Lead Paint on vintage Machine Tools

[HiltzVW]

I am reconditioning a Logan 6560 and decided that before I scrape off the old flaky paint on the base of the machine, that I should test it for lead for my own safety.

It ended up being positive for lead. I subsequently tested my DoAll surface grinder just out of curiosity and found that was also lead based paint.

You may want to take that into consideration when restoring machines.

I made a video of this process because it’s just something I don’t hear about frequently on the forums.

Testing Machine Tools for Lead Paint

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[markba633csi]

From what I have heard, the lead is only dangerous when it's being removed by physical means and is in fine powder.
I think if you were using chemical stripper the danger is minimal
-M

 

[benmychree]

I have been exposed to lead in many ways over my lifetime (now 76) some years ago I wondered if I had some in my system, asked my Dr. for a test, it came back negative; I wonder that lead exposure worries may be overrated. I suppose that many may feel just the opposite, but that was my experience.

 

[HiltzVW]

You may be right. My dad (age 67) remembers playing with Mercury and other dangerous materials. He’s lived a successful life and had a demanding career in Engineering and Tool Making.


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[vtcnc]

You need to be exposed to lead dust and long exposure times in order to accumulate a toxic dose.

If you wore a mask while removing lead paint, and washed your hands prior to eating or drinking thereafter, then you are probably fine.

I know people who had heavy exposure, working in a ballistics lab. They were not using PPE and on one instance I saw a ham sandwich open on their workstation where they do their work. Their lead toxicity levels were high but treatable.

Treatment requires reducing your exposure while your liver cleans your blood. There isn’t a lot you can do except reduce your exposure and length of said exposure.

That said, don’t breathe in lead dust or fumes and don’t eat lead and you will be fine.


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[vtcnc]

From what I have heard, the lead is only dangerous when it's being removed by physical means and is in fine powder.
I think if you were using chemical stripper the danger is minimal
-M

Wet removal is the safest means of removing lead. Just be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands before eating or drinking. Don’t have drinking glasses, open bottles of drink or food in the area when removing lead paint.


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[vtcnc]

I have been exposed to lead in many ways over my lifetime (now 76) some years ago I wondered if I had some in my system, asked my Dr. for a test, it came back negative; I wonder that lead exposure worries may be overrated. I suppose that many may feel just the opposite, but that was my experience.

Lead toxicity is mostly neurological and hits developing minds (kids) the hardest.


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[Bi11Hudson]

The "scare tactics" of political minded experts who have little to no working knowledge of the subject bother me no end. Lead based paint is a common example of get "excited about nothing". I place those "experts" by reducing the word to its' component parts, "ex" and "spurt". Ex being a has been and spurt being a drip under pressure. An appropriate word for the class.

Leaded paint serves many purposes that cannot be replicated with "safe" finishes today. As a young man, I lived near a battery rebuilding facility. Leaded paint would be the least of my concerns were I to be worried about it. As for young children eating paint chips, which is where much of the foofahrah comes from, I would look to the lack of proper parenting as more a problem than the paint. If a child is that hungry, paint is not the problem, it's food.

In the early days of the scare, ship's hull paint was exempted from the ban. May still be??? Like many finishes, bottom paint is much more than just a paint. It literally never dries, and collects few barnacles. Building paint serves the same, well similar, purposes, the color is just a side effect. It is to protect the metal underneath that matters. The only time such paint is a problem is when it is in a dust from grinding or sanding. Where you should be wearing a mask anyway. It fits in the same class as asbestos and silica.

Having worked in foundries (asbestos) and sandblasting ship hulls (silicosis), as well as foundry sand, paint is a "side issue" to the real problems. Wearing a mask settles most of them. Sand around the edges of the paint and paint over it with the modern "safe" paint. Then look at what fails first.

.

 

[vtcnc]

The "scare tactics" of political minded experts who have little to no working knowledge of the subject bother me no end. Lead based paint is a common example of get "excited about nothing". I place those "experts" by reducing the word to its' component parts, "ex" and "spurt". Ex being a has been and spurt being a drip under pressure. An appropriate word for the class.

Leaded paint serves many purposes that cannot be replicated with "safe" finishes today. As a young man, I lived near a battery rebuilding facility. Leaded paint would be the least of my concerns were I to be worried about it. As for young children eating paint chips, which is where much of the foofahrah comes from, I would look to the lack of proper parenting as more a problem than the paint. If a child is that hungry, paint is not the problem, it's food.

In the early days of the scare, ship's hull paint was exempted from the ban. May still be??? Like many finishes, bottom paint is much more than just a paint. It literally never dries, and collects few barnacles. Building paint serves the same, well similar, purposes, the color is just a side effect. It is to protect the metal underneath that matters. The only time such paint is a problem is when it is in a dust from grinding or sanding. Where you should be wearing a mask anyway. It fits in the same class as asbestos and silica.

Having worked in foundries (asbestos) and sandblasting ship hulls (silicosis), as well as foundry sand, paint is a "side issue" to the real problems. Wearing a mask settles most of them. Sand around the edges of the paint and paint over it with the modern "safe" paint. Then look at what fails first.

.

I've always thought that dealing with lead paint (once the hazards were understood) was simply a matter of common sense.

On the other hand, if it were common sense, it would be more common.

 

[markba633csi]

I don't totally agree with Bill about the kids and eating paint issue- If paint is peeling off and it looks like a potato chip a kid will put it in his mouth whether he/she is hungry or not- I ate a snail when I was a tot. It tasted like dirt, I remember distinctly. And I wasn't especially hungry
I think it's more of a landlord issue but parents play a role too of course. Putting a kid in a room with peeling lead paint is just irresponsible anyhow
That's my take
-Mark