Hey guys. Do you use a respirator or not worry about it? I use epoxy in my large basement, should i wear one. If so what kind do you reccomend.

Sincerely,
Dan Colville

It depends what you are doing with the epoxy. If you are sanding it, then yes, wear a respirator. If you are applying epoxy, then no. There is no real hazard.

All the finishes and epoxies have warnings on them that you may want to heed.I'm sure the majority of rodbuilders don't where respirators when working with finishes and epoxies.

My favorite warning on finishes ... "SEVERE IRRITANT"

It really depends on your body's chemistry. Where's Cliff when we need him?

Some people are more succeptable to epoxy allergies than others. In the small amounts we use I would guess that severe allergic reactions are few. Around here on the little island I live on (Harkers Island, NC...four miles of paradise) we have numerous boat builders. These guys build big Carolina style sportfishers the old fashioned way....out of wood. They do use plenty of epoxy in this process and some guys develope severe allergies to it. I know more than one person that can't even walk around a boat being built w/o breaking out. It can get bad.

Jay

Allerginic reation to epoxy is like any other:

Poison Oak, Bee stings, various pollens, Urea adhesives......Etc.

It's degree of severity varies with the individuals' physiology.

Some will be effected immeaditly by it, some will not.

But.....I can assure you this:

All of the components of todays epoxies will assuredly build-up in your body and will eventually affect your emune's system ability to cleanse these poisons.

FOR SURE wear nitrile latex gloves, and vent out the epoxy gasses.

A good quality canistered fine particulate dust mask will aide in dealing with suspended particulates of epoxy resulting fom sanding grips etc....But will not address out-gassing of cureing epoxy.

Beware....!!!!

Bob Meiser

If you have any pulmonary problems (asthma, COPD, CHF) use one. If none of the sponsors have one I can give you an email address so you can get one. A simple particle mask WILL NOT WORK. Be careful

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

Bob
Sorry to dispute your post, but there is absolutely NO outgassing in curing epoxies. This is a fairly common rumor especially among those with allergenic reactions. The epoxy resin itself is pretty much neutral, it does not contain any allergenic compounds, and only in extremely rare conditions does it offend anyone in anyway. It is the hardener -- an amine-- that is the culprut. This material will offend people who are sensitive to it, merely by being in the same room ---sometimes just the same building. Wearing gloves or masks does no good, the amide molecule is floating around in the air and will contact the skin anyplace on the body it can find. This is is not from curing (mixed) resins, but merely from the opened bottle of the epoxy hardener. People who are unfortunate to be sensitive to this amine have a very bad time trying to work around epoxies. The total answer to the problem is DON'T work around them. Gloves and masks can do a lot of good for people who are only mildly sensitive. If you do not suffer from an opened bottle but cannot stand skin contact with the amine, then gloves will do the trick --- I have never heard of masks doing any good for people with greater sensitivities.. Amine groups are very simiar to ammonia in structure, except they are attached to organic molecules, and like ammonia, amines are strongly alkaline. This is why epoxy hardeners smell like ammonia right after the bottle is opened. It is that smell from the opened bottle that carries the bad little varmits that some unfortunate people do not have within their system the -- whatever it takes -- to repel them.
Ralph

Hey guys. Thanks so much. I have no reactions to using epoxy. Just wanted to see if it was ok or not.
Sincerely,
Dan Colville

Hi Ralph,

Yep...For me it's contact that is the problem.

One ity bitty little amout and the eyelids swell up now....Not pretty.

...I look like the bad end of a KO in the 8th....}:^( ....!!!!

Tell me....Are the amine gasses heavier then O2 and settle to the floor, or do they suspend randomly ?

Bob Meiser

Bob
There is no such thing as amine gasses. It is a normal molecular reaction, like evaporation of water adds humidity to the air. They do not drop to the floor, rather they tend to flow with the air wherever it may take them. Just make sure it don't take them to your skin.
Ralph