Lead and an Outdoor Wood Furnace Question

[Dean186]

I have a couple of questions, but let me explain the situation.

I just finished helping clean up a shooting range.  I blocked a couple big pine trees that are filled with bullets.  As you know, there is a lot of lead in bullets.  From Wikipedia, I find lead has a melting temperature of 621.43 degrees Fahrenheit.  The temperature in the firebox will be lower than the melting temperature of lead, but the bullets that fall through to the reaction chamber will be exposed to temperatures above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

My Questions are:

     Would you burn or have you burned wood filled with bullets?

     Will the molten lead bond with the carbon steel floor of the reaction chamber?

Thanks,  Dean

[beenthere]

I'd expect any lead would be mixed with the ashes and be carried out with them. Doubt you could get the lead to stick to the steel with the ash covering everything, even if you tried.
But would think you would quickly notice any problem like that, if it occurs.

[Ianab]

I would expect a puddle of lead in the bottom of the furnace...

Sift the ashes, recover the lead and sell it.

Don't tell the EPA...

Ian

[Holmes]

  I agree with beenthere the lead will cool down very quickly in the ashes.  You should end up with some slag pieces in the coals and ashes. If you happen to see a puddle of lead do not put wet wood or water on it . The lead will violently splatter.

[submarinesailor]

Based on the little bit of research I did on line, I would NOT recommend you do it for several reasons:

1.    I don’t think I would take a chance on it damaging my OWB.  You just never know what would happen.
2.   The links I have listed below give you a fair idea as to what happens when you melt lead.  And based on what I think I read, it looks like you do not need to get lead to its boiling point for it to give off gases.
 
Are there any children in the area?  I don’t think you are the kind of person who would disregard the slightest chance of poisoning your or someone else’s children.  Don’t get me wrong, other than the chance of fumes getting to someone and the possible damage to your OWB, I think it’s a good idea.  Just not one I would take unless I had extra money for other OWB and was WAY out in the middle of nowhere.

http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2543/
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/leadsmelter/refiningcasting/casting.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/10/world/asia/10lead.html

[John Mc]

I worked around molten lead in a manufacturing plant for a number of years. In short, it's not something you want to mess with if you can possibly avoid it.You also don't want to be putting the fumes into the air, or having it settle out on various surfaces . It's especially harmful to children, as it will interfere with their brain development. Adults can handle lead a bit better than children, but the effects are still not good.

[Dean186]

I want to thank those that responded to my question.  I believe the above advise is sound and I will adhere to it.

I have decided to not burn the bullet ridden wood in the outdoor furnace.

Then bullet ridden wood is blocked and mixed in with a large pile of good wood.  So, sometime next year or so, I will need to make a decision on what to do with the wood when I start splitting.  A couple of possibilities are:

     1)  Give it to someone with a conventional fire place.  I don't believe the temperature would get above 621 degrees and melt the lead in a conventional fire place?

     2)  Put it in a landfill or ...  ?

[martyinmi]

Or.....
   You can fill a semi up with any suspect wood, ship it to central Mi, and I will gladly dispose of it for you, free of charge. I won't charge you even one red cent Feel free to load any other suspect wood on the truck if you'd like-you know, too hard, too soft, too wet, too dry, too big, I will dispose of it all.
   Thank you in advance,

   Marty

[bandmiller2]

Dean, for that little bit of lead for a short time I wouldn't worry about it.If you throw away the ash no problem if you use them on your garden screen out the chunks. Frank C.

[gspren]

  I would burn it in my conventional OWB and not worry as the neighbors are not that close. If you just want to get rid of it spread the word about all of the copper in it and some jerk will steal it, around here crooks will work harder to steal copper than if they just got a job. (if there is a lot of lead there will also be lots of copper)