What harmful chemicals come from casting lead

[Huskerguy]

I have cast lead bullets and owned my own fishing jig business many years ago. Back in 1999 I contracted a lung disease from automotive finish. Got over that after a few years with no major problems, just stay away from automotive finishes after that. I didn't do any casting for many years as I raised two kids and moved several times for school administration jobs. Several years ago I got bored from not using my hands got back into reloading and casting as well. I am in the process of being diagnosed with yet another lung disease that can come from a variety of things with popcorn salt one of the main culprits (not me in this case) or just a virus that sometimes shows up, bronciolitis. I haven't done anything with lead for probably a couple of years as I have plenty of cast bullets stored up and ready to go. Hesitant to get back into it based on what might be released. I do use lots of ventilation and a mask when I smelt and plenty of ventilation when I cast.

I have tried to read about what actually comes off of lead when it is being melted and I don't seem to be able to find much. Are there any experts out there (that is a rhetorical question for this site by the way). It would seem that if there is something that got to me it could get to others and I realize I just may have a natural weakness there. BTW, the disease is irreversible and rare and there not many if any know drugs that are effective. One of those I will likely die with and not from. No complains. Take care and be safe.

Edit: Let me also say that I practice safe habits when handling lead. Use gloves, lots of ventilation or outside when smelting that nasty range stuff, don't eat until hands are thoroughly washed. I must admit I may occasionally have a drink nearby but I am careful where my hands go. No smoking or alcohol for me.

[JSnover]

At normal casting temperatures you will not create any harmful gasses. Lead and antimony are toxic but they do not become airborne until you reach the boiling point. You won't do that by accident.
Having ruled out inhalation, the other concern would be ingestion. Eliminate that by washing your hands properly after handling your alloy. You shouldn't eat, drink, or smoke while casting.
You can generate some pretty nasty fumes by melting scrap, dirty wheel weights, etc. If you can't get the grease/paint/tar off your "ore" before you melt it, the best option is to do it outdoors, standing upwind.

[mdi]

Agree with JS. "Normal" casting techniques won't produce any fumes/toxins from lead, but depending on which flux is used, the smoke can be pretty bad (toxic, like some woods, or pressure treated lumber sawdust)...

[Bigslug]

Like Snover says, you've got more to worry about smelting than actually casting - who knows what nastiness is on those wheel weights, stained glass frames, pipes, solder, etc... Your smelt temp is probably significantly higher than the casting pot as well.

Sounds like you may have some chemical allergy issues as well. Give some thought to the stuff you're degreasing your molds with, making your lube from, and so on. Very little of this stuff is high in vitamin C.

[303Guy]

Oxide dust. Oxides forms on the melt surface and can become airborne very easily. You don't want to inhale the oxides.

[wbrco]

Wear the same mask that a modern auto body tech would wear using high voc paints while smelting.

[Shiloh]

You are woking with oxides of lead. Dangerous for sure, but keep it in perspective. No eating a sandwich while casting.
Burns are probably your biggest concern.

Shiloh

[leadman]

I was an OSHA trained Hazardous Waste worker and worked in the Safety dept in my job. I strongly disagree that the lead will only migrate at boiling temperatures. I did perform tests on my shot making and casting area a few years ago when my blood lead level went up to 12 ppm.
I found lead all around my area using the swabs designed for this. I made a "casting closet", three sided with a 20" box fan sucking the air away from me. My bll dropped to less than 3 in a couple of months while continuing to cast and making shot. I followed the Minnesota diet for children to lower my levels.
There are many different substances on the lead that can cause problems. Don't know the exact material that is encapsulating the newer lead wheel weights but it could be a plastic or powder coat. Then there is whatever the weights pick up when they are on the wheels.
A person with the history of the OP may want to purchase lead in ingot form at the least to avoid the assortment of materials on the wheel weights. It is easier to avoid contamination that comes off the pot.

Good luck to the OP.

[303Guy]

Would it be too much to asked for more details? Photo's would be great. I need a better casting arrangement than I have and a casting closet sounds like just the ticket.

