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-----

Toxic effects from galvanized food preparation utensils, p2





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Q. I have an old washing machine and want to use it to build a smoker. There will be a non galvanized fire pit attached to the side. The shell of the machine will only be used to hold the grates for the meat and to act as the smoke box never getting over more than 300 °F. Is this ok since it will not be direct heat?

Thanks

Zak Siska
- Warrenton, Virginia
September 23, 2008


A. Hi, Zak. Unfortunately it's hard to say. Who knows what the old washing machine is made from and what surfaces may be in it. It's possible (perhaps unlikely, I don't know) that there is cadmium or lead on the surface for some reason. The general principle is that when we use something for a purpose for which it wasn't intended, we take risks because the designer had no intention of it being used as a smoker and there's no good feedback system in place to learn if people are getting sick from similar stuff.

I am not a scare monger or chemophobic myself . . . I just have no idea what the old washing machine might contain.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
September 24, 2008



Aluminum Craft Wire
on
Amazon

(affil links)

Wire for Beading
on
Amazon

(affil links)

Q. Hi! I have carefully read all of the previous posts, and promise to never cook with items not intended for that use. I do still have a question.

I am organizing a craft night for my elementary/middle school, and the instructions tell me to give the children lengths of galvanized wire. So I went and bought some. On the package, it tells me that it contains chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. and to WASH HANDS AFTER HANDLING. Ok, we are talking K-6 grades, and I can guarantee at least one kid is going to touch the wire and then stick his fingers in some orifice of his face. Now I know that many products have warning labels just so they don't get their pants sued off. Is there really a danger to the kids just touching the wire? It will not be heated in any way, but they will take their projects home, and perhaps lick the wire on the way.

Thanks for the help, and the laughs.

Monica Pardel
- Midland, Michigan
November 7, 2008



A. Hi, Monica. We both just conceded "plausible deniability" :-)  -- so no, it's not okay.

Some people perhaps think California is doing a public service by warning people that virtually everything is dangerous in one way or other; but many of us who have taught safety courses, and know for example that mechanics are obviously not going to scrub their hands every time they touch a zinc plated nut or bolt, think that California is doing a great disservice by constantly crying wolf to the extent that they are ingraining & reinforcing the habit that we can simply ignore such warnings. California fruit flies :-)

It may be a bit harder to find, but aluminum wire might be best and is inexpensive. Stainless steel stranded wire would be safe and they make it stranded for less springiness. Anything labeled craft wire is probably safe, although wire that is not aluminum, and is not stranded, might be too springy.

Thanks for your great patience in reading this whole thread, it's gotten beyond long.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November 7, 2008


Q. We use galvanized mesh to dry apples, which is a foot or so over our wood stove the mesh is above the stove when not used for drying, so is exposed to various degrees of heat on a regular basis. I scrub it before putting apples on it to dry. Your response re: use of galvanized wire for roasting hot dogs seems to be in the same category, should we NOT eat the dried apples?

Thank you !
Peggy

Margaret Niesen
- Ellsworth, Maine
March 19, 2009


A. Hi, Peggy. In view of the previous discussion that you are expanding upon, I think you are not asking quite the right question. I think the question you should be asking is: "Should we continue to use galvanized wire for this application?". And my reply will be: "No, you should find stainless steel or nickel plated mesh".

When you pose the question you have posed there are 1001 nuances, and all you can get are opinions from people (including me) who don't know all those subtle little details. Personally, I'd eat the dried apples though. Waste not / want not.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 26, 2009



Q. Someone asked about a trash can smoker.
I'm making one now, but not using a charcoal briquette, a hot plate and a cast iron smoker box instead and a meat thermometer to monitor the heat. You can get the smoker box at any hardware store. The temp stay's less than 150 °F. doing it this way. The design I see at this website I don't like because of the high heat inside the can I think ""could"" cause a release of toxins. Also I wouldn't use the Teflon coated Bundt pan as shown here on the coals. Personal pref.

