Epoxy vs the furnace

[brian.cunningham]

Snow is in the forcast for tomorrow :eek:

Time to move the boat inside ( or try to :D ).
The basement to be more specific.

So will the off-gases explode when they come in contact with the furnace or what? Oil furnace if that matters.

[ 10-21-2002, 08:34 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[NormMessinger]

not to worry. Right, chemist? I have electric heat in the shop now but the Long EZ was build in the room next to our furnace before it moved to the garage which was heated with an open salamandar type heater. There are no, or very few VOC's in epoxy. Mix up a little and see if you can set it on fire simply by holding a flame near it.

--Norm

[JimD]

Brian, I epoxy all winter long in a garage heated by open flame (propane) heater, no fire hazzard, but the toxicity of epoxy fumes is another matter. I won't epoxy in a confined area without a respirator. Don't think I'd wanna do it in the basement
jimd

[brian.cunningham]

I've got a respirator, and I was going to open a window and put a fan in it. Someone else advised putting up a plastic curtain.

Hopefully this will work out.
Be nice to work on the boat during the lousy days instead of waiting for nice ones! :(

[ 10-22-2002, 12:08 AM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[NormMessinger]

...a resperator with a proper filter cartidge, of course.

What is the plastic curtain for?

--Norm

[ahp]

There have been warnings about long term exposure to epoxy fumes and short term memory loss. Check this one out.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

I would get a good exhaust fan. I know I'm lucky to have a big barn but I do have tenants above me so I'm always courteous about the epoxy fumes traveling up into there living spaces so I have a HUGE exhaust fan running. I also work with the bay door open even in the dead of winter (I have 2 large Modine heaters that really pump out the BTU's) You may not mind the smell of kicking epoxy (smells like victory) but others in your home may, which will seriously bite into your boat building time.
Also you have to consider sanding and planning and flammable solvents I believe more than the epoxy. If your working on the boat in a confined space like a basement and you have combustible material like sawdust and paint thinner and a fire source like an oil burner or even kicking epoxy you need to be extra careful and keep the space clean before you move from one task to the next.

[KimApel]

I'm clear on the fire hazard question (none), but can anyone state the facts on the presumed toxcity of epoxy "fumes"? Odor doesn't necessarily mean there are gases or vapors coming from the epoxy, and if there are, it doesn't necessarily mean they're harmful. If they are harmful, how do you know what is a safe exposure level? If it's harmful, how do you know an exhaust fast is sufficient? I'd appreciate knowing some facts, if there are any, rather than just reasonable presumptions.

[brian.cunningham]

Originally posted by NormMessinger:
What is the plastic curtain for?
--Normfrom this post (http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Building/index.cgi/noframes/read/72757)


and maybe put a fan in the window blowing out to push the fumes out of the basement and the house. I put up a poly wall, with the fan in the window, it really helped. I even varnished in there... the fumes inside the polyied area could knock you over. on the other side of the barrrier, you could just smell it a bit when you first came down stairs. I got the outriggers are strung up, I went ahead and brought them in today.
I store them up at the floor joints, and lower it
down when I work on it.

Now I just have to worry about all that heat kicking the epoxy off! LOL

The kayak is still outside, the deck is not on it yet, but the hull is sheathed.

Epoxy builds up in your system. You don't start off with an alergic reaction, but most people will after repeated exposure.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

I think there is something else about the toxicity... but ah don remumber ...

[thechemist]

Naturally when working with this stuff, if you can smell it, you should not be smelling it, so use a mask with Organic Vapor filter cartridges.


Originally posted by Peter Malcolm:
I think there is something else about the toxicity... but ah don remumber ...I think it had to do with memory-loss :D