Handling lead weights? - a question

[terry weber]

This is may be a stupid question but here it goes... I was at a hobby shop yesterday looking for a few extra weights for my 1/96 Skipjack. The shop owner said that I sould not use real lead becuase when I handle it, it'll go into my skin and into my blood and after awhile it'll kill me. Now, I always thought that lead was only dangeros if you swalloed it, or if you got hit in the head with a large chunk of it. Could some one please just give me the facts about handleing lead and lead based products? Thanks.
Trying not to sound too stupid,
Terry Weber

[raalst]

Lead is dangerous.
use gloves

Lead is dangerous.
use gloves when handling it,
do use precautions when melting it (the fumes..)
It can get through the skin, and rubs off easily on
your skin. Lead based solder is in the process of
being banned (at least in Europe).

But, then again, it's not as quick as a depleted
uranium bullet
Some old houses still contain lead piping for drinking
water. And your roof probably contains a few square meters
of it.
I guess you might say it's as dangerous as polyesters,
epoxies, asbestos etc. the more you handle it, the more you have to watch yourself.
The danger is that you'll get no direct warnings you've gone too far. You can eat a bit now, you'll get neurological trouble
a few years later.

I' m not working with the stuff professionally.
If you look for it, the Internet provides data sheets on
various materials, citing it's risks and advised
countermeasures. These fact sheets are some sort
of standard in the chemical industry.

hopefully a more knowledgeable person can
add the definitive answer, but up till then, I believe
this covers it :
- be careful
- avoid/minimize direct contact in any form
(fumes, filing scraps on that old donut, molten
droplets on your trousers, kneading it in a desired shape
etc).
- be tidy with the stuff. use the vac, ventilate, wash your
hands

[boatbuilder1]

yes it is a dangerous

yes it is a dangerous material but only if used every day every hour read the safetly marerial data sheets and read the new EPA report that states over a 10 year peiod if handeld with out proper precautions it can be dangerous and life threatening
but in our hobby I think it is a matter of personal choice
the amounts and frequencies we handle the stuff is so minor that it has little if any long term effects but using latex or vinyl gloves is a good idea I worked at a foundry for one summer and the use of lead was a big caution had the wear respiators and gloves when handleing it but these were larg 10 to 20 pound ingots

so again I think it is not something to get over cautious about

[carcharadon]

Millions of cars in America

Millions of cars in America have lead weights on the tires used for balancing. Every time a new tire is sold it is balanced with lead weights. As far as I know there are no special procedures for handling lead weights for tires. If this were a problem I'm sure EPA would promulgate rules and regulations for handling lead weights on tires. I do know however, that former shooting ranges on military bases are considered hazardous sites for cleanup because of the lead bullets. Also indoor shooting ranges must have adequate ventilation. But then this is reasonable because as the bullet is pulverized airborne particles are produced. I also know that lead forms and outer layer of oxidation similar to rust on steel. If you have a shiny new piece of lead eventually it will turn in color to a dull gray. My understanding is that this oxidized layer tends to keep microscopic particles of lead from sloughing off. Also lead weights are typically used by scuba divers and again no special EPA regulations.

[novagator]

I must really be in

I must really be in trouble with all the lead in my BC for scuba diving.

[interpol]

Wait a second, I am

Wait a second, I am a little concerned here. You mean lead isn't a condiment?

[anonymous]

Lets not forget about all

Lets not forget about all those fishermen out there.
on a serious note if you are concerned with the effects of lead poisoning put on a pair of latex gloves and then paint the lead with an enamel paint. This will cover you in the event you need to make an adjustment of ballast and have no gloves. We do this where I work for times where we use lead to hold things down or what ever.

[terry weber]

Lets not forget about all

Lets not forget about all those fishermen out there.
on a serious note if you are concerned with the effects of lead poisoning put on a pair of latex gloves and then paint the lead with an enamel paint. This will cover you in the event you need to make an adjustment of ballast and have no gloves. We do this where I work for times where we use lead to hold things down or what ever.

Thanks, I'll do that. Thanks for all the help guys. till next time, keep a 0 buble.
Terry