Safe paint

Domino

Domino

Senior Member
In refernce to my post regarding enamel paints, it appears that a fresh-air respirator is needed for almost any paint the market. Are any of the 'modern paints" safe to use without some protection for the do it yourselfer? If so what can be safely sprayed without a 'fresh air respirator' and what protection should be used?
 
It would be a good idea to wear a respirator whenever you're spraying or dry sanding anything. Even non toxic dust can be bad for your lungs.
 
Domino said:
In refernce to my post regarding enamel paints, it appears that a fresh-air respirator is needed for almost any paint the market. Are any of the 'modern paints" safe to use without some protection for the do it yourselfer? If so what can be safely sprayed without a 'fresh air respirator' and what protection should be used?
Click to expand...


Latex from Lowes/Home Depot. ;)
 
First off, the need for a fresh air respirator should not limit you. Yes they seem expensive, but if you only plan on doing one car then you can expect to get a lot back on resale. If you are doing a lot of cars then it is just a cost of safely doing business.

The filter masks will also work with some big ifs.

First the source of my material is a conversation with a university researcher. I was told that the carbon filters found on the masks will filter out the isos. The limiting factor is the reality that most masks are not fitting properly and will leak isos around the edges. No company wants to take risks so will not endorse their use.

You have to look at how you intend to paint. For the sake of the paint job you want to move a lot of air to clear out the overspray. You could also paint outside. If you move a lot air then the concentration of isos will be lower. Some guys paint in a sealed garage with little or no air movement- this is bad for the guy and bad for the paint job.

One other thing to consider. The isos are absorbed through the skin. I was told the biggest exposure was while mixing the paint- not painting. I used a disposable body suit for painting and nitrol gloves.

Plus the older paints with their solvents are just as bad except they kill off other parts of your body. Nothing about painting is good for you unless you have proper protection! It is just a necessary part of life if we want stuff protected.

I suggest that you learn how to powder coat. I picked an oven out of the trash and made it bigger out the back. I can do 19" wheels in the oven. I do a lot of small stuff with PC instead of paints. Yes, that costs money too. This cuts down on your painting. See Eastwood's and Caswel plating's forums to learn how to PC on the cheap. Buy only Tiger Drylac powders. I have used Caswel's and Eastwood's and I finally spent the $$ for Drylac and I know why they are more $ cause they work better.

To save some more money, but get quality under coat paints get SPI primers.

Always remember,
Nothing in this hobby is cheap as it is rich mans sport.
 
Kevin in NJ said:
First off, the need for a fresh air respirator should not limit you. Yes they seem expensive, but if you only plan on doing one car then you can expect to get a lot back on resale. If you are doing a lot of cars then it is just a cost of safely doing business.

The filter masks will also work with some big ifs.

First the source of my material is a conversation with a university researcher. I was told that the carbon filters found on the masks will filter out the isos. The limiting factor is the reality that most masks are not fitting properly and will leak isos around the edges. No company wants to take risks so will not endorse their use.

You have to look at how you intend to paint. For the sake of the paint job you want to move a lot of air to clear out the overspray. You could also paint outside. If you move a lot air then the concentration of isos will be lower. Some guys paint in a sealed garage with little or no air movement- this is bad for the guy and bad for the paint job.

One other thing to consider. The isos are absorbed through the skin. I was told the biggest exposure was while mixing the paint- not painting. I used a disposable body suit for painting and nitrol gloves.

Plus the older paints with their solvents are just as bad except they kill off other parts of your body. Nothing about painting is good for you unless you have proper protection! It is just a necessary part of life if we want stuff protected.

I suggest that you learn how to powder coat. I picked an oven out of the trash and made it bigger out the back. I can do 19" wheels in the oven. I do a lot of small stuff with PC instead of paints. Yes, that costs money too. This cuts down on your painting. See Eastwood's and Caswel plating's forums to learn how to PC on the cheap. Buy only Tiger Drylac powders. I have used Caswel's and Eastwood's and I finally spent the $$ for Drylac and I know why they are more $ cause they work better.

To save some more money, but get quality under coat paints get SPI primers.

Always remember,
Nothing in this hobby is cheap as it is rich mans sport.
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Kevin,
Is your last sentence an attempt to create "HUMOR?" If you saw my last bank statement,:eek: you'd DIE LAUGHING!:D:D:D:eek: Bill W. (W=WITHOUT!)
 
I painted this truck with Rustoleum in 2008. I sprayed it with a sixty dollar gravity feed paint gun from Smart Shopper. I didn't color sand or buff this paint job. My neighbor and I did some hand rubbing with compound so it would look more like lacquer. I used Kirker urethane activator with the Rustoleum..
IMG_0043.jpg
 
This shows more detail and reflection in the paint. I could see myself in the finish, almost like a mirror. This isn't safe paint, after adding the urethane activator and you would need an air supplied suit to do this. I don't plan to do anymore paint jobs with isocynate activated paint. Another old painters trick for a super hard and glossy paint job with synthetic or oil base enamel, is with the use of peroxide hardner in a tube like used with Featherfill primer or fiberglass resin. I make NO recommendations.
IMG_0044.jpg
 
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Purdy, that is one nice paint job. And you know how much fun it is to go around those hood louvers ! If you can do that with Rustoleum and a cheap gun, then imagine what you could do with urethane and a Sata gun! I am impressed.
 
Safe paint is like clean coal. I am going to the VA today for my annual chest exam. I painted for many years with a good quality respirator, and still got industrial asthma. I quit painting. Forced air breathing systems are the only way to spray paint.
 
tbirdtbird said:
Purdy, that is one nice paint job. And you know how much fun it is to go around those hood louvers ! If you can do that with Rustoleum and a cheap gun, then imagine what you could do with urethane and a Sata gun! I am impressed.
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Thanks T Bird !! I learned a few paint tricks while working at an independent body shop in the late seventies. People wanted cheap enamel paint jobs but wanted them to look like Imron. We would use Imron activator with Du Pont Dulux enamel. When cheap enamel is used with a urethane activator it will look and be as hard as a urethane finish. It works the same if used with Rustoleum, it just costs less.
 
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