Melting lead

[Billnpatti]

Something I always wondered about...
Lead melts about 365 degrees. It boils/ vaporizes at over 1700 degrees.

What are the hazardous vapors produced when lead is just melted and held at temperatures below the vaporization level?

http://www.kansasangler.com/makeit.html

 

[Col. Batguano]

Properties of Lead
Lead is a chemical element in the carbon group

With symbol Pb and atomic number 82. It is a soft, malleable and heavy post-transition metal.

Symbol: Pb
Melting point: 621.5°F (327.5°C)
Atomic mass: 207.2 u ± 0.1 u
Atomic number: 82
Electron configuration: [Xe] 4f145d106s26p2
Discovered: 7000 BC
Boiling point: 3,180°F (1,749°C)

 

[fishmusic]

Everything has a vapor pressure that is related to temperature. The higher the temp the more vapor escapes. Water evaporates without boiling, just not as fast. IMO play it safe and cast in a well ventilated area.

 

[Billnpatti]

Properties of Lead
Lead is a chemical element in the carbon group

With symbol Pb and atomic number 82. It is a soft, malleable and heavy post-transition metal.

Symbol: Pb
Melting point: 621.5°F (327.5°C)
Atomic mass: 207.2 u ± 0.1 u
Atomic number: 82
Electron configuration: [Xe] 4f145d106s26p2
Discovered: 7000 BC
Boiling point: 3,180°F (1,749°C)

Understood, but what am I to do with that with regard to the discussion at hand? This may be more helpful to the average person:
http://dept.harpercollege.edu/chemistry/msds/Lead metal foil sheets Fisher.pdf

 

[robert bw]

I have a dipper that holds about 2 or 3 ounces.i use a propane plumbers torch and work on the ground outdoors(no nasty fumes to breath and you cant drop a pot that is already on the ground).hope this helps

 

[ZUG]

Just like all the other post here I cast bullets very similarly :wink: -- here is how I do it;
If I have lead that I have gathered from roofers or junk yards I first seperate all the stuff that is not lead from the pile. I then have my turkey fryer and LARGE STEEL wok for smelting the lead into clean ingots for future use. I then use a Lee #20 dip pot to cast with. This is done outdoors :thumbsup: . When I was casting & shooting bullseye pistol I used two #40 plumbers pots & a 20 pound propane tank along with a 10 cavity H&G #68 mold & casted over 8,000 .45 bullets over a weekend with this set-up. Now I just use the #20 Lee dip pot as I don't shoot as much as I use to :grin: .