Respirator while smelting WW?

[DGV]

I just smelted about 200 lbs. of clip-on WW. I am a noobie at this and it is hard work! I wear a respirator while doing this. Anyone else wear one? I cut a 20 lb propane tank 5 " above the seam and this hold about 200 lbs of raw WW. It took 1 hour to melt total pot capacity. and another 5-6 minutes to skim all the clips off the surface. When the WW start to "cook" they smell like crap! I am assuming alot of what I can smell is the paint on many of the WW. Also, some had heavy deposits of grease and rusty metal clips. I have read almost every post on this site and am better educated on cast boolits because of it. Thanks,everyone!

[garandsrus]

DGV,

You can light the smoke to make things better....

200lbs at a time is a pretty big batch!

John

[Ole]

I don't use a respirator. I figure my neighbors already are afraid to knock on my door. :mrgreen:

[snaggdit]

I suppose some of that stuff is bad for you to breathe when it burns up. I don't wear a respirator, I smoke so what is the point? You will not be getting the lead hot enough to vaporize it. As for the rest, I try and stay several feet away and upwind. Once it is burned off, the smell goes. I know some do wear them, though. If your lungs are sensitive I would recommend it.

[par0thead151]

i wear one while handling wheel weights.
there is a lot of lead dust in there. dust is the worst way to get lead in your system.

[DGV]

I tried to light smoke but no success. Lots of wood matches but they just stay lit for a short time and go out.

[shotman]

Look what it did to snag. res is ok but fan and out side is cooler. Be sure you go through them. get the zinc and the suprizes out . A little tube of patch glue makes for a real bad day

[par0thead151]

Look what it did to snag. res is ok but fan and out side is cooler. Be sure you go through them. get the zinc and the suprizes out . A little tube of patch glue makes for a real bad day

tube of patch glue? what will that do? massive fire? or explode from the boiling?

[snaggdit]

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[tonyb]

LOL Snagg, you should do stand up.

[VintageRifle]

I tried to light the smoke as well on some wheel weights I was smelting. New to this also and was getting frustrated when all of a sudden... POOF! It light on its own when went to pull out some of the clips. Guess I got the pot hot enough...

I also don't use a respirator. Been thinking about getting one. Just never seem to put it in the shopping cart.

[qajaq59]

I don't use a respirator. I figure my neighbors already are afraid to knock on my door. Note to self.

Add this to the "Lines that should not be read when holding coffee near the keyboard" list!!!!!

[Shiloh]

I don't use a respirator. I figure my neighbors already are afraid to knock on my door. :mrgreen:

And I like it that way. Obama people.

Shiloh

[Bret4207]

I've seen pics of guys wearing respirators. I suppose it makes a kind of sense, kind of like those freaks in California that wear one while shopping in case some lady is wearing perfume or hair spray!

Stand upwind (you ARE smelting outside, right?) and realize that all that paint, road grim, dog pee and tobacco spit aren't good to breath. Beyond that the typical emissions from OSB, carpet, mold and your new clothes within your home probably have just as much chance of hurting you.

[Willbird]

I just stay upwind.

Bill

[jonk]

Personally I only smelt about 20-30 pounds at a time, due to pot size. That's enough to last me about 3 months of shooting personally. I wear rubber gloves when sorting the weights- stick on soft, clip on hard, and if I see any zinc, it goes out (though they work fine for fishing sinkers). I do not however wear a respirator. My feeling is, any lead dust will either stay settled in the bucket or blow away in the wind, and any fumes from smelting my weed burner blows nicely away.

[Matt_G]

I try and stay upwind as well.
I did a bucket and half worth on Wednesday, before all this snow came in.
The breeze was swirling, and I couldn't stay upwind when I had to mess with the pot. The smoke was going everywhere.
After about an hour, I was kind of wishing I had a respirator.
Started getting a headache and feeling all stuffed up.
Nasty.
I won't do that again. I felt like crap by the time I was done.
New rule for me; don't melt WW's when the wind is swirling!!

[Old Ironsights]

DGV,

You can light the smoke to make things better....

200lbs at a time is a pretty big batch!

John
Not really.

There's 200# right there in that 12qt stock pot.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_5881.jpg

About the only time I wish I had a respirator is when smelting old roof & pipe lead. WWs are pretty painless. Throw some parafin in & stir with a wood stick.

[jcwit]

Just do it outside. Think of all the things you do everyday thats dangerous "Like Driving" or just walking down the street breathing all that poll. & dust. I live in amish country and just think whats in the road dust in the summer as the car in front of you drives over the road apples. But then again its all natural.

No I do not wear a respirator, not good for someone with heart problems.

[AZ-Stew]

I rendered 3-400 lb of WW last November when the weather finally cooled off. The wind was swirling and I couldn't stay completely out of the smoke. No respirator. I had my lead level checked in February during my physical. Level: 2. A year and a half ago when I had it checked it was 4. Apparently, no harm done.

Regards,

Stew

[OLPDon]

Just stay out of the smoke as Matt G stated, I live in a big City and don't need to alarm anyone. Someone wearing a respirator would surly draw attention. The smoke will burn if lighted keeping the smoke to a minimum, be careful when lighting it will flash up. When I smelt I use a Dutch Oven and keep the lid on it that to seems to help not only with keeping smoke down but also speeds up the melting proccess.

