Hey Guys,
I'm wondering if anyone has had any adverse health effect from using glues. I've descovered that I have a reaction to super glues which is really fustrating. Basically if I use a product for an hour a couple of hours later I suddenly feel as if i have the flu....sneezing, runny nose etc.....to the point of having a nose bleed. I then feel like this for up to 3 days which really puts a dent in my modeling enthusiasm. Yes, I have read the packets to the products i'm using and have tried all sorts of methods to limit my exposure to the fumes to no avail. I'm working in well ventilated areas and have even tried pointing a fan at me while using the products in the hope it'll help. I've used a few different brands of super glue now but seem to have a problem with them all. The reason for me using this product if for attaching photoetch. Are there any safer alternatives??

Thanks for any help.

I've never had any bad side effects from modeling products (well there was the incident with the X-acto knife).

I make sure to ventilate my modeling area when using thinners, putty and paints. I also use a product called Gloves in a Bottle which is impervious to solvents, thinners, etc.

I dont know if TenAx is a viable alternative for you, but I've used it with success in the past

you can get it from www.squadron.com if you'd like to try a bottle
sorry to hear about this

You can always wear a mask with one of the charcoal filters on it. That should help protect you from the fumes.

Thanks for your replies guys. A mask is certainly an option...how much would one cost?? It's not really what i'd prefere but it's obvous that I have an allergy with this groups of chemicals. I'm just wondering though if protecting my breathing is enough.....as I suspect that tear ducts can still be affected by the fumes. Would still prefere to find a glue that is low toxic but adheres fast.

Hi Matt

First of all I'm sorry to hear about your problem. Are you sure its the glue causing it. Have you spoken to a Doctor about it. As far as mask, I can't say for Australia but here in the states they can range from paper mask that you can pick up at a hardware store, to a gas mask type that you can pick up at an Army surplus store.

Good Luck
Wolfsix

I'm allergic to some kind of resin, and building mainly resin kits (due to the unavailability of the kits I look for in injection plastic) that's not pleasant. I only have a very "itchy" skin reaction, nothing as bad as your. Did you try using a gas mask?
Ciao

A respirator mask will run you around 20 to 25 Usd @ local hardware store.

Over time, with repeated exposure, you can become sensitized to just about anything. I have linked to the MSDS sheet for Loctite 414 Superbonder. (OSAH geek) It is the CA glue we use here at the foundry in the pattern shop. Here is a quote from the sheet, Health Hazards - Acute and Chronic...... SKIN CONTACT MAY CAUSE BURNS. BONDS SKIN RAPIDLY AND STRONGLY. SKIN AND EYE IRRITANT. VAPOR IS IRRITATING TO EYES AND MUCOUS MEMBRANES ABOVE TLV. PROLONGED AND REPEATED OVEREXPOSURE TO VAPORS MAY PRODUCE SYMPTOMS OF NON-ALLERGIC ASTHMA IN SENSITIVE INDIVIDUALS.

The sheet does not list what type of mask you should use.

HTH,

Shaun

Loctite MSDS

http://www.aosafety.com/diy/html/95115.htm This one would be the best bet.. Home depot or Lowes even the hardware store should carry or can order them for you.

Funny really ....when i first came across this problem i felt i actually had the flu....or bad hay fever type symptoms. After getting better i went back to modeling, having not been in the mood while sick, and felt the symptoms returned. At this time i thought maybe the products i was using was a cuase but silly me I kept thinking, "No way can't be". I now know after many relapses into stupidity, and many evenings laying awake feeling crook that it is the super glue types. I don't have any problems at all with resin glues. At the time I was using a zap product...the type seen here...
http://www.lightninghobby.com/store/listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=52

Anyway on one of their bottles i read the same quote as above so the pin finally dropped. It would appear i'm a sensitive individual as I get all the same symptoms listed besides the burning. So I ended up throwing those bottles out quite quickly.

Anyway, i'm definatelly looking into getting some sort of mask.....I just love this hobby too much to give it up. And at the same time my search has started for an alternative to super glue. I may even write to a couple of glue companies like Zap and see if they can recomend anything. Cheers all for your replies.....at least if someone else has this sort of problem they can get some good advice also from this thread.

