Health Concerns

[WI Smoke]

After messing w/ smelting my new dirty lead for a few hours I felt fine, until about 2 am when I woke up and throat was swollen shut. Not my breathing tube but the swallering one. Thought it was just a giant goober and went back to sleep. By mourning I could get alittle water down but really had to force it, no food anyway I tried. Was this way for 2 days now today it feels LOADS better, not perfect but I do enjoy the taste of food. Anyone hear of this before or was it just a wierd coincidence?
Thanks
WI Smoke

 

[jtmattison]

Did you do it in a well ventilated area and avoid the smoke?

HD

 

[WI Smoke]

I feel that I may have been able to do a little better in both regards but this casting expeince is only a week old to me, and I felt I was actual doing quite well. I had a nice cross wind but may have had my head over the pot too much, and I did breath in some smoke that was created when I put in the wax.
WI Smoke :shake:

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Smoke,

I don't think your symptoms are caused by melting lead, although I'm no medical person. I have never had side effects from casting. I usually cast outside on the back porch. If the air isn't moving I'll set up a fan but other than that I don't take precautions. Hope ya get better. GW

 

[JWP]

I've never experienced anything like what you've described after casting balls.
You said you used dirty lead - what kind of dirty?
I've always used lead from buried phone cables (one of the perks of where one works).
I would mention it to my doctor the next time you see him - I think they can test for lead poisoning :hmm:

 

[Coot]

I have never experienced any effects like you described but I do use a good fan. Other thought - you mentioned "dirty lead" - could be something "cooking off" the melting lead when you were casting :hmm:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Get a cheap, foam, air mask at your hardware store, and wear it whenever you are casting. Do set up a fan to blow the fumes away from you and never put your head over the pot, particularly when you are burning off dirt, and other debris.

We always cast our raw lead into ingots, first, to remove as much of the " impurities " and non-lead stuff in it, at the first pour. Then, on the second pouring, or melt, we fluxed and skimmed the fine dust and particles that rose up before casting balls and bullets.

This is not something you want to try to rush. Haste makes waste, and is down right dangerous to you personally. Take your time. You will cast better balls, have fewer rejects, and accomplish much more, and do it safely, than if you try to rush.

 

[WI Smoke]

It is the same lead that was mentioneed in the topic before this one that kept giving off some gold colored film as I was tring to flux it. The stuff was coming off faster than I could skimm.
WI Smoke

 

[silverfox]

The gold color comes from the high temperature you have your lead at. Turn the temp. down a little and it will go away. You said dirty lead if that means sewer lead you may be lucky to still be around no telling what you were inhalling. Lead melting with a small breeze blowing should not bother a person but just to be safe do wear a mass of some kind. The only lead poisoning case I was around was cleaning and indoor fireing range. The people cleaning were blowing grey dust out of the noses and claimed to be tasting metalic matter in their mouths. They spent some time in the hospital
Cut the heat down and get good ventilation and you should be fine.
Fox :hatsoff:

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Smoke,

Could have been an allergic reaction to the lead itself (hopefully not!) or something in the lead that you were unknowingly cooking-off :hmm: . I'm no Doctor, just a former first-aider, but your symtoms of throat swelling leads me to believe that you should be checked-out by medial personell.

What ever you do, stop the way you were doing it and listen to Paul's reccomendations :nono: .

If you seek emergency medical treatment for a throat-swelling allergic reaction, what ever you do please don't tell them you were making bullets! When they go to write it up on all of the hospital paperwork, the cause will be written down as "GUN RELATED INJURY" :shake: . Tell them that you were soldering pipe for a plumbing or electrical project around the house. If you seek treatment from your regular Doctor, tell him the truth. :shocked2:

Most guys in their thirties don't have a hidden major health problem, and most guys in their thirties don't go into anaphalactic shock either! :shocked2:

Stay HEALTHY and MAKE SMOKE!

Dave

 

[MikeChapin]

Sounds like you were alergic to some of the crud on the lead. You never know what is coating the lead and at the tempratures most of that stuff is going to vaporize. If you are alergic to any one of those materials, breathing the vapors will make it worse. You really should use a VERY well ventilated area when you are cleaning up lead.

 

[arquebus]

Better still, tell them you were casting fishing sinkers, that would explain away the reason for the prolonged exposure to molten lead.....not something you'd get soldering joints!
Seems like every time I go to a Doctor's or Specialist's office I get a form to fill out asking about medical history.....there's always a question about owning guns (do you think 'Big Brother' is watching?!).

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

My Doc is an Eagle Scout and a shooter to boot :thumbsup: . No :bull: on his forms :winking: . Dave