Re: [ATM] Tapping lead? Forget it!

["Jerry B. Hillman" <JBHillman@ev1.net>]

Hi All,

< It's a messy pastime, working with lead, and the material is dangerous to
work
with, lead poisoning being the most apparent risk>

To get lead posioning you have to ingest it. That means eat it.  You are not
going to absorb enough of it through your skin to hurt you when working with
the small amounts needed to cast counterweights.  However, if you are afraid
of lead poisoning, the answer is simple.  don't use it.  Get something else
to use for counterweights.
Lead is easy to melt, cast, drill, tap etc.  Try duplicating that with brass
for instance. Or iron.  Good luck.

BTW - Much of what ATM'ers use is toxic.  Have you ever seen what concrete
(used in tile tools and pitch laps) will do to skin?  Nasty.  The pitch
itself will eventually poison you if you keep eating it to test hardness.
CEO and aluminum oxide are both toxic as is silicon carbide.  The powdered
glass from cutting, grinding and polishing a mirror will kill you if you
inhale enough of it.  And 'enough' is a surprisingly small amount.  Some of
the chemicals to clean or de-coat a mirror are pure poison.  Not to mention
the extremely high risks associated with silvering your own mirror. My point
is,  if you are stupid, don't take up ATM'ing as a hobby.  Otherwise, use
common sense, and a good amount of caution and you will be alright.


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