milliput

[.sam.]

hey guys

i was just wondering i know will milliput or greenstuff your meant to wash your hands after use etc

but when your sanding it do you need to wear dust mask etc ???

does it endanger your health by not wearing gloves or facemask when mixing / sanding it ??

or is the greenstuff and milliput safe ???

just wondering

sam

 

[Donga]

As a person that has ingested large amounts of Miliput and GS over the years. You may want to take what I say with a pinch of salt!

One of the active ingredients in Epoxy is a carcinogen, although not a terribly \'strong\' one. So the active part of any two part putty is slightly risky.

BUT, if you were using large quantities of the putty all the time it would be advisable to take precautions.

1. wash your hands after using it, especially when you are about to prepare food or drink.

2. try not to eat it! I use my saliva to wet my tools, so I have to think about what I\'m doing!

3. If sanding alot, I\'d wear a dust mask. That\'s true of any resin inc Forgeworld stuff. NONE of it is very good for the respiratory system.

4. Don\'t worry too much, you probably absorb more carcinogens from stading with smokers or by a busy road.

 

[Chrome]

It is recommended to always use gloves and dustmasks when appropriate but I do not think the majority does that.
Both milliput and greenstuff are Epoxy-based mediums and therefore quite dangerous in large quantities.
BUT superglue, epoxy based glues and simple plastic glues are almost and sometimes equally dangerous(and beyond) and who wears the appropriate attire when using those?(people with extremely sensitive skin and allergies excepted)

So, for someone with a normal health condition it is safe as long as you don\'t eat heavy quantities or deliberately stuff it in your eyes before it cures.

But as it always is with safety gear, does it make you feel more secure then use them. There is, when it all comes down to it, no such thing as too safe.

 

[.sam.]

thanks guys ,

i think i worry a tad too much and probably owned no more than 4 boxes if milliput.

a couple more questions then:

how much would you consider large amounts ?

and would you need a mask if sanded outside ?

and would a normal dust mask be ok ?? the one you just slip on

 

[freakinacage]

i\'d wear dust mask no matter where or what i was sanding. don\'t wanna get pneumoconiosis (?Sp)

 

[.sam.]

so would one of these be recommended

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=142844

 

[Chrome]

That one is a tad bit overkill in my eyes. lol

I\'d recommend this for dust mask:
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=12316
If treated well you can make a pack of those last half a lifetime.

Large amounts: I\'d call any amount making your chewing reflexes kick in a tad bit too much... But if the piece is large enough to feel taste you\'ll probably spit it out from the taste of it anyhow.

Dustmasks when sanding anything is a very good idea, if nothing else so for avoiding the horrid dry feeling in your throat. lol

 

[freakinacage]

i nicked mine from theatre at work

 

[Dragonsreach]

Originally posted by Chrome
I\'d recommend this for dust mask:
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=12316
If treated well you can make a pack of those last half a lifetime. Not being nasty but they are designed to be junked after single use. It doesn\'t take much useage with one of those to make it \"beyond further use\" far better to ditch and get a fresh than carry forward any contaminants on it that you can ingest as you put it back on.

Dustmasks when sanding anything is a very good idea, if nothing else so for avoiding the horrid dry feeling in your throat. lol Yes I will whole heartedly second that as I\'m the dumbass who made himself ill turning Laburnum wood, which is quite toxic.
Fortunatly only for a few days of coughing & difficultly breathing when bending.
BUT Remember to keep the mask on when cleaning up afterwards, it\'s just as important.

 

[cassar]

as someone who uses a lot of milliput i would advise you to sand using wet or dry sand paper(use it wet) in the sink with the tap running no dust and the residue goes down the plug hole not into the air, for my major sanding and shaping i use a bench sander with a vacuum cleaner attachment the fine milliput dust collected there also makes for a good sand base that looks more to scale than normal sand which is more like gravel in comparison to the models. oh when using the wet n dry start off with a rough grade then work up through to the fine it gives a really smooth finish the water has the added benefit of washing the paper so it doesnt clogg. hope this was usefull.

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

If you can, try and wet sand your Milliput. You will get a smoother surface and no dust.

I use wet/dry sand paper and keep a small dish of water at my desk to dip/rinse my sand paper in. You don\'t need a whole lot, just enough to keep the paper wet. No need to make a mess.

if you dry sand, a cheap dust mask is all you need. Keep in mind your probably only sanding small areas..not massive surfaces. You not going to create that much dust.

 

[DXM]

Like Dragon Forge Design said, Always wet sand. Keep the dust down to almost nothing.

Another advise, when you have Milliput or any type of epoxy putty residue on your hand, sometimes soap and water doesn\'t work well, use Isopropyl Alchol to rinse your hands.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by .sam.
or is the greenstuff and milliput safe ???

They are \'safe\' for most people, but that doesn\'t mean we should be complacent. You\'re doing the right thing by asking and not taking safety for granted.

Originally posted by .sam.
does it endanger your health by not wearing gloves or facemask when mixing / sanding it ??

It might. You can bet money that the few unfortunate people who now have reactions to putties (or paints or whatever) would all have expressed the view there was no problem... just before it occurred!

You should either wear gloves when mixing epoxy putties or wash your hands thoroughly after mixing. The dust is probably fairly inert, but it\'s best not to take chances so either sand wet or wear a dust mask at least.

If you do sand dry - in your bedroom especially - I would recommend you do this directly over a bin, but vacuum regularly anyway!

Einion

 

[airhead]

allergies to epoxy resins are not unheard of. Rare, but they do happen.

For the rest of us, washing after (before as well - don\'t want to put finger grime into the mix) is probably sufficient.

Simple dust filters will work unless you are sanding some football helmate sized lump with an industrial grinder.