One thing that I have noticed to that most things like paint, glues, putty, ect. has some pretty strange chemicals in them. Plastic glue and putty are the worst. They say that it can cause cancer, but I dont belive it. In one case, here are the symptoms linked with exposure to small amounts of the chemical in white squadron putty: can cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory loss, nausea, loss of appetite, and hearing and color vision loss.
Its kind of scary isnt it?

I just thought of this, you could be allergic to the chemical/chemicals in your glue. That might explain the runny nose, sneazing, and things like that. Try switching your glue.

Hey all, I really should have followed up with this sooner. I took everyones advise on purchasing a mask. Quite inexpensive really from most good hardware type places. It's a single filter respirator with a filter designed for liquid fumes and of course larger particles. I have to be honest and say I'm now 100% on what i was. Basically I've leanred a very valuable lesson where if I know I'm going to be using fast acting glue (ie super glues for attaching etch) I get the mask on before I even get close to using the product. And of course I keep the mask on for a long time after wards until I know the glue is dry, or until I'm able to pack the project away in a container.

I did descover that if alot of super glue is used, even when masked, I can still be affected which I believe is caused by iritation of the tear ducts. The only real 100% solution would be some sort of full head mask which goes beyond fun. For anyone (not that i've seen anyone have this sort of problem yet) having this sort of problem try out a mask. They are suprisingly comfortable.....and I find that I become more relaxed wearing it.

Never had problems with glue except with spray cans (inhaling too much will cause headache and muscle pains).

My advice would be not to work for a long time. Take a rest in-between hours or so.

though i dont have any sensitivity to modelling products i lately got a mask the one with twi interchangable filters cause i use some heavy poisonsto protect my houses wooden parts. It cost me 23 $ and a set of filters costs 6 $. I think it is a very nice piece, cayse after i use it i dont get any throat irritations as befora . so maybe this is one good solutions for you though it would be a lil heavy to wear it while modelling . BUT HEALTH COMES FIRST AND ABOVE ALL

Read this:

Modeling and your lungs

Mistakes and how to prevent them

Hey,

Being employed in law enforcement, I have the chance to use CA for more than just modeling. When I took my course in Crime Scene processing one of the issues we dealt with was the toxic nature of CA fumes. Apparently some of the chemicals in CA have an accumulative effect and can cause long term brain damage. Now I have a charcoal impregnated face mask, which I use most of the time when working with CA and I don't "hover" over items I am bonding with the nasty stuff. As far as "normal" plastic cement, it's no secret that its fumes are used as a low cost "high" for those who can't afford other more common drugs, problem being again, when "huffing" you are basically chemically depriving the brain of Oxygen which generally is not a good thing!

We recently bought a CA fuming chamber at work and the only thing which makes it any different from a standard range hood is the $300 charcoal filter in it. Having spoken to the company prior to purchasing, they stated charcoal filters will scrub out the harmful CA components.

But I don’t believe there is a 100% safe alternative to adhere PE parts.

Well, enough of our drug lecture for today, in the words of on of the US’s best teachers “Remember kids drugs are bad mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmkay”


Cheers!

BTW, I have here an article about Future. It can be used to adhere PE parts!

http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

hi all

first of all..sorry to hear your problem...i've quite similar problem with CA glue...
PPE (personal protective equipment) such as mask will help..but it's only the last line of protection ... the frontline is to get all nessecary infos on every products we use..this can be read from the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) ..
there are different law requirement from various country on the item listed in the MSDS..a sample of Full MSDS will contain infos beside the physical and chemical properties, also the symptom..health effect..toxicity ..first Aid treatment..and PPE required...
Try see an Occupational Health Doctor. (OHD) ..they're expert and unlike the ordinary doctor, they will started to evaluated the symptom that u have with your job... ie u got headache..normal dr will give u aspirin, paracetamol etc..etc...an OHD will started (at least) by asking what is your nature of job routine..do u involve in any chemicals..etc..etc...to the extend of work related disease....(at least they will ask a few basic thing)...
anyhow...health issue is realy important....we cant see them coming...
some glue and paint fumes can cause nausea....
be safe!

ps: if u're looking for a cheap mask..try to get 3M mask with carbon filter...if ure thinking of spending more, try the 3M gas mask series with exchangeable filter catridge.. i get mine for about USD 30..

my 2 cents