Question: I have an aluminium bearing holder attached to one end of an aluminium plate as follows:

[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/026xMl.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/026xMl.png)

The bearing holder is attached to the plate by two bolts on the bottom. The intended setup is to attach a relatively heavy load to the right hand side of the shaft. To reduce stress on the two bolt holes in the plate, is it a good idea to have a lip on the plate as shown? Will it actually have any effect? Ideally I'd like to fasten the bearing holder through the lip, but I'm trying to avoid machining from the side and stay away from 4-axis machining.

Are there better ways to reduce the stress on the holes?

Any advice appreciated.

Answer: 
Lead can be held safely... Just don't eat it and wash your hands. If it is old, is most likely contains some trace amount of lead, as it was a common additive to make machining easier.
Contact an accredited laboratory and ask what they would need as a sample. You may need to cut a short piece off the end of the pipes or by using a grinder, or similar, obtain separate ground samples of the pipes and send them to the laboratory.

Assuming you live in the US, the [California Department of Public Health has a website](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/CLPPB/Pages/home_test.aspx) with information. Use this as guide or contact the health depart where you live for more details specific to your region.