Are you poisoned? The lead blood levels poll...

[Rick N Bama]

I had blood pulled for testing this morning. Maybe I'll know about my lead levels in a day or so.

Rick

[longbow]

I have been a boolit caster for 40 years and did much of my early casting in winter in an unventilated basement over a natural gas hot plate - while eating pizza and other things kids do. At the time lead safety was not discussed much.

Now I normally cast outside and take a few precautions like washing my hands before eating.

The last time I was checked for lead I was working in a large lead smelter. I almost never wore my respirator unless there was smoke or dust in the air. My exposure times were generally short but many of the plant operators did the same and were exposed from 8 to 12 hours per day. My blood lead level was 16 mcg/dL.

The acceptable blood lead level before a move from a lead area is 40 mcg/dL for the plant personnel.

I am back working in the lead refinery as a maintenance engineer and will see much more exposure. Plus I am still casting Boolits.

Am I worried? No!

Normally leading only occurs through inhalation of dust (dross) or ingestion (not washing your hands before eating or smoking - smoking is a bad one). If lead is actually boiling and vapourizing that would also lead to potential inhalation but boolit casting is nowhere near that temperature.

I doubt anyone on this forum or any lead boolit caster using even moderate safety methods will ever become leaded.

I am surrounded by hundreds of tons of lead every day. I will let you know if I get leaded.

Longbow

[longbow]

I have been a boolit caster for 40 years and did much of my early casting in winter in an unventilated basement over a natural gas hot plate - while eating pizza and other things kids do. At the time lead safety was not discussed much.

Now I normally cast outside and take a few precautions like washing my hands before eating.

The last time I was checked for lead I was working in a large lead smelter. I almost never wore my respirator unless there was smoke or dust in the air. My exposure times were generally short but many of the plant operators did the same and were exposed from 8 to 12 hours per day. My blood lead level was 16 mcg/dL.

The acceptable blood lead level before a move from a lead area is 40 mcg/dL for the plant personnel.

I am back working in the lead refinery as a maintenance engineer and will see much more exposure. Plus I am still casting Boolits.

Am I worried? No!

Normally leading only occurs through inhalation of dust (dross) or ingestion (not washing your hands before eating or smoking - smoking is a bad one). If lead is actually boiling and vapourizing that would also lead to potential inhalation but boolit casting is nowhere near that temperature.

I doubt anyone on this forum or any lead boolit caster using even moderate safety methods will ever become leaded.

I am surrounded by hundreds of tons of lead every day. I will let you know if I get leaded.

Longbow

[AZ-Stew]

I had my lead level tested this year during my "annual" physical. At 57, I decided I was old enough to start watching my health so I can be around long enough to enjoy my grandkids growing up.

I've been a caster and shooter for about 35 years, though I don't do either on a daily or even weekly basis. I quit smoking over 15 years ago and I remember casting and shooting while smoking. I recall having the black residue on my fingers from handling empty cases that had been loaded with cast bullets lubed with Alox/beeswax and getting that black crap on my cigarettes as I smoked. Never paid too much attention to it, but I did try to keep the part of the cigarette that touched my lips clean. I always have something around to drink while casting or shooting, but never food. I've never been able to figure out how the lead is supposed to migrate up the container from where I grasp the bottle or can to where I put my lips while drinking. I do set the drink a couple of feet from where my casting pot is, but I don't cover it. I have a vent fan behind my casting pot to suck the fumes, if any, out of my shop, but I occasionally forget to turn it on while casting. It's kind of noisy anyway, and running it makes it hard to hear the radio. I do wash my hands after casting, loading or gun cleaning.

My lead level tested at 4.

While having the nurse explain some of the test results (they gave me numbers, but didn't tell me where those numbers fell on the scale established for each one), I asked her specifically about the lead. She told me it was well within the normal range, then added that if it had been high, they would have had to contact OSHA or the EPA or some other government entity to have them find out from where I was getting contaminated. That both scared me and thoroughly pissed me off. I'll be DAMNED if I'll ever let some bureaucrat come snooping around my loading room checking for lead!

It was a good checkpoint, just to know I'm not carrying around lead that should be in my casting pot, but I'll never do it again! I'd rather suffer from lead poisoning than have the Feds come snooping around my shop. I'm not doing anything illegal, but I can just imagine them finding a dozen or so things they don't like and requiring me to "fix" them (at my expense, of coure), with, I'm sure, a re-inspection before they'll let me use the shop again. Screw that!

Regards,

Stew

[monadnock#5]

I just got my test results back. My lead level was 17 last month, and 16 this month. It was suggested that I have another test in September, but I might conveniently forget to make the appointment, and pay better attention to hygiene. There was no suggestion that any type of intervention was needed at this time.

[largecaliberman]

About a year ago, I had a blood check the same time I did my cholesterol. The results came back and it was a 4mcg/dl. Six months I had it check again and it went up to 10mcg/dl. This was a red flag for me. So I went to a health food store and got me a food supplement called Metal Magnet and was also taking Sonne 7. I did another check and my level is now 2mcg/dl. It never hurts to check.

