Respirators, And The Chemicals We Use

[Mr. Neutron]

Hey, All!!!

Have some questions pertaining to respirators for some of the stuff we spray.  I plan on spray painting my Hybrid's body white ( I have a fondness for white Strat-shaped guitars, I confess.....  :laughing7: ). I'm in the process of rattle can painting sample chunks of wood for compatibility of paints, primers, and clear. Tried 3 different primers, and 2 different types of paint (Duplicolor lacquer, & Rustoleum enamel and lacquer). Haven't gotten to the clear coating stage, and thought I'd possibly try some 2k Spray Max gloss clear, and got to doing some reading.......

I hate to admit this, because I do actually know better, but for what I've been spraying (again, Dupli-Color primer and lacquer paint, & Rustoleum primers and enamel/lacquer paints) I've been wearing nothing more than a paper dust mask. Have been spraying in my barn, which is easily ventilated well enough, but still, I'm thinkin' I need a better respirator setup. Or, I need to buy my body already painted by the Pros at Warmoth, or stick with wipe on types of finishes.

After reading some of Cagey's posts about how bad the 2K poly is for you, I did further reading, and found this automotive hot rod website thread: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-dangers-of-urethane-paint.309308/

I'll say it right now, a massive "ThankYou!!! to Cagey for even mentioning how bad this stuff is for us humans. Think I'll pass on that topcoat. I don't have enough pride (or money) to make me use this stuff. If I had the right kind of airline respirator, paint booth, knowledge, and such, I'd love to get the benefits of that hard of a finish on a guitar. It's not worth it to me.

So what's kinda the minimum respirator recommendation for rattle can painting lacquers and enamels, what's the ideal setup, and what's a good affordable setup for someone who may only do one guitar a year? Would the organic cartridge-type filters recommended for the 2K poly (incorrectly recommended, from what I've read.....  :dontknow: ) be good for the primers/paints I mentioned above?

 

[Cagey]

I use a 3M respirator that looks something like this...

...and it's good enough that I can't even smell the acetone when I'm standing in a cloud of it. They're about $35-$40 at most of the home improvement stores.

Be aware that doesn't excuse you from having good ventilation. The solvents used in most paints are at least flammable, and with lacquer, which uses acetone as a vehicle, it's actually combustible. Get a high enough concentration of that in the air, and you might blow your barn to smithereens just shutting off the lights. Switches, motors, etc. all can produce sparks internally when turning on/off.

The upside with lacquer is as long as you're not shooting in a breeze and you have something above you, you can shoot in a barn/garage with the bay door open and have tons of ventilation. Since lacquer dries so fast, the chances of anything landing on it and and sticking are pretty small. Then, even if dust or whatever settles on it between coats or over extended cure time, you're going to be sanding it back anyway. By the time you get to the finish sanding/buffing/polishing stage, it'll come out just fine.

 

[Mr. Neutron]

Man, Thanks for weighing in on this, Cagey! Mucho appreciated!

I found one like you have pictured, a 3M model 6211 Paint Project respirator on Amazon, and ordered it. Now, from training I had as a machinist at Boeing, I know different cartridges are rated for different dusts, and types of chemicals. Sadly, I've forgotten a lot of the stuff they threw at me. Are the cartridges with this setup good to go for the types of "lower toxicity paints" like some of us use here?

Again, thanks for your help here. My lungs are grateful.......  :yourock:

In EDIT: I went back and re-read your post.  I think you kinda answered my question about the cartridges that come with this respirator with the statement about not smelling the acetone.

 

[AirCap]

It only took me 3 or 4 times shooting lacquer without a proper filter. The thinner would give me the most awful headaches when I came down from the high.

If anyone remembers Stuart Mossman of bluegrass/country/folk acoustic guitar building fame back in the 70's, he never wore even a paper mask. His facial hair would be white with overspray after shooting a bunch of guitars. Of course - he developed a severe reaction to even smelling thinner and would have blinding migraines that lasted for days. He finally gave up building altogether... and that was a damn shame, because he was GOOD.

Your health is worth more than the masks - so get one with replaceable charcoal filters. They are worth it.

 

[stratamania]

Another tip put on the respirator outside of the work area and take it off away from the work area. There is no point spraying with it on, only to take it off to take a deep breath while admiring your work and breathing the stuff in then.

The one I have looks very like Cagey's.

 

[Mr. Neutron]

Another tip put on the respirator outside of the work area and take it off away from the work area. There is no point spraying with it on, only to take it off to take a deep breath while admiring your work and breathing the stuff in then.

Whaaaaaatt??  :icon_scratch:  ???

This is Right!!! Our lungs need a certain amount of solids and fumes they can grab so they'll work properly, hee hee.....  :toothy11:

 

[Rick]

When I lived in Brooklyn I stripped and painted a bicycle in my apartment.  By the time I was done I was drooling uncontrollably.  I was doped.  This stuff can give you brain damage.  Be careful.  Since then I always have maximum ventilation and mask.

 

[Mr. Neutron]

Agreed, Rick! Good points!

I really feel for the folks that wanna finish and assemble their own guitar (or a bicycle, or whatever), but don't have a good place to do the finishing. Especially if it involves/needs spraying.

 

[fdesalvo]

When I lived in Brooklyn I stripped and painted a bicycle in my apartment.

I'm stupefied by the juxtaposition of awesomeness and insanity contained in this one sentence.  This needs to be a tattoo or sig line. 

 

[BigSteve22]

When I lived in Brooklyn I stripped and painted a bicycle in my apartment.

I'm stupefied by the juxtaposition of awesomeness and insanity contained in this one sentence.  This needs to be a tattoo or sig line.

Frank, apparently, you never lived in Brooklyn!

 

[fdesalvo]

When I lived in Brooklyn I stripped and painted a bicycle in my apartment.

I'm stupefied by the juxtaposition of awesomeness and insanity contained in this one sentence.  This needs to be a tattoo or sig line.

Frank, apparently, you never lived in Brooklyn!

My dad’s from Canarsi, so this is all starting to make sense lol.

 

[stratamania]

So they paint bicycles whilst naked in Brooklyn?

 

[Rick]

We paint everything naked especially when drooling

 

[Mr. Neutron]

Sounds like a swingin' place!!!!  :turtle:

Just be sure to wear a respirator........

 

[Rick]

Absolutely, we joke, but make sure you have clean air because the fumes can damage your brain.

 

[Seamas]

So they paint bicycles whilst naked in Brooklyn?

Certain sections of Queens too.

 

[BigSteve22]

Prezactly! You don't want to get dain bramage! We was always careful of that in Ridgewood.....

 

[Rick]

Ridge wood ... The land of buses

 

[fdesalvo]

Rick,

I now have the pleasure of reading your posts with my uncle Dara’s accent.

Like said: all jokes aside, as mentioned- a few moments inhaling certain chemicals can permanently alter the course of your life in a very bad way with affects surfacing years later.

 

[BigSteve22]

Ridgewood ... The land of buses

Right, and with all the buses on Fresh Pond Rd, and Myrtle Ave, we were already over exposed to exhaust fumes, so what's a little acetone between friends? (Or seizures, for that matter!)  :laughing11: :laughing3: :laughing7: