Newb Bullet Casting Question
- Thread starter gnmontey
- Start date
BattleRife
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- of No Fixed Address
I do mine in a detached (heated) garage with a bathroom exhaust fan installed directly over the casting bench. In some cases, like soft lead alloy casting round balls at minimal heat, you might not need to flux. But in most cases you will, and I wouldn't do it in a basement unless you could be by an open window with a good fan moving the air out.
Yotarunner
CGN Regular
- Location
- Eastern Alberta
I find if you do all your ingot making outside during the warmer months and realy take care in fluxing out the impurities you wont need to flux when you get to casting bullets. With real clean lead im comfortable casting indoors near a cracked window.
Well external venting would be an issue for me. The only exterior exhaust vent remotely close to my work bench is the dryer exhaust vent.
Truth be told I'm not a total newb. I dabbled with casting back in the early 80's when I was loading BP cartridges for an original Trap Door and a 455 Martini Henry.
Details are pretty sketchy now (it's been a long time) and I didn't cast anything in any significant quantities.
I recollect melting wheel weights in a cast iron pot on a Coleman stove in the back yard and I recollect casting bullets in the basement. I don't recollect rigging any kind of exhaust system. Maybe I did?
I recollect using a powder based fluxing agent? Marvelux rings a bell for me.
So you guys feel I need to figure out the ventilation issue before pursuing this any further?
M
Truth be told I'm not a total newb. I dabbled with casting back in the early 80's when I was loading BP cartridges for an original Trap Door and a 455 Martini Henry.
Details are pretty sketchy now (it's been a long time) and I didn't cast anything in any significant quantities.
I recollect melting wheel weights in a cast iron pot on a Coleman stove in the back yard and I recollect casting bullets in the basement. I don't recollect rigging any kind of exhaust system. Maybe I did?
I recollect using a powder based fluxing agent? Marvelux rings a bell for me.
So you guys feel I need to figure out the ventilation issue before pursuing this any further?
M
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What is a "desktop solder fume remover" and where can you get these?
Might be hope for this idea yet. When we had our ancient furnace replaced they abandoned an outside vent (combustion air intake maybe?).
Might be able to duct up to that if I can figure out where in the basement wall it is.
M
Might be hope for this idea yet. When we had our ancient furnace replaced they abandoned an outside vent (combustion air intake maybe?).
Might be able to duct up to that if I can figure out where in the basement wall it is.
M
Don't think a "desktop solder fume remover" is going to cut it in my case. Would have helped with some of the other stunts I've pulled off in my shop/work space though.
Ends up what I thought was an abandoned outside vent isn't abandoned at all. The combustion air intake pipes are still piped into the furnace room. One to the furnace return air duct and another into the furnace room that has been plugged with insulation. This is a good thing actually as it means there is a fresh air source very close to my proposed casting station.
So now I'm thinking I could rig a high volume bathroom ventilation fan above the casting station and vent that straight out the dryer vent.
Air In - Fumes Out. Both the fresh air source and dryer vent are actually within 10' of each other (I know, it's a tiny house)
BTB there are no wee ones nor pets here any more. Long past that part of our lives.
Thoughts?
M
Ends up what I thought was an abandoned outside vent isn't abandoned at all. The combustion air intake pipes are still piped into the furnace room. One to the furnace return air duct and another into the furnace room that has been plugged with insulation. This is a good thing actually as it means there is a fresh air source very close to my proposed casting station.
So now I'm thinking I could rig a high volume bathroom ventilation fan above the casting station and vent that straight out the dryer vent.
Air In - Fumes Out. Both the fresh air source and dryer vent are actually within 10' of each other (I know, it's a tiny house)
BTB there are no wee ones nor pets here any more. Long past that part of our lives.
Thoughts?
M
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Lonesome Donkey
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Central Alberta
In my teens, I cast bullets in the basement using a naphtha Coleman stove and a 10 pound pot a time or two.
Didn't feel all that well afterward (LOL) so I moved it to the garage.
A few times I used an electric burner on the kitchen stove.
Had to be sure that nobody was home though.
Didn't feel all that well afterward (LOL) so I moved it to the garage.
A few times I used an electric burner on the kitchen stove.
Had to be sure that nobody was home though.
In my teens, I cast bullets in the basement using a naphtha Coleman stove and a 10 pound pot a time or two.
Didn't feel all that well afterward (LOL) so I moved it to the garage.
A few times I used an electric burner on the kitchen stove.
Had to be sure that nobody was home though.
That's pretty funny all right. Ya, I could see a naphtha stove and a pot of lead in a confined space making one feel kind of strange.
I was seriously considering doing some stove top parkerizing when the wife wasn't home one time. I chickened out on that idea.
It's interesting that my wife asked why I couldn't do the casting in the kitchen with the window open. I guess she doesn't realize the potential for burn marks on the counter top and linoleum. She is quite adamant that I don't mess with the dryer vent for some reason?
M
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if you do a lot of casting in an enclosed place, speak to your md about having getting tested to measure the amount of lead you have in your blood. it's a simple procedure and can be done along with the other blood testing that most people get done on a yearly basis. i only cast outside and make enough projectiles to last the year so i don't need to worry about casting inside the garage.
I think the fumes would be the least of the ingestion. Make sure to wear gloves and coveralls and keep them seperate from any other clothing. Handling lead and eating without washing your hands seems like the easiest way to get lead poisoning. As far as fumes go an open window and a desk fan would work just lay down some plywood or tin on your table or floor to catch any splatter.
95% of lead poisoning comes through ingestion either through eating or smoking and while handling lead. I made machines that made the lead core for batteries. #1 rule was ; wash your hands. Only ever saw the odd individual wear a mask.
