odinohi Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I was wondering if anyone gets there blood levels checked? I know I haven't practiced the safest habits for a few years and my level shows it. Four years ago my level was 3.7, this year it was 16. I know I need to change my habits or else. That is why I am going to start spin casting as soon as possible( hopefully sometime next year). The spin caster would keep me away from this melting pot and my pack of cigarettes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I have had my blood checked several time and last time it was 13. the doctor said it needed to be under 20. I had a different doctor (nurse practitioner) say it needs to be under 10, then the next time she said it needs to be under 20. in my opinion spin casting won't reduce exposure. I have poured for 28 years. I have had a spin casting machine for 15 years. In the last 15 years I have run this 5 days a week. using 40 to 60 lbs of lead a day. Eating and smoking and lead is bad. Don't do it together. I would be more afraid of the smoking than the lead. Just a question, how are you going to keep away from the melting pot and do spin casting?. I don't allow anyone to smoke in the building. I have to get on to people who chew, because they try to dip in the can without washing there hands. When everyone leaves they blow there cloths off, wash there hands and are told when they go home to treat themselves as there are dirty, need to wash cloths and shower. Lead in your blood got their through your mouth and most likely from your hands, so wash your hands. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 When you wash your hand for the fist time after handling lead, wash with cold water. Hot water opens your pores and it can get into your system that way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 When you wash your hand for the fist time after handling lead, wash with cold water. Hot water opens your pores and it can get into your system that way. Good point. but from what I have read absorption is not a significant route of exposure, but I still think the cold water is best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 You are right about the low level of obsorption, but lead contamination is cumulative. The more you do it the more you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 How many guys actually use plyers when fishing with lead split shots (i dont)?? Just food for thought... Some guys shy away from melting lead due to the health hazards, but dont think twice about biting a sinker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 It does take some effort. Putting on dropshot weights is nothing compared to making them all day until your fingers turn black Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I have my blood checked every year, and I practice safe lead pouring the best I can. I have been doing this for over 10 years and my level is about 1 or 2 which is negligible. I do not wear gloves on my hands when I pour, and I pull my jigs out of my molds with pliers if they get stuck. Ever since I started to use Drop-Out, most of my jigs fall out of the cavity. This helps a lot in not handling lead jigs all day long. I am a firm believer in not putting your hands in your mouth while you are pouring, like mentioned above. I also am a firm believer in washing your hands thoroughly with cold water and dishwasher soap. I think that bar soap is bad because you are rubbing it on and into your hands, which will push the lead around into your pores. Also bar soap can easily hold lead contaminates from not washing the soap off. So liquid soap for me. This is just my opinion as I am not a doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 It does take some effort. Putting on dropshot weights is nothing compared to making them all day until your fingers turn black So is it safe to say? For the average hobbyist making, say a couple dozen jigs a month..... Melting lead is no more harmful than melting plastic or carving wood/pvc?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 JR - one may well be safer than the other, but they are all proven to be unhealthy. The membership of this site has always been a strong advocate of health and safety; protect your eyes, lungs and any other parts in harms way. The damage done by the materials used in this industry of ours is mostly cumulative. Do not be fooled into complacency by low production numbers. When you pick up a lump of lead or fit the sander attachment to your Dremel, you should be thinking 'Poison' and then do something to minimize that poison. Under the right working conditions, this hobby is as safe as any other. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LimpNoodle Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 I was wondering if anyone gets there blood levels checked? I know I haven't practiced the safest habits for a few years and my level shows it. Four years ago my level was 3.7, this year it was 16. I know I need to change my habits or else. That is why I am going to start spin casting as soon as possible( hopefully sometime next year). The spin caster would keep me away from this melting pot and my pack of cigarettes. Better yet. Get rid of the cigarettes. You'll still be exposed to lead spincasting. Your pot is not your problem. Your problem is not washing your hands before you stick a death nail in your mouth. I dearly love a good cigar. But I NEVER smoke a cigar when I'm working with lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Better yet. Get rid of the cigarettes. You'll still be exposed to lead spincasting. Your pot is not your problem. Your problem is not washing your hands before you stick a death nail in your mouth. I dearly love a good cigar. But I NEVER smoke a cigar when I'm working with lead. Absolutely! With a level of 16mg/dl your smoking and overall hygiene while working with lead is the problem. I only see it getting worse for you with spin casting as you will be using more lead everyday in your pot. The lead isn't going away by spincasting. Get a handle on your hygiene issues before you get in real health trouble. I worked as a cleaner in a lead/zinc mine mill for a year and a half. Lead and proper hygiene were a huge deal there. We had our blood tested every 3 month's. Mine never got as high as yours. Your lead levels are certainly getting too high for a home jig maker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Use a dust mask when you pour, so you aren't tempted to go to your mouth with anything before you have a chance to wash your hands. Be careful. Lead poisoning is no joke, and can ruin your life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odinohi Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 I appreciate all the responses. I know I need to quit smoking while I'm dealing with Lead. I just got back from the pharmacy and got my first dose of Chantix. I thought that I would be able to wear gloves spincasting. I cannot wear gloves while I'm pouring under my bottom pour pot. If I make my molds correctly I will not have to do nearly as much sprue cutting. I am going through about 3000 to 4000 pounds of lead per year. That is a lot of sinkers and a lot of sprue cutting. I do have a good quality respirator at work that I will bring home to start using while smelting. I am glad that I started this conversation, it is a good one and then important one. Thank you all very much. