No passwords, No popups, No cost, No AI:
we earn from 'affiliate link' purchases, making the site possible

Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

  The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989

-----

Soldering fluxes as a cause of metal fever

I am currently required to do a lot of soldering with stainless steel, copper, and sometimes galvanized. The fluxes involved contain zinc chloride, is it possible to get Metal Fever from the fumes created by the flux? I have experienced the metallic taste described in the symptom lists on many occasions as well as some of the other symptoms. My second question is: an old time welder once told us that drinking a quart of milk before and after welding galvanized would prevent the toxins from harming us is this true?

Tammy Moss
- Titusville, FL, U.S.A
2003

Sorry I have no experience in this. But if the flux is zinc chloride and it burns/vaporizes as fluxes do, I would certainly expect it to cause zinc fume fever. Get a good exhaust fan instead of relying on milk to battle the effects of inhaling zinc fumes.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: