casting my boolits indoor : yes or no?

[glockfan]

question is about possible lead poisoning; i've suffered from it for quite many years ago because my indoor range had poor ventilation back then (they since installed a state of the art system).

i'm a newcomer to this hobby,and i want to have your opinion on this specific question. no wonder , i'm smelting the WW outside , but i want to cast the boolits inside my basement. i have a 3M half face 7503 mask at reach if needed , a fan, and 2 windows that are quite far apart,but other than the ventilation i can set inside the room, does casting indoor is hazardous and can drive to lead contamination ?

[quilbilly]

The lead really isn't the problem. It is the impurities in the lead. Lead doesn't vaporize until much higher temperatures than most small furnaces can achieve. If you are melting such things as COWW or roofing lead, there may be some ghastly things in the lead. If you must melt lead inside, open all the windows and let the breeze in. An open covered porch is the best scenario even if you are freezing your **** off in winter. In your case in the basement, I would open the two windows and let the fan blow air in one which should be OK since you are doing the original cleaning and smelting outside.

[Dusty Bannister]

Use the search feature "casting indoors" and you will find over 1,800 hits where this has been discussed. Perhaps several of these will fit perfectly to your situation and needs.

[RP]

I cast indoors but my pot is right under a old stove hood with a fan vent to the outside. Anything you use to melt lead I would vent outside with a fan and would not count on a draft from window to window to handle the fumes.

[trapper9260]

For me I smelt my alloy outside and put in igot and then For casting in the house I have it set up with a exhust fan that you will use for the bathroom and a hood like over where you will do your casting and taken a plywood and drill holes in it for the amout I want to be pull in the vent system and have no problems. I use a chimmnay that is not good for the furnace anymore and vent it in that.I use ground corn cobs for flexing.

[Calamity Jake]

I've cast boolits indoors(garage) for 36+ years, never vented anytime except when fluxing the pot, then I use a vent hood that's vented outside
After the smoke is gone I turn it off.

Do all my rendering(smelting) outside.

[lightman]

Since you are casting with fairly clean lead I think you would be safe casting in front of a window. I would place the fan in the window blowing out. Ingestion is something to be aware of. Wash your hands after handling lead and before eating or smoking.

[oldhenry]

I think ventilation is the key to casting indoors.

That said: I always cast outside. I set up on the tail gate of my P.U. (a stable in S. GA) & put everything back in it's appointed place when finished.

In S. GA it's too hot to cast in summer. I try to do all casting in winter (milder here that some places) & stockpile enough to tide me through.

Henry

[glockfan]

Use the search feature "casting indoors" and you will find over 1,800 hits where this has been discussed. Perhaps several of these will fit perfectly to your situation and needs.




which i did....i went through many threads about it with mixed thoughts about this question.....

i'm not fluxing or smelting indoor, only melting clean ingots to cast my boolits.

i see some use old fans from kitchen remodeling,some rely on good ventilation using the windows to create a stream ; at the moment i can't set up a dedicated bench with a hood and ducted fan,so i'm traped with '''natural ventilation'''.

i'll do as recommended; pot in front of the window, the fan behind me pushing the air through the window.....if ever i feel there's some fumes floating around i might put my 3M 7503 mask to good use....my good friend at praxair told me that '''if you can smell it,it means you actually ingest it'''.

[USSR]

I've cast boolits indoors(garage) for 36+ years, never vented anytime except when fluxing the pot, then I use a vent hood that's vented outside
After the smoke is gone I turn it off.

Do all my rendering(smelting) outside.

+1.

Don

[glockfan]

I've cast boolits indoors(garage) for 36+ years, never vented anytime except when fluxing the pot, then I use a vent hood that's vented outside
After the smoke is gone I turn it off.

Do all my rendering(smelting) outside.



seriously? 36 years of indoor casting on a regular basis, and you're walking away with a normal blood test? well....that is good news for me ; quite revealing as well...

[Rcmaveric]

If the weather is nice I cast on the back porch. If its not nice, I cast in my fire place sitting on a small stool. All the fumes, soot or flames (fluxing) go up the shoot.

[Calamity Jake]

I use to cast 2-3 times a week always in the cool/cold months. Now if I
cast once or twice a month I'm doing good, never had high lead levels.

[USSR]

seriously? 36 years of indoor casting on a regular basis, and you're walking away with a normal blood test? well....that is good news for me ; quite revealing as well...

I've been checked as well, and no high blood level. Lead has to be ingested in some form, and as long as you keep your fingers away from your mouth and nose, you will be fine. The guys with the high blood level are the guys who shoot in indoor ranges due to the lead styphanate from the primers becoming airborne.

Don

[GhostHawk]

I do my smelting spring or fall outside on the driveway.

Casting is currently done with a Lee Magnum Melter in my basement in front of a window.

