Shopsmith Forums

Hi Bob,
Like you, I depend on good ventilation for my breathing, but I seldom protect my hands from touching the product. I do knot exactly emerse my hands though, I try to avoid skin contact, but, of course, sometimes I do get a lttle "contaminated". I know that I should rethink that and I probably will. I have used playtex gloves occasionally, and they do seem to work well, i.e., they do knot disintegrate, are tight fitting, and reusable.

I always try to understand the toxity of the product I'm about to use. If the risk is too high I simply don't use it.

I belonged to a woodworkers club where we had as a guest speaker who knew about various chemicals. Frankly from what I learned in this meeting I have eliminated some finishes completely, the risk was that high. There are some chemicals that will go through rubber gloves, and can create such high temperatures in their reaction to respirator type masks that you can do damage before you realize it.

I use a lot of boil oils (linseed and tung) and most boil oils aren't boiled but have chemicals added to make them dry. I'm careful about what combinations I will use.

Frankly I like shellac, some of the newer water based finishes and pure tung oil where I add a poly/varnish that I view as fairly safe. I'm to the point I do use protection but if I'm really afraid of the this chemical being on me I simply don't use it.

Therefore while I will do what I can to avoid contact, I have found the safest way is to simply avoid chemicals that are overtly dangerous.
Ed

Ed in Tampa wrote:I always try to understand the toxity of the product I'm about to use. If the risk is too high I simply don't use it.

I belonged to a woodworkers club where we had as a guest speaker who knew about various chemicals. Frankly from what I learned in this meeting I have eliminated some finishes completely, the risk was that high. There are some chemicals that will go through rubber gloves, and can create such high temperatures in their reaction to respirator type masks that you can do damage before you realize it.

I use a lot of boil oils (linseed and tung) and most boil oils aren't boiled but have chemicals added to make them dry. I'm careful about what combinations I will use.

Frankly I like shellac, some of the newer water based finishes and pure tung oil where I add a poly/varnish that I view as fairly safe. I'm to the point I do use protection but if I'm really afraid of the this chemical being on me I simply don't use it.

Therefore while I will do what I can to avoid contact, I have found the safest way is to simply avoid chemicals that are overtly dangerous.
Ed

Seems like I can recall a certain gentleman who likes to mix his chemicals. Now who was that??

a1gutterman wrote:Seems like I can recall a certain gentleman who likes to mix his chemicals. Now who was that??

Tim
Once again I stand red faced (also with most of hair burned from my nostrils):D

Yes at one time I did tend to mix chemicals and the results were not always favorable. However the lessons I learned and from what I heard from this guy at our woodworkers club I have backed off. This guy that spoke talked about how chemicals are absorbed into our bodies through breathing and/or contact and how they attacked various organs. He explained that many that could be absorbed through our skin really wasn't stopped with various normal home hobbiest protections.

Start looking at your cans of finish you will notice stronger warnings, and changes in chemical compostions as manufactures are being pressured to clean up their acts. Some of these drying salts that were added to "boiled" oils were prescriptions for disaster. Today if the same chemical is released a hazmed team must respond, they are that bad.

I'm having more and more luck with water based finishes but I still use extensive amounts of Tung oil. But I use pure tung and mix my own poly. I have used a recipe very similar to the one Nick gave in a sawdust session for the last 20 years.

At one time I was known to have a full cabinet filled with all sorts of chemicals many I can't spell. Things like Toluene, xyolene, Acetone, Lacquer thinners, MEK and some others I can't remember. But after hearing this guy my chemical supply is down to mineral spirits, alcohol, and naptha.

Even then I'm very very careful.

Ed

beeg wrote:Ed

Which finishes will you NOT use anymore?

While I was never a big fan of lacquer (too much work) I totally avoid it. I avoid any finish product that has MEK, tolene, xylene, and a few others I can't think of. I try to stay away from reactive hardeners, most of the drying salts/agents used to make "boiled" oils.

Catalist type hardners are especially dangerous. I was painting a car once with a gloss hardener and instantly my respirator got so hot I had to rip if from my face. I found out chemical reaction of the fumes and organic filtering material caused the filter canisters to heat hot enough to seriously burn the lungs.

I guess I'm turning into a sissy but I try to stick to evaporative type hardeners like alcohol and water. I have had enough incidences with chemical reactive hardners to last me the rest of my life. While I still use poly I'm slowing converting to water based in that product too.

Ed

For a concise overview of the risks involved in using wood finishing chemicals and what can be done to reduce those risks, you might want to read this excerpt from "Finishing" by Nick Engler.

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With all good wishes,