I have been worried recently that I am one of the very few that can become sensitized to epoxy resin systems. I have a horrible localized rash on my ankles that is somehow related to my shop activities. I built a few rods for the dermatologist who is monitoring my case. He came to my shop last night and watched me apply finish to one of his new rods. He read the Disclamer on one of the packages of finish in my shop. I work pretty clean and do not come in physical contact with the resin system.

He freaked out when I picked up the pan of finish that had been sitting on the table for about three minutes - the one with all the bubbles sitting on top - and placed it close to my face and exhaled on it to make all the bubbles go away! After doing that I realized that I also inhaled over the pan to catch another gasp of air to hit the pan with again. After he said something I did notice that I had a bad taste in my mouth.

I will STOP doing that NOW!

Gon Fishn





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2006 09:11AM by Bill Stevens.

Excellent heads up Bill! I do the same thing with my pan and before reading this, it just never occurred to me that I was inhaling the vapors between blows, with my face just inches from it.

I have never blown on a pot of epoxy to get the air bubbles out but it's a great heads up. I use a $20.00 heat gun that works great to take the air bubbles out of the pot. I also find that it will take the air bubbles out of the epoxy on thread wraps with ease and it will help the epoxy flow for touch ups. You may want to invest in one to see if that will help with your sensitivity to the epoxy. Mark

"I picked up the pan of finish that had been sitting on the table for about three minutes - the one with all the bubbles sitting on top - and placed it close to my face and exhaled on it to make all the bubbles go away! After doing that I realized that I also inhaled over the pan to catch another gasp of air to hit the pan with again."


Inhaling chemical fumes.....this finally answers all my questions regarding your "personality". Never again will I wonder 'What the heck is he thinking"
It seems your modus operandi is; Mix up some ThreadMaster, Get High and go post random madness on the rodbuilding.org board.

Now, what is this I hear about you sleeping in the middle of your living room floor because your wife won't let you nap on her new couch?


Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing Products

hahahahahahhahahahha

Andy's right, Bill! That explains a lot!!! I alway assumed that it had to be something connected to that Jerky!!!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

And I was being nice by not mentioning the offending chemical agent. My attorney, who by the way advertises by TV and billboard on I-45 exiting Houston Intercontinental, will process the necessary papers detailing personal injury and contempt charges and forward them to the guilty Texican forthwith. Thank you for placing your physical address on your web site. The Constable should have no problem finding your address.

Damaged Goods



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2006 11:03AM by Bill Stevens.

If you delvelop the dreaded 'epoxy allergy', you won't have to hold it up to your face and inhale. Just being in the same room with the stuff will start your symptoms. There are many people from where I'm from that have developed this condition around the local boat building trade. They simply can't even go into a boat house w/o it affecting them.

Jay

You use FlexCoat also, so don't blame me 100%

Also, You didn't explain the "sleeping on the floor" subject.


Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing Products

Bill,
I've actually had a couple of incidents that I've concluded are from exposure to epoxy. It's happened twice for me the last time about a year or so ago. My symptoms are a slight rash on arms and chest and my eyes swell. It usually last for about 2-3 days. Since my last reaction, I've added an "Ionic Breeze" air purifier to my rod room and wash very thoroughly (hands and face) with soap and water immediately after using either Rod Bond or finish. I also limit my exposure to alcohol and acetone. This (so far) has cured my problem without any further incidents. Hope it helps, good luck, Randy.

You guys should ideally be wearing gloves during mix and application as well.

Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing Products

Just when I thought I had it figured out - again! Legs on fire! Someone told me that it was only finish and not epoxy adhesives that caused problems with skin rash. Earlier this morning I tried to position four textured exposed blank reel seats on blanks that had almost no taper on the back end. The textured seats were pretty close to a fit and fairly tight when dry and no epoxy on them. I put Rod Bond on the blanks and thought they would easily slide in place. Well much to my surprise - no go and they locked up about two inches too high - I had a fit of the time to finally get them in place and got the Rod Bond all over the place - hands, seats, blank and cork. I looked like Ralph's beard after he does flocking! I spent about 30 minutes cleaning up everything with denatured alcohol and paper towels. I noticed the surface of the textured seats were tacky - the Rod Bond must soften and swell the ruberized coating on the reel seats to prevent them from easy fit up.

If I am developing an intolerance to epoxies do I have to keep the adhesive type epoxy off of my skin as well as finish?

Has anyone noticed a problem with getting the rubberized seats in place? The ones with internal ribs -

Gon Fishn





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2006 04:28PM by Bill Stevens.

Several other Threads on Epoxy Amine Allergy are Linked here:
Re: Advise Needed ... Cliff Hall ... Feb. 8, 2006 ... 10:03AM
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Not long ago there was a video circulating around that demonstrated applying cork tape over a a coat of freshly mixed finish. The demonstrator, who I do dnot know and whose technique I did not mimic, was not using gloves and was lathering the finish on with his hands without regard to the consequences. The stuff is toxic and over time you can become sensetized to it. I react strongly to certain substances, even small traces of them, and have been seeing an allergist for this for almost four years. They can become so bad that I keep an Epipen (epinephrine) auto injector at hand at all times. I can tell you first hand that severe allergies are not fun!

Cliff, you being a pharmacist, you know what this medication is...

IMHO continued deliberate contact with epoxy is only asking for trouble......

Lou

Bill
Don't believe that nonsense about only epoxy finishes being toxic. The adhesives use the same amine hardeners as the finishes and can be just as deadly. Epoxies are not toxic --- it is the amines in the hardeners that cause all the misery. Once you become a victim to that alergy, the only escape is to stay away from them. Just being in the same room as an opened jar of amine hardener and you can be in trouble. In other words, Rod Bond hardener is just as toxic as LS Supreme hardener.
Ralph

Well look who decided to show up......good to see you Ralphie!!!


Andy Dear
lamar fishing Products

Thanks guys - thinking back my problems started just after making a couple of hundred reamers - I had gobs of 15 minute epoxy all over my hands and arms for several hours. Lance I hope you are reading all this!! Looks like vinyl gloves required for the big jobs.

I started using them about two weeks ago.

My dermi did several tests after a few years of hand skin issues (flaking and peeling) - finally determined that epoxy is the culprit..
Allergic to epoxy - big time
I now wear surgeons gloves and a face mask when applying epoxy - Works much better - not totally, but better.



If people spent more time on important things, there would be a shortage of flyrods.

My dermi did several tests after a few years of hand skin issues (flaking and peeling) - finally determined that epoxy is the culprit..
Allergic to epoxy - big time
I now wear surgeons gloves and a face mask when applying epoxy - Works much better - not totally, but better.



If people spent more time on important things, there would be a shortage of flyrods.