Dangerous Hobby?

[Dave W]

Just read the back of my tube of filler.It says -: Contains Toluene.Toluene may be harmful by breathing vapours.Toluene exposure may cause liver,kidney and brain damage.May cause birth defects in the developing Fetus.

I knew it was nasty stuff as its banned in the civil aviation industry.Im suprised the manufacturer is allowed to use it.And it's melted Mobears Phantom intakes!.

[Ian M]

There are so many things we use in our harmless little hobby that are banned is so many other things its hard to believe that we can still get them.

Denmark banned the import of tamiya paints and glues a couple of years back. The Paints are just starting to come in, but the market is lost. The glue? forget it. I have only ever seen it in Sweden.

Ian M

[colin m]

Tolulene, IIRC the third component of TNT.

[flyjoe180]

Have a read of the warnings on a Tamiya (Tamiya USA) spray can next time you come across one. Similar warnings to the green putty above, but with a cancer-causing warning too. The way to go I think is to wear a mask and gloves when handling solvent-style substances. I wear a dust mask even for sanding, and a 3M paint mask for painting.

[Guest]

Copied from Wikipedia, for information. On at personal note I use the Duluxe materials Perfect Plastic Putty, which does not smell as bad as the green and white putty highlighted by Dave

Main article: Toluene (toxicology)

Toluene should not be inhaled due to its health effects. Low to moderate levels can cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory loss, nausea, loss of appetite, and hearing and color vision loss. These symptoms usually disappear when exposure is stopped. Inhaling high levels of toluene in a short time may cause light-headedness, nausea, or sleepiness. It can also cause unconsciousness, and even death.[17][18]

Toluene is, however, much less toxic than benzene, and has, as a consequence, largely replaced it as an aromatic solvent in chemical preparation. For example, benzene is a known carcinogen, whereas toluene has very little carcinogenic potential.[19]

C

[stona]

It's really a matter of common sense. This is something I know something about as I was once,in the dim and distant mists of time a chemist working for a well known multi-national.

The harm any chemical,even really nasty ones,can do you is related to your exposure to that chemical.

There are some toxic chemicals used,particularly as solvents,in the glues,paints and fillers that we use. This is where the common sense comes in. You can limit your exposure by working in a ventilated area,using a spray booth,wearing a suitable mask,wearing latex gloves and in all sorts of other ways.

Would I use gloves and a mask to apply a filler to the wing roots of a model aeroplane? No,my exposure to the solvent,say Toluene,is so small I wouldn't bother.

Would I wear a suitable mask when spraying Alclad? You bet I would.

Plastic cements are usually a mixture of volatile solvents. I don't use a mask using them either. I apply the cement with a brush (minimum exposure) and then put the top back on. This saves me money by preventing said volatiles evaporating into the atmosphere,where I can inhale them,thus reducing my exposure. I win twice!

If you are worried about or notice any reaction (like a rash on your hands) to anything you are using then wear some protection and maybe consider a different product.

I don't think this is a dangerous hobby at all. I think an awareness that some of the products we use are potentially hazardous is important. I think some of the warnings are a little over the top and do sometimes cause undue concern,but better safe than sorry. Take sensible and basic precautions and enjoy the hobby

Colin,TNT is 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene. The toluene is the "skeleton" of the molecule. It comprises a ring of 6 carbon atoms with the methyl group on carbon number 1. Stick a nitrate group (NO2) on carbons number 2,4 and 6 and you've got TNT......BOOM!

I don't think I'm giving anything away when I say it is quite easy to make,in a laboratory with some standard equipment and reagents

Cheers

Steve

[stona]

Copied from Wikipedia, for information. On at personal note I use the Duluxe materials Perfect Plastic Putty, which does not smell as bad as the green and white putty highlighted by DaveMain article: Toluene (toxicology)

Toluene should not be inhaled due to its health effects. Low to moderate levels can cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory loss, nausea, loss of appetite, and hearing and color vision loss. These symptoms usually disappear when exposure is stopped. Inhaling high levels of toluene in a short time may cause light-headedness, nausea, or sleepiness. It can also cause unconsciousness, and even death.[17][18]

Toluene is, however, much less toxic than benzene, and has, as a consequence, largely replaced it as an aromatic solvent in chemical preparation. For example, benzene is a known carcinogen, whereas toluene has very little carcinogenic potential.[19]

C

Benzene was known to be nasty stuff for a long time,certainly the 1940s and yet I remember it as a ubiquitous laboratory reagent as late as the mid 1970s. You didn't splash it about,it had to be used with protection,in fume cupboards etc. It sort of disappeared then to be replaced by Toluene.

We're going back a few years here!

Cheers

Steve

[Dave W]

When I was a young airframe fitter in the RAF (1970's) we didn't worry too much about these things.I was on a Phantom major servicing squadron.Everytime you put a panel back on or did an airframe sheet metal type repair (of which I did a lot),you'd clean everything with MEK and seal it all with nasty smelling sealants.We never used gloves and I remember my hands turning a patchy white where I'd used MEK to clean the sealant off!.Who knows what damage that caused.November 2011 I had what has so far been successful surgery for Prostate cancer.I sometimes wonder if what I did in the past had something to do with me getting the cancer.Nowadays I'm a lot more careful.Although,despite my medical history I'm not paranoid about it.i don't wear a mask and gloves when using Green filler.And I will continue to use it until what I consider to be a better product comes on the market.

[stona]

MEK isn't very nice stuff and is present in quite a lot of branded plastic "cements". It's a known irritant and I wouldn't want to inhale it in high concentrations! I bet it degreased your hands pretty well.

Cheers

Steve

[Dave W]

MEK isn't very nice stuff and is present in quite a lot of branded plastic "cements". It's a known irritant and I wouldn't want to inhale it in high concentrations! I bet it degreased your hands pretty well.Cheers

Steve

All this Phantom talk has brought back memories. One time I was inside one of the fuselage fuel tank cavities.I was cleaning all the couplings with MEK prior to fitting the bag tank.At one point I felt like I was floating in the air.Luckily a mate was acting as my safety man. When I stopped talking to him he realised something was wrong,grabbed my collar and pulled me out of the tank.After that I started taking health and safety more seriously!.Some modellers use MEK as an adhesive.I wouldn't personally.