Buzzkill Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 4 minutes ago, turbo7 said: There is no such thing as "too much protection" but I havnt got an astronaughts helmet and a lead lined leather suit either. I respectfully disagree. If the protection restricts your movement or vision to the point where it crosses the liability/benefit threshold then it is too much protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Ok thanks. the radiation is infrared radiation I believe. So I assume that as long as I am not getting sun burn, I should be alright. Maybe I should wear long sleeves though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I recently went in for an eye exam and while there I asked the dr. if prolonged exposure to IR could contribute to cataracts. He said that it certainly can, so reduce the amount of exposure if possible, like not staring into the fire for extended periods of time. Occasional glances or periodic "looks" to check on your iron probably would not have a detrimental effect. He said that if one needs to look into the fire for extended periods of time to get IR filtered glasses. Where and what kind is another topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eseemann Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 John, Beware the "Expert" that just joins the crew. Guy I know that was an apprentice on a stone mason crew that built rock walls in SW Virginia told me about this guys first and last day on the job. As I understand it a good quality chisel will mushroom and this guy was bragging about the quality of his old chisels. The first blow he landed on that first day shot a chip on to his hand that came way too close to looking like a suicide attempt. I don't think he needed glove because his tools loved him? They were up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and after they got the bleeding stopped they got him to the ER. About 1/2 days work wasted not counting getting blood off the Boss' rock. Even a well trained tool can turn on you and taste your flesh and blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I investigated this issue at some length when I first started Smithin, as both cataracts and MD run in my family. I asked my own ophthalmologist and he had no clue, had to research online to find out about the IR danger and take precautions by buying some IR glasses. I never forge without them, keep a spare set for any hangers-on, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 5 hours ago, SpankySmith said: I investigated this issue at some length when I first started Smithin, as both cataracts and MD run in my family. I asked my own ophthalmologist and he had no clue, had to research online to find out about the IR danger and take precautions by buying some IR glasses. I never forge without them, keep a spare set for any hangers-on, too. You might consider sending your ophthalmologist a copy(ies) of your findings........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 "glassblowers cataracts" is a term to research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 If you're concerned about nuclear radiation from coal, wear a dust mask and goggles. Shower immediately when done, shampoo repeatedly. There's no really good way to get hair completely clean though it's just too porous. Maybe just keep shaved down. Wear coveralls and wash your clothes separately. Of course if you were to walk around with a Geiger counter sometime you'd discover we're surrounded by radioactive stuff. And the RADON Oh my run RUN! Minimize exposure but don't get silly about it. The only EM radiation from forges is IR. Don't stare into the fire, keep an eye on your steels but don't stare. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I live at an elevation, have igneous rocks around where I live and drink groundwater that sometimes fails the radionuclides levels; skin cancer and driving to work is so much more a danger that radiation due to coal exposure isn't even in the same order of magnitude, Black Lung is a greater possible issue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: I live at an elevation, have igneous rocks around where I live and drink groundwater that sometimes fails the radionuclides levels; skin cancer and driving to work is so much more a danger that radiation due to coal exposure isn't even in the same order of magnitude, Black Lung is a greater possible issue! You also suffer high doses of radiation from that big unshielded fusion reactor in the sky!! Igneous rock too? Oh my. At least you don't have big trees too close do you? About coal and radiation and radioactive particle releases. Just because virtually every coal power plant releases more radiation a month (I don't recall the actual number and ain't going to look it up) than 3 Mile Island during the "Melt Down" doesn't mean we're going to change to clean power. Too much lobby power in DC from the coal industry for that to happen. No, I'm not suggesting an atomic reactor as a forge. On the other hand if you put one together and get it working I want PICTURES. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Now I worked out the plans for a thermonuclear powered forge; but then I realized that the common high winds out here would make it impossible to use and maintain without a dedicated shop building and a method of moving it in and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 24 minutes ago, Frosty said: ...... No, I'm not suggesting an atomic reactor as a forge. On the other hand if you put one together and get it working I want PICTURES. Frosty The Lucky. That would require some EXTRA LONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG tongs!