Epoxy dust is very bad

Posted by Charlie Jones on Dec 15, 2005

for your lungs- true, BUT, not as bad as just plain wood dust.

WEAR THAT mask or respirator!!

Back in the late 70's I was at an Experimental Yacht Assn meeting with Meade Gougeon. He had some slides of microscope pics of dust from wood and epoxy. The epoxy dust is little balls - the pure dust wouldn't be harmful, it's the chemical makeup that can hurt you with epoxy.

Wood dust on the other hand, looks like little sandspurs- all rough with splinters sticking out all over. THAT dust can get into your lungs and stick there. It in itself is harmful potentially causing problems much like silicosis.

So just because you are JUST sanding wood, don't think you are safe without those masks.

I'm 65, been doing boatbuilding of some sort with epoxy since 1976, build boats for bucks, and I wear gloves EVERY time I use epoxy. I also always have a mask on when sanding ANYTHING!

In Response to: Safe Boatbuilding by CLC on Dec 15, 2005

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