CA finish and Safety

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Philip_TOPS

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
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16
Location
Milton, GA
Hello everyone.

I am a newbie pen turner and have been reading up on CA finish and have a few questions with regard to safety. One thing I am aware of already is that I want to turn my lathe speed down when applying to prevent it flying all over the place. I have noticed some mention of using respirator (is this a must?). I have a basic dust mask I have been using up to now. There have also been a few mentions of skin reactions when sanding the CA with MM. Does using wet MM vs dry MM make it safer?

Thanks in advance for you help/advise.
 
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Different people have different reactions to curing or sanding CA. In any case it is not good to be breathing in the fumes during curing or the sanding dust. The more protection against this the better you are. If all you have is some type of disposable mask then you do not have enough. I found using my dust collector (or shop vac) to pull the fumes and sanding dust away makes a huge difference. I also have a half mask to use so I am not breathing it. Some wear a full face respirator. If you are sensitive to CA you may need the full face one as well as clothes that cover all your skin.
 
Hey. I am a newbie (in GA) as well, so all I can offer is my limited experience so far. I imagine everyone has different levels of tolerance to the CA. For me it is not a problem. I wear a simple dust mask. I do not have any type of dust collection. I barely even smell the CA when applying or sanding. I have not had any reaction of any kind to the smell, the dust or the occassions when I get it on my skin.

I am sure you will get a lot of good advice from the many experienced pros here. I say be cautious, but don't go overboard. Find what works for you and go with it.
 
I also put a layer or two of shop towel across the bed of my lathe directly under the blank. This prevents any CA dripping or splattering over the lathe bed. As far as skin reactions go, I think that you are either allergic to CA or not. Some may develop a sensitivity to it as they are exposed more often. I don't think that it has anything to do with the MM. Having said that, I recommend wet sanding with the MM because I seem to get a much better finish that way. To protect my finger, I put one of the little plastic baggies that pen components come in over my finger. A respirator is always a good thing to use if it is available, but I'm sure that there are plenty of us who don't use them. If you don't have one, or the means to get one, I would recommend opening a window or door if possible, to improve the ventilation.
 
Thanks Jim. I do have a dust collecting vac attached to the lathe. So sounds like I will need I will pick up a half mask at minimum.
 
Don't forget a nitrile (or similar) glove for the hand holding the applicator, unless you want to become very attached to your pen! (Don't ask me how I know that!)

Also, it's good to keep a bottle of superglue remover nearby.
 
I put it on at high speed, no gloves, not breathing protection. But when I was a newbie I used every protection I could think of. The approach for me was to go overboard with caution just in case, then back off when I found out I would not have any problems.
 
Keep a bottle of acetone near the lathe. I use a BLO/CA mixture on a paper towel and do not apply the CA directly to the part.
 
I apply my CA with the lathe off and turning it by hand. When I started I had no dust collector attached and I didn't wear a mask and I was ok- for a few months. Then I started developing reactions to the fumes. Shame on me for not taking precautions. I have since added a dust collector to suck the fumes away from me. If I even start smelling the fumes I can guarantee that a few hours later I will cough and feel like my lungs are full of fluid...not good. So I now wear a respirator and use the collector and haven't had a problem. I also remove my used paper towels from the area too as the CA can give off fumes for a couple of days.
 
hdtran said:
Don't forget a nitrile (or similar) glove for the hand holding the applicator, unless you want to become very attached to your pen! (Don't ask me how I know that!)

Also, it's good to keep a bottle of superglue remover nearby.
Click to expand...

I keep the DC or shop vac running right behind the lathe to avoid breathing the CA fumes.

I respectfully disagree with wearing gloves when applying CA. I use packing foam to apply, so I don't really have to worry about heat build up on the foam.

IMHO, and it is just that, gloves have no more a place at the lathe than does a necktie. 3 things can happen when you wear gloves at the lathe. 2 of those things are bad.

I use a magnetic vent cover ($2 or $3 at the home improvement store) to keep the sanding sludge and CA off the ways.
 
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I stopped using it as a finish when it became clear that I was becoming sensitized to it. I had been wearing a half-face respirator, using gloves and using my shop vac to blow the fumes into the far end of my shop. I now dip in Enduro and this has been working very well for me.
 
If the dust or fumes do not seem to bother you now, go ahead and do not wear any protection. Breath all the sanding dust and fumes possible. Fill your lungs with the crap and one day down the way when you are sitting attached to an oxy tank trying to just breathe enough to stay alive and someone is having to devote their every waking moment to take care of you, then, just maybe, you will be able to remember to think, "Man, I wish I had worn that nasty hot mask when I was younger and could still walk and breathe at the same time."
Spend the bucks today. Go out right now and make the purchase of a quality mask that fits. Use it religiously any time you are making dust or anything else that irritates your eyes or lungs. The most dangerous dust we work with, your eyes c an not even see. Once it gets into your lungs, it never comes back out. Your lungs only have a limited capacity and when that is filled with junk, there is no room for air. The choice is yours, breath now through a filter when working and breath well later or otherwise. I have seen people, good friends, die from this problem and it is not a way to go that I would chose. This is just my humble opinion. Well, maybe not all that humble after all.
Charles
 
G1Pens said:
Hey. I am a newbie (in GA) as well, so all I can offer is my limited experience so far. I imagine everyone has different levels of tolerance to the CA. For me it is not a problem. I wear a simple dust mask. I do not have any type of dust collection. I barely even smell the CA when applying or sanding. I have not had any reaction of any kind to the smell, the dust or the occassions when I get it on my skin.
Click to expand...

You may not have a reaction now, but the possibility of becomming sensitized to dust - either wood or CA - increases with each exposure. This type of reaction is worse than being allergic as you will just react more and more to the irritanting material(s).

The best advice I can give to both of you is (1) Stay out of the dust, (2) and move the fumes away from your work area. The fumes are just as bad inside your body, i.e. eyes, lungs, as it can be on your skin. CA fumes settle on everything nearby, especially your glasses and is nearly impossible to safely remove it.

As for DUST COLLECTION ... GET SOME TYPE OF COLLECTION INSTALLED ASAP IF YOU VALUE YOUR LONG TERM LIFE AND HEALTH. Dust from all types of wood, and other sources, is very nasty business. Some folks react far faster than others. However fast or slow one reacts, it is a proven fact that it is far cheaper to prevent the problems NOW than spending ten's of thousands of dollars with hospitals and doctors later, and probably for the rest of your now shortened life. :mad:
 
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