Hello,
I'm going to be building a new workspace, and had a question. If a glassing room (PE) was side by side to my shaping bay, would the smell be able to come through the wall? I am planning on putting a permanent wall of wood in between both rooms, and am not building them separate in order to save money on a building permit. Any tips on a permanent seal off from the smell of PE?
Are you planning on having any ventillation, a fan through to the outside? How hot would it be, wouldn’t want to be in a sealed tight room for a while when stuff starts going off with no ventillation. I had a nice industrial fan through the wall in my garage and it was killer. Didn’t go over too well with the nieghbors blasting their kids with fumes in the yard behind me!
Anyway, you could seal around the wall / cracks with that weather proofing expanding foam stuff, comes in a spray can.
To answer your question, yes I will have adequate ventilation in the glass room, but in the shaping bay, I was just gonna keep a door open if it gets too hot. I live in a relatively stable climate, so it is rare for it to get too hot. that foaming sealer is good stuff, and that is what I was planning on using. I was just wondering if anyone has done something like this, and if it works or not. I just don't want to have to smell hazardous fumes while only wearing a particulate filter respirator cartridge in my shaping bay, and thus being exposed to styrene and other nasty chemicals.
I just don't want to have to smell hazardous fumes while only wearing a particulate filter respirator cartridge in my shaping bay, and thus being exposed to styrene and other nasty chemicals.
Today would be a really good day to switch to Resin Research Epoxy Resin. Lots of former polyester resin users like NJSurfer and Resinhead are using it. The yellowing problems have been solved. Lots of options from slow to Kwick Kick. You will get a very slight smell from the add F. There are NO solvents in my workshop. Orange hand cleaner and paper towels do the trick.
Stingray
I used to paint motorcycle tins, helmets etc. and built a booth with thick plastic on the walls. It was sealed up pretty tight. That turned into my glassing area, unfortunately you a going to get some fumes, however minimal no matter what.
Take as many precautions as you can my freind, After painting, shaping, glassing, sanding boards and building a boat without wearing a lot of gear I have major sinus problems and two sinus surgeries to boot.
Drowning and being underwater unconsious for a minute or so probably didn’t help me either!
Sorry to keep blabbing here, Stingray is correct about switching to epoxy, minimal fumes if any.
I used System 3 Epoxy and built a 17’ boat with lots glass and resin. Needless to say the amines in the hardener can cause certain people like me to develop an allergy or skin sensitzation if you don’t dilligently wear gloves. Gave me a false sense of security cause you don’t smell anything. Not trying to scare you but some people are more suceptible to it, unfortunately I’m one of them.
Thanks for the tips. I'll probably just end up doing two separate shops to avoid anything harmful. Just gotta see how much more it'll cost for a building permit.
An exhaust fan should handle most of the fumes from PE, generally the smell is only really strong while the resin is wet and while curing. I glass in my attached garage and the smell does not get into the house as long as the fan is running.
Just get used to wearing a mask. Its not a big deal, I do it all day 5 days a week. blanks give off fumes too.
Asteve, if you are in So. Cal, most communities will allow a 100 square foot building built with no permits. This is provided there is no "mechanical " work involved. If possible, I’d just bootleg it. Mechanical refers to electrical, plumbing, or forced air: heat/cool. A building permit will raise your property taxes and the fees are generally 1 to 2 % of the cost of building, and they may require a soils report. There are small sheds bootlegged in the majority of households in So Ca. and the permitting process is a pain in the A$$. This is coming from a lifelong building contractor.
Exhaust fans, exspanding poly sealant, drywall, plastic sheeting, etc. etc. There are so many ways to cut the smell and fumes. Not to mention the above post about epoxy. The most often overlooked fume cutter being UV Polyester resin. Poly only really gets nasty when it's catalyzed. Honestly: If you can't cut the small and fumes using any and all available precautions you should find another hobby.
You can have your exhaust fan “exhale” vertically out of a pvc pipe extended out of your roof like a chimney. Flange it down in diameter to increase air pressure. That will blast the smell out of neighbor range. As far as through the wall, keep your clothes separate. Most of the smell will be carried on you and your clothes, or boards that aren’t cured between the rooms. Especially foot wear. My Glassing shoes don’t have any foot odor.
I forgot who mentioned it, but would an organic vapor respirator cartridge help block fumes from the blank? I've heard about toxic fumes in blanks before, but i didn't know if it was true.
I’ve just started playing with UV poly and while it might not be AS nasty, it’s still pretty freakin’ nasty.
organic vapor/acid gas filters is what people are using now. organic are ok if you are only doing poly.