[BluesBear]

AZ-Stew, just tell them it might have been from all of those old lead soldiers and fishing sinkers you found in the attic and then sold at a local flea market.

Or perhaps it was those couple of buckets of wheelweights that you picked up at a garage sale, cleaned up and sold for scrap.

No one knows if you're a boolit caster unless you tell them.

Unless it was well off the charts I doubt your doctor would tell anyone right away. First step would be to schedule a second test to make sure the first wass correct.

[AZ-Stew]

Blues,

First, I told the doctor I was a shooter/caster to justify the lead test.

Second, there is a set level at which the medical folks are required by law to report blood lead levels to the government.

Unfortunately, there's no weasling out of it. As I said, I'm OK, so I believe my meager safety precautions are adequate. So long as my behavior doesn't change and I have no symptoms, I can reasonably expect to remain safe, therefore I won't invite government intrusion by requesting a test that will likely be negative anyway. No sense inviting a disaster greater than the lead exposure.

Regards,

Stew

[TAWILDCATT]

i'v asked doctors how to clear lead from sytem,never got clear answer.iron /zink suplements will do it i understand on poster said hi doc said drink orange juice.
I stated casting around 1938 and my lead level was most 45.my last check was 4.
i am 83 now.I believe it all had to do with children in poor nabourhoods eating paint chips.and a lot of hipe by activists.think how much the specilists get removing lead paint.

[BluesBear]

Since my accident a few years ago I have several "complete" physicals.
So I specifically asked them to tell me the lead results.

When asked why I simply told the vampire in the lab that I occasionally went shooting at a couple of the local indoor ranges and I had read somewhere about improper ventilation controls.

Turned out that my levels are actually lower than the average bloke on the street whose only exposure to lead is breathing in exhaust fumes.
My primary doctor (he's also a shooter) even remarked that his were slightly higher than mine.

While it's nice to live in a gun friendly location, like you I do my best to avoid letting anyone in the gummint know anything about my personal life.

[The Dust Collector]

Pual B pretty well sums up the situation concerning myself. We both have had an extensive relation with lead. I have a very serious heart problem, and recently a few know it all folks ( Ya they're greenies ) that I cann't avoid, have told me and my wife that my problem IS lead related. ( Now they have a medical degree TOO! ) I have blood work done on a regular basis, but had never asked for a heavy metals scan. This last time I did. The doctor's office just called me with the results. The lead was less than 5! My city water supply to my home is delivered in lead pipe as most of the older section of my city is. Hmmm... I could say much in sharring my opinions, but I'm sure that we are on the same page anyway.
Your Servant, DUST

[The Dust Collector]

By the by, there is alot of lead / lead by products from the dust in spent primers.
The main component, if I am not mistaken, is lead styphnate. Depending on how your press pops out primers, a considerable amount of dust may be ejected in close proximity to your nose allowing you to breath this dust in. This dust accumulates in the primer collector and on the surrounding equipment and work space. What does all of this mean? Use your head and take what ever appropriate precautions that you deam nessisary. This dust does have a danger potential normally not considered............
Your Servant DUST

[Rick N Bama]

I've just gotten the results from my test for lead levels and it's a 7 & as I'm almost 60, I don't think I'll change a thing. I might get tested again in 5 or 6 years.

Rick

[Hayfield]

I had to wait to get my blood test levels for my 6 mo physical. Just got the results and it was 5.5. I was happy with this as I had just finished smelting 700 lbs of WW, 150 lbs of 25:1 ingots and 200 lbs of lead ingots. That plus casting and loading for 3 BPCR shoots a month plus practice rounds and 2 buckets of 1 oz 2 1/2" shotgun shells. What worried me the most and have since changed my habits was I rub Copenhagen and I'm putting a fresh rub in about every half hour. Oh, and my prostate is OK too.

[handyrandyrc]

Just got my results in. I scored a whopping "6". I'm a new caster -- only been doing it about a year.

[TAWILDCATT]

I just thought I 'd throw in a thought about cleaning parts with gasoline. do any of you clean parts that way???no one seems to know how we get lead posioning.
it seems like guess work.I believe the NRA has research on this subject.

[PatMarlin]

Don't have lead in fuel anymore do they?

[melw]

Well just got back from my Dr. I had them check my lead levels.
Came back at 8.
She said it is fine. Now lets talk about your cholesterol.:-0
Oh darn!
Mel W.

[imashooter2]

Don't have lead in fuel anymore do they?

Not common automotive fuel. I think racing gas and aviation gas still uses it.

[bart55]

I also have been casting since I was 12,AM 57 NOW casted sinkers jigs shad darts and bullets .i can remember biteing splitshot sinkers to crimp them and i remember they were sweet (Romans used powdered lead to sweeten low grade wine) I also played with mercury etc. My wife wanted me to get tested aboiut ten years ago so now each year when I get blood work I get lead tested. It always comes bback low.I have casted in some closed environments but I was always careful to wash my hands. So from my standpoint I think it is alot of scare tactics.