Most of the concern regarding lead was the relatively frequent
ingestion of lead-bearing paint flakes by infants crawling around in
old tenement buildings. That's why lead was removed from paint years
ago. So unless you're frequently tearing eighty-eight oxidized lead
tubes out of a player, or doing some kind of test sucking with your
mouth on lead tubes, don't worry about it. If you are, wear a dust
mask or put a cloth on the tube.
The elbows in your player might be pot metal instead of lead. If they
worry you, just spray varnish in them which will imprison the lead
oxide. Or change them out for some other material.
Don't worry that your player is spewing death rays around your house.
Trace amounts of heavy metals are harmless. Most of us have absorbed
a pound of lead in our lives through handling fish sinkers, bullets,
wheel weights, paint chips, solder, stained glass, glazing compound,
and every sardine and potted meat and Spam can in the old days plus
electrical connections, batteries -- need I go on?
Get your blood tested and when the results come back normal, sit down
and enjoy a piano roll with the kids.
Tim Gautreaux
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