Carbon fiber safety?
11-23-2002, 02:24 PM
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Carbon fiber safety?
You can check with your local supplier. They should have material safety data sheets. Or go to a book seller and find a book on composite materials. The number one thing is wear a dust mask and gloves. Carbon fibers, Kevlar, and fiberglass are not good to inhale. Gloves are strongly recommended. This stuff easily gets into your skin and itches like the dickens.A good source of info is Aircraft Spruce and Specialty co.They have many books on the subject.
11-23-2002, 05:47 PM
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Carbon fiber safety?
Please forgive me for being so vague in the first post. I have experience working with fiberglass as I have built six kayaks and made repairs on a few boats.
My problem is that I fell for the "CA is the safest thing ever..." line of bull when it first came out. After developing breathing problems I tried to get the MSDS sheet from Hot Stuff but they just sent me a blank form. Luckily I had a friend who worked in a lab and he sent in the request on their letterhead. When he received the real MSDS (took him two tries) he told me that the liquid was safe... But when it kicks (with or without kicker) the vapor is so toxic that in the lab they would have to treat it as a hazmat.
When I asked the counter girl at Tap Plastics she said "CF is perfectly safe..." Those words set off a red flag, and that is what prompted my question.
Thank you for your reply.
My problem is that I fell for the "CA is the safest thing ever..." line of bull when it first came out. After developing breathing problems I tried to get the MSDS sheet from Hot Stuff but they just sent me a blank form. Luckily I had a friend who worked in a lab and he sent in the request on their letterhead. When he received the real MSDS (took him two tries) he told me that the liquid was safe... But when it kicks (with or without kicker) the vapor is so toxic that in the lab they would have to treat it as a hazmat.
When I asked the counter girl at Tap Plastics she said "CF is perfectly safe..." Those words set off a red flag, and that is what prompted my question.
Thank you for your reply.
11-24-2002, 01:29 AM
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Carbon fiber safety?
Oliie, I'm 100% in agreement with your "accept responsibility for yourself" theme...
but part of doing that means that you may want to investigate a product before using.
That said, there's nothing wrong with wanting the info he asks for.
No better way to responsibly decide if you want to use a particular item, or not
Not gathering such information, particularly with chemicals, could lead to death in some cases.
While I'm all for taking responsibility for myself, I'd rather not die while doing so.
Nobody's gonna look out for you, except you.
I figure, if someone else has already learned the hard way... why should I?
but part of doing that means that you may want to investigate a product before using.
That said, there's nothing wrong with wanting the info he asks for.
No better way to responsibly decide if you want to use a particular item, or not
Not gathering such information, particularly with chemicals, could lead to death in some cases.
While I'm all for taking responsibility for myself, I'd rather not die while doing so.
Nobody's gonna look out for you, except you.
I figure, if someone else has already learned the hard way... why should I?
11-24-2002, 01:57 AM
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Carbon fiber safety?
You are right, C_Watkins.
Don't breathe carbon sanding dust.
Don't handle unidirectional carbon in such a way that allows splinters to penetrate the skin.
Don't expose skin to uncured epoxy. It stimulates the production of antibodies. With cumulative exposure, the antibodies build up and trigger a severe alergic reaction that in some cases can be life threartening. Once the alergic reaction takes place you will become hypersensitive to future epoxy exposure and never be able to use epoxy again. Latex rubber gloves are not enough. Use vinyl gloves.
Don't breathe carbon sanding dust.
Don't handle unidirectional carbon in such a way that allows splinters to penetrate the skin.
Don't expose skin to uncured epoxy. It stimulates the production of antibodies. With cumulative exposure, the antibodies build up and trigger a severe alergic reaction that in some cases can be life threartening. Once the alergic reaction takes place you will become hypersensitive to future epoxy exposure and never be able to use epoxy again. Latex rubber gloves are not enough. Use vinyl gloves.
11-24-2002, 02:32 AM
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Carbon fiber safety?
Originally posted by Ollie
Don't expose skin to uncured epoxy. It stimulates the production of antibodies. With cumulative exposure, the antibodies build up and trigger a severe alergic reaction that in some cases can be life threartening. Once the alergic reaction takes place you will become hypersensitive to future epoxy exposure and never be able to use epoxy again.
Don't expose skin to uncured epoxy. It stimulates the production of antibodies. With cumulative exposure, the antibodies build up and trigger a severe alergic reaction that in some cases can be life threartening. Once the alergic reaction takes place you will become hypersensitive to future epoxy exposure and never be able to use epoxy again.
first time I've ever seen it explained... with any detail to speak of. Good information!
(Obviously I didn't check it out too well, myself. If I did that for everything I come into
contact with, I wouldn't do anything. I just like playing devil's advocate sometimes
)
11-24-2002, 04:47 PM
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Carbon fiber safety?
I woke up this morning realizing that my off-topic posts were out of place and uncalled for. I deleted them. Please forgive an old f--- who was having a senior moment.
