Lye Bath and safety?

E

ESFehr

New member
Getting ready to setup a lye bath for about 15 pieces I need to clean. My question is what gloves do you use or recommend? Same question for goggles and maybe a face mask shield? I wear glasses so that may make a difference.

What do all of you use for safety equipment for lye bath?
 
The glasses are so important with a lye bath. One drop of slippery and heavy cast iron could get that nasty stuff in your eye. For gloves I use West Chester PVC-Coated Chemical Gloves. Have lasted me for a year so far and still show no wear.
 
I use regular shop type safety glasses. My first gloves were basic cleaning gloves. They lasted a couple weeks before I noticed one hand was red and had a burning feeling. I found a pin hole in a glove finger. Now I'm using chemical gloves from hardware store. I'll see how long they last.
 
I bought PVC coated chemical resistant gloves at the hardware store. Look like they will do the job. Already had the goggles to go over the glasses. I think my setup is going to be a 20 gallon rubbermaid brute garbage can with a lid. I am going to place a metal bar across the top to hang pieces from. Probably going to use coat hangers bent up to hang pieces?

I plan to have a water hose close in case of accident when adding or removing pieces.

Will this work? Any suggestions?
 
I made a lye tank out of a 16 gallon tote. I just pile the pans in the tote. No need to hang them. Don't put them in upside down. I did with a sauce pan and got an air pocket, the area with air pocket didn't get clean. After more time right side up, it came clean but I had a line with 2 different shades of color on either side. After etenk and seasoning it looks ok. Doesn't effect the way it cooks.
 
Not to try to thread steal, but I have an additional question about setup as I may try a lye tank in the future. Are there any issues with setting up Lye in a basement? That's assuming it's in a container with a suitably tight light. Does the lye tank smell badly, or give off any substances in the air that would be unhealthy or potentially hazardous?

I know Lye works best when it's warm, which wouldn't really happen in a basement setting. Would it be effective still when its temp would be in the 60's year round?
 
DougH said:
Not to try to thread steal, but I have an additional question about setup as I may try a lye tank in the future. Are there any issues with setting up Lye in a basement? That's assuming it's in a container with a suitably tight light. Does the lye tank smell badly, or give off any substances in the air that would be unhealthy or potentially hazardous?

I know Lye works best when it's warm, which wouldn't really happen in a basement setting. Would it be effective still when its temp would be in the 60's year round?
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I use 2 rubbermaid totes, one inside the other for strength. Had it in the bathroom over the winter, didn't notice anything in the line of smells.
 
RobM said:
I use 2 rubbermaid totes, one inside the other for strength. Had it in the bathroom over the winter, didn't notice anything in the line of smells.
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Excellent, thanks for letting me know. Does anyone have an idea on temperature? Is your outdoor lye tank still effective on an average fall day?
 
Average fall day here in Texas is about 90 degrees and it works just fine:)

I really don't notice much inefficience until it drops below 70.
 
I just set up a lye bath last week for 5 pieces. I used a 8 gallon tote with about 5 gallon water and a pound of lye. Worked wonderful and super easy.
 
i just set up a lye tank for the first time and it works great. its just as amazing as the first time I pulled out one of my lanterns out of the electrolysis tank.
I used a 20 gal garbage pale and wrapped it with duct tape to try to keep its shape with the solution in it. its about 18 gal and 4 lbs of lye from tractor supply.
 
ESFehr said:
I bought PVC coated chemical resistant gloves at the hardware store. Look like they will do the job. Already had the goggles to go over the glasses. I think my setup is going to be a 20 gallon rubbermaid brute garbage can with a lid. I am going to place a metal bar across the top to hang pieces from. Probably going to use coat hangers bent up to hang pieces?

I plan to have a water hose close in case of accident when adding or removing pieces.

Will this work? Any suggestions?
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When working with lye, it is a good idea to have a spray bottle (or bucket) with a mixture of vinegar and water. This will immediately neutralize any lye you happen to splash onto your skin, eyes, or clothing. Once neutralized, rinse off the vinegar with the hose.
 
I stuck my bare hand in the lye bath yesterday. I immediately felt a burning, stinging sensation on my skin. Interesting.

I had three pieces in a 5 gallon bucket with a pound of lye: a dutch oven lid on bottom, a dutch oven and a #6 skillet. I walked out to the back yard to retrieve the pieces and I took a coat hanger with me to hook them by the handles. I got the skillet and set it on the grass, then the dutch oven, but the lid had flipped upside down so I couldn't hook the handle. I tried several times to flip it over with the hanger. I didn't want to walk all the way back to the house to get some other tool so finally I just stuck my hand in and grabbed the lid. I took the 3 pieces in to the kitchen sink and washed my hands. After a few minutes my skin stopped hurting.

Let my life be a cautionary tale. :o
 
I always keep flattened out pieces of cardboard on the ground around my lye tank to set the pieces of iron on when I pull them out. I slide the cardboard over in front of my favorite porch chair for scrubbing. There is a big cardboard bin where I work so I have a never ending supply for free. If I am just taking pieces out for a peek then I set them in the tank lid turned upside down to catch the drips. I can then pour the run off back into the tank.
 
Chuck P said:
I stuck my bare hand in the lye bath yesterday. I immediately felt a burning, stinging sensation on my skin. Interesting.
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I'm reminded of an old joke.

Patient: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this"
Doctor: "Don't do that"

One should always use protective gear when handling extremely caustic chemicals. At least gloves and eye protection. If you are cavalier around this stuff you will eventually get hurt.
 
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