Melted lead WARNING !!!!

[Tuna]

[QUOTE=PhillipM;466281]As a child in the 70's the grownups called gasoline either red or white. I asked dad the difference and he said put red in the car and use wHite to wash parts!

Yup the white gas was Amoco. It had no lead additives in it. It was responsible for a lot of burned out values in cars back then in the mid 60's onward using high test gas. They needed the lead to lube the values back then.

[dave]

Think about it. Heating something cold causes moisture from condensation to form. Single pane windows in winter is a great example.

The weights probably were dry but placing a cold piece of lead into a pot of molten lead can cause moisture from condensation to form and result in a violent steam explosion.

It's safer to allow the molten lead to cool and harden, add more lead and reheat. This was a hard lesson learned by many, I'm sure. Glad you weren't injured.

The added lead sinks at least deep enough so there is no "condensation", does not stay or get cold, once in the melt.

[Merc]

The added lead sinks at least deep enough so there is no "condensation", does not stay or get cold, once in the melt.

Sorry for not agreeing with you Dave. Accidental steam explosions were once common in the steel business that used to be here in Pittsburgh.

[PhillipM]

Condensation is the moisture in the air condensing into liquid water. I'm not seeing how a dry piece of lead dumped in a pot can have any moisture condense on it resulting in a steam explosion.

[Merc]

I have not read all the posts, so excuse if this has been mentioned. Every safety instruction I ever read said NEVER add more lead to a melted pot. For the very reason of what happened to poster. Get it all in there, melted at once so any moisture or anything else is heated gradually!

I agree with this post. My theory is cold lead is added to molten lead produces a steam explosion. Any other theorys are welcome. Obvious, it's a dangerous practice and should be avoided.

[PhillipM]

I agree with this post. My theory is cold lead is added to molten lead produces a steam explosion. Any other theorys are welcome. Obvious, it's a dangerous practice and should be avoided.

Why is the lead colder than ambient temperature?

[Merc]

Read Allen's original post. So, why do you think the pot exploded when the cold weights were added?

[PhillipM]

Read Allen's original post. So, why do you think the pot exploded when the cold weights were added?

so I went outside and gathered some from a 5 gal. bucket

It rains here.

[Merc]

I used to do contracted work in various steel mills and can remember a small mill that had a steam explosion when pouring molten steel into a wet ingot mold that killed the crane operator.

[Hefights]

Very interesting thread, continues to inform and entertain.

[Merc]

Very interesting thread, continues to inform and entertain.

Stay safe by being informed.

[Merc]

Here is a video that points out the dangers of adding cold lead to molten lead. This guy seems to know what he is doing and is video taping himself melting a large quantity of lead. It looks like he has some sort of a backyard business going. Watch what happens when he adds a cold piece of hollow lead pipe to a molten pot of lead. CAUTION - coarse language. Air may have been trapped inside the hollow of the pipe and possibly combined with some moisture to produce the explosion. The reaction is instantaneous. Obviously, this guy has added cold lead to molten lead many times without any explosions. You just never know when the conditions are right for one to occur.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50T3sxiExbM

[Fred Pillot]

I watched the video of the exploding lead pot. What happened was when the guy placed the lead pipe in the molten lead pot sideways, the lead rushed into both ends of the pipe plugging the two ends. The air inside the pipe expanded from the heat and blew the molten lead out of the pipe and throwing lead out of the pot.

- - - Updated - - -

By the way. What is the common advice for avoiding lead fumes while using an electric pot indoors? Should there be a hood with and evacuation fan? Is there a danger? I've always done it outside on my BBQ. Made a pot with nozzles to make #8 lead shot. Worked really well. I had 40 lbs. of lead and time on my hands. I learned quite a bit.

[bruce]

Another thing that is surprising is the lead paint BS! Poor ghetto babies getting lead poisoning from eating paint chips or sucking on window sills or baseboards. This is simply the biggest conspiracy the government has pushed down our throats. An entire industry changing the composition of their product because little babies are sucking on paint. The ignorance of this statement is palpable. Fact is ... lead poisoning of this type was and remains a problem. Happily because of regulations in place, much of the risk is greatly reduced. Removing lead from gasoline was one of the main reasons lead levels dropped in adults and children. Removal of lead from paint has been nothing but a net positive good for everyone concerned. Old lead paint in buildings remains a real problem, a risk to one and all. Anyone at all involved in renovation ... it is a concern. You come home with the dust on your shoes/cloths. Your children get exposed to it. You got problems. The sooner that all lead residue can be removed from all older homes the better.

The last lead smelter in the US is now closed? Heard about that. Also understand that the results for anyone living down wind of such smelters was very much bad. Did the owners of the sweltering operation pay for the health issues, etc.? Very much doubt it. Will lead now cost more? Yes. Just like everything else. We will not be able to get free lead from local service stations,etc. But, fact is there are not many local service stations left any more. They went away ... just like so much else went away ... because they were not as cheap as the local convenience store. JMHO. Sincerely. bruce.