Respirator/face shield/gloves help needed

[WildcatFan]

I need all three of these to upgrade my equipment, as mine's a bit lacking for the task. I need ideas for what to go with. For the gloves, I'm interested in heavy cotton knuckle strap mill gloves, respirator needs to be rated for smelting lead, and the face shield needs to fit over it.
thanks.
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[country gent]

Cotton gloves may not provide the heat protection level needed here. Alot wear heavy leather gloves or welders gloves. The lighter ones for mig and tig welding are very good for hands but no "Gauntlet" to protect wrists or lower arms with most of them. A leather apron might also be a good idea.

[WildcatFan]

Who can make me a leather apron? PM me, please.

[30Carbine]

Go to any good welding supply store in you area should have leather aprons on the shelves. get good welding gloves y your there with a gauntlet. and a mask a good painters mask (for auto painters) will do the trick they keep out real small particulates.

Mask like this http://www.eastwood.com/sas-bandit-respirator-medium.html

[RogerDat]

Harbor Freight has inexpensive leather welding apron, they also have gauntlet welding gloves. The cheap gloves won't last. Finding out they are "just a little thin" while holding the bail on a pot of molten lead can be a bit painful until you can get the pot set down. Don't ask how I know. Picked up some heavier ones from an Ace hardware, if you want good quality a welding supply place or Graingers are your best bet, maybe the farm and fleet.

Lighter gloves are good for some tasks like small pot casting of solder or pewter ingots.

I don't get the respirator, melting lead should not vaporize, unless you hit it with an oxy/acetylene torch. I think decent ventilation is much more common than respirators. Dust from heavily oxidized lead is more of a concern to me.

[mongoose33]

I use a pair of leather gloves, safety glasses over my normal glasses, and no respirator. Unless you're in an enclosed space, it's probably superfluous. I have a vent system to create negative pressure to pull any fumes away from me.

[elwood4884]

I use nomex firefighting gloves. Old pair from the firehouse but you can pick them up online at www.thefirestore.com . Great for heat and burn protection.

[bangerjim]

DO NOT use cotton gloves.

Harbor Freight! Leather gloves, leather apron, face shield. ALWAYS wear safety glasses with side shields.....even if you elect to use a face shield. I only use a face shield when turning wood on my wood lathes....NOT while messing with lead.

You really do not need all that respirator equipment! Do you re-melting outside and stand upwind. You do not need breathing equipment for casting. Just have a fan blowing to pull air over your pot and outside. Lead has to be over 1100F to emit "lead steam". You will be no where close to that. You will get more potential lead contamination from your hands! Do not eat, drink, pick your nose, rub your eyes while handling lead......hot or cold! Just wash your hands. Well.

Forget the fear of breathing lead fumes. Spend the money on another mold! Guys that have WORKED around lead smelter plants for years for a living have reported normal lead levels in their body. You will be re-melting and casting only a few hours a year compared to them!

Common sense must be applied.

[tazman]

+1 on what bangerjim said. I worked in a heat treat dept using hot lead(1500 degrees) for a heat treat medium for 40 years. I never had an issue with lead in my blood and we were tested every year.
Like he said, dust is more of a problem than the fumes. Keep it clean.

[dragon813gt]

I always get a kick when people bring up respirators. I used to work in an Exide plant as on outside contractor. All that was needed was gloves and proper hand washing habits if you didn't want lead contamination. All we need is a leather apron, welding gloves and eye protection. All clothing worn should be natural fibers. Synthetics will melt to your body which is not good.

[pworley1]

I use safety glasses.

[jsizemore]

I do use a respirator. I have asthma and the smoke from smelting WW's triggers an attack. I've tried staying 'upwind' but it still happens. Lead ain't the issue, it's the smoke from the burning paint, glue, foam backed tape, grease and whatever else is on them. If it doesn't happen to you great, but I've got to take precautions.

I use a 3M 6200 mask,6001 cartridge with 5P71 filter attached. How do I know it works? My asthma doesn't get triggered.

When casting, I do nothing more then run an exhaust fan over my casting pot when inside and nothing outside. Again, how do I know it works? My asthma doesn't get triggered.

[Echo]

I get my gloves @ Costco, 3 pair leather gloves for $20, and No, I don't hold hot ingots very long, but the gloves do anything I ask of them. No respirator, no leather apron (and I get an occasional mini-drip of lead on my knee - I wear shorts when I'm smelting or casting), and my glasses are plastic, and thus, while maybe not so thick as real safety glasses, are basically the same. No use being anal about this - but I always wear socks on my feet. The idea of a small drop getting between my foot and my shoe concerns me.

