Serious Health Risks - Important

Hey-

I'm being very serious here.

I work in the field of environmental exposure to carcinogens. In years past I conducted investigations for the EPA for a variety of contamination issues and sites around the midwest, including lead and zinc. Currently, I conduct surveilance monitoring for pesticide contamination related to production agriculture in Illinois. 

The process of melting lead causes a lead vapor, which is extremely poisonous and can be easily inhaled. Melting lead should always occur in a well-ventilated area in the absence of children or pregnant women, as they are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead poisoning.

Prevent skin contact and prevent eye contact from the vapor!

The target organs for lead exposure are the eyes, GI tract, Central Nervous System (including brain), kidneys and blood.

Since it lead bioaccumulates in the brain and kidney it can cause a long list of health problems with symptoms ranging from encephalopathy to kidney disease. 

Please be very, very careful with melting lead and its vapors.

-HazMat

Hey Brian-

I know that its too late for some of us, but don't let all the new guys think they can just go melt lead in the garage or basement without some warning.

Lead poisoning is a real concern. Somebody could cause real harm to their self, wife or kids while making these weights at home if they don't take it serious and provide for ventilation of the lead vapor.

Its only as serious as, ... brain damage.

-HammerHead

Kevin's got a real point here, and I have been remiss in failing to mention this in my past posts about making lead weights.  As an engineer, I just ASSume that people understand the hazards involved in this sort of thing, but that's just a horrible assumption when you talk about the ordinary person on the street.

-Wayne

I know I know....Just making a funny is all

McBain1975 wrote: Where does one even get lead to make weights and how do you melt it using normal gear?

I have quite a bit of lead I've picked up for free from various sources that just wanted to get rid of it (e.g., diving weights, etc.).  You can also buy it from places that make automotive batteries, which used to be quite common but are now less so.  There's also used tire weights, as mentioned by Dave Carl.

You can use a propane, MAPP gas, or acetylene torch to melt it.  You wouldn't want to use a garden-variety propane torch to melt a lot, but could use one to melt a small amount for tweaking the weight of an iron blob.  If you've got a big torch, you can heat a whole can of lead from the outside, which greatly reduces the amount of lead vapor that is produced.  If you have to play the flame directly on the lead, be extra special careful with ventilation (but you're doing that anyway, right?).

-Wayne

my thoughts exactly

Kevin, I agree.  One time I was refurbishing a claw foot bath tub and I didn't realize the 20 layers of paint I was taking off with a grinder was lead, no face mask, eclosed are....I was sick for a week.  I know alot of guys who a smelting their own lead and it is very dangerous unless you take precautions and even then "caveat emptor" (sp)

I just melted some lead in my turkey cooker.  The turkey tasted the same afterwards.  No one seemed to notice the slight metallic taste.  JUST KIDDING ANCIENT ONE.  But not kidding what are the risks of using lead throwing weights.  If I throw in the pasture will the horse get lead poisoning? Do I need to be concerned about lead residue on the hands?

We just had a chemical hygene officer come to our school and take all of
or lead shot used for measuring density away. He said it created to much
lead dust that kids could get on thier skin. I told him he was an a-hole,
and hid mine under the sink before he could find them.

TROB

So, you're saying that the divots of lead weights attract lightning.  Huh, who knew?

-Wayne