TV glass toxicity?

[MakkyBrown]

I've got a huge amount of test cutting to do and thought TV glass would be good. Soft with a reasonably high RI. Just the thing for quick nasty faceting.

So I dragged the big old 90cm CRTV out of the bottom room, pulled it to bits, removed the vacuum, put contact film on the screen(left over from the kids school books), covered with a towel and carpet tiles. Then gave it a good wack with the sledge hammer. The shattering radiated nicely from the impact point and in no time at all I had a bucket full of glass ready from faceting  .

Cubed a few bits by hand on the saw, but then....
Hmm, I got thinking about lead and hmm though it might not be a good idea. So I did some reading and luckily the glass from the screen fronts is usually fairly low in lead. The screen glass I have has a light grey tint to it.
So the question is has anyone here got exp with tv glass?? Is it safe for me to facet it. It was from one of the last models produced (about 2004 Panasonic). I realized the tube glass is very high in lead, I'm hoping the screen glass might be ok. I've read screen glass for colour tv's was commonly lead free barium/strontium glass.
CheersMB

[MALACHI]

Hi Makky. I'm glad you bought this post up. At my club we have available some TV glass that's from an old Black and White tv. This glass most definitely has lead in it and a result of this was a much higher RI. Fortunately up to date not many people have been using it! But my thoughts on this is that there is minimum contact with residue from cutting except when wiping the stone when checking cut and when cleaning down the machine. Though one would need to wash hands after as a precaution.   Cheers
Malachi 

[MakkyBrown]

Hi mate,
Lead is nasty as it bio-accumulates and I'm pretty sure through skin contact aswell. I think glass locks it in a bit but the fine grinding involved with faceting I would be wearing gloves for lead glass. Then you have the risk from the powder/dust when the laps dry.
I wouldn't use it especially if there are kids at the club. Happy to send you some of hopefully safer glass I have for the club to use, it's just got a grey tint to it but I reckon the RI is pretty high looking at it.
CheersMB

[MALACHI]

We only use Quartz when learning. The glass is there and handy if anyone wishes to use it, but because of the realization its hazard, I'll be suggesting its disposal asp. Thanks for the offer on the glass Makky, but I think we'll be okay with Quartz. Cheers! 

PS On another note. I hope your not being too affected by the smoke and fires there in Tassie.

Malachi 

[MakkyBrown]

We only use Quartz when learning. The glass is there and handy if anyone wishes to use it, but because of the realization its hazard, I'll be suggesting its disposal asp. Thanks for the offer on the glass Makky, but I think we'll be okay with Quartz. Cheers! 

PS On another note. I hope your not being too affected by the smoke and fires there in Tassie.

Malachi 

Smoke is not too bad atm it comes and goes. Street lights were on in the middle of the day the other day. We've been sealed up in the house with the aircon going to filter it. :)Just dopped up some of the tv glass to give it a go. Quartz or topaz cut nice stones and I just can't bring myself to faceted it without care or a perfect polish etc hence the tv glass.
CheersMB

[MALACHI]

 I've recently had a break of over a year and half from faceting, so I too have been holding off cutting some of my better stones.  I'm slowly but confidently, getting back into cutting Brilliants again. Eventually, I want to have a go at some Hearts that turn out very nicely on Citrine.   
Malachi 
PS I do feel sorry for all those there in Tassie, that have breathing related medical conditions. It must be really tough for them. I hope the fires are extinguished quickly.

[gypsygurl]

Hello everyone, as a newbie to the world of gems and minerals and I've recently joined a lapidary group. I thank you for this valuable information, as I had no idea about the lead content. As I'm looking into purchasing a faceting machine and was going to practice on old tv glass. Think i will be finding something else that has a high RI. Thankyou once again

[Rusted]

Welcome gypsygurl
If you want natural materials, Quartz is popular with beginners, though it can be a pain to get a good polish with diamond laps, be prepared to use cerium oxide or tin oxide to get a nice polish. Some of the clear feldspars are good forgiving materials for beginners, eg. Labradorite from Springsure.
Cubic Zirconia is really sparkly and usually cuts well and is really cheap .25 cents a carat last time I bought it. Man made Spinel and corundum are similar prices and cut well.

[MakkyBrown]

Hello everyone, as a newbie to the world of gems and minerals and I've recently joined a lapidary group. I thank you for this valuable information, as I had no idea about the lead content. As I'm looking into purchasing a faceting machine and was going to practice on old tv glass. Think i will be finding something else that has a high RI. Thankyou once again

Just lost my reply to a 403 error ,
The short version, welcome . TV glass is ok if colour tv and front screen glass only. Should have a tint to it. Beach glass can also be nice, ri is lower but will the right angles can look really nice.

[gypsygurl]

Thankyou Rusted.
Yes, I am currently learning on my 1st piece of quartz & am having a few issues with polishing, I never thought of using cerium oxide or tin oxide. My teacher hasn't mentioned it either from memory, but I'm very interested in trying different mediums to get the best polish. I will purchase some of both to see what my surfaces are like on stones i will eventually facet at home. Thankyou for all the other information, I will keep an eye out at the local Rockarama coming up in May 2019 to purchase rough & ask at my local club to see if we have some rough of what you have mentioned. I love faceting it's incredibly refreshing and relaxing

[gypsygurl]

Thank you MakkyBrown.
I will keep that in mind.
What material is those pretty round brilliants?
I know at our club they said they have heaps of the old really thick tv glass and how well it shines, got me intrigued and was going to be my cheap practicing material. I have alot of beautiful beach glass and old coloured glass fragments ive picked up along my travels, will definitely be trying some pieces.

[Rusted]

A good lap for using with cerium or tin can be easily made from draughting film, it's like tracing paper only not paper, art supply places and office supplies have it. Mark and cut a 6 inch circle and cut a hole in the centre, use on top of any old worn out or contaminated lap, if you can find an old lucite or copper lap that is ideal, a drop of sewing machine oil will hold the film to the lap. The good thing with the draughting paper film is that it comes in huge sheets, so dozens of laps from one sheet, when it gets contaminated or worn just replace it.
I use cerium and tin in a little eye dropper bottle but at my club they mix it to a very watery suspension and spray it from a spray bottle.

[MakkyBrown]

Thank you MakkyBrown.
I will keep that in mind.
What material is those pretty round brilliants?
I know at our club they said they have heaps of the old really thick tv glass and how well it shines, got me intrigued and was going to be my cheap practicing material. I have alot of beautiful beach glass and old coloured glass fragments ive picked up along my travels, will definitely be trying some pieces.

It's beach glass, I was just showing you glass can look nice and 100+ year old beach glass is pretty cool imo. Not worth a lot, but nice colours. Here is the photo of the other 2 bits, I cut what would have been the stopper top into 4. Just need to avoid bits with bubbles in the glass,

[Ghost]

Cut 3 very nice stones from TV glass and haven't died yet, despite the Avatar name.

Regards,
Ghost.

[FlashGP]

Hi all,

I wouldn't be too concerned about the lead in TV glass if you take basic precautions, just as you would with say tigereye or quartz.

The lead is trapped in the silica matrix in the glass. That's why good crystal glasses are safe to drink from.  Orefors crystal glasses come in 2 grades, 16% and 24% lead.  I would have thought TV glass to br fairly heavy with lead to stop Xrays leaving the TV.

If crystal dust is a problem, clean up better, silicosis is likely to be a bigger concern.  All our gem material contains silica, and our lapiddary processes produce fine particles with sharp edges.

Happy faceting.