Have fun smelting outside and try not to look like a mad [smilie=w:inventor over a caldrun of evil.
Don

[Willbird]

If your going to wear a respirator, you need to decide what kind you need, and when it needs replacing. And also maybe gove some thought to how heat resistant it should be so it does not melt to you if there is a mishap.

Bill

[Matt_G]

I rendered 3-400 lb of WW last November when the weather finally cooled off. The wind was swirling and I couldn't stay completely out of the smoke. No respirator. I had my lead level checked in February during my physical. Level: 2. A year and a half ago when I had it checked it was 4. Apparently, no harm done.

Regards,

Stew

Good info to know. Thanks.
I know it was the smoke from the grease, paint, and God only knows what else that did it. A few hours later all symptoms were gone. It was sure unpleasant while it lasted though. Live and learn...

[waksupi]

Someone wearing a respirator would surly draw attention.
Have fun smelting outside and try not to look like a mad inventor over a caldrun of evil.
Don


Don, this reminds me of when Mt. St.Helen's erupted back around 1980. This part of Montana was downwind, and we had a lot of ash coming in on us. Everyone who was outside in Kalispell was wearing a respirator mask.
A guy went into a local bank and robbed it. He was the only one around WITHOUT a mask. To the best of my knowledge, he was never captured!

[454PB]

What are you calling a respirator? If you're talking about a nuisance dust mask, they don't do a thing to stop smoke particulates. A true respirator needs to be "fit tested" for each individual's face. This is done either by using an irritant smoke (which makes you cough when it doesn't seal properly), or more recently a laptop computer connected to special flow measurement equipment. Then, you need to decide what level of filtration is necessary. If you really want to protect yourself, you need HEPA filter cartridges.

The typical disposable dust mask might make you feel protected, but is pretty much useless for anything other than large particles of dust. Smoke and fumes pass right through them.

[beemer]

I have smelted some indoor range lead that had fine lead dust in it, I wore a dust mask while handling it. I also found a unfired 22 long rifle shell, it had been a jam because it was bent up.

beemer

[Jumping Frog]

Well, I must be the only one here, but I do wear a respirator (not a dust mask) that is also rated for lead fumes.

[jcwit]

Its very unlikely most of us have the ability to heat lead for normal casting to the point that we get lead fumes. Can you imagine how quick the mold would overheat with the melt at that temp., or how slow you would have to cast, waiting for your mold to cool down.

I believe in being safe, but I also believe in using common sense. Our CDC and Media have put the fear of God into people using lead, and its a pity

Keep your area clean, do not eat or drink while casting, and wash up when done. If in doubt get yourself tested for lead its not expensive. Most will more than likely be pleasently surprised.

IMHO

[Capn Jack]

Up to this point I had not melted any of those little square "Stick On" WW. :roll:

Last melt I threw in about 3lbs and the glue on them smoked up the whole darned place.[smilie=1: Smelled like I was burning old tire casings.:twisted:

[Fire_stick]

Up to this point I had not melted any of those little square "Stick On" WW. :roll:

Last melt I threw in about 3lbs and the glue on them smoked up the whole darned place.[smilie=1: Smelled like I was burning old tire casings.:twisted:

Yeah, those things are a mess! I guess the sticky can be considered flux?

[TAWILDCATT]

It might be a good idea to wear a dust mask,to keep the oil ect out of you lungs.
but you dont have to nit pick it.sounds like my son in law details I could care less about.WW may not have dust but range would.I have shoveled 1000s of lb of range lead.las load they took out was 26,000#.I had moved and they got in outside hazard people. you will find very few that have bad lead in blood.all are under 10 points.I have been casting since 1937 and am 85 soooo.:coffee:[smilie=1:

[Capn Jack]

Yup, :roll:
Gold in my teeth, Silver in my hair and lead in my as*.[smilie=1:
But, WW in my Boolits. :castmine: :drinks:

[DGV]

I am not so much worried about lead vapor because I dont believe a turkey fryer can get a melt hot enough for lead to vaporize. Maybe it can ,anybody know? It is all the paint,grease and other debris that cant be good for you. I got a bucket of WW that had the odor of urine. Probably a mechanic who couldnt wait for a break!

[trickyasafox]

i wear a cheapie 3m face mask- I doubt it does anything, but it makes me feel better.

[Frank]

I am not so much worried about lead vapor because I dont believe a turkey fryer can get a melt hot enough for lead to vaporize. Maybe it can ,anybody know? It is all the paint,grease and other debris that cant be good for you. I got a bucket of WW that had the odor of urine. Probably a mechanic who couldnt wait for a break!


According to Lee's brochure, lead presence is invisible. So I take it to mean microscopic dust particles. So technically, you need a lead approved mask like what is recommended for removing lead paint.

[Newfoundlander2]

Wear a mask. I'm a cancer survivor and anything you can do to knowingly prevent exposure to carcinogens is a good, good thing. The wearing of a mask or respirator is not overkill.

[d_striker]

So, what temperature DOES lead vaporize at?

[waksupi]

I believe lead starts creating vapors at around 1170, far beyond what any commercial pot will generate. If you are rendering WW's, and the metal is glowing red, you probably will be putting off some vapors, and also be heating the metal about 400 degrees hotter than needed.