[Pinsnscrews]

Harbor Freight offers different weight welder's gloves. I bought the heaviest pair they had for right about $14. They are warm, but I have no fear of getting burned through them. hf also has a lower face respirator that I use when it is windy, more for the dust than lead. It's comfortable and I have even wore it under my helmet when riding on windy days across the desert. I did originally buy 2 of the leather aprons, then stitched them together back to back. one for the thickness, and two for the extra pockets. Someone saw it while my wife was running a garage sale and paid her $40 for it LOL.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

You are unlikely to be "smelting lead" THAT IS A VASTLY DIFFERENT OPERATION THAN JUST MELTING LEAD OR ALLOYS TO MAKE INGOTS OF THE MELT OR TO CAST BOOLITS.

Many here melt lead and make cast boolits with well founded practical procedures and safety precautions without encountering safety problems. Perhaps a close review of this topic would be more helpful to you than beginning with a inventory of exotic safety gear to purchase.


BvT

[2wheelDuke]

I don't disagree with the respirator. Maybe I'm wasting my time, but I'd rather be safe. Like others have said, it's not so much for lead vapor, but for lead dust when I'm pouring buckets of smashed old bullets into the pot. I do have a face shield, and wear something under it to cover my head.

I got a lead apron in a kit at Harbor Freight, but it must be cut for a Chinese guy. I'm 5'10" and 175# and it barely covers anything, and I barely have enough strap to tie behind my back.

[Dragonheart]

If you are reclaiming range lead then you most definitely need a full face respirator with the proper filters as the lead dust can enter through your mouth, nose and eyes. Additionally , the lead dust will be on your skin and clothing and can be easily transferred to a small child that came out to give you a hug. Lead dust can contaminate the entire area where you are working. Lead dust in a quantity no more than than the amount of powder in a "Sweet & Low" package used to sweeten a cup of coffee, spread on the floor in an average house is enough to poison a small child. A child can be lead poisoned with less than 10% of the exposure as compared to an adult. Once damage is done it is usually not reversible.

Casting is a good and rewarding hobby, but too many are oblivious to the dangers of lead poisoning as the effects are usually not immediately apparent and the symptoms can mimic other health issues.

[RogerDat]

100% with the dust control is important. Not sure how I would handle dust in sufficient quantity to warrant a respirator. I mean that dust is going someplace even if respirator is keeping it out of my mouth and nose, I know when I sand wood the wood dust ends up on anything and everything in a pretty large area. I don't mind just blowing wood dust out the door with a big fan, doing range lead in quantity? Not so sure that would be smart.

I don't worry about it with buckets of WW's I dump slowly enough to keep the dust down. Tend to avoid getting "dusty" lead at the scrap yard or bring it home and straight to the pot for melting.

[siamese4570]

If you are going to get a respirator, the correct cartridge for lead exposure is a P100 HEPA filter. If you are using a cartridge respirator, the HEPA filters are a "magenta" color.
siamese4570

[John Boy]

I have asthma and the smoke from smelting WW's triggers an attack.
Throw a match in the melt - no smoke, only a flame

[mold maker]

The lead oxide on scrap is easily transferred by your hands, but the dross contains micro particles that are easily carried by any air current directly to your nose, mouth, and eyes. It also scatters all over the surrounding area. One way to cut down on that is to gently spoon it into water. Once wet, it remains immobile, and thus safe. When done, mix in a couple heaping tablespoons of cement, double bag it an dispose as trash.
Above all, Wash your grubby mits.

[rbt50]

if you are so afraid of lead poisoning I would not cast bullets. I also wouldn't shoot lead bullets, because it also put lead dust in the air.

[retread]

I use a pair of leather gloves, safety glasses over my normal glasses, and no respirator. Unless you're in an enclosed space, it's probably superfluous. I have a vent system to create negative pressure to pull any fumes away from me.

I agree! A good exhaust system is the key. If I had to wear a respirator to cast I would give it up, what a pain. I also use welding gloves, no apron, just good denim jeans, glasses, and a hat. The secret is to not make sudden jerky motions during the time the sprue is liquid. Steady even motion and you won't have lead flying around. Enjoy the process, not need to hurry. Have fun.

retread

[robg]

I use a face mask ,bandana with activated charcoal panel inside.stopped diesel fumes on my motorbike in traffic.sold here as respro bandit face mask.