How do you store your lead?

[nodda duma]

Hey all,

First post!

I am just getting into bullet casting, since I recently acquired a Swiss Vetterli rifle and want to shoot it. Researching on how to do so consistently led me to this forum. I have a good supply of lead on-hand (bought 85 lbs for $17 at the local recycling center, and picked up another 50 lbs from my step-dad who runs a county recycling center back in southern Missouri).

Problem is, I have 3 kids all under the age of 4 in the house and don't want them to be exposed to the lead...especially as they get older and more curious. I am teaching my children not to play with daddy's stuff, which has worked well for my other reloading supplies. I do the actual casting outdoors, and wash up after I'm done. In fact, first casting session was last night (made a bunch of muffin pan ingots). But I'm still trying to figure out the best way to store the lead.

I currently have the lead in ammo cans (and each now weighs double my oldest child) in a hard-to-get-to spot, but that is not enough to appease the wife (we were "conversing" about this topic off and on all day), nor does it satisfy my own concerns. Theoretically the kids *could* get into those ammo cans and eat the lead (I wouldn't be surprised if they'd try). Basically it's temporary til I figure out a better way.

So I'm wondering how others store their lead to keep it away from curious kids? ie, where do you store it and in what type of container? I'm hoping that if you share how you store your lead, I can find that the best way to keep it secure in my home. Searching the archives here revealed lots of "out in the open in the garage," but I don't think that'll work for my scenario.


Thanks!
Jason

[finishman2000]

you can pick up a plastic "trunk" at walmark, put all your lead inside and lock it up. You won't be able to move put no one else will be able either. i think they are in the auto section.

[rvpilot76]

Might I suggest a combined approach to this problem. Keep the lead in the ammo cans, but place the ammo cans into one of Rubbermaid's Action Packer containers. I could be wrong, but I believe these have a hasp for a padlock. You can find the AP containers at Wal-Mart in the Sporting Goods section.

Kevin

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I keep my lead in the garage in buckets or stached on the sill plate nearby where I cast.
My dad was a caster. I have been around molten lead since I was about 4 and am now closing in on 59. I have NO lead buildup in my blood that has ever been detected so it must be rather minor. There is more danger to children from EATING leaded paint on toys, old indoor paint, or maybe actually sucking on lead sinkers.
Casting dust residue and smelting fumes would also be something to keep your kids away from... but raw lead is not a major problem unless they tend to chew on lead bars like Peruvian kids do with chicken knuckles.

[imashooter2]

A complete non issue. Your children will have to ingest the lead for it to damage them. Any child old enough to open an ammo can has long since stopped putting everything they find in their mouths. Even if they lick their fingers after handling your lead on an isolated occasion or 2, they won't ingest enough to have any effect on their health.

[sav300]

Nodda duma,hi and welcome to our addiction and fun.

[Blammer]

I too came across that "discussion" with my wife when I started casting. We had 2 and 4yr olds at the time. (they are now 6 and 8)

I store my ww's and ingots in the basement in an old plastic bucket out of the way with the rest of my "car" stuff that the kids don't play with. Lead is pretty much an inert material. IF my kids handle the lead any I just make sure they wash hands and tell them, if they do touch it, make sure they wash hands afterwards.

I cast outside, and usually away from the kids. They are usually playing on the other side of the house when I'm casting.

I do the same things you do, wash hands and keep the area clean.

the kids would literally have to be sucking on an ingot and gnawing on it to get any perceptive amount if lead in their system. Lead needs to be in very fine particulate matter and have a carrier in order to get it into your system. It just won't "go find you" and "jump in your body". :) So the lead just sitting there is no threat at all.

I'd say your storage in an ammo can is sufficient.

Just like you teach your kids not to play under the sink with the chemicals, telling them "nasty", "yuck", " that's dirty" etc... Teach them to stay away from "daddy's stuff" telling them the same thing, "nasty" 'Yuck', etc...

Ammo cans should also have a way to secure them with a zip tie. Easy to secure for you, and easy to get to for you when you want to.

