Administrator really should make this thread a "sticky"
My "high-end" neighbor likes to bring me his new found treasures that require servicing.
It's not always a pleasant job of course.
And this one job I'm currently doing is the focus of this thread.
It concerns vintage equipment that has a known, dangerous, and deadly element known as Cadmuim.
It was used in many things as a plating on metal parts, and perhaps you've seen a white or yellowish powder on old equipment.
Chassis, speakers, and other components are all affected.
It MUST be CAREFULLY removed.
Cadmuim is as bad as Asbestos if you breathe it.
A mask, gloves, and eye protection is mandatory.
And it has to be done OUT-doors, carefully.
I won't go into the whole procedure, you can look it up for yourself.
This is a close-up photo of the 1964-ish Thorens TD 124 motor assembly on my bench that was seized-up but serviceable.
It's gonna be a messy job, most of the turntable's parts are also contaminated with the white powder too.
My "high-end" neighbor likes to bring me his new found treasures that require servicing.
It's not always a pleasant job of course.
And this one job I'm currently doing is the focus of this thread.
It concerns vintage equipment that has a known, dangerous, and deadly element known as Cadmuim.
It was used in many things as a plating on metal parts, and perhaps you've seen a white or yellowish powder on old equipment.
Chassis, speakers, and other components are all affected.
It MUST be CAREFULLY removed.
Cadmuim is as bad as Asbestos if you breathe it.
A mask, gloves, and eye protection is mandatory.
And it has to be done OUT-doors, carefully.
I won't go into the whole procedure, you can look it up for yourself.
This is a close-up photo of the 1964-ish Thorens TD 124 motor assembly on my bench that was seized-up but serviceable.
It's gonna be a messy job, most of the turntable's parts are also contaminated with the white powder too.
The white powder is cadmium oxide.
Here's its Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet for reference:
200.pdf#:~:text= Cadmium Oxide can cause nausea%2C vomiting%2C diarrhea,damage%2C anemia%2C and loss of sense of smell.
Here's its Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet for reference:
200.pdf#:~:text= Cadmium Oxide can cause nausea%2C vomiting%2C diarrhea,damage%2C anemia%2C and loss of sense of smell.
I worked in a facility that manufactured nickel cadmium battery cells for several years in the 70's until that operation was shut down and moved offshore. The plant also used Beryllium Oxide in the manufacture of ceramic microelectronic modules for two way radios. I was responsible for maintaining some of the equipment used in these manufacturing operations. The hazards of BeO were known and a fairly well controlled environment was in place. BeO was used as the heat spreader for the silicon device in many RF power amps. I don't know if it was ever used in ceramic based audio power amp modules. It is also used in most magnetron tube found in microwave ovens. Grinding or sanding any BeO substrate is worse case.
The white cadmium dust and the yellowish cadmium oxide dust was however, all over the place in the battery cell making part of the building. Some of the residues were disposed of improperly resulting in the facility being placed on the federal superfund cleanup list for several years back in 1997. It is now listed as inactive, but still monitored. Site number FLD056921471
Both of these can be found in some consumer electronics, but Cadmium is by far the most common and BeO is the most carcinogenic.
https://www.osha.gov/cadmium
https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0226.pdf
The white cadmium dust and the yellowish cadmium oxide dust was however, all over the place in the battery cell making part of the building. Some of the residues were disposed of improperly resulting in the facility being placed on the federal superfund cleanup list for several years back in 1997. It is now listed as inactive, but still monitored. Site number FLD056921471
Both of these can be found in some consumer electronics, but Cadmium is by far the most common and BeO is the most carcinogenic.
https://www.osha.gov/cadmium
https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0226.pdf
The other nasty substance that I've had to deal with is sometimes found in old vintage radios.
Asbestos!
They used it to insulate the cabinets from the heat of the tubes.
Sheets of it glued to the cabinet walls.
I'll try that cadmium oxide fact sheet link again: https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/2200.pdf
Galu, I'll tell you in a few words.....
Common sense, and some intelligence.
It doesn't require much..
Some research on things, good schooling, retaining knowledge.
No one is perfect, but you can get pretty damn close.
Well, don't know how old you are, but also @ 76, 'herd immunity' applies to me as asbestos was everywhere, ditto all manner of corroded metal.
Thanks for the info. I had no idea the oxide is so hazardous.