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Don't eat, drink, chew or smoke with lead contaminated hands. Wash your hands before doing any of these things. don't contaminate your cell phone, door knobs, automobiles etc... If the lead was like cow manure, you would not have any problems of lead poisoning. it has a very distinct property that would keep your fingers away from your mouth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Forget the Chantix, I have something better. I'm a cancer survivor but I was a smoker and I really didn't want to quit smoking. If you don't believe that I can tell you how bad it was, right after chemotherapy my wife would pick me up and as soon as we turned the corner from the cancer clinic I'd light up a smoke, smoking right after chemo, that is die hard right there. Anyway, my cancer wasn't related to smoking but I still needed to quit, well the doctor gives me a prescription for a Nicotrol Inhaler kit, it comes with a little carrying case about the size of a pack of smokes and a few inhalers that look like the end of a tiparillo cigar along with 6 months worth of cartridges. Each cartridge has 2 cigarettes worth of nicotine and you can puff anytime, it actually feels like taking a drag from a cigarette but it isn't quite as enjoyable. Anyway, I didn't even want to quit but I kept puffing the inhaler and slowly but surely I wasn't using it as much, then one day 6 years ago me wife says to me, "It's 11:30am and you still didn't hit your puffer." and that is when I knew I had smoking kicked and the best part is I don't even get bothered by it like some who have quit cold turkey, I have no craving at all, give it a try, and if you need more ifo feel free to ask and I'll get you what you need. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LimpNoodle Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 You don't even need a prescription anymore. Just pick up any of the available e-cigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 E-cigarettes aren't the same thing, you are breathing in water vapor that has nicotine in it which has other lung irritants in it. The Nicotrol inhaler is a simple plastic tip that you put a cartridge in and when you puff it draws air through the cartridge so you are breather plain air with nicotine and as you begin to slow down you get les and less nicotine. My doctor told me that she has been treating people who are developing pneumonia from e-cigarettes along with serious reactions as certain kinds of e-cigarette cartridges have other things in them like flavorings and things that are actually worse that the tar you get from regular cigarettes. The Nicotrol inhaler is not the same as an e-cigarette, and most prescription plans cover the Nicotrol inhaler so they end up much less expensive and not near as harmful as e-cigarettes can be. I apologize for the tone but I asked the doctor about the e-cigarettes last year and what I found out is enough to make you stay away from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LimpNoodle Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Not to mention your doctor doesn't get money from the e-cig companies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 ok, I was a 2 pack a day smoker for 13 years. I wanted to quit but couldn't. I decided to wean myself off and told my wife to start me off with 40 cigarettes, tomorrow she would give me 39 and the next day 38 etc... then she seen on TV commercial a pocket size computer a little bigger than a credit card that would ween you off cigarettes. it was $80, so I carried it in my pocket with my cigarettes, the 1st week every time you smoke you push the button, after a week the computer knew you smoking habit and then it would beep to tell you when you could smoke. so it would beep and then you pressed the button to confirm you smoked, but if you couldn't wait for it to beep, you pushed the button anyway when you smoked and it made a buzz sound indicating that was not the time to smoke and it would recalculate your weaning period, so this went on for a month slowly reducing the number of cigarettes each day until the last day it was down to 1 cigarette and it beeped and played the victory song and I have have never smoked again, never had an urge or nothing. not even tempted when someone else smoked. that was the easiest thing I ever done. the program was called Life Sign. that has been 25 years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Been pouring since the mid 70's, the lead split shots hate to say went in the mouth and got bitten onto the line. Vermont can't use lead split shot anymore. I have my lead level checked all the time and nothing shows up. Always wash hands using Dawn dish soap in cold water. If I want a smoke (getting way down) or cup of coffee, wash the hands and dry with paper towel. They have all these world class scientists - let them come up with a material with all the characteristics of lead and keep it cheap and I'll switch (they could start out switching it pound for pound with all of us!!LOL), it's all common sense keeping yourself safe while working with lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Do any of the alloys, like what's used for tire weights, make lead less toxic 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 I use 6% antimony to make the lead hard and it is bad stuff to. You could use tin but it wont be less toxic still have lead in it. Bismuth and tin would be the safest alternative. Bismuth is 85% weight of lead. To me the tin mixed in makes the spru break off cleaner than straight bismuth. Tin can be poured straight but it's lighter and cost a lot more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) Mark - Pewter is a tin alloy that used to contain lead, so I would say yes, the toxicity changes depending on the metals involved. Dave Edited August 18, 2015 by Vodkaman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Do any of the alloys, like what's used for tire weights, make lead less toxic Maybe i misunderstood, do you mean zinc? The zinc alloy i use has copper and aluminum in it. To my knowledge this is not toxic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