[waksupi]

The others are right. It is pretty much a non-issue, made one by those with an agenda. Many of us who handle lead a lot, also have ourselves tested for contamination regularly. Test results are lower than the general population, as a rule.
Grand dad carried three machine gun slugs in him from WW1. Finally killed him when he was 76. Lots of others have walked around for years with bullets in them. Aside from the initial insertion, they aren't all that inconvieninced by them, and no signs of lead poisoning.

[Firebricker]

I don't think there's any danger in keeping it in buckets or an ammo can. In an open bucket there's no curious factor of whats in that can. Besides lead is just not tasty enough to be ingesting enough to do damage. If you want to lock it up I'd go with the suggestions for a plastic trunk with a lock and hasp or a surplus foot locker or make one out of plywood. Welcome to an addicting hobby. Let us know how your first boolits turn out. FB

[Rando]

Since you don't care about keeping the lead airtight/moisture proof, why not screw a hasp to each can and lock them? A few childproof brass locks would probably cost less than the cost of the cans themselves.

[sqlbullet]

Also, make sure they are taking a child appropriate multi-vitamin with vitamin-c. Vitamin-c helps prevent lead poisoning, either through chelation, or more likely by preventing absorption.

I agree with those above. It is really a non-issue. The people who were affected by lead poisoning back in the day were doing the equivalent of sucking on a bullet like a lozenge for several hours each day over long periods of time. I cast in a the garage, with the door open. I wear gloves, don't eat or drink in the casting area, and wash up well when I am done.

My son, who is three and won't leave my side most of the time (I have to cast when he is asleep or banned to the house) loves to run the ram on my press when I crimp gas checks on my .430 bullets. He doesn't handle the bullets, just pulls the lever. Great fun!

[theperfessor]

If your lead is in ingots that are too big to swallow I wouldn't worry. I would be more worried about having kids find bullets to put in mouth, but then I'd be more concerned with choking than w/lead ingestion. More kids die from choking than from lead poisoning.

If it helps you sleep better at night then lock ammo cans or get lockable plastic box as many have suggested. And keep bullets locked up the same way.

[outdoorfan]

Since you're being a very responsible parent and want to ensure your kids' utmost safety, then make sure they never get any dental tooth fillings with amalgom. It's over 50% mercury. Also, try not to drink flourinated water, as flouride is a poison. And also don't allow them to get any vaccinations, as most of them contain mercury (and other nasties) as well.

Not trying to be a S.A; just trying to raise people's awareness to these issues (and other things, as well).

[Lead Fred]

Linotype is in a cardboard box under my bench, and the pure lead is stacked in ingots along side of the bench.

No one under 30 comes into my man cave

[montana_charlie]

I am just getting into bullet casting, since I recently acquired a Swiss Vetterli rifle and want to shoot it.

Problem is, I have 3 kids all under the age of 4 in the house
Sounds like it might be a good thing you have found a new hobby...

If you are handy, you could fashion a small slot in the flat part of the ammo can latch, and mount a small u-bolt or eye-bolt under it. That should create a 'hasp' that will take a padlock.
CM

[1874Sharps]

Gentlemen,

All good advice given above. One thing I would like to point out is that the oxides of lead and tin (such as found in the dross on top of the molten lead) are far more toxic than elemental lead or tin. I would definately keep track of the dross can and keep that out of reach! Elemental lead (that which is in a zero oxidation state, ie., has not reacted to form a compound) is not that toxic. There have been many a man died at a ripe old age carrying around bullet fragments from decades before. That is not to say that one should be careless or disregard prudent safety and handling precautions. It just seems like lead has taken somewhat of a bad rap in modern years when it comes to safety.

[RayinNH]

If it were still in wheelweight form I'd be more concerned about the oil, grease and dog pee on them...Ray

[runfiverun]

maybe your kids could show me how to get an ammo can open, i got some that just sit there cause i can't get them open.
a cheap hasp and padlock would insure they don't get in though.
i would try educating them first, show them what you got in the cans let them play with a bar of it, then the novelty has worn off.
same as letting them shoot a gun at a young age. they know what it is, and what it does so the curiosity is gone.

[nodda duma]

Thanks for the responses, folks.

