Making Weights!

[John Marshall]

Hi,
There were some good posts and a load of crap!

A&E are just waiting for some of you.

Treat molten lead as a leathal thing.

[Old Smoothound]

In a back issue of Boat Fishing Monthly there was an article on home lead making. The gear worn was exceptionally protective.

Full Face shield..head to throat
Fire Retardent apron...chest to calves
Fire Resistant gloves...up to the elbow

So it is very very dangerous to work with molten lead as John says...he should know he and Audi Racer mould a hell of a lot of lead weights between them.

If I was considering moulding my own...I would seek their advice first.

I wouldn't like any of my froum pals ending up in A&E

[John Marshall]

Originally Posted by pixybasher

Hey guys joking apart though the lead fumes (gases)are HIGHLY TOXIC and you should wear the appropriate mask. A normal dust mask is NOT siutable, You need a mask that will prevent fumes from entering your airway.I was a Health ans Saferty Manager for 4 years and know how DEADLY lead fumes can be.
Its not just the fumes either, its the Lead dust as well,always wash your hands before drinking or smoking as contamination will be directly transmitted to your digestive tract.Dont let an external HAZARD become an internal one.
LEAD IS A KILLER and poisons many people a year who are not aware of the Health and Safety implications.
Always have a good fresh air supply to disperse the fumes, wear protective gloves to protect from contact with the skin and also to prevent burns. And ALWAYS wear the CORRECT type of mask.

One little tip about the adjusty mould and any mould come to that... dont poor hot lead into it when it is cold!!! Always heat the mould before with a heat gun.This will insure the lead will run smoothly thoughout the entire length of the mould and also more inportantly wont crack the mould due to the shock of the extremely high temperature.

Happy weight making.. That reminds me, wheres mine gone?

Pixie, great post, you forgot no moisture on anything.

[kiwimarty]

Ooop's.

I think some of this is aimed at me!!

Kiwi.

[devondave]

Originally Posted by John Marshall

Pixie, great post, you forgot no moisture on anything.

yes red hot lead and water dont mix!

[wellyfish]

hey mart ,i bet you wished you just bought them now

[kiwimarty]

To be honest I didnt think it would create such interest.....I thought is would be a lame thread! I think some would go spare if I told them I made my first leads when I was 13 with my pal Angelo!!

Kiwi.

[bazw]

Originally Posted by Ben

you can pick up the british current issue gas mask for around £25 from ebay or most good surplus stores which would probably be perfect for keeping fumes away from you and also out of your eyes

you can use a welders fume mask from the likes of M3 they are cheap and throw away after use
i think if i was caught in the garage with a ww3 gas mask on our lass would be straght out the door

hummmmm theres an idea

[gullyworm]

I think it was aimed at me aswell Kiwi,health and safety wasnt really"IN" in the 70s
Although now i do realise how important it is..

[pixybasher]

The topic of LEAD is so serious I thought I'd enclose accurate facts so those of you who are a little nieve will understand the dangers and effects on YOUR HEALTH.

How can lead affect the body?
Lead affects five main systems in the body.

These health conditions are related to high levels and long term exposure,but should not be discounted for short term either.

The five systems are: nervous system, digestive system, blood forming organs, reproductive system and the kidneys. Let's look at how lead affects these areas of the body in more detail.


Digestive System - ingestion of lead can result in a condition known as lead colic, which is characterized by stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and constipation.

Reproductive system - exposure to lead can affect a women's fertility and result in miscarriages, birth defects, children with lower IQ or children with behavioral problems. Lead not only affects women, it also affects men in such ways as impotency, decreased sex drive and sterility.

Circulatory system - lead can also affect your blood. Lead can destroy red blood cells. This does not mean that a low exposure to lead will cause all of your blood cells to break apart or be malformed. Anemia is one condition associated with high levels of lead exposure.

Nervous system - lead can affect the central nervous system (which includes the brain) and peripheral nervous system (nerves that supply the arms and legs). High level exposure can cause poor memory and changes in behavior.

Urinary system - the kidneys are the organ in the body that filter the blood. Since lead can be transported by the blood it also affects the kidneys. Short term exposure is generally reversible. In many cases kidney damage is not apparent until permanent damage has occurred. In extreme conditions renal failure can occur.

Skeletory system - a certain amount of lead that enters the body is excreted. However, some of the lead goes into long-term storage in the bones. Lead can bond to the long bones of the body such as the bones in legs and arms and may stay there for 20 years.

How can you protect yourself against lead?
Simply stated, the best ways to protect yourself is to prevent inhalation and ingestion.

Ingestion results generally from hand/mouth contact, and to a lesser degree, as the result of breathing. Eating, smoking, chewing tobacco or gum with hands that are covered with lead dust, should be avoided. You should wash your hands and face prior to eating and should not eat in an area where lead dust in present.

The best way to avoid all the effects of lead is to eliminate it from the process, but in lead weight making there is no other alternative.


Local exhaust ventilation - The next best method after elimination or substitution is local exhaust ventilation. Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) involves the use of a hood or some type of enclosure to capture lead dust or lead fumes at the point of generation. The lead is captured and removed from the work area. Many LEV systems are portable, while others are fixed in place.

Control by time - This involves limiting the amount of time that you are exposed. Instead of being exposed to lead for 3 hours, perhaps you should consider speading your time over 1 hour periods and over a couple of days.


Control by distance - This type of control applies mostly to airborne lead dusts and fumes. By providing distance between the source of lead fumes and dust the exposure should be lower.


Respirators and Personal Protective Equipment - Respirators are the best and the worst way to control your exposure. A respirator, or mask as they are sometimes called, acts as a filter to remove dust, including dust that contains lead, from the air we breath. Respirators are hot, uncomfortable, interfere with normal conversation and increase breathing resistance. The bottom line is that most people don't like to use a respirator and may use them incorrect, but they are designed to do the job they are intened for....preventing contamination of your body.

As mentioned by one of the other chaps before, leather aprons,cloves and gauntlets should be used but I dont suppose many of us have these to hand so just be very careful.
Lead melts at 327.502 degrees centigrade, thats over 3 x that of boiling water.

I hope this information has helped you understand more fully the dangers of LEAD and its consequences of exposure.
As long as you follow the guidelines then there should be no problems when making your lead weights.

Makes you wonder really...is it really worth the hassle?????