epoxy question

Power Boats only. Please include the boat type in your question.
nightcrawler
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 3:37 pm
Location: VT

epoxy question

Post by nightcrawler »

After using many gallons of different epoxies i have managed to become sensitive to some of them. My fault as in the early days i did not take the precautions i should have. I am pretty sensitive to Marinepoxy. I have never used system three epoxy. Does any have an opinion on weather it is more or less toxic ?
Thanks
Roland

Jeff
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 8436
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2016 12:17 pm
Location: Vero Beach

Re: epoxy question

Post by Jeff »

Roland, in most cases, if you have a reaction to one epoxy (MarinEpoxy) you will have a similar reaction to SystemThree, West etc. I must admit that we have one customer who took a years long break from epoxy boat building and has since started back with no reaction. He uses MarinEpoxy both before his reaction and now afterwards!!! Jeff

User avatar
cape man
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 8269
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:02 pm
Location: Lithia, Florida

Re: epoxy question

Post by cape man »

Really sorry to hear this. Like you, I'm just begging to develop sensitivity as I'm always working bare handed in shorts and a T shirt. Over my time here on the forum you are at least the fourth person to report this. Cracker Larry started having awful skin reactions the year before he past away, and was giving up boat building because of it. Are you having skin or breathing issues? I ask as you may be able to prevent the skin reactions with nitrile gloves and wearing long sleeve shirts and pants, but the breathing issues may require a lot more PPE making working with it just not worth it anymore. I like Jeff don't know if a different brand of structural epoxy will make a difference, as they are all based on pretty much the same general components. Usually the difference in people's reactions is based on the volatility of the epoxy (i.e. thin coatings versus structural epoxies), especially if it is the vapors that one reacts to.

Taking a break may be the best and easiest trial to see if it passes.

How bad is it?
The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before - Neil Gaiman

fallguy1000
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 10198
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:25 am

Re: epoxy question

Post by fallguy1000 »

nightcrawler wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:21 pm After using many gallons of different epoxies i have managed to become sensitive to some of them. My fault as in the early days i did not take the precautions i should have. I am pretty sensitive to Marinepoxy. I have never used system three epoxy. Does any have an opinion on weather it is more or less toxic ?
Thanks
Roland
I have some sensitivities after using several hundred gallons of it.

Use only thickster gloves. Never work on anything without gloves.

Wear only long sleeves. It is over 90F here in the build area. Here is me.
image.jpg
I don't care if it is 110F. I wear sleeves.

If you get epoxy on you. Use vinegar to remove it. Acetone is very bad because it solves epoxy and allows it to flow into tissues. Vinegar dissolves it less.

Never sand without a mask. Never. I sand a small area no mask and it gets me gagging. Never mix additives like fumed silica without a mask. Now n then I have a drop of epoxy and think I can pull my shirt up over my face and it always fails.

Wear glasses. I have some irritation in my left eye. Just a bit more work to be done.

Good luck.
My boat build is here -------->

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=62495

User avatar
Evan_Gatehouse
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 3210
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2002 1:00 am
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: epoxy question

Post by Evan_Gatehouse »

I replied on another forum that I had been here for about 20 years and only 3 people had serious reactions. You're number 4. Sorry to hear it - sort of congratulations in a bad way.

I think just about every one of them was somewhat lax in their taking care of themselves. Working out gloves is crazy.
designer: FB11/GV10,11,13/ HMD18/
SK17,MM21/MT24

Fuzz
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 8921
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 am
Location: Kasilof, Alaska

Re: epoxy question

Post by Fuzz »

All of my work is done indoors with no ventilation. I envy the guys who are able to glass outdoors but it is what it is. I always wear gloves and long sleeves. I think having a sander with a good vac system helps a lot. So far I have had no problems but who knows what the future will bring. I am pretty sure I read some place where the 1-1 and 2-1 epoxies are less likely to cause problems than the 5-1 are. I have no idea if this is true or not.

fallguy1000
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 10198
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:25 am

Re: epoxy question

Post by fallguy1000 »

My sensitivity is certain, but the extent unknown. I wonder if the OP understands where his is at...these sensitivities build and not linearly I'm told.

I seem to cough and gag if airbornes.

My problem was degloving. It seemed innocent, at first.

It turns out, for me, I am very left handed. My right hand is not coordinated. And so, to deglove, I always got in a habit of taking my right glove off first with my better, but still gloved, left hand. And often, this would impart a wee bit of epoxy on my right wrist. Always same place. Somewhere into the build, I said, hmmm, hope I don't have a problem from this regular skin contact which happens several times a week.

Sure enough, I did develop a problem, right where I worried about it. Mine is a (thus far)painless, poison ivy like skin blister/lesion.

It seems foolish or silly, but removing slimy gloves is not so simple. Whoever heard of a degloving device? I could have used one.

I had a glove failure last week and no vinegar in the house, so acetone cleaned. Yuk. Bad.
My boat build is here -------->

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=62495

OneWayTraffic
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 1663
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:13 pm
Location: New Zealand

Re: epoxy question

Post by OneWayTraffic »

I remember reading somewhere that even vinegar can cause issues with epoxy entering the bloodstream. I wash mine off with laundry powder, if I ever get it on my skin. Teaspoon of powder and just a little water to make a paste. Scrub and rinse. Then regular soap and water. I may use vinegar after that.

I also learned to use quality gloves, and sometimes two pairs. That way I can remove an outer pair without getting it on my skin. Working clean helps also, but I never managed that.

I have asthma and have an over active immune system but no reactions yet.

Online
User avatar
BarraMan
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 2164
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:44 pm
Location: Australia

Re: epoxy question

Post by BarraMan »

I built my boat in shorts and short sleeve shirts. Always wore gloves when handling epoxy and a quality mask and dust collection system when sanding. I don't have any allergy.
An observation! I used West System epoxy for all of my build. Their epoxy itself seems relatively benign and odourless to me, as does their 'slow' hardener - which I mostly used. I did not wear a solvent mask with that. However, West System's other hardeners are quite volatile and I always used a solvent mask when working with them.
I tried to avoid cleaning up any uncured epoxy and used disposable containers, rollers etc. If I have to clean up I used vinegar.

User avatar
Jaysen
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 6499
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:59 am
Location: St Helena Island, SC
Contact:

Re: epoxy question

Post by Jaysen »

I’m either lucky or bullet proof. I’m definitely not smart.

My use of gloves is only to avoid getting my hands sticky. Shorts and T shirts. Typically barefoot. No respirator/mask/eye protection when sanding (or other times). I do build outside under a tarp. Clean up for me is acetone and alcohol.

While I’ve only built a V12 I’ve done many small projects. I’ve never had a reaction. I don’t recommend my approach to safety, but not everyone is sensitive to epoxy.
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Amazon [Bot] and 3 guests