[sagacious]

Can we get a sticky going on safe practices for lead melting?

Melting scrap lead and turning it into clean ingots, and working with molten lead involves significant risk if done improperly. Many of us have had to learn the hard way before we adopted even the most basic safety techniques and practices. Learning the hard way with molten lead can get pretty rough. However, I'm the type of person who understands the value of "a word to the wise", and I think there's a lot of people on TU who hold that same belief. Forewarned is forearmed.

I've posted a few replies on basic lead handling safety, as have many others. Let's put them together under one heading as a basic safety how-to resource for folks looking to get into lead pouring. Besides staying safe, getting set up with the proper equipment, and knowing what to do as well as what not to do can also mean big differences in the enjoyment you receive, the quality of your work, and the volume of your production.

Thanks, and good fishing!
sagacious

Note: Let's keep the posts related to lead-handling questions and topics, and lead safety.

[HookUp]

I'm new to lead pouring, but here are some things I do to prevent turning a hobby into adversity.

1. Lead pot is on a cookie sheet in case the lead overflows or the pour spout malfunctions.

2. Lead is heated and poured in the garage, door open, 2 fans on high.

3. Fire extinguisher next to lead pot

4. Respirator is worn as soon as the lead pot is pluged in.

5. Extension cord to lead pot is routed so that no one (especially my son or wife) trips over it.

6. Son & wife are pre-warned to stay clear of the garage.

7. Dedicated pliers and tools only for lead pouring.

8. Safty glasses worn

9. Dedicated lead pouring hat hat worn.

10. No beer until after pouring. (I'm also a home brewer, so like my barley pops)

[cadman]

1. Wear leather gloves if you can. Especially on the hand that holds the mold in case lead pours over the mold or splashes.

2. Don't smoke, eat or munch on snacks when pouring lead. Because your hands are touching lead, and then you grab the cigarette, or the food and put it in your mouth.

[BLT]

I don't do it, but my Dad had one of those oven/range hoods with the fan/light combo right over where he poured the molds at the work bench. Had a dryer hose running from the range hood to the window. Worked pretty good.

[sagacious]

A friend of mine just started pouring lead, and asked me what the main health hazards from handling lead are. I sent him the following, and along with the other good suggestions posted above, I thought it might be useful to the members of TU.

The main danger posed by lead, is poisoning through accidental lead ingestion--which means you generally have to eat the tiny lead particles, dust, and oxides to get poisoned by it. This is why children get lead poisoning from eating lead-containing paint flakes. The lead oxide (lead oxide was used as a white pigment) in the paint has a sweet taste, and that's why kids eat it. Your body can absorb a fair amount of the lead oxide you eat, so it's a particularly dangerous vector of exposure.

Eating finger-food while handling lead (especially dirty lead scrap), can put you on the road to lead poisoning. Have a meal/snack before pouring lead so you're not tempted to sneak a snack. Do not ever eat while handling or pouring lead, and also keep your fingers away from your mouth and face. Wash your hands and face after pouring-- and changing your clothes and showering after you're done pouring is a very good idea. Of course, keep lead melting equipment away from living/eating areas, and keep your pouring area clean.

The greatest risk that a hobbyist faces while pouring lead is not from "lead fumes", its mostly through accidental ingestion of lead oxides (that dirty black crud) that gets on your hands/clothes, and also lead dust. Lead dust can be powdery oxides, or just teeny-tiny bits of lead that can settle invisibly on your skin/clothes through routine lead handling and pouring. Not eating while pouring, and washing hands/showering after pouring molten lead is a very effective and simple way to significantly reduce the risks of accidental lead ingestion/poisoning. Small children can't keep their hands out of their mouths, so keep them away from lead and pouring equipment. Older kids should be educated on how to avoid lead poisoning. Another concern regarding children is that they can absorb lead far more easily than for adults, and it's more toxic for them. http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/articles/other/lead_31 / Search the web for more info.

At normal pouring temps, molten lead does not normally give off "fumes"-- despite a long-standing belief. (Molten lead doesn't really give of fumes like a pot of hot water gives off steam.) Lead generally has to be heated to around 1100*F to start giving off poisonous vapors, at which temp the lead is literally red-hot, and that's well above the temps anyone would pour at. So, even just a little precaution (such as pouring your jigs outside as opposed to inside) is usually sufficient to prevent lead poisoning through vapor and dust inhalation. Pouring outside in the open air allows for a considerable safety margin. This has been proven time and again through real-world experiments and blood-tests. However, many people also use a fan to mantain air movement away from the pouring area, and this is certainly a good practice. Risk associated with lead poisoning through vapor/fume inhalation is almost entirely a problem restricted to industrial and occupational exposure. For the hobbyist pouring outside-- there's virtually no risk posed by vapors.

However, most scrap lead is covered with dirty oxides, road grime, crud, etc. While melting the lead, that crud can burn and put off a lot of smoke and fumes-- and there is almost certainly lead vapor, lead dust particles, and lead oxides in that smoke. Take safety precautions, and don't breath that smoke! Wait for the smoke to clear, skim off the dross (that scum floating on top), and you can get back to pouring without fear. Dispose of the dross safely.

So, the bottom line is this: Some common sense, good hygene, and basic safety precautions will virtually eliminate the chance of lead poisoning due to handling and pouring lead. While I don't want anyone to ignore the potential risks, some sources have described the risks of poisoning as extreme and inevitable-- and that's not correct.

Hope this helps. Good luck, and stay safe.

[hawnjigs]

This may not happen often, but today when I (gently) dropped an ingot into the melt pot I got a nasty splatter which resulted in some burns on my bare arm. Like many of you I learned the hard way many years ago to be careful to keep everything going into the pot dry. Wondering what the f*** happened I looked in the pot and saw the blackened remains of a small moth that must have been stuck to the ingot and exploded in the melt. Thank God it wasn't a bigger bug!

[Old man in the boat]

hawnjigs......You need to work the bugs out of your pouring....

Sorry it was just laying there waiting for somebody to say........

[BLT]

Wow, hope you aren't to bad off. I have one lead battle scar.
I have my own mishap but with a hook. I buried a 1/0 mustad wide gap into thetip of my thumb Friday. Went a little over 1/2" in, and that hook has a very nice barb lol. Couldn't push it throught because it was hitting the bone, soooooooooo, pulled it out. (At doctors)

[sagacious]

Yikes! Sure glad you weren't skewered worse, BLT. The only time I've been hooked deep (knock on wood) was with a barbless hook. At the time, the fishing was wide-open, and I had pinched the barb so I could release fish faster. Catch-n-release of your own finger goes a lot faster with a barbless hook too! lol!

Hawnjigs, hope your arm is feeling better. I have actually heard of another incident where a moth caused a lead splatter-- crazy world, huh? Another good reason to wear eye protection at all times.

[Gloomisman]

Long sleeves
good quality respirator
good ventilation
gloves
safety glasses

NO WATER (kaboom)
No eating, munching, etc

a safe stable set up. Lead is liquid at 650 approx degrees. Ya dont want it touching you.

Good pliers, and other tools

SAFETY FIRST!!!