living in a small rented apartment. I just had to have some boolits for my revolvers, so I went into the kitchen, turned on the gas cooking stove and did my thing. Everything is going well, I throw in a chunk of the old black Lyman sizing lube to flux, shazzam, a big cloud of smoke off the pot, I light the smoke, poof, a nice fireball of the pot!

In comes my new bride of 3 months,......to this day my wife never uses cuss words......but that day was different! She didn't just cuss in sentences, she filled paragraphs. Casting was something like she had never seen before, and SOMEHOW I forgot to tell her about the process!!!!:bigsmyl2:

Boy did that ever bring back memories!
I did much the same thing at about the same time frame. I got banned from the kitchen for a few years.

[spasmonaut]

You guys have given me some ideas but as it stands, I think I've got a fairly safe setup given what you've all mentioned. I have a small supply of D-Lead on hand to ensure that clean up goes properly and use it regularly, along with being mindful of my clothing with splatters, drips, etc. I will have to see if I can find someone that has the means to do some simple metal fabrication to build a "tray" that I can put my pot on along with my molds as I'm casting to make quick and easy work of catching any drips, etc. to get recycled back into the pot. I don't have any tools or access to tools to do something like that unfortunately. Reverend's got me thinking of some things I can do to improvise until I'm able to freely cut/drill/saw in a house that is my own to tinker with. Thanks for sharing guys!

[Boogieman]

Get a large baking sheet.

[44 WCF]

A friend, a very experienced HVAC person designed an inexpensive vent set up for my master caster and RCBS primer. He advised making a flexible hood approx 2" larger diameter than the lead pot and let it extend down over side of lead pot slightly like an inverted funnel. His theory was keeping the funnel just slightly bigger increased efficiency and reduced fan size requirements. I used a bathroom fan between floor joist vented to the out side. He used an instrument to measure the draft created and it was more than enough. We used inexpensive dyer duct to connect the hood to the fan. Hood cooul lift up to add flux stir etc. I had to make sure to keep door open to the basement to provide air flow. I tried to keep table area clear of everything so I could wipe it down easily . It worked just fine and was cheap. Fan to hood was 4" dryer tube hood was 4"x 6" alum adapter and 4" x 8" for master caster. Two units were set side by side and not used at sane time.

[hockeynick39]

Don't have my full vent hood set up yet because I am still moving around and haven't settled yet. However, I do have a vent-hole attachment that will fit to any window size and attaches to a box fan that draws the fumes from the work bench area. I also have a small fan that blows over the top of the pot to help facilitate the movement. I do not make my ingots in the basement, that is left outside because I smelt wheel weights for this purpose and many are not clean or are painted.

[Ola]

Someone mentioned in this thread that he knows only one person with elevated lead levels. Well, it might be rare, but it is possible. Back in the days I spent LOTS of time shooting in indoor range with poor ventilation, I casted LOTS of bullets, smelted lead, polished brass, well, you name it. I made everything care-free, didn't wash hands, had snacks while casting...

When I got tested I had seriously elevated lead level.

So: be smart. Do the right things, and you'll be fine. If your local indoor range has poor ventilation, try to find some other place to shoot. (I personally think the countless hours spent breathing the PRIMER fumes at indoor range was the main reason for the elevated levels. Shooting lead bullets was not allowed there).

[44 WCF]

Hockeynick, I agree never smelt WW indoors. We even set up couple cheap Kmart box fans to direct air and smoke when smelting and tried to flux, stir and skim to get. Cleanest ingots possible

[lobogunleather]

I have always done my casting either on a covered back porch or in the garage with overhead door wide open.

My first 10 years as a cop included regular shooting on an indoor range (built in the basement of the city auditorium, well before anyone thought about ventilation). Many of us sustained higher-than-normal lead levels in blood tests, resulting in a new range facility. I have avoided indoor ranges since those days.

[gnostic]

I'm with you, I do it on the back porch with a Walmart fan at my back and no more indoor ranges for me.

[Geezer in NH]

My casting station is in my basement. Under a hood fan and closed in with Lexan except for the front bottom half. I casted over 100,000 50 cal round balls and all the rest of my casting under it.

My blood level of lead is below normal for the city I lived in until I was 35 years old.

Ventilation folks, no smoking when handling lead and no eating.

[David2011]

Everything I have been reading makes lead out to be a real B*****d. What am I doing to my health. In the last 3 years I have developed head aches, nervous twicths and vision issues, who knows if this is solely from lead but I have casted over 10000 bullets and have shot more than that in my life at indoor ranges. Not to mention I police brass which is on the ground at the indoor range.



HudsonBay,

Welcome to CastBoolits!

While it is wise to be cautious with lead I believe some of the risks are exaggerated in the minds of many. You will not get lead hot enough to release lead vapors with a commercially made lead furnace. It has to get well over 1100 degrees F to make lead vapors. There may be other smoke produced but it's usually from oils, tire lube, street dirt, etc. if melting wheelweights. I always melt wheelweights and other bulk lead outdoors but always cast indoors. Fluxes will produce smoke but again, it's not lead vapors. That said, there are good ways to ingest lead.

One common path of lead ingestion is inhaling lead dust. Lead shot tends to produce dust in the bag. Similarly, any small chunks of lead allowed to rub against one another can produce dust. Shooting at indoor ranges can be a lead inhalation risk both from cast boolits and primers. Most primers have lead styphenate in them which produces lead vapors when ignited. Brass tumblers using dry media like corn cob and walnut can cause lead dust to enter the air. A little mineral spirits and some Nu-Finish car polish in the media will help control polishing dust.

Handling lead and then smoking or eating can pass lead from your hands to the food or cigarettes/cigars. The burning smoking materials will vaporize the lead assisting its ingestion. Contact between lead contaminated hands and food is an obvious source of ingestion but easily prevented by thorough washing. There are products like D-Lead that help remove lead from your hands, available as soap and towelettes.

Certainly there are other sources such as lead paint but that is easily identified with a testing kit. Young children are more susceptible to lead poisoning than adults because some of the lead pathways to the brain are closed off in the late teen years. Glazed pottery drink ware and plates from Mexico may contain soluble lead. Lead crystal decanters should not be used to store beverage for extended periods as they will leach out lead from the glass. Don't let children play with lead in any form like I did. OTOH, I didn't lick my hands afterward.

High lead levels are not hard to avoid. I hope your symptoms are not lead related but if they are they can be treated.

Best wishes,
David

[Dakooz]

Outdoors only for me. My significant other would have me tarred and feathered(outdoors of course)...

[Butler Ford]

Hudsonbay,

After writing several paragraphs, I deleted the rest and leave only this:

Of all of the people I have know that cast and shoot lead, only one, that I'm aware of, has had elevated lead levels. He bought his boolits from a commercial caster.

Please read up on how lead enters the system. It is different for children and adults. Lead paint is not the same as metallic lead. While they're both Pb, lead paint just begs to become dust if disturbed. Ingots and boolits do not. Molten lead doesn't vaporize until above 1100 degrees F.

David


Thank you! You just saved me a lot of typing

BF

[Blanket]

I grew up casting on the stove in the kitchen, my casting bench is in the basement with a vent fan