What's new
What's new

Wood & Spencer TAPS - Beryllium

If the taps were used with pure beryllium, I'd just seal them in a plastic bag and wait for a hazardous waste collection day. But it might have been beryllium copper, which is relatively safe as the Be is bound to the Cu.

Some pics of the actual taps would help...
 
Thanks for the response. One of my questions was should I clean them up and with what.
 
I would think that they were kept for the beryllium use only and may be specially ground for it. Beryllium does not machine terribly well in general and tapping in particular is troublesome. As far as cleaning them I wouldn't worry about it. Metallic Beryllium is not much of a problem. The hazard comes from applications where it is used in a ceramic form and must be ground. The dusts created caused the respiratory disease known as Berylliosis. There is a shop here that does that and is commonly called the "shop of death".
 
ok thanks for replies. some vinegar and baking soda will be next.

Umm. The metal may not be that bad, but the cleaning solution may dissolve some metal. I don't know if it will, but I'd be cautious. There are safety sheets on such things that will say in great detail.

Treat the solution used to clean these taps as hazardous. Use gloves and goggles. Flush it down the toilet. Wash everything twice.
 
I was at a dealership that sold used wirecut edm's and they proudly stated that one of their used machines was used to cut beryllium parts only for the government. It was covered in the swarf that wirecuts usually are and I was shocked to see it sitting on the display floor. I briefly explained the dangers of beryllium and they just shrugged it off.
 








 
Back
Top