: Thought I'd take the topic over here: how did the reaction develop? I've
: talked to some folks that got it after blatant misuse of epoxy and others
: fron single contact on forearms. I get flu like symptoms if I'm too long
: in a garage with it (with respirator), eyes feeling tired.
: Since it's an essential part of this kind of building the topic is worth
: keeping fresh.
I have been working on this boat for 3 months now and no problem at first but in the last 5 weeks have had a head cold that would not completely go away but kept flaring up every couple of days so I suspected the epoxy but who knows?
After the Christmas I installed the decks so ever since I have been mixing up batches regularly glassing the decks,intalling skeg box,hatch,fairing etc.
Two weeks ago a rash developed on my hands ,wrists like poison ivy.I had the boat upside down and spreading epoxy inside the cockpit,banged the back of my head on the coaming and got poxy in my hair.Then I went and had a shower and now have a rash on the back of my neck so I quite working on the boat as I was feeling weak and lethagic with sinuses plugged up.After a week off I feel good now and have done a lot of hand sanding with respirator and no problem.
I did borrow a nice fan to move the air and will open a window in order to increase ventilation when I mix up a batch of epoxy tonight.
I think the trouble was that I did too much in a short time bombarding my body with more than it could handle plus I cheated by taking the respirator off sometimes so I could put on my glasses for delicate work.And yes there were several times when I got it on my bare hands by mistake so I accept some of the blame myself.I'm almost done and figure I need to mix about 2 or 3 more batches
so with the increased ventilation ,longer times between exposure and no damn way I'm taking the respirator off I should be okay.Wish me luck tonight as I'm going to go back at it again.Too bad about this as I have enjoyed the boat building process a lot and would like to build another or other wood working projects involving epoxy,once you learn how to use it you realize what a wonderful product it is for building all kinds of things.Maybe in the future I would only work with it in the summer,outdoors but lets see how I make out tonight.
Thanks for your concern.
Bert