Getting Into Soft Plastics

[lm22]

I am thinking about getting back into making soft plastics. I did it and enjoyed making the baits but I was worried about the fumes. I have seen that an organic vapor mask works best when making soft plastics. If I am using that and working outside with a fan to blow away fumes would I have to be concerned about the fumes effecting me?

Also would this be a good mask to use: https://www.thomassci.com/Laboratory-Supplies/Respirators/_/5000-Series-Organic-Vapor/Acid-Gas-Respirators?q=Organic Vapor Respirator

Thanks for the help 

Edited April 28, 2020 by lm22

[Apdriver]

I think you would be fine. A lot of guys do it in their garage with a fan behind them blowing outside with door open. Workbench with a ventilation system works well too. Might want to hang on to the ole wallet though. It’s addictive.

[Jig Man]

I found that a fan cools my product too quickly.  So I just open the garage door and don’t get directly over the hot plastisol. 

Edited April 28, 2020 by Jig Man

[alsworms]

Tip of the cap to any of you guys who could pour with a fan blowing on you.  Never failed that fan would hit my stream of plastic and I would pour all over the molds.  I never figured out a good way to do it, so I just gave up and dealt with the sweat. 

[Les Young]

I tried a fan & it didn't work to good for me either so i open garage door in warm weather & in cold weather i don't stand directly over the heated plastic & open the entry door to air things out from time to time.

[Bass-Boys]

12 hours ago, alsworms said:

Tip of the cap to any of you guys who could pour with a fan blowing on you.  Never failed that fan would hit my stream of plastic and I would pour all over the molds.  I never figured out a good way to do it, so I just gave up and dealt with the sweat. 

I hear ya ,, I have to turn the fan to a lower setting, and use by body to block the air from hitting the pour stream .

[seakarp]

21 hours ago, Apdriver said:

A lot of guys do it in their garage with a fan behind them blowing outside with door open.

 

16 hours ago, alsworms said:

Tip of the cap to any of you guys who could pour with a fan blowing on you.  Never failed that fan would hit my stream of plastic and I would pour all over the molds.  I never figured out a good way to do it, so I just gave up and dealt with the sweat. 

 

13 hours ago, Les Young said:

I tried a fan & it didn't work to good for me either

 

4 hours ago, Bass-Boys said:

I have to turn the fan to a lower setting, and use by body to block the air from hitting the pour stream

I have found that the trick to using the fan trick is to be quite close to the door, garage door ect., and placing the fan so that the back of the fan is near the lead or soft plastic ect and the blowing side is aimed out the door, not at the lead/plastic ect. .

So trying to be more clear about this, what you want is the airflow going into the back of the fan to be near the fumes and then have it blown out of the garage by the  front of the fan. So you are exhausting the fumes. Then you can adjust the force by adjusting the speed of the fan and how close it is to the offending fumes. Works for me. Cheers.

Edited April 29, 2020 by seakarp
mo beda english

[Val]

Still need a respirator, regardless whether you use a fan or not. Plastisol fumes are hell on lungs. Not like you can go back in and wipe down your lungs.

[mark poulson]

6 hours ago, seakarp said:

 

 

 

I have found that the trick to using the fan trick is to be quite close to the door, garage door ect., and placing the fan so that the back of the fan is near the lead or soft plastic ect and the blowing side is aimed out the door, not at the lead/plastic ect. .

So trying to be more clear about this, what you want is the airflow going into the back of the fan to be near the fumes and then have it blown out of the garage by the  front of the fan. So you are exhausting the fumes. Then you can adjust the force by adjusting the speed of the fan and how close it is to the offending fumes. Works for me. Cheers.

I'll have to try that.  That's the way air is exhaust in a paint booth, and it works.

Thanks.  

[alsworms]

10 minutes ago, mark poulson said:

I'll have to try that.  That's the way air is exhaust in a paint booth, and it works.

Thanks.  

Now that I think about it, I probably could have kept a fan on the mixing station instead of the pouring station.  How creative of me.  DOH!!

[Apdriver]

When I got my first mold and gallon of plastic, my son and I nuked the first cup together. Then we coughed for 15 minutes after the irritation set in. After that, I invested in and built a ventilation system which makes it much safer for me and my family. Wasn’t extremely expensive. Hood, pipe, and a repurposed squirrel cage. Works for plastic and lead. So glad I did....

[rixon529]

Lm22 - a fan is a good idea. Doesn't need to be blowing 100mph AT you and your work area. I agree with Seakarp's suggestion to have a fan close to your work but PULLING air from work area and blowing AWAY from you.

Also - the mask in your link should be fine. When you go for replacement cartridges, be sure to get ones for organic vapor /acid gas.

Rick

[aulrich]

Now that it's warmer I just open the garage door , but for me the problem is winter, it's hard enough getting it warm to begin with, so I am reluctant to vent all my warm air to the outside. I think for next winter I will set up a vent hood but rather than vent to outside I will run it though a carbon filter. it should filter out any sort of volatile organic.

I'll probably run a face mask to at least during the winter