20.
“Gunsmithing, for sure. Before I took it up, I had no idea of the number of hazardous factors that would come into play. The variety of chemicals one comes in contact with and has difficulty mitigating is, in hindsight, disconcerting. The list of risks includes: coolant and oils from the CNC machines, fumes from the heat treating kiln, welding fumes, chemical bluing residues, various paints and spray on finishes settling on exposed skin, metal dust from grinding and finishing that always sneaks past the respirator, and the sheer amount of metal that ends up lodged under the skin, exposure to cosmoline and who knows what else that old rifles were stored in, wood finishing treatments for stocks, fiberglass, aggressive cleaning agents, a whole host of lubricants, silicones, etc., and probably 100 other forms of hazardous exposures not listed above.
“Add to that broken fingers from stuck bolts, contaminated lacerations from unfinished metal edges, and a couple of fairly exciting out-of-battery explosions during experimental test fires, and you have all the key ingredients for a hobby that will try to kill you in all sorts of both expected and unexpected ways. While I’m not 100 percent certain it was the cause, I now have a nasty case of Lymphoma to thank for my efforts. Started as a genuine labor of love, and it will likely physically haunt me for the rest of my life. It was a great nine years, but looking back with the wisdom now accumulated no way I would do it again as I did.”