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> I'm just getting started on a S&G, and I have this safety question:
> Does one's workshop need to be well-ventilated when working with epoxy?
> Does epoxy emit significant vapor, and does the vapor represent a safety
> concern? And if so, for what period of time? hours? days? weeks?
...
Hi Daniel:
I used my basement as the work area too. I used two different kinds of epoxy, a penetrating sealing epoxy and the regular stuff used to wet out the glass.
The huge difference between these two is this:
The Smith's Penetrating Epoxy is 70% VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and 30% solids (the stuff that holds together the pieces you're glueing). The VOCs go into the air, lungs, upstairs, kids and wife's noses and come back out in the form of a foot repeatedly and vigorously applied to one's backside. I had to open all the windows in the house, the garage door, turn off the water heater and furnace pilot lights for two days. This stuff is meant to be thin and penetrate and then evaporate, and it does. This strategic blunder almost cost me the whole boat project.
The structural epoxy (from Fiberlay systems in Seattle WA) is 100% solids. Practically odorless. I used it after the bare wood had been sealed and had no problems at all. Doesn't stink, goes on nice, etc etc. I would look up the VOC content if I were you. High VOCs probably mean lots of evaporation and lots of smell.
Ed Valley
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Guillemot Kayak - High
Performance Wooden Sea Kayak Designs