I can't imagine the zinc would ever come in contact with the fire or food. Should be ok?
http://winecanine.com/smoker.html

My idea comes from Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet, and one of his small cook books.

Let me know if there are other concerns I should have with this please.

Tom Harris
- Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
March 28, 2009



Q. Would it be safe to use a old galvanized wash tub as a fire pit? No food will be involved, just burning logs.

Kim Ruiz
- McHenry Illinois
April 5, 2009



Q. I have what could be a great grill. But, how can I know if it's galvanized?

Paco Morales
- Panama City, Panama
February 19, 2010



A. Hi, Kim. I personally think it would be fine. It's not 100% amenable to logic; people have to pick their own fears and phobias :-)

Hi, Paco. If it's spangled like an ash can, it's probably galvanized. If it looks like it's dipped in zinc, drippy like a roofing nail, it's probably galvanized. Sorry but your inquiry is a bit cryptic. You have a commercial grill, an old grate, a piece of sheet metal, a drum, or what? Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 23, 2010



Q. This thread is a little old so I hope I can still get a response from Mr. Helpful and Very Patient! I KNOW you have been asked many of the same questions here. One question is actually the same one I have....except I never saw a response for it and I did read the ENTIRE thread to be sure my answer wasn't here.

I want to cover our kitchen table with galvanized steel. I really don't want stainless for various reasons and also liked the look of the galv. We have 2 small children, one of which is 3 and very likely to drop her food on it and eat off of it. (a guarantee, actually)

I did see one post that expensive mansions had this as a food prep surface (and the link you provided for her wasn't working anymore)...but the toddler question is much closer to mine since this is where our family sits and eats all meals. And that's the one I didn't see an answer to. Would be ever so grateful for some clarification! I also found this:

www.galvanizeit.org/images/uploads/drGalv/hdgsteel_food.pdf

- but with my kids, I can never be too careful and want to do the right thing. Eating occasionally in a restaurant with it might be ok - but is 3x a day everyday? (of course, this is only assuming food droppings are eaten directly off of the table)

Laura Glcy
- Marietta, Georgia
April 13, 2010


A. Hi, Laura. My statements are nothing more than personal opinion and, like all opinion, is driven by my own personality -- which is generally pragmatic: which means I don't think you should install a galvanized countertop, but if you have already done so, I don't think you should rip it out :-)

Zinc sheet for countertops, etc. [affil links] and galvanized sheeting aren't really the same thing. The zinc sheet used in the old mansions (and in some current zinc countertops) is solid zinc through and through, whereas galvanized sheet is steel sheet metal that has been dipped in molten zinc. Galvanized metal is sometimes subsequently dipped into a very dilute solution of chromic acid and, although the amount of hexavalent chrome that is possibly on the surface is very very minimal, I don't think we should design any hexavalent chrome into a surface that could have food on it. The same with the very minimal amounts of lead and cadmium that might be in galvanized sheeting. Further, I don't think that that bright spangled look will last very long with detergent washing, food spills, etc.

While I believe galvanize.org to be an honorable organization, remember that they are a trade group eager to promote the use of galvanized materials. I certainly don't believe they would deliberately conceal serious hazards, but they are not the place to get neutral, carefully balanced opinions comparing the benefits of one material to another either.

Although it's a matter of taste, with so many other choices available, from butcherblock to Corian to granite to porcelain tile to Formica to solid zinc to stainless steel, I wouldn't install galvanized countertops.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 14, 2010



thumbs up signThanks so much for your response! This is actually for a kitchen table, not the countertops. This was a wood table we had made that was done wrong and it's really messed up. Rather than buying a new table (since we're $900 in for a really bad custom table), we're trying to come up with an inexpensive and contemporary style solution. It has to be a custom table b/c of it's size - 55" x 36", so we don't want to go through that again. I wasn't really wanting stainless b/c ALL of our appliances and hood are stainless and it seems like it'd be overkill.

