Another good tip is when you are sanding anything, Plastic Fiberglass,etc...use your Vacuum at the same time to minimize the dust and cleanup.
Is dust from sanding resin dangerous to breathe?
- Thread starter neosporing
- Start date
Any kind of polymer dust like that can be a problem. It all depends on the size of the particles. If the particle size is below the threshold of what the cilia (little finger-like projections) lining the lungs can "grab hold of" and convey out the lungs via mucus (what comes out your nose or you cough out), then it will stay in your lungs and build up over time. I heard that in Utah by the Great Salt Lake that there are dust particles that build up in the lungs over the years and it's quantifiable. I have both this one:
http://www.safetyrescuegear.com/North_safe.../no-7700ser.htm
and the full-face version.
EDIT: this one:
http://www.safetyrescuegear.com/product_p/760008a.htm
http://www.safetyrescuegear.com/North_safe.../no-7700ser.htm
and the full-face version.
EDIT: this one:
http://www.safetyrescuegear.com/product_p/760008a.htm
Serafino
Sr Member
The sad thing about most vacuums is that they spew out the stuff your lungs can't clean.
Be sure that whatever protective device you use is truly rated to protect you at the particle size generated by what you're doing.
Surviving 10 or even 20 years of this stuff is just fine, but it doesn't make you feel better if, when you're 58 you get an obscure form of lung cancer linked to stuff you were doing in your 20s, and it kills you.
That's what happened to a very dear friend of mine who was a musical instrument maker and researcher, and one of the greatest craftsman I've ever seen.
Be sure that whatever protective device you use is truly rated to protect you at the particle size generated by what you're doing.
Surviving 10 or even 20 years of this stuff is just fine, but it doesn't make you feel better if, when you're 58 you get an obscure form of lung cancer linked to stuff you were doing in your 20s, and it kills you.
That's what happened to a very dear friend of mine who was a musical instrument maker and researcher, and one of the greatest craftsman I've ever seen.
Wet-sand resin always.
BTW, this thread isn't scary at all. Ask this at starshipmodeler.com and one guy there WILL scare the holy **** out of you about this stuff.
BTW, this thread isn't scary at all. Ask this at starshipmodeler.com and one guy there WILL scare the holy **** out of you about this stuff.
OldKen
Master Member
i learned this lesson earlier this year... :unsure
yeah, most of the resin stuff ive ever messed with needed little to no clean up, so it never bothered me, but i was determined to get a piece done in one sitting that basically was a big mess, and required sanding to the point of actually shaping the piece...
anyway, i woke up the next day and didnt really so much have a voice for a good 30 minutes, and well a very bad sore throat and tight chest for a FEW weeks. :confused
i came here and asked the same question.
so the real answer.
yes its not good, dont do it again.
i dont think it is on an asbestos level of dangerous unless you snorted a pile of the dust... but i honestly thought i was ventalated enough and didnt feel like i really breathed in any at all... so yeah... BE CAREFUL.
yeah, most of the resin stuff ive ever messed with needed little to no clean up, so it never bothered me, but i was determined to get a piece done in one sitting that basically was a big mess, and required sanding to the point of actually shaping the piece...
anyway, i woke up the next day and didnt really so much have a voice for a good 30 minutes, and well a very bad sore throat and tight chest for a FEW weeks. :confused
i came here and asked the same question.
so the real answer.
yes its not good, dont do it again.
i dont think it is on an asbestos level of dangerous unless you snorted a pile of the dust... but i honestly thought i was ventalated enough and didnt feel like i really breathed in any at all... so yeah... BE CAREFUL.
Now you tell me.
neosporing
Sr Member
<div class='quotetop'>(oldken @ Sep 23 2006, 07:38 PM) [snapback]1325248[/snapback]</div>
exactly why i posted this in the first place. i was sanding a small resin in our new house and woke up with swollen painful throat and nasal problems. That was a week and a half ago and only now am I starting to feel better. Throat is still sore though. I couldn't figure out how i caught this 'weird feeling cold' until i realized that it might've been the resin. Did a little searching over at hobby talk and read the 'asbestos' comment.
Now we have this thread, which kind of freaked me out as well. Serifino's friend, and the many others who are always getting sick it seems to me on these hobby boards is making me a little paranoid. Wayne's sudden passing a little while ago i hope is completely unrelated. But i had no idea, that the stuff we have been working with in our houses can be the source of all kinds of health problems.
thanks for the posts people.
exactly why i posted this in the first place. i was sanding a small resin in our new house and woke up with swollen painful throat and nasal problems. That was a week and a half ago and only now am I starting to feel better. Throat is still sore though. I couldn't figure out how i caught this 'weird feeling cold' until i realized that it might've been the resin. Did a little searching over at hobby talk and read the 'asbestos' comment.
Now we have this thread, which kind of freaked me out as well. Serifino's friend, and the many others who are always getting sick it seems to me on these hobby boards is making me a little paranoid. Wayne's sudden passing a little while ago i hope is completely unrelated. But i had no idea, that the stuff we have been working with in our houses can be the source of all kinds of health problems.
thanks for the posts people.
whoa - I guess I've been lucky... I've Dremeled a few resin items, and didnt wear any ind of protection :/ I'm glad it didnt do anything to me... uh... that I know of... :/
Jedi Lawja
Well-Known Member
From my research if you've sanded a couple of resin pieces without protection, you're probably going to be just fine. It's the long term effect, OR a large dosage at one time that SEEMS to do the real harm.
Jay
I take no responsibility for the irresponsible things I say.
Jay
I take no responsibility for the irresponsible things I say.
gonk27
Sr Member
I wear a good respirator when I work with resin.
