[Fwd: [TheForge] Forging of Chrome plated steel]

[Larry]

Thanks for all the inputs.  Considering I was just looking a a huge pile of bumpers behind a friends body shop and as I was looking for some steel in about that thickness to work into guards, the pile looked intriguing.  None the less, I will reconsider and look at some more scrap yards for suitable stock.  Thanks again,

Larry

Mike Sweany wrote:

>  When I was suffering from the effects of the weld fume fever or what ever you want to call it, and yes I had those syptoms. I was sent by my MD to a specialist that gave me a colonoscopy, cat scan,  etc. The results of all these tests were inconclusive. Yet I continued to worsen. Oh yes heavy metal test too, but chrome is not heavy metal. Yes ,blood work too. SO. How do you test for this?  I finally went to a lady that looks in your eye (I forget the name of the practise)  She put me on vitamins and supplements, told me to quit welding and probably saved my life.
>   Phlip <phlip@99main.com> wrote: OK, guys, this is Randy's response. Randy is an MD in internal medicine in
> NYC, and is also a teacher at one of the Med Schools there. He knows his
> stuff ;-)
>
> Phlip
>
> Randy Goldberg MD wrote:
>
> > I don't have the resources to identify specific products of the forging
> > process. I can tell you that:
> >
> > Chromic oxide (CrO) is relatively insoluable and can be disregarded.
> > Chromium trioxide (CrO3), however, is very soluable, can easily be
> > absorbed through the lungs, and is very very very toxic. From
> > Ellenhorn's _Medical Toxicology_: "Ingestion of hexavalent compounds
> > (including chromium trioxide) usually leads to abdominal pains,
> > vomiting, diarrhea, and intestinal bleeding. Death may ensue during the
> > initial circulatory collapse. If the patient survives the initial phase,
> > some renal tubular damage may occur. Hepatic failure, severe
> > coagulopathy, or intravascular hemolysis have been observed." I would
> > expect both CrO and CrO3 to be liberated during the forging of metals
> > containing chromium.
> >
> > On zinc: Again from Ellenhorn: "Inhalation of zinc oxide is the most
> > common cause of metal fume fever. This syndrome resembles a flulike
> > illness. Onset occurs in 4 to 6 hours, generally on the evening after
> > exposure to fumes. Fatigue, chills, fever, myalgias, cough, dyspnea,
> > leukocytosis, thirst, metallic taste, and salivation characterize this
> > self-limited illness, with resolution of symptoms appearing in 36 hours.
> > The chest x-ray usually is clear. Tolerance develops in workers, but may
> > be lost over the weekend (``Monday Morning Fever''). Metal fume fever
> > can also follow exposure to fumes of copper, magnesium, aluminum,
> > antimony, iron, manganese, and nickel in welding, galvanizing, or
> > smelting operations." Again, I would expect zinc oxide to be liberated
> > during the forging of zinc-containing metals.
> >
> > I would not recommend playing with either of these without (a) a
> > breathing mask, preferably one with an independant air supply and (b) an
> > EXCELLENT ventilation system.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Randy
>
> _