The solid zinc -- is that something that can cover the current wood top? I looked into tiles, but when I priced out tiles I liked, it was going to cost another $500 if I did the work myself and then I didn't have a solution for an edge, so would have to hire someone to add an edge to the sides. If we're going to put more money into this table, whatever we do needs to look really great!

Thanks again so much for your time on this.

Laura Glcy [returning]
- Marietta, Georgia
April 14, 2010



The solid zinc comes in sheets like the galvanized, but isn't as easy to find because it doesn't have as much general utility as galvanized sheet; and I'd guess that it's significantly more expensive.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 15, 2010



Q. Once again, Ted, - thank you! The guy that will hopefully help me do this top mentioned a mill-finish stainless also known as 2B. Any feedback on that? He's never worked with zinc, so I don't know if there is a difference in working with the different metals and a concern for how it'll come out.

Laura Glcy [returning]
- Marietta, Georgia, USA
April 15, 2010




Q. I was thinking of using galvanized horse tanks for raised bed food gardening - should I be concerned about the safety of the food. (Haven't bought the tanks yet.)

Elizabeth Kimball
- Omaha, Nebraska, USA
April 26, 2010



Q. I picked up a citrus juicer at a yard sale, the kind with a lever press. It appears to be galvanized steel, so I'm wondering if there is a way to paint or enamel it and avoid death by zinc poisoning?

Sarah Smith
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
June 23, 2010


Hi, Sarah. " . . . and avoid death by zinc poisoning?" What?!

Just because it looks like galvanized doesn't mean it is -- it may be tin. And even if it is galvanized, and there is some question of whether that is fully appropriate for certain applications, "Death by citrus juicer" is only going to happen if somebody wallops you on the head with it :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 24, 2010




Q. I'm curious about your statements that galvanized steel is not OK for food contact, because when I buy canned pineapple or mandarin oranges the inside of the can is mottled as if it is galvanized. Is this something other than galvanized metal? If not, are there some types of galvanized steel that are OK for food handling?

I'm also interested in using galvanized steel for projects involving cooking. Can you tell me the temperature at which the zinc starts to put gases into the air, or are there too many variables for that?

Thanks for all your responses, I've learned a lot from reading them!

Jim Tiffany
- Tempe, Arizona, USA
June 30, 2010


A. Hi,Jim.

I think you'll find that the pineapple and mandarin orange cans are actually tin plated rather than zinc plated. I'm not actually sure why they have that mottled look, but I'd guess that the tinning is done by hot dipping, similar to zinc galvanizing, and the crystal pattern arises during the cooling in the same way.

Regards,

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





Q. To add to the other person's question about galvanized livestock tubs being used as raised vegetable planters:
I, too, am wondering of any possible toxins leaching into the soil/vegetables. One online landscaper suggests prepping the tub by painting its interior with asphalt paint. But am I trading one set of toxins for another? (i.e. what chemicals might leach from the asphalt paint?) I thought the galvanized tub idea was the ticket over wood raised beds lined with rot-proof bituthene roofing material. There again,I couldn't find anything concrete about bituthene dangers in that application.
Any feedback is surely appreciated as to possible food contamination.

Gail Bert
- Chico, California, USA
July 8, 2010



Q. I have several (12) bee hives and I have been made a fantastic galvanised un-capping tray.
It's a flat pan that fits with in another that's filled with water (a bain marie) The idea is that you cut the comb from the frames and it melts inside the one container, heated by the water in the primary pan.
Essentially it all melts into an inner pan without being contaminated by water.
We will be using the pan in the stove on a direct heat to boil the water.
I wonder if I need to throw the uncapping try out. I've not used it as someone said it was dangerous to use.
Will the heat from a stove cause problems? Can I use it at all?

Shirley Cawt
- Worcester - United Kingdom
September 14, 2010



Q. Okay, same old question basically, but last week my husband and I made a small fire in what I'm guess is a galvanized wash tub. (I bought it at a yard sale years ago and thought we would use it for a fire pit)

We cooked hot dogs on a stick and marshmallows for ourselves and our son.

