Safety question

[armoredman]

It is actually getting cold down here, (have to wear a real jacket), and I cannot cast outside in the rain - we don't run to snow 'round these parts.
So, casting at normal temps, is safe to cast in a garage, perhaps with the door up a few inches for ventilation? I am getting tired of looking at the cold empty pot. AND not being able to go to the range - bright sunshine and no wind when it's a work day, cold raining windy on my days off - someone hates me.

[Junior1942]

I think you'll need more ventilation, and that would mean a greater chance of just ONE drop of water hitting the pot.

[IcerUSA]

I cast in the garage all the time but I only smelt outside , casting is alot more civil than smelting . :)

Garage door open a couple inches should be OK for ventilation unless your using some ungodly stuff for fluxing . :) And if you think you need more ventilation just use a fan of some sort , I use a window fan on low if I need to , in the summer it runs full blast as I need the cooling . :)

Now if you where casting like some here do in the basement or a room in the house , they all use an exhaust fan of some sort to keep the smells and fumes to a minimum . Do a search on casting setup's .

All in all you should be good to go in the garage for casting , I did up about 60 HP's last night in the garage testing my new pot out for ladle casting the HP's and does that little pot get hot , It's a Lee 4lb pot and I had to turn it down to 3 1/2 on the dial to get it to cast like I wanted , so I was out there for about 3 hours playing (learning) how it was going to work . :)

So by all means go cast some boolits and get them loaded up so when the sun does shine for you , your ready to go shoot .

Keith

[waksupi]

As long as you aren't boiling the lead, at WAY too hot a temperature, you will have no bad fumes. You could do it outside in the rain, as the water won't hurt anything on top of the melt. It is when you get some under the surface, when problems immediately arise!

[44man]

Only two things you don't want. Stink from flux or the dust from dross skimmed off. The lead in the pot will never hurt you unless you heat it to the point it boils off. No lead pot can do that. You will melt the mold first.
A fan in the window to take the stink out is all you need.

[Ghugly]

If you can provide enough ventelation to control the smoke from the flux, you're good to go.

[armoredman]

Thanks, guys!

[eka]

As long as you aren't boiling the lead, at WAY too hot a temperature, you will have no bad fumes. You could do it outside in the rain, as the water won't hurt anything on top of the melt. It is when you get some under the surface, when problems immediately arise!

44Man:

Only two things you don't want. Stink from flux or the dust from dross skimmed off. The lead in the pot will never hurt you unless you heat it to the point it boils off. No lead pot can do that. You will melt the mold first.
A fan in the window to take the stink out is all you need.

You know I hear about the ventilation systems and fans etc. I don't use either in the winter. I cast in my garage and hardly ever flux my bottom pour pot. I use kitty litter on top and try to make my ingots as clean as possible. Bullets are great, so I don't see any need to flux much. I also never let the pot get down further than half full. So, I was wondering if the ventilation systems folks use were for the smoke from fluxing or being cautious with the lead. In my mind I kept saying to myself, I know lead doesn't vaporize until way above what I'm working at, but should I be venting anyway? Since I have no smoke from fluxing, I have opted to not ventilate at all. Don't really know if that's right or wrong. Good question.

Keith

[Ricochet]

I do no venting for lead, but when I flux I do have to open doors to let the smoke out.

Agree that a drop of water falling on the molten lead just goes "Sss." No problem. Drop a wet piece of lead in the pot, though, and The Tinsel Fairy will pay you a call.

[FISH4BUGS]

.....is to cast in the shed, which is tight. I have a small propane cylinder gas heater that puts out a bit of carbon monoxide (or so they say) and the directions also say to vent a bit with a wndow or door. I flux with hard lube saved up during sizing.
I can get the shed up to about 40 or so even when it is below zero out there! I basically cast in a closed area for all practical purposes. I also get my blood checked for lead levels on an annual basis. I am at an 8 - and steady. No worries.
The casting pot won't hurt you - smelting will kill you dead with those fumes.

[JIMinPHX]

I saw an “instant canopy” for sale at Fry’s grocery store here in the valley this afternoon for around $85. That might make for a nice, well-ventilated casting area in the back yard. It might make for some much needed shade in the hot AZ summer too.

[shotstring]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but my understanding is the only reason to flux when using only lead-tin-antimony alloys is to reintroduce the metals cooling on the top of the melt from oxidation, period. So if the "kitty litter" or something similar was used to form the protective layer on the top of a bottom pour pot that was able to completely eliminate oxidation, and the lead was clean, there would be no need to flux - thus no need for ventilation when actually molding boolits.

I'm subscribing to this if not mistaken, as I am in exactly the same boat. I have no place else to cast but in my garage and no ventilation is possible except for opening the garage door a few inches if needed. If lead is clean and I don't flux, I wouldn't even need to open the garage door would I?

All my previous casting has been large volume stuff outdoors, or in my basement as a child, making lead soldiers.

[testhop]

i cast in a garage but it has 2 doors and 2 windows so i open a window and crack the doorin the winter when it is hot i cast out side but the fan is aq good idea

[44man]

I use a ladle so I flux more often. I use wax a lot because I can light it but I still make a lot of smoke. My bench is under a window so I bungee one of those square fans in the window to blow out. I leave a crack in the storm door and all the smoke goes outside.

[eka]

My thoughts exactly Shoestring. I am careful to get the ingots as clean as I can, so the main issue is oxidation. I keep the litter on top of the melt and my ingots drop right through it. I stir with a spoon once in a while scrubbing the sides and bottom. I keep the pot at least half full because it maintains the proper flow for one, but it also keeps any crud up top and away from the spout. I always top the pot off and leave it full when I'm done. Seems to work great. No smoke, no smell. Now when I change over to pure lead for black powder balls etc. I empty the pot and take it outside for a scrubbing with a wire brush. I hate doing that because the lead dust is bad news. I stand up wind and use a mask and so forth when doing that.

Keith