I was hoping that some of you more experienced glassers might be able to pass along your advice and warnings - to the “newer” glassers - with respect to safety. (“Cleanlines”/Roger!, you in there?!.. Kokua?!..Jim?). I’ve heard some harrowing tales, and I was wondering if you (all) could (please) share some of your stories (in order to save our new “artisans” their skins). Be safe! Thank-you, Tom.
Wear protective equipment that is for the job you are doing!!! You do not see many old glassers in the business and the ones you do see wear protective equipment religiously. Epoxy is easy to get hypersenistive to. Think Safety, Be Healthy. Over half the Gorge board builders have had to quit the business due to the toxicity of glassing. Anthony in Oregon>>> I was hoping that some of you more experienced glassers might be able to > pass along your advice and warnings - to the “newer” glassers - > with respect to safety. (“Cleanlines”/Roger!, you in there?!.. > Kokua?!..Jim?). I’ve heard some harrowing tales, and I was wondering if > you (all) could (please) share some of your stories (in order to save our > new “artisans” their skins). Be safe! Thank-you, Tom. http://www.viser.net/~anthwind/
Wear protective equipment that is for the job you are doing!!! > You do not see many old glassers in the business and the ones you do see > wear protective equipment religiously. Epoxy is easy to get hypersenistive > to. Think Safety, Be Healthy.>>> Over half the Gorge board builders have had to quit the business due to > the toxicity of glassing.>>> Anthony in Oregon Anthony is right…its not that hard to be safe,ventilation and protective gear are pretty standard a respirator,gloves etc.I only use polyester so I can,t speak for Epoxy but I hear bad things about reaction after time.Epoxy has very little odor so I guess it apppears to be safer…poly fumes are strong so any idiot should know that you better be carefull.If I were a beginner I would use the U.V. resin,it gives you plenty of working time and you can cure it in a few minutes outside ,cloudy,sunny,cold or hot…it works.As for sanding dust I would work in a ventilated room with an exhaust fan or go outside somewhere.Sanding dust and foam dust are pretty benign if you have some air flow and a dust mask.Fiberglass dust is itchy but if you glass and hot coat properly you will be O.K…wear a long sleeve shirt when sanding stuff like this and tape the sleeves closed.Acetone in itself is flammable but a clean solvent when used right,the problem is when it gets dirty with resin and the styrene can get into your system.I use three different acetone containers…clean…semi clean…dirty, I rotate them regularly and keep lids on for evaporation.Just be careful and have fun.
Anthony is right…its not that hard to be safe,ventilation and protective > gear are pretty standard a respirator,gloves etc.I only use polyester so I > can,t speak for Epoxy but I hear bad things about reaction after > time.Epoxy has very little odor so I guess it apppears to be safer…poly > fumes are strong so any idiot should know that you better be carefull.If I > were a beginner I would use the U.V. resin,it gives you plenty of working > time and you can cure it in a few minutes outside ,cloudy,sunny,cold or > hot…it works.As for sanding dust I would work in a ventilated room with > an exhaust fan or go outside somewhere.Sanding dust and foam dust are > pretty benign if you have some air flow and a dust mask.Fiberglass dust is > itchy but if you glass and hot coat properly you will be O.K…wear a > long sleeve shirt when sanding stuff like this and tape the sleeves > closed.Acetone in itself is flammable but a clean solvent when used > right,the problem is when it gets dirty with resin and the styrene can get > into your system.I use three different acetone containers…clean…semi > clean…dirty, I rotate them regularly and keep lids on for > evaporation.Just be careful and have fun. Wan’t to hear a harrowing tale??? when Jim Phillips and I were around 17 years old we were building boards in the Hickam Air force Base, Hawaii hobby shop and our glass jobs were kinda “rough”.We would get totally eaten up by the fiberglass itch for days until his Mom would carry us to Sandy Beach for a good old body whomp session.After getting sucked over the falls and bounced of the bottom a few times we would be itch free…crippled…but itch free. R.B.