I'd say the fire didn't burn for over 30 mins. The bottom of the wash tub is black from it.

Did we do harm?

Amy Gramels
- Jasper, Indiana
September 27, 2010


A. Hi, Amy. I don't think you will find any authoritative studies, and will have to rely on guesses, pragmatism, and analogy. So until someone finds or does an authoritative study, my feeling is that what you did is completely harmless. Zinc is an essential micronutrient, not a poison.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 4, 2010




Q. Please help me. We have a large group of people that want to build Rocket Stoves for emergency preparedness as seen in the video at www.rocketstove.org

After building a prototype for about $15, we found a note that we should not use galvanized steel piping as seen in the video, but rather black stove pipe as the galvanized pipe can release toxins while heating up. Black stove pipe will double the cost and I am trying to find out if it is worth it--Does anyone know if the toxins are serious or an overreaction? I want to be safe, but cost is an important factor with this group. Can anyone advise me? I would greatly appreciate your help!

Shawnie Sutorius
- Pocatello, Idaho USA
October 4, 2010


A. Hi, Shawnie. You should try to track down who authored that revision note and find out their reasons and their evidence. Asking a third party to challenge an opinion written by an unknown person based on unknown evidence is usually not an effective idea :-)

But I have seen it written myself at
www.woodheat.org/safety/rulesforfluepipes.htm: "Galvanized flue pipes must not be used because the coatings vaporize at high temperatures and release dangerous gases".

I have also heard that the manufacturers don't recommend galvanized flues for solid fuel appliances (they can probably get very hot in a chimney fire, which wouldn't apply to gas appliances. But, since the black is more costly, is it possible that it's simply thicker and therefore safer from burning through?

But if it proves impossible to source anyone who really has done exposure studies, they are probably reasonably safe for wood appliance chimneys from a zinc exposure standpoint. I certainly wouldn't try to save $15 this way on a wood stove installation in an affluent suburb; but when your choice is, as you put it, two families with galvanized flues vs. leaving one family without a stove, it sounds like the humanitarian choice.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 4, 2010



Q. I am currently building a smoker out of a freezer that has an aluminum insert. my question is I have some of what appears to be galvanized pieces that would be perfect supports for my stainless steel racks. It will be operating about 225 deg will it be safe to use? no food will be placed on the galvanized.

Nate Roberts
Idaho Falls, Idaho
November 3, 2010


A. Hi, Nate. As mentioned several times, there are few facts on this subject, only personal perspectives. But I personally can't see any harm from zinc at 225 °F with no food contact.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November 3, 2010




Q. Hello, I wanted to run ductwork past the upper mouth of a fireplace, heating the air that passes through it. Should I be concerned about toxic fumes being released, or will the exposure from the fireplace not be hot enough?

Thank you,
Mark

Mark Ammons
- Leesburg, Virginia USA
December 9, 2010


A. Hi, Mark.

Again, we're on the lookout for, but not finding, authoritative sources for such information. So, instead, all you are getting is one person's best guess. My opinion is that if this ductwork is outside of the chimney, where a mantle would be, there is little problem.

But if the ductwork actually passes through the chimney, exposed to hot exhaust gases from the fire, there is a chance of spreading poisonous carbon monoxide, and soot & creosote, and (in the event of a chimney fire) maybe even flame through the ducts. I would not rely on standard light-gauge ductwork for such an application, but only a carefully engineered Heatilator or similar design.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 9, 2010



Q. Hi there, I am designing wall protection for a woodburning stove installed on a corner hearth in my living room. the stove was professionally installed to the manufacturers specifications, however, my living room walls are heating up to over 211 ° F (measured with a laser thermometer). Not good, so now we are applying wall protection.

i love old rusty metal and would like to use panels made of old corrugated metal roofing to protect the walls. these would likely be installed with a sheet of durock (cement board) behind them, over a one inch airspace. the stove is designed to operate at temperatures between 450 and 700 degrees. the wall protection will reach at least 211 °F and more if the stove is run at higher temperatures for longer periods of time.