I am planning on getting a painting mask for casting - the same ones mentioned above that spray painters use. I have one at work for spray painting.

[JSnover]

Here is a pretty good thread about this topic:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?16442-Are-you-poisoned-The-lead-blood-levels-poll
I don't wear a mask but I won't discourage it. Some people go so far as to dedicate certain clothing for casting only and wash it in a separate load.
For the first five years of casting I was tested annually because of my job. My blood was clean every time.

[detox]

Is the smell of ink burning off linotype harmful? I know it has a very unique, but pleasant smell. I think I am going crazy!

[10mmShooter]

Another big concern for us reloaders is the nasty chemicals from the priming compounds. Mercury fulminate is long gone in modern small arms primers....but most all primers are roughly 25% lead sulfocyanide or some blend of lead styphnate, keep in mind this will be in small particles that are easily inhaled and breathed when you are tumbling your brass and open the tumbler or pour out the crushed media, for this is a far greater concern than lead vapors at 750 F. If you tumble indoors it will be likely your whole reloading area will have trace amounts of lead everywhere. Some people will also claim that during the powder burn you will also get trace amounts of lead vaporized off the base of the bullets, I have not seen any data the proves that any of the bullets base are vaporized, on my recovered bullets I see no base erosion....anyway its a mout point as the primer compound is a far greater concern for most of us.

[zuke]

If I were you and that worried about my health, I'd look to start buying my boolit's

[JSnover]

If primers were that dangerous we'd all be poisoned by now. I've been shooting for 40 years, reloading for twenty and casting for ten.
I don't get my face down over the pot or the tumbler and start huffing the fumes. Maybe that's the secret.

[cbrick]

There is a very real concern with tumbling media. No, it's not sitting there waiting to jump out and get you but immediately after handling it is a really good time to wash your hands.

As always the single biggest concern with casting is kids. It really is far more important to keep kids away from casting areas and lead than it is for adults.

Rick

[mdi]

For the first five years of casting I was tested annually because of my job. My blood was clean every time.I had been casting for mebbe 13 years before I retired, and my employer also had annual physical exams available for various contaminates, and other job related problems. My lead levels were normal...

[Tonto]

The most dangerous part of bullet casting is your ride to the scrap yard to get alloy. Smart practices and basic safety gear will protect you, the most important tool to use is your brain. Life is dangerous.

[fredj338]

As noted, fumes from lead are not the issue but flux, yes. I use clean sawdust from wood only. Plyood & mdf, not good, lots of bad chemicals on the glues used. Same for old tumbling media, it has fine Lead dust in it, not sure I want that in the smoke coming off the pot. Wear a dust mask or respirator if it makes you comfy.

[mdi]

The most dangerous part of bullet casting is your ride to the scrap yard to get alloy. Smart practices and basic safety gear will protect you, the most important tool to use is your brain. Life is dangerous.
The voice of reason! Couldn't agree more.

[FLHTC]

Due to genetics, no two individuals will be susceptible to any contaminate or hazardous chemical in the same way. It's just like smoking tobacco. Some can do it all their lives without an issue and some suffer it's effects with very little exposure. It's unfortunate that the OP has respiratory ailments but it might not be due to casting at all. Often the medical community will make their diagnosis after asking the patient many questions. That doesn't mean there is clinical proof of the cause, it just means that they picked a cause from all the questions. As an example, the automotive finishes.

[MtGun44]

Some possible issues with arsenic compounds in some alloys. Lead itself does
not vaporize significantly at casting temps. Biggest issue is particulate contamination
rather than gases. Wash your hands and keep little kids away as they touch everything
and put their hands in their mouths 5 times a minute.

[Doggonekid]

I like that "don't smoke" while casting you could get lung cancer. The next big thing I hear is lead poisoning could cause birth defects. I'm 59 years old and won't be making babies anymore. I quit smoking 30 years ago and I wash my hands when I'm done. I guess I'm safe.