safety

[ghostrecon]

say i was melting gold and platnium should i have a gas mask?

 

[Pantherlikher]

Say... you've been posting and you just became a member here.

Welcome and please read the rules of the road.
Then begin your journey here with reading and learning what to do instead of cluttering up the forum with questions that have been covered hundreds of times...

Thank you
B.S.

 

[MysticColby]

you do not need a gas mask to be near molten gold or platinum. There are other safety equipment you should have. Some safety equipment that come to mind but is not a comprehensive list: heat-proof leather gloves, face shield, heat-proof jacket, heat-proof pants, thick leather shoes that cover your feet that you can kick off at a moment's notice, tongs, ...

that said, since you're asking, I'm going to assume you're not melting just gold and platinum. A lot of contaminants would require some sort of mask. A lot of fuels would even require one in some situations. always a good idea to melt outside, over dry gravel or sand (dropping molten metal onto concrete / asphalt can cause a steam explosion).

Please do more research before attempting anything. And start small, then slowly work your way up.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

This is part of the introduction in the version of Hoke's book you'll find in my signature line below:

Melting Platinum Without a Flue - Hoke mentions on page 295 that “Since
the melting of clean platinum produces no unpleasant fumes no flue is
needed.” The statement is technically accurate, with 2 cautions for the
reader. While “clean” platinum may produce no fumes, impurities in the
metal definitely can. For example, if zinc has been used to reduce the
platinum , the zinc will create dangerous vapors when heated. The choice
of melting dish is also important as silica based dishes will volatilize and
can be inhaled. The safest practice would be to perform all melting with
proper ventilation.

Dave

 

[sharkhook]

This is part of the introduction in the version of Hoke's book you'll find in my signature line below:

Melting Platinum Without a Flue - Hoke mentions on page 295 that “Since
the melting of clean platinum produces no unpleasant fumes no flue is
needed.” The statement is technically accurate, with 2 cautions for the
reader. While “clean” platinum may produce no fumes, impurities in the
metal definitely can. For example, if zinc has been used to reduce the
platinum , the zinc will create dangerous vapors when heated. The choice
of melting dish is also important as silica based dishes will volatilize and
can be inhaled. The safest practice would be to perform all melting with
proper ventilation.

Dave

Solid advice.

If your as new as it sounds my advice would be to treat everything you use for recovery and refining as if it wants to kill you. Then take the necessary precautions to avoid that happening. I even use my gear when handling the simplest chemicals such as peroxide and even water. If your prepared many accidents can be avoided. Make it a habit to wear that safety gear anytime your around this stuff, like the Boy Scout motto, be prepared. One more thing, make double sure you have everything ready and close by, don't be running in and out of the house while your working, have it planned ahead and everything where it is accessible.

 

[rickbb]

say i was melting gold and platnium should i have a gas mask?

Depends on whether you want to die young from lung cancer or not.

 

[goldsilverpro]

Everything we do on this forum involves potential dangers (I've always thought that was one of the attractions to it) and we must have enough knowledge to understand what these are, in each case, and take appropriate measures to assure our safety and the safety of others.

For torch melting anything, you mainly need to protect your eyes (brightness of the melt; something flying out of the crucible, etc.), your hands (heat), and your lungs (fumes). Welder's coated goggles, welder's leather gloves (although I rarely used them), exhaust, even if it's only a good fan. Or, do it outside - I would use a fan outside, too. Unless you're melting something like 999.9 Pt or Au coins, in a new crucible, you will likely have some fumes. No fumes are good fumes.

When crucible melting, there's more heat and less brightness. There will most always be some fumes and, sometimes, some smoke. An overhanging sheet metal hood with a blower on the stack, or something similar, is the best thing to use. I have seen setups using a 4' fan, blowing it out an open overhead door. For a small furnace, say a #12 or smaller, the least you can get by with is exhaust, a welder's plastic full-face shield, good furnace gloves or mittens ($60-$100), and the proper tongs to handle the crucible - I prefer 1-man "charging tongs" although 2-man tongs are safer. You could add a full suit of aluminized clothing, from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Of these, for a #16 furnace, I had a jacket, which I rarely used, even though my arms got a little hot without it - a set of arm-covers would have worked and would have been a lot more comfortable to wear. Spats are also good, although I didn't use them and never splashed anything hot on my feet - I spread my legs fairly wide while pouring and poured directly towards myself. In general, the larger the melt, the more protective clothing you need.

 

[Anonymous]

you do not need a gas mask to be near molten gold or platinum. There are other safety equipment you should have. Some safety equipment that come to mind but is not a comprehensive list: heat-proof leather gloves, face shield, heat-proof jacket, heat-proof pants, thick leather shoes that cover your feet that you can kick off at a moment's notice, tongs, ...

that said, since you're asking, I'm going to assume you're not melting just gold and platinum. A lot of contaminants would require some sort of mask. A lot of fuels would even require one in some situations. always a good idea to melt outside, over dry gravel or sand (dropping molten metal onto concrete / asphalt can cause a steam explosion).

Please do more research before attempting anything. And start small, then slowly work your way up.

I read the first part of your post and cringed BUT then I read the rest and I smiled in agreement Colby. You're quite correct in that there may be contaminants that turn the melting process from safe and easy to ridiculously dangerous. Cadmium springs to mind for one?