After over 20 years as a paint slinger, I've heard more than my fair share of comments such as, "How do you stand the smell?!" when someone comes into the shop. I really don't notice the smell of paint and thinner anymore, but I don't use the strong stuff like turps or lacquer thinner, which make me SICK.
So I finally went the vinyl/computer route recently, figuring at the least that maybe I'll save a few brain cells by not always breathing paint fumes.
But I have been surprised to find that vinyl puts out a strong odor when weeding! I'm wondering how toxic this is and whether it's just as bad as the paint and thinner fumes.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
ORACAL 651 is the worst!!!! gota stench only a mother skunk could love. i dont use it for that reason and that it feels like bubble wrap 2nd. i work in small area(mobile sign shop, 18ft step van) and my home office is a 10'x 14' room. most other vinyls i dont have much problem with oder. i keep the windows open as much as posible. every now and then i jones for some turps/mineral spirits.
Posted by Jim Bagaas (Member # 3808) on :
Well lets see,I've been doing vinyl now for about ......oh yes...a long time if'n I remember right. What was it we were talking about???That's right vinyl fumes,Hmmmmmmmmm,fumes are good.
Seriously,I don't believe that vinyl fumes pose any long term problem.After growing up in the '60's I only had a few brain cells left and I believe that those are still there. After years of paint and lacquer and fiberglass dust,I think that vinyl fumes are the least of my worrys.Take care and be well,Jim Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
We use Oracal, I don't notice a smell. But we have the coffee pot on from early morning and that fills the shop with nice smell.
Try to vent some fresh air in while working with vinyl....but there are worse fumes that we sign crafters put up with every day that make vinyl smell like a boquet of roses. Try glue chipping, spray painting, yada yada and yada!
New banners sometimes smell like a kids Vinyl Baby Doll and some smell worse.
Anyway. when we cut up a bunch of pine 2x4 or other lumber...well, I really love that smell!
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
That must be some pretty strong coffee Dave I love the smell of cut wood too!!
Posted by Myra Grozinger (Member # 327) on :
The thinners that we don't smell any more, ("we" old style screen printers, for sure) might have settled in my bones and given me permanent migraines from hell. I live with headaches, it does not matter if I'm near the stuff or not, any more. So be careful. I am talking about years of solvents, lacquer thinner specifically, and VINYL INKS. I do not smell a thing on the vinyl I cut and stick. (First time ever I disagree with OP on anything and it will probably not happen again)
I may very well start a detox program under Doctor supervision before too long. But I see no point in that before I have restructured my shop and gotten rid of anything that is Vinyl screen printing ink. I use the stuff so extensively, I have to rethink a lot of my processes first, too. Guess those headaches aren't bad enough yet. Hmmmm.
There are tarps I letter for a local awning company and their smell is disagreeable to say the least. One, last week, smelled as if a horde of rancid ponies had slept on it. Oh no, now it comes back,it smelled like my big dog did after coming back from a week in a kennel in a tiny cubicle.
Shucks, now I miss my dog again!
Anyway. Long story. Short moral. The smells around a roll vinyl shop may be noticeable to some, to old timers like me they are non existent. But they need to be taken seriously and I recommend, after 25 yrs and hundreds of headaches to keep the air as ciculated as possible.
Posted by Rosemary (Member # 1926) on :
But once the vinyl is cast on the coating line and cured at the plant, there ARE no fumes. Its just odor, not fumes.
:^)
Posted by Bruce Bowers (Member # 892) on :
My old mentor Jack told me, "If you can smell it, you are breathing it in."
I can not differentiate the difference between fumes and aromas. They both smell to me.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
myra....your german and your people think saurkrout smells GOOD!!!!! hahahahaha just funnin ya......
Posted by Myra Grozinger (Member # 327) on :
When you're German, my daughter in law has pointed out to me after observing OTHER Germans, everything about you smells the same. Your food, your house, your car, your clothes and your hair. We Germans put a little vinegar into almost all the food as well as the rinse water of absolutely everything. Better clean than sorry.
I, for one, have gotten over this after 38 years in this country.
So don't you worry OP, I can cook without Sauerkraut for years at a time, in case you are worried about our trip to Aruba.
Posted by Marty Engel (Member # 3483) on :
Hi Peter,
What you most likely smell is the out-gassing of plasticizers in the vinyl... many of which are rather toxic. This is especially true if you live in California, where just looking at vinyl can kill you. Seriously though, every roll of vinyl in your shop (and just about everything else as well) could be a source of some form of out-gassing. The 'new car smell' even fell victim... now that smell is added after the car is built.
Unless you are going to join the legions of neo-luddites and go back to painting with linseed oil and organic pigments and dyes... make sure you get enough fresh air exchange into your shop.
Have a good day,
Marty
[ April 21, 2003, 07:50 AM: Message edited by: Marty Engel ]
Posted by KARYN BUSH (Member # 1948) on :
i actually like the smell of real 3M vinyl(not the fdc stuff)...the 3M they make for gerber...and i love the smell of rapid-tac! what can i say? i'm a sick one.
Posted by jimmy chatham (Member # 525) on :
it all smells like money to me. Posted by Dave Johnson (Member # 2535) on :
I questioned 3M about this a few years ago. They faxed me a list of the solvents used in the manufacturing process. Their comment was that the solvents should be "outgassed" by the time the product is shipped and that no toxic fumes should be present.
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I love the smell of cut wood too!!
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