Visited the dentist yesterday....

'cause I've got a tooth bothering me. Doc took Xrays - and then told me that this was the last week he'd be doing Xrays w/ film - next week his digital system gets delivered and installed....

After he got done developing the film, and we discussed treatment options (root canal and crown :( ), I asked about his Xray film - since I had read somewhere that there is lead (as in jig head type lead) on them.....

Yes - says the Doc - it has a thin film on it. He then proceeded to show me some of the stuff. I asked how much he had on hand - and could I get it from him?

He tells me he took 2 5 gal pails in last summer for re-cycle - he has some on hand, but not sure how much he has at this time.....

We walked toward the waiting room area - and then he headed off down the hall, and comes back carrying a card board box - maybe 5x5x8", plumb full of xray film foils (bite wing size) - and tells me there are 5 more boxes in his store room that I can have!

I offered to make him some jigs, but he rarely fishes. Told him I'd get the other boxes on my next visit. When I got home, the box weighed 28# - and its all soft lead.....

UG

You might want to make sure it doesn't have something in it that might create a huge smoke cloud when you melt it. I would bet they have either a coating or are mixed with some sort of amalgam/other stuff to keep them super soft and maybe contain free lead particles.

Fish 4 all

What is a amalgam? Are you in the dental "industry"?

Have you experienced a "huge smoke cloud" from this stuff?

UG

No, I am not in the industry but I have heard horror stories of the really soft lead gotten from different industries. One person in town that fishes a lot got some really soft stuff from a supply warehouse for medical and when he melted it the stuff smoked for hours.

As far as amalagam, I don't know if that is the right word or not. I do know there are a lot of things that they use to coat heavy metals and other stuff to make them safe for use in a lot of applications. Just look it up and see if there is any special treatments they do to it or call a dental/medical supply company.

One guy I knew used something to harden up his lead once, not knowing, he bought it from a store and it had some other stuff in it that just about burned down his house. Just better than safe than sorry.

I just wanted to make sure you knew that something could come out really unexpected from using it, the big thing is COULD.

That is something to think about and look into for sure. Sometimes good deals or free stuff is not a good deal.

Sounds like a small test melt outdoors may be in order.

I seen a big smoke cloud onetime Grump!

alamagum has or had at some times mercury in it. Be Carefull and do a test melt outside. Wheelweight is harder and is very cheap at most salvage yards or if your a good friend of a tire shop owner.

Remember folks we are dealing with heavy metals, which can cause us to lose our minds ( No worries mine is gone already), have our teeth fall out, and cause our livers to shut down. In short lead poisoning is almost always a death sentents. Not to scare anyone just to inform of the danger. Pour outside or have a vent hood. My home made vent hood was less than $50. Cheap health insurance!!!!!

Redman

I have about 300lb of wheel weights melted into ingots. My bud that does the do-it mold stuff sez it doesn't work so good in his experience. Input?

I had some lead from an xray room one time...it had some type of backing with adhesive on it. It smoked really bad, but one that was done, it was some good lead.