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Re: Zinc based spark gap
Just wanted to clear the air on this issue ; )
Virtually any particulate dust is hazardous to the lungs.
Tha hazard is obviously related to severity and duration
of exposure. Unless you're sputterring enough of your
electrodes to leave a power residue of M+Ox, you probably
don't have to worry too much. The stuff to be afraid of
tho' is the phosphors of some neons/fluorescents. Avoid
that stuff like the plague, some of them contain beryllium
and other heavy metals. Most of those are absorbable and
systemically toxic. Any heavy metal oxide is to be avoided
if possible as a general rule, unless you specifically know
the compound that your working with.
Bryan Kaufman
Tesla List wrote:
> Original Poster: Bob Misiura <misiura-at-nccoast-dot-net>
>
> Hi All,
>
> I looked in a welding text book on the safety of various metal oxides.
> They lump all the nonferrous metals as being dangerous to the lungs.
> Copper, silver, zinc, aluminum . . . They only make special mention of
> things like cadmium, and beryllium, as particularly dangerous.
>
> Inhale some sun blocker and it may be harmful. Tesla Coils are
> inherently dangerous, we already know that. Here it is > don't, REPEAT,
> DON'T SNIFF YOUR SPARK GAP.
>
> take care
> bob
>
> Tesla List wrote:
> >
> > Original Poster: "J. Grissom" <johngd-at-bellsouth-dot-net>
> >
> > Tesla List wrote:
> >
> > > Original Poster: Doug Brunner <dabrunner-at-earthlink-dot-net>
> > >
> > > I would strongly advise against using zinc. I'm not sure if zinc will
> > > oxidize under the conditions of a sparkgap, but I suspect it will, and
ZnO
> > > can have a nasty effect on humans (severe respiratory distress, nausea,
the
> > > works).
> >
> > So THAT's what causes those big Boris Yeltsen noses - smearing all that
zinc
> > oxide sun block on 'em.
> >
> > Toxic? yeah if you drown in it.
> >
> > John
> >
> > --
> > John De Armond
> > johngd-at-bellsouth-dot-net
> > Neon John's Custom Neon
> > "Bendin' Glass 'n Passin' Gas"