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 There's always something isn't there? Think of the clinker. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 As long as we are worrying about things. BP0051 Good Coal Trace elements are defined as elements present in coal in amounts of less than 1 percent by weight. Generally, trace elements are present in coal in amounts much lower 1 percent, and are reported in parts-per-million (ppm) by weight in the coal. A trace element concentration of 1 ppm = 0.0001% by weight, or expressed in another way, a 1 ppm concentration of a trace element equals one pound in one million pounds (500 tons) of coal. Most trace elements in West Virginia coals are present at levels of 10 to 100 ppm, or less. Highly toxic elements (e.g. arsenic, mercury, lead, and selenium) are present in West Virginia coals, though generally in very low concentrations. How hazardous elements present in very low amounts adversely impact the environment is a matter of scale. For example, a coal fired power plant with no pollution controls in place theoretically would produce 10 tons of lead for each million tons of coal burned containing 10 ppm lead. However, modern pollution control measures provide controls against the release of large amounts of hazardous trace elements to the environment. A table of statistical correlations of trace elements with ash yield, in decreasing order of significance, includes Chromium (Cr), Thorium (Th), Scandium (Sc), Cesium (Cs), Rubidium (Rb), Lithium (Li), Vanadium (V), Hafnium (Hf), Cerium (Ce), Lanthanum (La), Zirconium (Zr), Tantalum (Ta), Niobium (Nb), Dysprosium (Dy), Holmium (Ho), Lead (Pb), Samarium (Sm), Europium (Eu), Gallium (Ga) and Tellurium (Te). These elements likely occur within mineral matter in coal. Most of these elements probably occur in silicate minerals, especially clay minerals, which make up 60-70% of the mineral matter in coals. Trace Elements in West Virginia Coals Antimony (Sb) Erbium (Er) Manganese (Mn) Tantalum (Ta) Arsenic (As) Europium (Eu) Mercury (Hg) Tellurium (Te) Barium (Ba) Fluorine (F) Molybdenum (Mo) Terbium (Tb) Beryllium (Be) Gadolinium (Gd) Neodymium (Nd) Thallium (Tl) Bismuth (Bi) Gallium (Ga) Nickel (Ni) Thorium (Th) Boron (B) Germanium (Ge) Niobium (Nb) Thulium ™ Bromine (Br) Gold (Au) Praseodymium (Pr) Tin (Sn) Cadmium (Cd) Hafnium (Hf) Rhenium (Re) Tungsten (W) Cerium (Ce) Holmium (Ho) Rubidium (Rb) Uranium (U) Cesium (Cs) Indium (In) Samarium (Sm) Vanadium (V) Chlorine (Cl) Iridium (Ir) Scandium (Sc) Ytterbium (Yb) Chromium (Cr) Lanthanum (La) Selenium (Se) Yttrium (Y) Cobalt (Co) Lead (Pb) Silver (Ag) Zinc (Zn) Copper (Cu) Lithium (Li) Strontium (Sr) Zirconium (Zr) Time to go light the forge and make something while we consider all this new information. Oh yes, wash your hands before dinner as you would not want to ingest any trace elements. (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I wonder if anyone is looking into "mining" the ash for rare earth metals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 This has me thinking. I always have water with me by the forge. I have to be careful not to get any dust where my mouth goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 1 hour ago, Forging Carver said: This has me thinking. I always have water with me by the forge. I have to be careful not to get any dust where my mouth goes. Ya never know what might be in the water, either!!! (think Flint, Michigan....... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 On 1/17/2016 at 3:38 PM, SpankySmith said: I investigated this issue at some length when I first started Smithin, as both cataracts and MD run in my family. I asked my own ophthalmologist and he had no clue, had to research online to find out about the IR danger and take precautions by buying some IR glasses. I never forge without them, keep a spare set for any hangers-on, too. Spanky, do you recall where you purchased your IR glasses, or did you just do a web search? I wear prescription glasses, so I guess goggles would be in order. I have already had to buy two sets of prescription glasses recently, so getting some of those in IR resistant is out of the budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I bought mine on Amazon. I looked at some local welding shops and quite surprisingly they didn't know what I was talking about when I said I needed some IR glasses! I think UVEX brand was the one I finally settled on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 O-A welding shades work; a number 2 is suggested if I recall correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Bad eyes so I bought prescription #3 welders green safety glasses. I've complained for years about the radiation from coal fired power plants in comparison to well run nuclear power plants. (got one just across the river from me). Lived in Tennessee for a while, all of the rivers I wanted to fish had so much mercury that you couldn't eat your catch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 The UVEX I bought were #3 shade also. Charlotte, that's still true down here, fishing is for sport, definitely not for eating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 You mean your rivers have *water* in them? Pull the other one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 They have liquid, calling it water is a bit of a stretch.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I got two pairs of the UVEX goggles; one for me, one for my son. Shade #3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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