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We have been asked to fire glass on a galvanized steel form for someone in the area. I seem to remember a caution/warning on firing this metal in the kiln, but can't find any hard facts on the subject. Anyone out there aware of any caustions/dangers?


thanks,
judith

The zinc coating will melt and the fumes are toxic.

Don't do it.

and the fumes will screw up all the glass in the kiln. been there done that. you can however burn off the zinc with a torch or bonfire or gas fish cooker. gives off a weird greenish yellow flame/smoke. one of those things you can just look at and say whoa thats probably poisonous. rosanna

We dremel it off, not so fun, but effective. I imagine for a large form, though that could take a long time.

lissa.

lissa wrote:We dremel it off, not so fun, but effective. I imagine for a large form, though that could take a long time.

lissa.

Just don't breathe the dust from it...

Tony

Thanks to you all for the information. But my inquiring mind wants to know what makes the zinc toxic........its natural state? (In stained glass, we sawed zinc came all the time, breathing in the dust I'm sure.....)

Only when molten?

Any explanations?

Thanks again,

judith

judith wrote:Thanks to you all for the information. But my inquiring mind wants to know what makes the zinc toxic........its natural state? (In stained glass, we sawed zinc came all the time, breathing in the dust I'm sure.....)

Only when molten?

Any explanations?

Thanks again,

judith

It's the Zinc oxide fumes.

http://www.aws.org/technical/FACT-PDF.EXE/FACT-25.PDF

Ron

Judith

The problem is respiratory in nature with extreme exposure resulting in death. The following was copied from a Center for Disease Control document on the toxic effects of Zinc exposure. The entire document can be reviewed at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp60-c2.pdf

Respiratory Effects: Zinc Oxide.
Metal fume fever, a well-documented acute disease induced by intense inhalation of metal oxides, especially zinc, temporarily impairs pulmonary function but does not progress to chronic lung disease (Brown 1988; Drinker et al. 1927b; Malo et al. 1990). Symptoms generally appear within a few hours after acute exposure, usually with dryness of the throat and coughing (Drinker and Drinker 1927b). The most prominent respiratory effects of metal fume fever are substernal chest pain, cough, and dyspnea (Rohrs 1957). The impairment of pulmonary function is characterized by reduced lung volumes and a decreased diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (Malo et al. 1990; Vogelmeier et al. 1987). The respiratory effects have been shown to be accompanied by an increase in bronchiolar leukocytes (Vogelmeier et al. 1987). The respiratory symptoms generally disappear in the exposed individual within l-4 days (Brown 1988; Drinker et al. 1927b; Sturgis et al. 1927).