Working with lead counter weights...

[Michael Burbidge]

Lead is poisonous. What precautions should I take in working with the lead counter balance weights? For the elevators you have to do a bit of trimming.

[rrd1_99]

Lead is only poisonous by ingestion. Just wear gloves, and don't eat while you are working on it.

Roger

[docrick]

Originally Posted by mburbidg@adobe.com

Lead is poisonous. What precautions should I take in working with the lead counter balance weights? For the elevators you have to do a bit of trimming.

Just look at the plans carefully so you don't cut the lead weights wrong and have to order new ones. Don't ask me how I know that it's possible to cut them wrong. BTW those stupid little weights are expensive!

[airguy]

When you're cutting the lead, it will produce relatively large shavings which are easy to contain and sweep up. You will only have a problem if you produce very fine lead dust that could be inhaled - which you won't need to do, since you don't have to scotchbrite or finetune the edges, just rough it out and wash your hands when done.

[SteelMike]

Gloves? uh oh...

[rrd1_99]

I only recommended gloves in the spirit of the "warning labels" we see today. Unless you are working with it every day for a very long period of time, or ingesting it somehow there is nothing to worry about.

I didn't wear gloves, and THARES NUTTHEENG RONG WIF MEE.

Roger

[Rivethead]

I used to do a lot of lead casting when I was a kid. The tick I developed has only slightly worsend as I grow older. J.K. You should wear gloves if you're worried enough to ask.

[Michael Burbidge]

I'm only asking because I was out in the garage last night trimming the counter weights, when my teenage son came out and noticed I'd was working with lead with no protection at all. He's done way too much reading on the internet concerning medical things and generally keeps careful watch to make sure I'm working in a safe environment. He went into the house and told my wife that I was going to die of lead poisoning. To keep the family happy, the rest of the evening I wore gloves and a dust mask, even though I knew very well that those toothpick sized lead shavings were not going to float into the air and be inhaled.

Anyway, he got me just a little bit paranoid.

[Rocket]

haha there's your whole maintenance department all under one roof.

You- Designer, builder, owner, maintainer
Son- QA, Saftey Officer, Maintenance Contoller/Safe For Flight
Wife- Brains/Manager, Flight surgeon.. (for those unavoidable holes you will put in yourself)

[rfinch]

Try a protective hand lotion, review just posted.