Should I be concerned about toxic fumes in my living room from residual galvanization on old rusty roofing? or if the surface is sufficiently rusty, does that indicate that the galvanization is gone? what temperature range is required for fumes to be generated from heating galvanized surfaces?

Thanks for your expert opinion, happy new year!

marylou [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- butte Montana
December 27, 2010


A. Heh Heh Hello Marylou (showing my age) ...

To my knowledge the only people ever known to get metal fume fever are welders, due both to the very high temperatures of welding (above the vaporization temperature of zinc) and the intimate and prolonged exposure to the fumes. The surface of your stove itself probably never gets hot enough to vaporize zinc. A wall protector of galvanized material would, in my opinion, be harmless. Examine your wood stove's ash tray: my Jotul ash tray appears to be galvanized and the galvanizing is not melting off, let alone vaporizing off.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 27, 2010



March 5, 2011

!! Zinc, Lead & chromium is poisonous in nature and with heating of these products there will be emission of toxic gases which shall enter our food chain.

There are other alternative products...

Aluminized Steel
Stainless Steel
Aluminium.

Now galvanized steel is fully replaced by Aluminized steel in Bakery moulds, bakery ovens, grills and barbecues.

Hope this upload is useful for you guys,

Anil Chandan
- Mumbai, India


March 7, 2011

thumbs up signHi, Anil.

Yes, lead is poisonous.

Chrome is poisonous only in hexavalent form; in trivalent form it is an essential nutrient that we normally don't get enough of ["Chromium is an essential nutrient required for sugar and fat metabolism. Normal dietary intake of Cr for humans is suboptimal." --nih.gov].

Zinc is certainly NOT poisonous; rather, it is an essential micronutrient ["Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement" -- nih.gov]. Let's not confuse metal fume fever, a problem experienced by welders who inhale clouds of vaporized zinc because welding temperatures exceed the vaporization point of zinc (1665° F) with day-to-day usage. That's like saying no one should ever take an aspirin because eating a bottle of 300 tablets is toxic.

Aluminum will certainly be better than zinc for certain applications including food contact surfaces, and less satisfactory than zinc for others. But I think that substituting scare tactics for a careful engineering evaluation is the wrong approach . . . further, because zinc is an essential nutrient, whereas aluminum has absolutely no place in the human body, that tack may backfire :-)

Thanks and Regards,

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



Q. Is it safe to use a galvanized strip to replace a rack holder in a dishwasher? Thanks for any help you can provide.

Katy McKean
- Salt Lake City Utah USA
April 30, 2011



Stainless Sheet
on
Amazon

(affil links)

A. Hi, Katy. I think it's safe enough, but that it won't hold up well at all in the highly alkaline environment of a dishwasher. Stainless steel would be a lot better, and you should be able to find some on line if not in a local hardware store. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
May 2, 2011



Q. I have another question about galvanized steel. I have made swizzle sticks from galvanized steel wire. Does this mean that my guests and I are consuming harmful amounts of poison?

cindy kerr
hobbyist - columbia, Missouri
May 19, 2011


A. Hi, Cindy.

You are almost surely not consuming dangerous amounts from a little swizzle stick, but food service items should not be made of galvanized metal. I'd suggest a redesign with stainless steel.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
May 22, 2011



sidebar

Q. I really appreciate how everyone's trying to differentiate between the scare and the true knowledge in this loong thread here. I specially salute Mr. Knowledge for sharing his wealth. Thank you. I tried to find the answer for my question in ALL the threads but could not find the exact one except that "don't worry about little things just enjoy life!" I intend to use stainless steel 18 gauge plate in my gas BBQ grill instead of grate, and cook on top of it directly. Should I worry about any carcinogen activity?

