Casting Indoors

[TreeburnerCT]

I typically cast in our backyard, but it's supposed to be rainy all day tomorrow so I'm considering casting in the basement with the bilco doors open and the pot basically right at the bottom of the stairs to the door.  I would have a fan blowing across the pot towards the open doors.  Using pure lead with 2% tin added both from Rotometals, and no other contaminants in the mix.

This isn't my usual setup, but would it be safe for a one-time casting session?

[BSJ]

Yes.

[Insanity]

Everyone will have a different answer for that. With ventilation you should be ok. Some will say it will be the end of the world etc to cast inside. Others will says lead does not offgas until a certain temp while the rest will say if its licquid it is off gassing. If you feel you have done what is needed to be safe all around I do not think ocasional indoor casting with ventilation will have any long term negative impact on your health. Now safety speaking I have spilled a near full 10 pound lead pot just inside my garage door, I no longer will move a hot pot with licquid lead in it no matter the circumstances. So I hope you have a nice sturdy table to work on and no rain comes into your doors.

[Back_Roads]

 I made a rangehood to vent out a basement window, the hood is right over the pots and draws a good amount of air up and out. I only do this with clean lead. If processing lead from my traps I do that outside, due to higher temps and smoldering target scraps.

[TreeburnerCT]

Thanks guys, I'm not one of those overly-cautious people that avoids any potential hazards regardless of how small, so I'm going to do it.  If I don't feel like enough air is moving through I will stop and just wait until next time it's not raining, but I really want to try out my new NOE .22 20gr Hunter pellet mold and don't want to have to wait until next weekend to cast then try them out.

[Wayne52]

I've been doing it in and out like that for most of my life and haven't died yet.  Lead by itself don't give off fumes until it reaches much higher temperatures, leading an auto body is very touchy though when done with a torch, that can take the life right out of you.  Over 1K F is when it puts out poisonous fumes.

[triggertreat]

Every cast I have ever done has been inside my shed.  I do have both doors open and the pot is nearby those.  I have a large fan drawing out the nasty's. Also another fan pushing that way as well.  I stand away from all the smoke draw.  I rarely even smell anything while casting.  Maybe a little Paraffin wax if it ignites while rendering the tin back into the lead, which it usually does.  If outside I would still be using those fans to draw away the smoke, but I don't like bugs or anything else in my stew.

[Madd Hatter]

I've been doing it in and out like that for most of my life and haven't died yet.  Lead by itself don't give off fumes until it reaches much higher temperatures, leading an auto body is very touchy though when done with a torch, that can take the life right out of you.  Over 1K F is when it puts out poisonous fumes.

"Day tant over yet!" Curly

[rintafile]

Most people don't spot the difference of melting point and vaporaising point. Not saying it is in this case but generally. Safe casting is very good thing. Lead sticks to your body in long time. And it is very toxic. But melting point of pure lead is quite low so there is some fumes not much. Fan and open door is in my mind enough to make it safe or fume free. You can cast inside safely just let some air circle around place very you casting. I do it on balcony because I have change to do it on there.
When lead melts you don't need to put your head above pot or where ever you melting or casting it. I'm not trying to underestimate hazardous of that toxicity but nowadays it is been like lead is some kind of nuclear waste. I mean point of legislation etc.
so that's my few cents...

Happy and safe casting for everyone

[Sbak]

A better question is who is in the house with you? If it were me and just me I would personally be ok with it. Wife? Kids? House mates?

The reality is you are going to get lead residue everywhere, from dust to spills, it's gonna happen. You will then track that residue all over the rest of the house without even knowing it.

If that's ok in your situation then go for it, if not it might be wise to find a way to keep it outside.

I don't know about about you but my six month old stuffs anything and everything she can in her mouth, I keep my casting stuff quarantined on its own

[rintafile]

Well I thought we spoke casting like garage or similar places. Not living eviroment.  I don't think anybody wants cast home inside with child or spouse. Which dust you are referring?  If you have fluxed lead ingots how those ingots bring dust when you put it on pot and melt it? And when if lead spills depending if you use laddle or bottom pour pot it freezes rapidly. Any caster should use common sense where can cast and where it is not wise...

[Chris USA]

Good topic. I do not cast, but do smoke. Just me here. I took a 6" duct fan and reduced it down to 4" for use with that shiny flex metal dryer hose duct. Mounted the fan in a board and the board goes in a window. The other end is affixed to a cardboard box, 1 side cut out and weighted with a can of pellets. Works great.

I did stained glass work years ago and had a similar set up for solder fumes. Flux fumes there too.

As has been mentioned, cross flow works good. I can put a fan in a window, open another window,.. and still have the house be pressurized (verified by locking myself out of the house when gently closing the main door, yet not pulling it shut. It got close and shut on it's own).   

A vent hood directly over the work area would be my set up if I did casting, needed or not.