Montana Charlie..I've thought about doing that and I may still just for this one. I'm just wondering what happens if I want to store larger amounts. I don't have very many ammo cans and would run out quickly storing larger amounts.

outdoorfan: No flouride in our water (we are on a well), and mercury hasn't been used in vaccines for several years now at least out here in BFE..we asked about that. In any case, the health risks from not vaccinating them is far greater.

-Jason

[wallenba]

[QUOTE=nodda duma;649119]Hey all,

First post!

I am just getting into bullet casting, since I recently acquired a Swiss Vetterli rifle and want to shoot it. Researching on how to do so consistently led me to this forum. I have a good supply of lead on-hand (bought 85 lbs for $17 at the local recycling center, and picked up another 50 lbs from my step-dad who runs a county recycling center back in southern Missouri).

Hmmmm.....where exactly might I find THAT recycling center?

[outdoorfan]

Thanks for the responses, folks.

In any case, the health risks from not vaccinating them is far greater.

-Jason

That's what most people think.

[jsizemore]

Don't know how many cans you have, but if you lay a chain on the floor and put the cans side by side, you can thread one end of the chain through the handles and put a pad lock on it so the chain is tight. Maybe even a 2x4 at the front and back of the cans to elevate them off the floor.

[qajaq59]

I'd be more concern that the kids might pull the heavy can off a high shelf and get hurt then any contamination from the lead.

[SciFiJim]

I'm just wondering what happens if I want to store larger amounts.

I keep mine in a shed with a locking door. Not just for lead, I have pesticides and other chemicals as well as sharp tools in the shed. If you build a two foot by two foot by four feet long box with a locking lid it will hold a lot of lead. A simple hasp and lock will keep it secure.

[canebreaker]

I pour up cornbeard stick ingots of lead, each weigh about a pound.
I layed out 12 of them and measured what size box I needed. With scrap wood I made crates that would hold about 36 of them. Glued and screwed together with an extra board on each end for handles. After they are filled, a piece of plywood is screwed on as a lid. Top and end are labeled as to what is in the crate. Lead sticks or different size sinkers. With the sticks, what the lead made from. Pure lead, ww, battery lugs, range boolits or if the lead is mixed.

[Patrick L]

I prefer to store my lead in these little brass cylinders, which also store a primer and a small amount of powder;)

Seriously, I too have had to contend with a casting hobby and small children in the house. I made it a point to do things in areas that the kids did not enter, and to keep the area very clean. Put cardboard down to catch the drips, sweep up afterwards, etc. Yes, I know there's a lot more dangerous stuff in the world, but why take chances?

As to storage, I smelted my wheelweights at my parents place, as my dad has a very isolated garage and no one is around. My clean wheelweight metal is stored in closed 5 gallon buckets in my garage. They're fairly well buried, so the kids aren't anywhere near them. I smelt my casting alloy here in my own garage, on a day when the wife and kids are away. My bullet alloy ingots go into .50 caliber ammo cans which are stored in the casting area. That is in the basement (don't worry, ducted vent hood) and my kids don't go in the basement.

[dukenukum]

My dad always let me help cast and size. but stored lead in a plywood box with a big padlock on it.

[mold maker]

At 67, my kids are old enough to know better. The grand kids know not to mess with any of Paw Paws stuff, period.
I use the lee, Lyman, RCBS,Saeco ingot molds. When nested you can get about 750 (1 lb) ingots in a milk crate. With only one alloy per crate/stack, label the crates and they can be stacked as filled.
Just be darn sure they are where you want them for a long time. You can't move a crate with over a hundred lbs. in it. The crates are capable of containing the full weight, but not strong enough to move.
My 11 crates are sitting on brick to keep them from contact with the damp cement floor in the basement.
As long as lead is shiny, it is of little health concern. It is the decomposed oxides that are a serious threat.
We as smelters and casters are the ones exposed to those dangers. Handling and using lead for over 40 years has never caused my lead levels to be above normal. Just using common cleanliness with your hands and dirty clothes will be sufficient.