Iqbal Syed
- Levittown, New York
June 7, 2011


A. Hi, Iqbal.

Stainless steel is considered by most people to be one of the safest of all materials for food service. Pots, pans, flatware, (and often scalpels and implants) are made of stainless steel. No worries.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 8, 2011



Q. I have heard of the garbage pail picnic. a 20 gal galvanized garbage pail is purchased and food is layered inside, from chicken to cabbage and cooked with lid on tight for 1 hr over hot flames. Is this harmful to the food? I have seen it done before and the people were eating and enjoying the food. But I don't want to do it if I could be causing harm to my guests. Thanks for any advice given.

ruth perry
- success missouri usa
June 22, 2011


!! Some of the questions here ask about heating /burning galvanized steel and the fumes. I think it was mentioned that no one died of it. Read this (http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor.php?lesson=safety3/demo) - Someone did die heating up galvanised pipes in a furnace.

I had some baffles in a woodburner and got them galvanised. They are in the flame and the fumes go out of the chimney, so no immediate risk to me I assume. Now they are chalky yellow. Don't know if they are now toxic to touch etc. and if I should get the galvanising removed, or just burn off the rest and let the fumes go out of the chimney which is 50 feet up in the air.

Mike Williams
- Conwy, North Wales
September 30, 2011


thumbs up sign Hi Mike. Thanks.

I don't see a claim on this particular thread that no one has ever died from zinc fumes, but this is a big site with more than 50,000 threads, and postings from a quarter million people, and it is possible that such a claim was made. I'm very much on the fence on this subject because it's possible that no one has died on the spot, but if someone dies from pneumonia and the pneumonia occurred because of, or was aggravated by, zinc exposure, then I'd call the zinc exposure the cause of death.

I've seen this Paw-Paw story before and appreciate you publicizing it. But I would be much more comfortable with it if there was a medical examiner's report or something from a medical authority or police authority rather than just guesses from his friends. Since no crime was involved, though, that probably won't happen. I suffer from emphysema myself, which I blame on smoking (I never did metalwork), and I have to be careful of pneumonia too. But any air contaminant at all can be a problem; someone blowing out the candles on a birthday cake can be intolerable, for example. I do not dismiss the possibility that zinc fumes were involved in the death you mention especially when the exposure was not incidental but a deliberate effort to vaporize all of the zinc on a large batch of pipe, and the white clouds of zinc oxide were apparent; it's just that when you have emphysema, which makes you very prone to easily contracting a fatal pneumonia, it is complicated to try to blame the pneumonia on any one particular thing without solid evidence. Thanks again.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 2011




Q. This thread is so funny and useful. I applaud your patience. It's slightly reassuring that there are so many people so very worried about galvanized metal. Surprisingly, I still have a question.

I am not worried about toxicity as much as potential explosiveness. I am working on a sculpture using a variety of black steel fittings and galvanized pipe fittings to create an armature for the sculpture. This will then be wrapped thickly in crunched up aluminum foil and finally covered in a non-toxic clay (about 1/4" thick) which will then (hopefully) be fired in the kitchen oven at 275 degrees for more than hour.

Here's my concern: Is there any chance that the galvanized fittings will give off any kind of fumes at this low temperature that would cause any kind of explosion hazard in my kitchen oven or build up inside the foil/clay covering that would then cause any kind of explosion hazard? I am not planning to eat the sculpture. ;-) Thanks!

Jill Ann [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Central California
October 3, 2011


A. Hi, Jill Ann.

This is way below the melting point, let alone the vaporization point, of zinc and should pose no problems at all. However, be very careful that there are no "sealed" fittings, as the vaporization point (boiling point) of water is 212 °F, and water sealed inside something can certainly explode.

!! But kitchen ovens should be reserved solely for food service. That's harsh I know -- but it's just not a good idea to try to decide which facets of what hobbies and home & auto repairs can be pushed how far in your food oven. It's human nature that if you don't get a separate oven the first time, you never will; and with each project you'll keep pushing it further and further :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 4, 2011




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