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Offline buzzy

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health issues?
« on: November 30, 2011, 04:23:45 PM »
  Are there any health issues with casting your own bullets?

  Are there any precautions you can take if there are issues?
  like maybe a respirator?

   Thanks
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Offline Ron/Pa.

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Re: health issues?
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2011, 05:00:10 PM »
   Having very good air circulation , I suppose, would be number one. Lead is an accumlitive Toxin which the Body cannot get rid of. Number two, which maybe should be number one, is to guard against sever Burns. This can be from accidental spilling of hot Lead on oneself to somehow getting Water in your Lead Pot. This will result in a Lead explosion which is not good!! Murphy`s Law will be in full effect...be careful....
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Offline bubba.50

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Re: health issues?
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2011, 07:03:27 PM »
at bullet casting temps lead fumes are not the real problem. use adequate ventilation and you'll be alright there. other stuff such as glue from x-ray lead or tar from roof flashing and other impurities would be more problem fume-wise. most lead gets into the system from improper casting hygiene. wash, wash, and wash yer hands before eatin', drinkin', smokin', pickin' yer nose and you should be okay. for what it's worth and have a good'en friend, bubba.
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Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: health issues?
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2011, 03:39:44 AM »
Quote from: buzzy on November 30, 2011, 04:23:45 PM
  Are there any health issues with casting your own bullets?

  Are there any precautions you can take if there are issues?
  like maybe a respirator?

   Thanks

There are many health issues associated with working around lead. Lead is a fat soluble heavy metal. What this means is that once it is in your body…its like herpes…you have it forever. The metabolic processes of the body will typically metal plate the accumulation of lead out on your bones. Lead poisoning will primarily attack the body's nervous system. There are medicines that have been developed to help (not cure) people that have lead poisoning…these are chelating agents that bind up lead and serve to aqs a vector to remove the lead from your body…but this is one of those instances where the cure is almost as bad as the disease.
 
Take precautions…when casting bullets and working with hot molten lead, only work in well ventilated areas.

When finished working with lead in all its forms wash your hands thoroughly and change your clothes.

Do not have food around while working with lead.
 
Alcohol will readily dissolve lead creating a solution that has a strong potent effect beyond the alcoholic effects when ingested…so do not store alcoholic beverages in leaded crystal containers.
 
When I caste bullets and projectiles I use my chemical fumehood in my classroom. It is perfect for this activity. And if I happen to be teaching a physics course in Heat, Light & Sound, most of my students have never seen this type of activity before and actually get excited at the prospects of melting lead and casting projectiles. It's easy to tie the activity with thermo dynamics...I love the sciences.
 
When I caste bullets and projectiles at my Dad’s house, he recently added on his shop and installed an oven hood that exhausts to the outside. The oven hood also has very nice bright lighting, so casting  and working with molten lead is quite comfortable under these conditions, almost plush.
 
-aim small miss small-
 
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“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline flintlock

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Re: health issues?
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2011, 05:17:13 AM »
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
Been doing it for years, I always do it outside on the tailgate of my truck...Haven't had any problems that I know of associated with this...
 
:) :) :)
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Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: health issues?
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2011, 01:51:19 PM »
Love that sense of humor there flintlock.  8)
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“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline lakota

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Re: health issues?
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2011, 03:12:36 PM »
I cast in front of an open window with a fan on exhaust. Any smoke from fluxing gets sucked right out. I hope its doing the same with the lead fumes.
 
My house doesnt have a garage.
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