Melted lead WARNING !!!!

[Allen]

Just a word of caution to you who cast your own bullets. This subject may have come up before but if so I'm not aware of it. Many years ago I was melting some old tire weights in my electric Lee Production Pot. All was going well and I had melted quite a few weights and cast a bunch of bullets. I ran out of weights that had been stored inside my workshop so I went outside and gathered some from a 5 gal. bucket. The weights appeared to be dry but low and behold they harbored some moisture. When I put a couple into the nearly full pot of molted lead the moisture flashed off with a "boom" and emptied the pot on the 8' ceiling. Of course from there it splattered and went everywhere else. Somehow I didn't get burned. So, even though these things looked dry some moisture was present in the dust or oxidation on the lead. Obviously it doesn't take much so be careful. From that day forth I have used only lead stored inside and spread out where I know w/o a doubt it is dry. Another good reason to wear safety glasses too.

[Hefights]

"Somehow I didn't get burned." Lucky lucky lucky. Yep molten lead has zero tolerance for moisture. So you have to have a "zero defects" process when it comes to making sure the product going into the pot is dry.

[p246]

Of course it slows things down but I always put whatever I'm smelting in a cold pot then heat it. Any missed moisture can steam off as it warms. Glad the lead fountain missed you.

[Matt Anthony]

Glad to hear you didn't get burned or lose your eyesight. Any one who starts casting should read, read and read some more before plugging in the furnace. Lyman's cast bullet manuals are probably the best source for beginners and veteran casters.
I don't have any horror stories as I follow a strict protocol on alloy storage, furnace and tool maint and safety glasses and a face shield.
I just purchased 40 lbs. of Hard Ball from Roto Metals for $123.60, free shipping on any purchase over 100 bucks. I could of purchased from Missouri Bullet, 66 lbs. for @$143.88 plus $14.00 shipping. Roto is higher in price but I know their alloy and it's right on.
As all of you know the EPA has shuttered the last lead smelter here in the states. Now we must mine the ore, send it overseas for smelting, then ship it back here. This will increase the price perhaps to our breaking point. I hope it does so Americans take back their country from these damn liberal do gooder people controllers. Anyway, the company could not spend the 100 million dollars to upgrade the plant to the new EPS regulations. This is good chance for Mexico or Canada to build a plant right near the borders and cash in on our stupidity!
This is not gun control according to the O administration, it's about the enviroment. Bull Hockey I say, this fixation on lead being so harmful is just not true. It's far safer than the gasoline they approve of! I am getting irritated on all of the lies polititians shove down our throats. Be a voice or we will lose it all.................
Matt

[leftyo]

always exciting. ive worked for a few years in the lead plant of a major ammo manufacturer, and it's always exciting when someone throws a wet lead ingot into an 800deg pot.

[madsenshooter]

I swept up some drippings from my Lee Drippy once, threw them back into the pot. Lo and behold, there was a live primer amongst the other silver things. It all missed me, but I had a lot more little drippings to sweep up and scrape off the ceiling. More power in a LR primer than what you'd think! Yea Matt, you're right, it isn't as harmful as they're making out. I read one greenie post that was talking about the oxides coming off wheelweights building up along the roadside. No it's the many years of tetraethyl lead that is along the roadside. Still, I knew a mechanic that washed his hands in leaded gasoline several times per day since the end of WWII. He only lived to be 82.

[joem]

Early in my career I thought I might like to be a plumber. While working with a plumber the solder pot exploded. No one got hurt but I decided plumbing was not for me.

[Allen]

I swept up some drippings from my Lee Drippy once, threw them back into the pot. Lo and behold, there was a live primer amongst the other silver things. It all missed me, but I had a lot more little drippings to sweep up and scrape off the ceiling. More power in a LR primer than what you'd think! Yea Matt, you're right, it isn't as harmful as they're making out. I read one greenie post that was talking about the oxides coming off wheelweights building up along the roadside. No it's the many years of tetraethyl lead that is along the roadside. Still, I knew a mechanic that washed his hands in leaded gasoline several times per day since the end of WWII. He only lived to be 82.

The lead is gone now from gasoline but it still can contain hazardous chemicals, the main one being benzene. Gasoline is so thin it penetrates the skin easily as well. Back in my younger days I worked on my cars quite often and got my hands plenty greasy. I used to soak them in what was convenient which was always gasoline. Times have changed.

[jimb]

Congrats on your introduction to the Tinsel Fairy! Most of us who have been casting for many years have met the Fairy one or more times....

[Allen]

I would have guessed a "puff" or a "sizzzzzzz" with the addition of a tiny bit of water but not a "boom" with enough force to empty the pot. All of this with probably less than one drop of water. Like I said, the weights looked dry and I only put two of them in the pot. I hope this warning keeps someone from having a very bad day.