Can't say I've seen it though, as I rarely work on vintage gear.
Do you know when its use was discontinued?
A quick google reveals that restriction on the use of Cd-plating has been applied since July 1, 2006 in electronic equipment due to its environmental toxicity.
Used to be in all sorts of things where, perhaps, you'd not expect to find it. WWII gasmasks for instance. Generally glued isn't safe to remove. But there's a big difference between asbestos (as wadding for insulation) and the asbestos cement that usually had <5% gray asbestos.The other nasty substance that I've had to deal with is sometimes found in old vintage radios.
Asbestos!
They used it to insulate the cabinets from the heat of the tubes.
Sheets of it glued to the cabinet walls.
Times have changed a lot since Rawlplastic asbestos screw fixing compound...
In some of those old vintage radio cabinets, I've removed the glued-on asbestos sheets per proper safety procedures, and the resulting cabinet area is then coated with paint or laquer to secure any possible bits embedded in the wood.
This is to adhere to safety codes, protect the customer, as well as myself, and eliminate any future possibility of a liability case. - the same goes for any "uprading" modifications of the wiring.
The heat shielding now removed, is replaced with aluminum flashing, sometimes over a layer of fiberglass insulation and/or standoffs, and if possible, shaped or angled to give a convection airflow out of the cabinet to prevent any heat damage to the outer finish.
I've done a bit more googling!
The presence of cadmium in electronic devices extends to the use of cadmium selenide in the manufacture of semiconductors.
The RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive, issued in the European Union, restricts the use of cadmium in electronics. The allowable amount for cadmium in electronic devices is 100 ppm (.01% or less by weight). Because of this limit, some manufacturers no longer use cadmium.
Tubelab mentioned the use of cadmium in the manufacture of the nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries used in electronics like cell phones.
Although such batteries account for about 75% of the cadmium used in manufacturing, they are not restricted by the RoHS directive.
The presence of cadmium in electronic devices extends to the use of cadmium selenide in the manufacture of semiconductors.
The RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive, issued in the European Union, restricts the use of cadmium in electronics. The allowable amount for cadmium in electronic devices is 100 ppm (.01% or less by weight). Because of this limit, some manufacturers no longer use cadmium.
Tubelab mentioned the use of cadmium in the manufacture of the nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries used in electronics like cell phones.
Although such batteries account for about 75% of the cadmium used in manufacturing, they are not restricted by the RoHS directive.
My main concern would be fracturing the sheet trying to remove it. I've seen a few that were just screwed in place. But if proper procedure is followed they can be removed safely and the post removal lacquer is a good idea.
In the UK they were commonly used as heat resistive backboards to gas fires set into fireplaces. Used to be in car brake linings too I believe...
I'm damn near 70 and I've breathed all sorts of bad air for long periods and I'm still here. Maybe a good thing the rigid conduit factory was shut down.
I note some people in this thread saying "I was exposed to this, that, and the other thing and I am still here" and I am delighted you are still here., and further hope that you live relatively trouble free to extreme old age.
My uncle was exposed to asbestos, an occupational hazard of nuclear design engineering in the 1960s through early 1980s - he lived to the ripe old age of 89, but died a horrible lingering death of mesothelioma. He was diagnosed about 3 years before his demise, and had symptoms for a few years before that.
My dad's USN cabin mate also died of mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos in the engine room of a WWII destroyer. Again it was the cancer and not some other underlying condition that killed him
My uncle was healthy through his early 80s and it was downhill after that, all mesothelioma related.
Comments like that quoted above may act to minimize the risk, and dilute the message that WOT is trying to get across which is a very important one.
(Note that I am a cancer survivor so have something of an attitude about these sorts of things. 😀)
My uncle was exposed to asbestos, an occupational hazard of nuclear design engineering in the 1960s through early 1980s - he lived to the ripe old age of 89, but died a horrible lingering death of mesothelioma. He was diagnosed about 3 years before his demise, and had symptoms for a few years before that.
My dad's USN cabin mate also died of mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos in the engine room of a WWII destroyer. Again it was the cancer and not some other underlying condition that killed him
My uncle was healthy through his early 80s and it was downhill after that, all mesothelioma related.
Comments like that quoted above may act to minimize the risk, and dilute the message that WOT is trying to get across which is a very important one.
(Note that I am a cancer survivor so have something of an attitude about these sorts of things. 😀)
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