finishing PPE

27 December 2023, 08:41

Cougarz

quote:
Originally posted by kda55:
Duane's comments on finishing and carcinogenic additives prompts this question. For anybody doing alot of finishing do you have a favorite glove you are using? Obviously any industrial supply has a good selection but does anything stand out. BTW- anything ending in -ene avoid as highly carcinogenic.

Nitrile gloves.

27 December 2023, 20:34

Duane Wiebe (CG&R)

Not to push or endorse any finioshing product..but Dalys Sea Fin Teak Oil does NOT contain toluene. I asked about cobalt,,, "It contains a very small amount of cobalt ...call it next to nothing"

Sea Fin does not dry as fast as some of the other popular finiishing products (Due to such small about of drier (cobalt) and lack of toluene.

I allow at least two days bewteen coats.

I suppose the only 100% safe finish would be raw linsed oil ... allow a couple months between coats...HAR!

The agencies that are supposed to know... toluene has not been classified as a cancer cauasing agent. (This information does not coincide with earlier data I TGHOUGHT was available)) However the other side effects are bad enouh...chest pain, condfusion, stunted growth..the list is almost endless. and aacceptable levels of exposure are quite small.

28 December 2023, 03:17

Juglansregia

Dalys SDS lists SFTO as 60% mineral spirits. Didn't see much indication of other ingredients, but I only glanced at the SDS. The Daly Spec Sheet lists "Vehicle Type Tung, Phenolic, Oil Modified Urethane" which is telling enough. They are not going to give their exact formulation, obviously.

In reality, the whole "oil finish" moninker has long been misleading with most products. Nearly all are nothing more than a modern varnish, i.e. with polyurethane or alkyd or phenolic resins (or a mix of more than one) and/or metallic driers with "oil finishes" often being what they call a Long Oil (a slightly greater percentage of oil base in them than is usual).

Teak Oils and Danish oils are long-oil varnishes that are heavily diluted, normally with a petroleum-based solvent. They give the impression that they penetrate deeply into the wood (reality is the solvent does, not the finish) which is a main reason they take so long to dry unless the solvent used has been chosen for it's propensity to out-gas quick smart (ege toluene).

Daly's is just another modern varnish, heavily diluted. Anyone who believes it to be harmless is on a train bound for health troubles unless they take adequate PPE measures. I don't mean to single out Daly's except it's already been mentioned.....nearly all are variations on the same themes in chemical terms, and for the most part differences are minor. They are NOT "Oil Finishes".

28 December 2023, 04:37

MNR

Interesting topic. I don't see a way to protect your hands when "hand rubbing" in the final coats. I just scrub with mineral spirits afterwards then soap. I'm sure there is a danger with continued exposure. Would love to know if I'm missing something and there is a better way.

28 December 2023, 06:12

Juglansregia

MNR if I am to use this sort of finish, nowadays I rub it in with quality nitrile gloves. They keep most of it off the skin. I use a pad of lint free high quality tight-weave thin shirt material. By the time I'm done rubbing in the coat of finish the stock won't take lint, anyway. It takes longer, but the customer pays and the finish is better than I can get using other methods I have used. I also wear a respirator with appropriate filter.

For those who use more of a slick film applied each coat (as opposed to a scant few dabs per coat rubbed almost completely out), I don't know an answer to that. Maybe a tight nitrile glove (size too small) might be okay for that job?

I wouldn't put shit like that on my bare skin nowadays, but I did it a lot when younger, despite being fairly careful with respiratory protection. Most people would be somewhat taken aback if they learned how much the skin easily absorbs of what it comes into contact with. In the stock shop for example, any glue dust, epoxy fumes, solvents, finish fumes and dust, and the glass fibres from some recoil pad bases are all deleterious to health. I've seen several fine stockmakers buried too early (cancer), and I myself was diagnosed several years ago with a bizarre incurable disease following a general decline in health. I've had significant exposure to the above materials over many years, and I know they make me sicker...cannot prove they MADE me ill in the first instance but they sure as hell wouldn't have helped. I'm bloody careful now, but the horses bolted. My advice is protect yourself now to reduce the risk of future problems. Part timers and hobbyists don't cop anything like the regular exposure, but even then why risk it?

28 December 2023, 08:04

kda55

Thanks for all the replies, great information for all to digest.

28 December 2023, 08:27

Craftsman

quote:
I just scrub with mineral spirits afterwards then soap

Matt, no matter how careful I am around stock finishes I still get a little on my hands. Instead of mineral spirits to clean my hands I use WD-40, it cleans very well and smells much better. It is also excellent hand cleaner for grease and grime. Then wash the WD-40 off with soap. Of course never use it for lubricant.

29 December 2023, 03:28

Duane Wiebe (CG&R)

quote:
Originally posted by Juglansregia:
MNR if I am to use this sort of finish, nowadays I rub it in with quality nitrile gloves. They keep most of it off the skin. I use a pad of lint free high quality tight-weave thin shirt material. By the time I'm done rubbing in the coat of finish the stock won't take lint, anyway. It takes longer, but the customer pays and the finish is better than I can get using other methods I have used. I also wear a respirator with appropriate filter.

For those who use more of a slick film applied each coat (as opposed to a scant few dabs per coat rubbed almost completely out), I don't know an answer to that. Maybe a tight nitrile glove (size too small) might be okay for that job?

I wouldn't put shit like that on my bare skin nowadays, but I did it a lot when younger, despite being fairly careful with respiratory protection. Most people would be somewhat taken aback if they learned how much the skin easily absorbs of what it comes into contact with. In the stock shop for example, any glue dust, epoxy fumes, solvents, finish fumes and dust, and the glass fibres from some recoil pad bases are all deleterious to health. I've seen several fine stockmakers buried too early (cancer), and I myself was diagnosed several years ago with a bizarre incurable disease following a general decline in health. I've had significant exposure to the above materials over many years, and I know they make me sicker...cannot prove they MADE me ill in the first instance but they sure as hell wouldn't have helped. I'm bloody careful now, but the horses bolted. My advice is protect yourself now to reduce the risk of future problems. Part timers and hobbyists don't cop anything like the regular exposure, but even then why risk it?

Gordon...for one, appreciate your input and insight into the medical issues you've faced these past several years..Take care, Man!

29 December 2023, 14:09

Juglansregia

G'Day Duane,

I'll send you a PM or email one of these days. Busy getting the years hay in at present (with help). I'm doing okay, still smiling. I have a diagnosis now after years of not and a top Prof on my case. Still working as much as I can, and the quality just keeps going up to my eyes so I stick at it. Might just be that sniffing (walnut) crotch is the best medicine.

Cheers to you and yours and thanks for the kind thoughts.