"With proper ventilation..."

[johnwilliamson062]

I am just getting started and in doing my research i have run across several claims that when smelting one needs ventilation. I see the possibility if using dirty lead(WW) with unknown constituents. I wanted to cast in winter when my shooting drops, but if I need to have good ventilation that will not be possible. I removed lead paint a few years ago with a heat gun and the fumes from that were bad. It was outside, I used a carbon filter mask, and did it on windy days. I just don't see melting pure lead having a similar problem though. the problem with paint is the petrol products burning and carrying the lead with the smoke, that won't happen with lead or even alloys normally used will it? I have ingots purchased from a respected supplier to get started. Probably enough to carry me through this winter.

It wouldn't be too much trouble to melt down anything like WW and purify quickly over the summer or with ventilation in my garage.

If you do use ventilation, what is your set-up?

[johnwilliamson062]

I really just want someone to tell me I am not going to have to cut a hole in the house and explain it to my wife. The more I read the more I am sure no one will tell me that.

[David2011]

Welcome to the forum, John. You've evaluated the situation correctly. It's hard to recommend smelting anywhere but outside. Wheelweights will probably have oil, tire lube, snuff and who knows what mixed in. Sailboat keels will have a copper based antifouling paint that's very toxic on them. Plumbing lead will have internal contaminants. Smelting is very smoky and it's hard to not splatter a little around the pot. It also generates a lot of heat unless you're melting small batches with a hot plate.

Casting indoors is easy with any little bit of ventilation. There are some great threads with photos on the forum.

David

[462]

Smelt outdoors as it generates much nasty and smelly smoke. Stay upwind. Even if you wear a respirator, while smelting indoors, that nasty and smelly smoke will find its way into the house.

Cast indoors (garage for me). No ventilation necessary, though some casters utilize a range hood or something similar.

[Spawn-Inc]

i cast in the bathroom with 2 windows open, i seem to be still alive with little drain bamage.

smelting is inside my garage with the front and back garage doors open 80%

[I'll Make Mine]

I smelt and cast outdoors, but that's because I use a camp stove for heat, and would need ventilation even for the "clean lead" stage. Don't forget, you'll need to flux the casting pot, too (at least a little), and that'll make some smoke...

[Jal5]

Definitely do all the smelting of WW and various lead sources outside and I don't stand over that melting pot either. Casting is done in my garage, and I can crack the bottom of the door open a couple of inches and blow a fan to get the little bit of smoke that fluxing makes at this stage out of the garage. I do most of my casting in the winter months and all the smelting in the fall or spring. I may try to set up a vent in one of the garage windows just for the purpose of drawing any smoke/fumes out with a small vent fan. Would be easier and more effective than opening up the garage door. Joe

[Mal Paso]

I smelt and blend alloy outside but cast indoors. The bath fan is mounted to scrap wood with the flexible duct turning down outside. No modification to the window, it just sets in the groove held in place by the window which is held closed by the stick. Howzat?

[Jal5]

That is neat! I will have to modify one of the glass panes in the garage door to accept a dryer vent, then with flexible tubing I can position the exhaust fan over my pot at the table. I envision that the whole thing can be taken apart for storage when not in use but I want to keep it as simple as I can. I may devise a three sided wooden structure around the casting table with the exhaust fan on top, hooked up to the flexible vent tubing that goes to the window. I have seen several pics here of ones like that which I could copy. Joe

[DxieLandMan]

I go in the garage and have the garage door open and use a box fan beside me to ventilate the fumes.

[WILCO]

Welcome to the forum, John.

Ditto for me.

[WILCO]

Great set up Mal!

[shadowcaster]

Smelting indoors with the doors closed can be done, but then I have a custom made 2 1/2 x 5 foot vent hood that I built, and a 3 speed high cfm blower. All fumes and smoke are pulled straight up into the hood and are forced outside.. works great. Rain or shine, I smelt and cast year round indoors.

Shad

[rcav8r]

When we move the washer and dryer to another location, I'd like to take advantage of the hole for the duct to set up some kind of fume hood so I can cast indoors (basement), but w/o sucking out what little heat I have down there in the winter. Trying to think of what kind of fan might have enough pull but not so much as to suck out all the heat.

[Jal5]

I read somewhere about an inline fan that will work for exhausting the fumes.

[I'll Make Mine]

When we move the washer and dryer to another location, I'd like to take advantage of the hole for the duct to set up some kind of fume hood so I can cast indoors (basement), but w/o sucking out what little heat I have down there in the winter. Trying to think of what kind of fan might have enough pull but not so much as to suck out all the heat.

See if you can find an illustration of a "counterflow heat exchanger" -- your exhaust fan blows the warm, stinky air through a system of tubes and fins that heats the incoming air by cooling the outgoing, so the fresh air that comes in is only very slightly cooler than the warm air going out. The real beauty of this method is that it works equally well when the interior is being cooled thirty degrees below outside temperature as when the inside is thirty degrees warmer than outside, and it needs no power source other than the exhaust fan.

[runfiverun]

they make "booster" fans for vents and such.
you just wanna such out the smoke it doesn't have to run the whole time.

i do my cleaning and junk outside in the summer, then occasionally flux my pot when casting.
i put a fan in the door and turn it on to suck out the smoke and close it when done.
i don't reduce oxides but about every 3-4 pot's of alloy.