[alamogunr]

I pour my WW metal into cast iron muffin pans. The muffins are approx. 1¼ lb. Range scrap is poured into a larger muffin type pan. These ingots are approx. 2-2½ lb. I normally add tin(solder) to the casting pot. I haven't cleaned up any stick-on weights yet but will probably find some other shape ingot so they don't get mixed up. If the stick-ons turn out to be very close to soft lead, I will probably combine them with about 250 lb of shielding that I have to melt down. The solder I had that was not in rolls got cast into regular SAECO or RCBS ingot molds. All these go into wooden boxes I made from boxes I got at work. They originally contained metal parts we got from our sister plant in Sweden. Being too big for lead, I cut them in half to make two shorter boxes by adding a bottom to the upper half. Each box holds about a hundred lbs. They stack up real good. I don't have kids around so I leave them in the garage since my shop is very small and space is at a premium. I've got about 25 or so boxes stacked up plus another 10-12 in the shop.

John
W.TN

[Jaybird62]

Most of mine are stored on the garage floor along one wall. The rest is stored under the work bench in crates. My kids are teenagers, so eating lead isn't a problem. They're boys, so just about everything else is in danger, though. I remind them to wash their hands any time they are out working in the garage with me. I make sure that I'm the only one that cleans the garage, or the shop vaccume. I think you can give your wife peace of mind by just using zip ties to "lock" any storage container you choose.

[BSalty]

I too have 2 kids under 4. I also have two kids under 10. I store my lead ingots in 50 cal cans. Just turn the cans around and face the latch side towards the wall. I may be able to fit more in mine (less space between the ingots over the cake tins) but they weigh far more than any of my kids can move the can away from the wall enough to open the latch on the front of the can.

95%+ of my linotype is still in pig form, so I just store it outside in a shed that has a padlock on it. My lead sheet is right next to it in the shed. I do have some muffin tin soft lead that I just stack up nice in a 5 gal. paint bucket with a the snap shut lids. They are so tight I need the bucket lid tool to open them. No way my kids are getting in there, and they probably weigh a couple hundred pounds so not much chance of them moving it or tipping them over either.

BTW My dad, and his dad were linotype operators, and my dad later owned a print shop. I grew up in that shop with 30-50 linotypes running in a building and I never had a problem. I would go there a couple times a week until I started school with my mom who did the accounting. None of us ever got lead poisoning and none of us got sucked into the back of a machine. As long as they are not sucking on it for LONG periods, or if they eat any of the dust etc they will be fine.

Convincing your wife of that however........

[John Allen]

The other option is to make a plywood box for the ingots. Now once you become a hoarder of lead like me you will need to use the full sheet!!!!

[skeettx]

I use a truck tool box and GI foot lockers or buckets and coffee cans

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/MVC-055S1.JPG

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/MVC-049S.JPG

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/MVC-048S.JPG

[detox]

Keep lead away from pets. Lead dust from skimmed off dross is very dangerous. Be sure to keep away from drinking and feeding area.

[RP]

I store mine in milk crates under a shelf out in the shop as long as the kids are not licking them or stacking them up (playing with them) I think all is fine.

[lwknight]

Talk about a thread necromancer. #30 was from 5 years ago till today answered it.

[el34]

Talk about a thread necromancer. #30 was from 5 years ago till today answered it.

Yeah, but I got to see skeet's lead porn.

[dragon813gt]

Footlocker
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/TimeToMakeAmmo/16F61808-85F4-4324-B649-6A50ECBF3BE3-14876-00000BB065D98F5E.jpg

[jabo52521]

Bought a segment of school lockers(3 tall lockers connected). Number1 locker holds soft lead. #2 is for alloys and cast boolets and #3 is where I keep my saftey equipment.

Joe

[retread]

A lot of good comments and suggestions. In reading your original post, I think the real question is what will satisfy your wife. Run some of the ideas offered here by her and get her input. That may save some unneeded hassle and made her feel good in the process. Just my thought. Good luck and happy casting.

Jay

[MaryB]

Tossed on a shelf for now

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/2013-07-23_02-45-30_845_zps56fee234.jpg

[lightman]

I cast mine in ingot molds and stack them in milk crates. They are against the wall in the garage, but will soon be moved to my shop. (when it cools off) Lightman