View Full Version : Cerrosafe and lead?
am44mag
07-26-2017, 03:50 PM
I MAY have made a boo boo today. I had a 1/2 lb of cerrosafe, but I can't find it. I also smelted a large amount of lead. I'm afraid I might have smelted the cerrosafe by mistake. I'm not sure of the exact weight of the lead yet, but it should be at least 60-100 lbs. How can I tell if I it did end up in the pot, and will it cause any issues?
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I'll follow this thread to see the responses you get. With only 1/2 lb of cerrosafe in 60 to 100 lb lead, I wouldn't expect it to make a whole lot of difference.... BUT - I'll wait and see what other folks say.
high standard 40
07-26-2017, 06:57 PM
If it helps, I found this info on the composition of Cerrosafe.
"It is a eutectic alloy of 50% bismuth, 26.7% lead, 13.3% tin, and 10% cadmium by weight"
Cadmium is bad stuff if you vaporize it and breathe it. It was removed from most solders because people were poisoned by it. I have no idea what the health effect of cadmium in cast bullets would be but it can't be good.
am44mag
07-26-2017, 08:35 PM
I got the weight of the lead. 112 pounds. If my math is right and if the cerrosafe did make it's way into my pot, then that alloy is 0.045% cadmium. I know cadmium can be dangerous even in small amounts, but that seems like an extremely small amount. Plus, I will more than likely add more lead to that pot once I find out the composition of the alloy. I believe it's probably a little on the hard side right now.
Will cadmium completely vaporize out of the alloy? It took quite a while to heat that pot. The cerrosafe was probably the first thing to melt, and the entire process of melting and cleaning the lead took 2-3 hours. (done outdoors in a very well ventilated area thankfully).
runfiverun
07-27-2017, 01:43 AM
so it's okay to melt cerrosafe.
but it's not okay to melt cerrosafe?
I'd just make bullets and move along.
sawinredneck
07-27-2017, 02:11 AM
so it's okay to melt cerrosafe.
but it's not okay to melt cerrosafe?
I'd just make bullets and move along.
Yeah, I like Norp better than this thread.
so it's okay to melt cerrosafe.
but it's not okay to melt cerrosafe?
I'd just make bullets and move along.
That's sorta my feeling also - Make bullets and go shooting.
243winxb
07-27-2017, 03:26 PM
Cast and shoot. Sample of a lead bullet in %
Copper 0.038, Arsenic 0.16, Antimony 3.0, Tin 0.25, Zinc 0.0001, Cadmium 0.0001, Nickel <.0001, Bismuth 0.018, Silver 0.0038 ,Tellurium 0.0015, Sulfur 0.0005 Iron <.0001, Lead Balance.
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