But it is 3 years since I opened the window.

I run the pot as cool as possible and still get good bullets.
I don't sit with my nose over the pot.

I do wash very well after any session in the reloading room. Clear to the elbows and face too.

With some practice you can tell when your lead is getting a touch too warm.

Pure lead will tend to start showing rainbows.

I don't worry about it much, I'm 65, my Dad stuck around to mid 90's. I'm not sure I want to stick around that long. Everyone has to die from something. I much prefer going from something I enjoy.

Casting lead, eating toast with real butter, Bacon, you get the drift.

[country gent]

A good stove or bathroom vent over the pot and out the window should move a lot of air and keep upwell. I would keep it fairly close to the pot with enough room to insert ingots flux and skim comfortably. A 4" duct and elbow then out the window a foot or 2. A piece of sheet metal can replace a pain with the tube running thru it. I would look for a vent with a metal fan blade and use metal ducting, when fluxing there may be flames and heat pulled up thru the fan and into the vent. A vent end on the outside to keep critters out helps also. An old chimney with a good draw might be enough by itself even

[JBinMN]

I have only smelted/casted outside. I have recently acquired the doins for making a casting area inside. Inline fan, some ducting & an outside vent. Been too cold to do much outside, even in the non insulated garage unless I fire up the heat in it. I cast enough boolits by Sept. of last year to cover me until March of this year anyway, so I am in no hurry myself....

Anyway, My only suggestions are, IF you decide ya want to cast inside, only Cast inside with ingots you SMELTED OUTSIDE. The smelting is where most of the stink & fumes occur , IMO. The casting with cleaned up ingots is less likely to stink & fume up anywhere, even if ya have a fan going.

Of course, any fluxing can cause some smoke & fumes, but if you do cast inside & flux, having the direct to outside venting is a wise decision. I use old burnt down candles, occasionally beeswax & sawdust to flux. Any of which will make smoke & fumes, even though not too bad to smell, but there is occasional flames & such to keep in mind & if you are in an area with smoke detectors & CO detectors, they may be going off like they should, if you get a bit carried away & your venting system is lacking.

If you can cast outside, that is where I would suggest ya cast. Smelting , definitely outside unless ya have a very very good exhaust system.

G'Luck! in whatever ya decide!
:)

[glockfan]

A good stove or bathroom vent over the pot and out the window should move a lot of air and keep upwell.

that is what i'm contemplating right now....we have a second bathroom in my man cave . the shape of the room is rectangular,and a window is present on the shower wall. i was thinking about setting my pot just under the window ,and a fan pushing the air on my back through out the window. i'm hoping for a positive room pressure because it'll help at getting the vaccum effect wanted .


i also though about the 2nd fireplace in the basement,but i'm not sure the fumes would be sucked entirely without any form of help like a fan. maybe the pressure outside at the exhaust heights would be enough . the other factor that i'm not positive about is the height i'd have to work the pot...i'm in the 6 footer club,and my back is in not so good shape after decades of superbike racing and crashes lol.
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[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I do my smelting outside. I do my casting in a closed garage. My only concern about casting inside would be contaminating the room I was in. I don't worry about that in my garage. But I wouldn't want to inside my house. This is especially true if you have younger kids.
This reminds me of a funny story. When I was in college 30 years ago (college kids are stupid :roll:), I bought some COWW and smelted them and cast fishing weights on the kitchen stove in my apartment. It did have a range hood at least. As they say, ignorance is bliss!

[ukrifleman]

I always carry out my smelting/casting outside and position myself up-wind of the pot.

ukrifleman

[bangerjim]

I do 100% of remelting and casting and PC'ing outside. Always. But here in AZ we get 388 days (!!) of sunshine and temps are right now around 80F every day!

Do what you need to do. Just do not endanger members of your family with fumes in the house.

[Plate plinker]

A good air moving setup is critical. Many stated that already and they are correct.

[marek313]

I smelt dirty stuff outside but I cast in my basement near a window with a fan blowing out. I wouldnt count on draft being enough but a simple window fan will work just fine. I think there are many people that are super sensitive to lead exposure but your pot is really not the worst culprit here anyway. I think you are more likely to get higher lead exposure from sorting and dry tumbling dirty brass then you are from your casting pot. Many people worry about their casting pots but stick their heads in the dirty brass bucket stirring it around. Common sense applies as usual but I dont worry about my pot so much.

[fredj338]

Fastest way to lead poisoning IMO is shooting indoors. I cast in my garage, my shoot outdoors every weekend, been doing this for decades. My lead levels are within the safe zone. Individual health plays a huge roll in lead absorption. Smokers have greater issues than non smokers, same for really fat folks. So healthy living & avoiding the indoor range, regardless of the air recovery are the best choices.