CA vapors - question

[Bill in Buena Park]

Since I just recently started turning (December) and have only produced about 3 dozen pens so far, I'm hoping this question is still timely.

I use the BLO/CA finish on the pens. The CA bottle says "may irritate mucus membranes" - and it does just that. When the CA starts to kick, the very strong vapors (almost like smelling salt) cause my nose and eyes to water a bit. I have open ventilation (ie, no fan but not enclosed), and I'm not using a respirator (and not sure which would be rated for CA fumes).

I started thinking today about the fact that I'm inhaling glue fumes. Now I know absolutely nothing about "glue sniffing" or what glue is used for that nonsense, but I have heard (urban legend?) it can cause health problems, including brain damage and worse.

I'd like to attribute my euphoria over turning to the craft itself and not the CA fumes, but truly - am I at risk of such as those who "sniff" glue? Or are there other things associated with CA fumes to be concerned about beyond a runny nose?

Thanks.

[MilDoc]

The MSD (material safety data sheet) doesn't mention euphoria etc from fume inhalation, but chronic inhalation can lead to chronic allergy to superglue which would sure make it a pain to use. In addition there are some scattered reports in the medical literature where the fumes alone in high concentration were capable of gluing eyelids shut, and combining with tears to produce an exothermic (heat producing) reaction.

Any time I use superglue I make sure the area is well ventilated.

[leehljp]

Bill,

Some people start out with no problems and then gradually develop an allergy to CA, either the fumes or the CA sanding dust itself. Some develop a severe allergy to it. I was one who did this. I made about a couple of hundred pens over 2 1/2 years and suddenly in about 2 weeks time, I went from a sniffle at the end of the day to full blown flu like symptoms. I could turn a pen and feel fine, then about 4 hours, I would start sneezing, then runny nose, then heavy chest congestion and runny eyes. This would last about 3 days.

I now:
1. take an allergy pill before turning. (Well, I did that each time before turning a pen up until I packed my lathe last year. I also haven't turned since arriving back in the States.)
2. use a fan blowing across the lathe
3. use a dust collector system up next to the pen
4. use a dual filtered dust mask
5. keep a damp towel near the lathe and wipe my hands and sleeves off to keep the CA dust down.

It was a pain but I like the CA finishes so much that I had to either do the above or give up CA.


On the pen turning forum, there are many that had almost identical reactions that I did. Some sooner and some over a longer period of time.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Paul & Hank - appreciate the feedback. I'll see what I can do about adding dust collection and a fan to keep things under control. Thanks again.

[Joe DeFazio]

As for objective data on the effects of CA exposure in humans, here is a link (part 9 is probably the most relevant):

http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad36.htm

Many piano technicians use a fair quantity of CA glue, myself included. Sometimes, multiple bottles will be used up on certain projects in just an hour or two. Some of my friends have reported sensitization, with flu-like symptoms after repeated inhalation of CA fumes, and we have nearly all experienced watery eyes. I wear an organic cartridge respirator and good quality swim goggles (to keep the fumes from the mucous membranes) when I use large quantities of CA. And, I open windows and doors wherever possible, aiming a stick fan at me and then the CA being applied, like this:

Window > Fan > Joe > CA > Window

Another piano technician figured out that if you get a very long extension hose for your shop vac, you can rig up the hose very near to your CA source and run it to the outside, where it can be attached to your shop vac (or, on some designs, to the motor without the canister). That can be very effective, as it draws the fumes outside. This works much better than sucking the fumes and sawdust to a nearby dust collector or shop vac, which then forcefully re-emits a large portion of the CA fumes into the air in your shop.

Joe