As someone who has recently returned to model building after a considerable break, I’ve been overcome by the TONS of resin and other after market items that are available now…

Naturally, I’d like to get my hands on some of the resin stowage items and other stuff from Legend and Blast etc.

But I still have some reservations. From what I understand, the dust that is produced from removing parts from their pour blocks is toxic.

I have a mask that I can use – but I also have a newborn son.

Of course I WOULD NEVER work with resin around my son – but would I be endangering my son’s health by just having the stuff in my house?

Any help / advice / info you can share on this matter will be GREATLY appreciate!

Thanks,
Noah

You can wet sand and cut it to minimize the dust.

Cured resin dust is an inert irritant and by the time we get our hands on a commercial piece of resin, it is quite well cured. It does not cause cancer, a third eye in the middle of your forehead or certain parts of your anatomy to shrivel up and fall off. As swith any dust like residue, it is not good for you. As mentioned above, wet sanding will virually elimitnate this but safety glasses and a dust mask are really all you need if you have to use a saw or Dremel to remove a large plug. A google search on resin safety will confirm this.

I bought one of those cake pans (like you make brownies in) at a Wal-Mart or Dollar General for a couple of bucks. I have some water in it, about a half inch or so, and sand the resin inside the pan. No dust and the clean up is contained in the pan. The pan I bought has a clear plastic cover and I often use it to transport in progress work to meetings.

Not terribly, unless inserted manually...

Seriously, it's not a problem as the guys have said, as long as you ming the dust a bit. I've been using it (including pouring my own parts) for many years without a problem.

That said, some people do develop a sensitivity to resin, but that is an extremely small minority of modellers. I have a reasonable stash of parts and have had two relatively normal teenagers grow up in the house where I make & cut resin parts, so I wouldn't be too worried about your son.


Still, it could explain some of my girls' behaviour...

Paul

And remember, anything not found by the state of California to cause cancer in lab animals isn't worth buying...
Kidding, of course.
Really impressed you asked the question. Knew a RC airplane guy who shot so much lacquer in his basement without a fan it eventually took 40% of his lung functions.
Better safe.

Shaun

Noah,
The other guys have covered things pretty much, I thought I'd toss in my .2 cents though. A member in one of our local clubs is a doctor, and this subject came up not long ago and he basicly said exactly what Al did. Just use some good old common sense, ie. don't eat it or snort any . If you ever need to remove some really big pour blocks with a razor saw or dremel, grab your safety glasses and mask and head outdoors. Using the dremel especially you'll find yourself covered with dust.

Best,
Mike

All I can add is whenever using using the saw WEAR GLASSES. The risk factor is a multiplication of exposure & how dangerous the action or product is so without even bothering to find the measures to these elements I can tell you it´s minimal. When using a Dremel I use an old vacuum cleaner with disposable bags & a funnel adapted for the tube. The comment about the safety warnings from the state of California made me laugh because the amount of times I´ve peeled off the translation sticker of a product to find those warnings about birth defects, infertility & cancer have almost given me an anxiety attack because that´s the bit they never translate on the sticker!!!

If you are worried about resin dust then I hope you don't do any of the following:
1. Smoke
2. Inhale the small particle infested air in/on city streets with lots of traffic on them.
The air intake on small children is a lot closer to the pollution sources than on a grownup!
2.5 Inhale the exhausts in/on busy city streets
3. Inhale the fumes when filling petrol/gas in your car
4. Travel in the subway/underground with asbestos particles from train brakes
5. Work in a place where there is dangerous products which contaminate your clothes
6. Live in an area where there is dangerous minerals in the ground (natural deposits
or human pollution)
7. Live near a pollution source like a in city or downwind from industrial pollution sources.
8. Live too close to a major electric power line
9. Worrying too much is also dangerous.
10. Don't mind having your leg pulled a little ;-)

The other posts really say it all but what I wanted to add is that focusing on one potential
danger could make one forget other potentially more dangerous hazards.
BR / Robin