Indoor casting and potential of lead poisoning

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10ring1

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I am going to be casting in the very near future for the first time. I have been a handloader for 35+ years. I will be casting in my basement. Is there any standard for ventilation, exposure limits working with lead in enclosed spaces? I realize you must handle lead with gloves but I question the actual smelting process and lead levels. At a clinic I worked in once, a patient who shot factory lead bullets in indoor pistol ranges had an extremely high lead level. I assume because the lead was being aerosolized when firing. Being lead is not being aerosolized with casting, I assume its safe to work with indoors. Correct? Or?
 
Lead does not become airborne until it is heated to over 1000 degrees from everything I have read. Confined spaces can be ventilated with a old kitchen hood if it makes you feel better. If you flux a lot the smoke might linger. Many people cast indoors and in there basements . I do, I believe Lewis does also.
 
I cast in my garage with the doors open with a small desk fan blowing any fumes/smoke towards the open garage doors. It's also wise to wash your hands thoroughly after casting. I would also recommend wearing long pants, shoes, long sleeve shirt, and some form of thermal gloves to protect your hands/arms. I have a few burn marks on my hands and wrists. Don't ask. Just when you think I don't need to wear gloves today, I'm only going to cast a dozen or so bullets, which is when carelessness will get you.
 
I use rubber medical gloves when handling lead bullets for reloading. I would think they are good protection? After a while I can 'taste' the metal but might be my imagination too
 
I cast in the unfinished Basement of my House, Where it’s Warm & Comfortable. I don’t have a Fan Blowing, Nothing like that. I‘m not afraid of it. I don’t try and Hover over the Pot internationally inhaling it 🤪 A little common sense goes a LONG WAY :lewis:
 
All my casting done in my driveway mostly in the Spring some in the Fall. Store all my lead in my garage and do all casting wearing heavy rubber gloves. A lot of common sense is required. :thumb:
 
I usually cast in my garage with door open. Box fan between pot and door sucking air out the door.

Been tested several times for lead over the last 35 years. Trace amounts not measurable.

Now if I could just figure out why I'm growing gills.

BugIn
 
Close. Toed. Shoes. and adequate ventilation are a must. Or wear a respirator. But definitely close toed shoes.
 
I cast as Bugin45 does, but I stand at a work bench while casting. I have always been afraid that if I sat on a stool and there was s spill, I could not get away from the molten lead.

I find casting relaxing to do. While casting, the wife knows not to bother me, gets rid of the endless chatter.
 
I don't worry about the fumes,I worked in a plant that made nuke reactor cores,and we welded over inconel and copper nickel 8 hrs a day ,for years no problem, . Now I can tell you some bad burn story's that will get your attention, molded metal is the worst burn you can get. Leather apron ,gloves and coverd work boots are a must. Safety glasses also. I mold in my heated house.
 
I don't worry about the fumes,I worked in a plant that made nuke reactor cores,and we welded over inconel and copper nickel 8 hrs a day ,for years no problem, . Now I can tell you some bad burn story's that will get your attention, molded metal is the worst burn you can get. Leather apron ,gloves and coverd work boots are a must. Safety glasses also. I mold in my heated house.
For those of you who think casting lead inside is a good idea, just google up LEAD FUMES. You might want to change your mind. X
 
I am going to be casting in the very near future for the first time. I have been a handloader for 35+ years. I will be casting in my basement. Is there any standard for ventilation, exposure limits working with lead in enclosed spaces? I realize you must handle lead with gloves but I question the actual smelting process and lead levels. At a clinic I worked in once, a patient who shot factory lead bullets in indoor pistol ranges had an extremely high lead level. I assume because the lead was being aerosolized when firing. Being lead is not being aerosolized with casting, I assume its safe to work with indoors. Correct? Or?
 
Well I cast inside as far as making the bullets but I do all my melting and fluxing outside because there's a lot of smoke that way I have clean lead to cast inside very little smoke at all I do mine in the kitchen under a stove vent no problem
 
You get more poisons from the toxic environment we live in, the toxic and poisoned food grown by modern agriculture and more poisons from the plastics we use etc etc . So i cast inside and since i don't cast as much or as often as many i dont think it is a problem. Then again i think it would be more dangerous to take a covid vaccine than to take a huff of lead😁
 
This same question has been cussed and discussed for years. You can find science that says lead is bad and the sky is falling and there is such things as global warming. You also have multiple people with real life experience that has had no effect from pouring lead indoors including having been tested for it.
If you feel like you need to wear a fully encapsulated hazmat suit with multiple sources of ventilation than by all means do so. If you’re like me and think there are much more stuff in this world that will kill you faster and you don’t worry about it than by all means pour and be happy.
Do what you feel you need to do and enjoy the hobby!
 
I clean dirty lead outdoors to avoid the fumes from the trash. Once it's clean I cast inside with a fan pulling off any fumes. Have been casting for almost 20 years using this approach. If you're concerned have your doc pull a blood sample on your next visit. I've had mine checked three times and always test in the low normal range.
 
Before COVID I was shooting a lot 200+ rounds a week and casting bullets and loading ammo. Had yearly dr visit with blood work blood lead level was 10. Dr said 5 and under was acceptable but 0 was the goal. Causes of lead
1- spent primers
2-casting lead
3- handling fired brass
4- shooting indoor range
For the next 8 months I wore latex gloves when loading and handling Bullets. Wore dust mask when casting Bullets out doors and lead dropped to 5. Several of the guys had blood tested and none of them were below 10 and 3 were 25. Bottom line for me is you can’t be to careful
 

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