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Steve wrote:Instead of starting another thread i'll add my question onto here as i know Rog casts a lot of boolits.

Today while melting down range lead into nice clean ingots i didnt feel well and still dont to be honest.I do it outside and wear a mask while standing upwind of the pot so the smoke dont go in my face,but occasionally its unavoidable when the wind changes direction.Every time i cook lead up this happens for the rest of the day.Does this happen to you Rog?

Occasionally, due to burning rubber fumes from the linotex curtains.
The range lead usually has wood in it and is self fluxing. If not I have some spilt bio-diesel soaked up with cat litter! It flairs up and burns easily but leaves the lead shining silvery and clear.
I have used crushed walnut shells with a little bio-diesel in it.
The oil/fat from a fry up mixed with walnut shells also works.
I work on the basis of minimising costs as you may have gathered.

dromia wrote:The best flux is dry sawdust stirred through with a dry stick.

I tried candle wax today for the first time,but usually use sawdust as i always have some due to keeping poultry.I find sawdust is good for range lead because when it turns to carbon you give it a good stir and all the muck sticks to it.

I guess it might be the parafin in the wax which made me feel ill?

dodgyrog wrote: Occasionally, due to burning rubber fumes from the linotex curtains.
The range lead usually has wood in it and is self fluxing. If not I have some spilt bio-diesel soaked up with cat litter! It flairs up and burns easily but leaves the lead shining silvery and clear.
I have used crushed walnut shells with a little bio-diesel in it.
The oil/fat from a fry up mixed with walnut shells also works.
I work on the basis of minimising costs as you may have gathered.

Gotta laugh at the cat litter and chip fat! Never knew there were so many things to try.

Steve wrote:Candle.

That may be the cause of your 'sicky' feeling.

I use beeswax, as Dromia says, you shouldn't get the lead hot enough to make it vapourise.

Best article I've read on fluxing cast boolit alloys.

The "Simple" Act of Fluxing
By: Glen E. Fryxell

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellFluxing.htm

dromia wrote:Best article I've read on fluxing cast boolit alloys.

The "Simple" Act of Fluxing
By: Glen E. Fryxell

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellFluxing.htm

Excellent article.I will try something it says next time-leaving the burnt sawdust ontop while pouring.Normally i skim all this off so the surface is shiny shiny.

Having been a chemist many years ago, in a factory making solder and various other lead products, I can say that if you get a "sweet" sickly sensation in the back of your throat when you're casting, then you're inhaling lead..............either vapour or fine dust. And the lead doesn't actually have to boil before it starts to vaporise.
Elemental lead melts at 327.502 C but this may be lower if other elements such as tin or antimony are present. Some vapour may be produced at a few degrees above melting point.

H/man

I have heard of the "sweet" sickly sensation as an indicator before and know what you mean.

I've never had whilst casting but have had it on indoor ranges.

The metallurgist I buy my alloy from says that 932 degrees F is the safety figure they used in industry.

Regardless lead can be hazardous so sensible precautions do need to be taken, on the other hand if common sense is used then there is no need to think casting a dangerous hobby.

I am far more concerned about inhaling primer lead on the range than I am about lead poisoning whilst casting.

Hauptman wrote: I can say that if you get a "sweet" sickly sensation in the back of your throat when you're casting, then you're inhaling lead..............either vapour or fine dust. And the lead doesn't actually have to boil before it starts to vaporise.

This is spot on. You don't need to boil a liquid to get vapour off it! Do your melting/casting somewhere well ventilated and don't overheat the lead.

Gaz

Just for clarity here no-one has suggested that the lead needs to be boiled, or heated to anywhere near its boiling point (3164 degrees F) to cast with. All that needs to be done is to get it just past melting point, the vast majority of my casting and smelting is done now at 660-680 degrees F. With pure lead I do push it to 700 degrees F.

I would suggest that there is a greater risk from lead dust on clothes and work surfaces in the domestic boolit casting environment than vapours. Washing hands and clothes after casting along with not eating, drinking or putting hands into your orifices whilst casting minimises that risk.

Boolit casting is quiet safe if done with a basic understanding of the potential risks, just like any other activity.