I'd never noticed any ill effects when casting in the past (even without a resp), but recently I've realised if I happen to lean over an open mould or get my face too close to the stuff when I'm slush-casting (and it's hard not to when you need to peer inside the mould at what you're doing) my face and forehead starts to sting quite badly. The only area that doesn't is covered by the respirator, so it's doing something.
Usually some time later my face, particularly my forehead looks quite red for a day or so. Very uncomfortable. :unsure
Thanks for this thread, it's no bad thing this topic comes up now and again.
Jeremy
I'd never noticed any ill effects when casting in the past (even without a resp), but recently I've realised if I happen to lean over an open mould or get my face too close to the stuff when I'm slush-casting (and it's hard not to when you need to peer inside the mould at what you're doing) my face and forehead starts to sting quite badly. The only area that doesn't is covered by the respirator, so it's doing something.
Usually some time later my face, particularly my forehead looks quite red for a day or so. Very uncomfortable. :unsure
Thanks for this thread, it's no bad thing this topic comes up now and again.
Jeremy
KevVader
Sr Member
Yup....agreed. I went out yesterday and bought a P100 respirator and spare cartridges. Cost me $60 CDN total. I have a couple of resin pieces that I will be trimming, puttying/sanding and it's worth the $60 no to inhale this crap, I had figured the little paper masks I had used before were adequate....
OldKen
Master Member
neospring it sounds like your about over it... give it about a week and youll be fine.
it litterally took me about 3 weeks after my incedent to feel completely better, and im a singer... so i kinda freaked the F out for that entire 3 weeks, i kept sayin if i lose my voice forever over a damn recast kenner E-11 stock im gonna pe PISSED. :lol
LOL.
but rest assured id say your about to start feeling back to normal. :thumbsup
yeah, maybe there should be a sticky thread about the dangers of certain materials and the precautions one can/should take when working with them... :unsure
mods?
it litterally took me about 3 weeks after my incedent to feel completely better, and im a singer... so i kinda freaked the F out for that entire 3 weeks, i kept sayin if i lose my voice forever over a damn recast kenner E-11 stock im gonna pe PISSED. :lol
LOL.
but rest assured id say your about to start feeling back to normal. :thumbsup
yeah, maybe there should be a sticky thread about the dangers of certain materials and the precautions one can/should take when working with them... :unsure
mods?
DL 44 Blaster
Sr Member
I think I've done my last sanding with no protection as of tonight.....working on a Falcon kit and the resin dust has my head killin' me 
It wasn't much and I haven't done a ton of sanding over the years, but nonetheless....I'm getting a respirator before this project goes any further
Thanks for all the usefull info. regarding MSDS and respirators. This thread or info. regarding it would be a good sticky thread somewhere.
Steve
It wasn't much and I haven't done a ton of sanding over the years, but nonetheless....I'm getting a respirator before this project goes any further Thanks for all the usefull info. regarding MSDS and respirators. This thread or info. regarding it would be a good sticky thread somewhere.
Steve
WebChief
Sr Member
You know, I've been working with paints, bondo, resin, styrene and sintra for years now, usually without a mask. I usually don't pay it much attention.
This entire summer I've been dealing with heart palpitations and now more recently an occasional sore throat and odd cough that comes and goes. The doc can't find ANYTHING physically wrong with my heart at all and unfortunately doesn't seem too concerned about the cough. I'm not suggesting the heart palps have anything to do with fumes or dust but what everyone here has said in this thread has me questioning my cough. I wonder if that's what's happening with me.
Maybe I should mention this to my doc and see where it leads...
This entire summer I've been dealing with heart palpitations and now more recently an occasional sore throat and odd cough that comes and goes. The doc can't find ANYTHING physically wrong with my heart at all and unfortunately doesn't seem too concerned about the cough. I'm not suggesting the heart palps have anything to do with fumes or dust but what everyone here has said in this thread has me questioning my cough. I wonder if that's what's happening with me.
Maybe I should mention this to my doc and see where it leads...
The effects i suffered were nausea, very nasty headaches, it was like i could feel fluid in my head moving, and i had some kind of icky crap leaking out my nose (no joke). It was more like infection the say... mucus.
I know it was the effect of working on resin as this happened a couple of times, then i nailed it down to resin inhalation, maybe im laying it on thick, but the effects were quite uncomfortable, ive never suffered since i mask up and work with it as wet as possible. Clean up is vital too, like some have mentioned a fan and vacuum cleaner running is sound advice.
lee
I know it was the effect of working on resin as this happened a couple of times, then i nailed it down to resin inhalation, maybe im laying it on thick, but the effects were quite uncomfortable, ive never suffered since i mask up and work with it as wet as possible. Clean up is vital too, like some have mentioned a fan and vacuum cleaner running is sound advice.
lee
pinkipinki
New Member
really dangerous. I wouldn't risk it. You could tolerate the fumes while outdoors or in a ventilated area, but definitely not breathing the dust while sanding down. that's the most dangerous bit. Do wear a mask, an appropriate mask for this. your lung won't take a wash out of it. Trained as a sculptor, I know of someone who died of brain cancer and it was down to it. I wouldn't risk it with the sanding.
remember; you don't really feel it when it comes in invisible dust through your nose and mouth
remember; you don't really feel it when it comes in invisible dust through your nose and mouth
Cobheran
New Member
Absolutely buy a respirator, wear gloves, and try to not leave any skin exposed. I used to sand all day long without protection and now my skin knows polyester resin by the fumes and I break out in contact dermatitis if I'm around it too long (solution: LOTS OF VENTILATION AND FULL SKIN COVERAGE). This stuff is no joke, it can have life-long repercussions on your health.
