List,
I purchased my lead at a local scrap yard, bought a piece of channel
iron which I cut to the length I wanted and closed off the ends. I
melted the lead with a rented propane weed burner into my mold. Worked
great.
I can attest to the "moisture and lead don't mix." In my younger days, I
worked for a plumber in Rugby, North Dakota. In that climate, out in the
rural areas, the water pumps were placed in a covered concrete pit about
ten feet deep to minimize the possibility of freezing. The pumps were
anchored to the floor of the pit by drilling holes in the concrete,
placing a bolt in the hole and pouring molten lead around the bolt. The
hole was dried out using a torch to warm it and evaporate the moisture.
I failed to get a hole properly dried and carry the scares to this day.
Four pounds of lead erupted from the hole and hit me in the chest. BE
CAREFUL OF ANY MOISTURE AROUND MOLTEN LEAD!!
Of course, when working with lead, don't smoke, eat, put your hands to
your mouth or breath the vapors. Lead is very toxic and causes brain
damage. (most of us may be affected already) I had a Radiator Shop in
past years in conjunction with my Auto Repair Business. We were required
to have our employees that did radiator repair tested periodically to
monitor the lead content in their blood. As I understand it, the only
cure for lead in your system is time away from a lead environment. We as
an employer were require to pay the affected employee full wages while
they recovered. That's motivation to be careful.
Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/CC - Still working to get ready for Bonneville.
Keith Turk wrote:
>
> Had an opportunity yesterday to learn somethings about smelting Lead for
> Ballast and thought I would pass along the knowledge.... anything past this
> little jewel is more then I know....
>
> I acquired my Lead from Paul Chism and it wieghted 560lbs in Two pieces...
> just ask My Tail gate) anyway it was poured about 25lbs at a time and
> flaked off Pretty easy.... and one of the 4" thick pieces I cut up into 4"
> X15" strips with a Skill saw....( I could have melted it in half with a
> Propane torch also) anyway one of these Bars was going under my legs and I
> wanted it flatter... so I got ahold of my local Blacksmith buddies and he
> gave me some basic Lessons....
>
> Lead is Molten at 600 degrees and Pours really easily.... you can stick it
> in a Cast Iron kettle and melt it with a Oxy Acetelene rig if you wanted to
> but we used a simple Coleman Camp Stove with white gas once it was hot we
> skimmed the Dirt off the top with a ladle... and proceeded to pour it into a
> flat Pan I brought....
>
> There are some MAJOR warning's .... Lead has some VERY nasty stuff in it
> especially if it was used in Batteries.... something about Cyanide.. and
> even if a drop of sweat gets into the pot it could cause a steam
> explosion.... and pouring it on one's self is very Nasty.... oh and once a
> Pot is Used for LEAD it CAN NOT BE RE-USED... Period except of course to
> melt more lead....
>
> Interesting day.... Keith
|