R
rickt
Guest
More Paint Info
More Paint Info
Just a couple of additional comments and I'll let it rest. In the days before catalyzed paints became available, lacquer was the product of choice - easy to spray, color sand, polish, repair, etc. lacquer is a simple mixture of solvent, pigments (color), and resin (the glue that holds the pigments together). The toxicity of lacquer-based products is rather minimal and many painters sprayed with no breathing protection. Unfortunately, the solvents used to formulate lacquer (often called VOCs or volatile organic compounds) are quite unkind to our environment. They tend to destroy things like the ozone layer. As far as I know, lacquer-based products are banned from commercial use in most if not all states. Of course you can still pick up the typical "spray bomb" at the local hardware or auto supply store.
Now, with catalyzed paints, the toxicity risk is dramatically greater. Certainly in a high-flow air booth, the majority of fumes are eliminated before the painter has a chance to inhale them. But, the painter will inhale a certain amount, no mattter how efficient the spray booth. We must keep in mind that the effects of these chemicals can be, and usually are, cumulative which means a little this time added to a little the next time the painter works and so on. Probably not a big deal for the hobbyist who is painting a bike tank and a couple of fenders. To the question of determining when a dangerous level is reached - impossible to predict. Each individual will react differently to exposure. I have heard of individuals who had one exposure to isocyantes and at the next exposure experienced an incredibly painful reaction similar to an allergic response. If you're really curious about toxicity, go to a paint manufactuer's website and look for a product MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). This will provide a host of toxicity information, but interpretation will be very difficult since all of the tox studies are carried out with animal models. What it does say is that these chemicals are toxic and should be handled with great care.
Yes, I've used a cannister mask when spraying a couple of small items. As long as the cartridges are fresh and the mask fits correctly, the risk is low. When I moved up to a car, I felt the fresh air system was a requirement.
If we have any readers who remember the Union Carbide disaster many years ago in Bohbal India, the chemical that was released into the atmosphere was methyl isocyanate. The same class of chemical that is found in catalyzed paints. Many thousands died and many many more suffered servere neuological damage. Basecoat normally does not contain isocyanates - epoxy-based primers are higher on the risk scale - and finally clears are the worst.
I don't intend to scare anyone with all this mumo-jumbo, but the user at the very least needs to be aware of the risks. It's an individual's decision on how much risk to take.
rickt
More Paint Info
Just a couple of additional comments and I'll let it rest. In the days before catalyzed paints became available, lacquer was the product of choice - easy to spray, color sand, polish, repair, etc. lacquer is a simple mixture of solvent, pigments (color), and resin (the glue that holds the pigments together). The toxicity of lacquer-based products is rather minimal and many painters sprayed with no breathing protection. Unfortunately, the solvents used to formulate lacquer (often called VOCs or volatile organic compounds) are quite unkind to our environment. They tend to destroy things like the ozone layer. As far as I know, lacquer-based products are banned from commercial use in most if not all states. Of course you can still pick up the typical "spray bomb" at the local hardware or auto supply store.
Now, with catalyzed paints, the toxicity risk is dramatically greater. Certainly in a high-flow air booth, the majority of fumes are eliminated before the painter has a chance to inhale them. But, the painter will inhale a certain amount, no mattter how efficient the spray booth. We must keep in mind that the effects of these chemicals can be, and usually are, cumulative which means a little this time added to a little the next time the painter works and so on. Probably not a big deal for the hobbyist who is painting a bike tank and a couple of fenders. To the question of determining when a dangerous level is reached - impossible to predict. Each individual will react differently to exposure. I have heard of individuals who had one exposure to isocyantes and at the next exposure experienced an incredibly painful reaction similar to an allergic response. If you're really curious about toxicity, go to a paint manufactuer's website and look for a product MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). This will provide a host of toxicity information, but interpretation will be very difficult since all of the tox studies are carried out with animal models. What it does say is that these chemicals are toxic and should be handled with great care.
Yes, I've used a cannister mask when spraying a couple of small items. As long as the cartridges are fresh and the mask fits correctly, the risk is low. When I moved up to a car, I felt the fresh air system was a requirement.
If we have any readers who remember the Union Carbide disaster many years ago in Bohbal India, the chemical that was released into the atmosphere was methyl isocyanate. The same class of chemical that is found in catalyzed paints. Many thousands died and many many more suffered servere neuological damage. Basecoat normally does not contain isocyanates - epoxy-based primers are higher on the risk scale - and finally clears are the worst.
I don't intend to scare anyone with all this mumo-jumbo, but the user at the very least needs to be aware of the risks. It's an individual's decision on how much risk to take.
rickt
