12 replies to this topic

[Jesse Gonzales]

One thing about having my armature building cut short by an unforeseen tragedy April 21, 1973, is that it probably saved my life.

 

Many of the guys that were small time winders have all seem to have died of one cancer or another. A close friend who was around in those days is fighting his way through a stroke probably caused by the same thing that made me decide to proceed with caution and even postpone producing armatures, epoxy. Many of the old timers were around toxic fumes from curing epoxy in poorly-ventilated spaces.

 

Like my buddy I too was looking for an epoxy that was not "too toxic" the last few years, We never found it, look at the spec sheets on quality epoxies and they are cancer causers, unless you have the bucks of a successful business to afford properly-ventilated shops with safety in mind it's not worth the exposure.

 

Jess Gonzales

[Mr. M]

I often wondered about this, the lack of understanding of the effects of all the chemicals and fumes from solvents, plastics, and epoxies on long term health. And spending endless days in smoke-filled raceways with glue-aerated tracks. It seems this took a toll on many.

[Bill from NH]

Joel Montague would be a long-term survivor, there are probably others, too.

[elvis44102]

Joel has recently had a stroke.

[Dave Crevie]

After nearly 50 years as a machinist/toolmaker/etc., I can say that the use of now banned chemicals at least contributed to, if not caused, my asthma and respiratory problems.

I thought nothing of using tri-chlor and kerosene for cleaning and polishing molds. EDM die-electric was loaded with PCBs. We would case-harden die parts with arsenic which would cause smoke that would send us reeling. We used lubricants during machining which have now been classed as major carcinogens. In days of yore none of this was thought about. We just used whatever gave the best results. Even some of the metals we used had health problems. Of course, we knew about lead, but only about 20 years ago was it discovered that berylium-copper, used for injector ram tips, also caused cancer. These days, everything used in a factory environment has to have a haz-mat warning label. The material is rated on a 1 to 5 scale for several types of hazard. Carcinogens are all around us, there probably should be a better way of warning the casual user then a small warning on the container. 
 
Incidently, I also used epoxy on my rewound arms.

[Aeropro]

This makes me seriously wonder about my fellow body painters.

 

The solvents in lacquer thinner are extremely toxic, which is one of the reasons that lacquer paints have been widely banned. Given my background in organic chemistry I was always well aware of the dangers (both health and flammability), and I designed and built an enclosed spray hood into which I could extend just my rubber-glove covered hands, with the fumes being captured and piped out of the building by explosion-proof fans.

 

Despite having painted bodies eight to 12 hours a day, five to six days a week for decades, I have still shown no sign of cancers or other health effects.

 

I wonder if the other commercial body painters were able to take such precautions? Hopefully they are all alive and well.

[Dave Crevie]

Exactly, Rick. We would paint a car in a closed garage with no ventilation whatsoever. We never thought painting a few cars a year was any big deal.

 

The worst was metalflake. I'd be sneezing out flake for days. When I first started having respiratory problems I wondered if there still was any 'flake still in there, and if a surgeon had to do any cutting in there, if he would wonder "What the hell is this s**t?"

 

The last car I painted was my Elva, and that was done in a booth with full suits and an air supply. 

[Alchemist]

In the '60s/70s many of us painted cars using lacquer without any type of protective breathing apparatus – I know I did very briefly!

 

Fortunately I hated the smell so I acquired an appropriate respirator to keep me from getting nauseous.

 

When Dupont came out with Imron (1980s?) - their fleet polyurethane paint, I had poor judgement in painting it with a typical air respirator – not made for paint/airborne contaminants and in less than a minute I almost passed out in the paint booth. Fortunately I was able to rush out in time.

 

I used appropriate respirators and air suits after that episode.

 

That stuff is deadly!

 

Ernie

[Aeropro]

The worst was metalflake. I'd be sneezing out flake for days.

Quite so. Metalflake was one of several lines of paints that I would use in my production slot car body work. Beautiful colors, but really nasty stuff.

 

I never believed that I could go too far in the name of safety. My motto was always: stay paranoid = stay healthy.

[Phil Smith]

The worst was metalflake. I'd be sneezing out flake for days.

 

 

Yes I've done that as well. Large amounts after painting an RC body and breathing in a lot in one setting. I think that's when it sunk in I needed to be using a respirator.

[Jesse Gonzales]

For those of you that don't know, Joel had a stroke almost one year ago. He had not wanted it widely known but as family has said the cat was out of the bag shortly after. Around the same time I had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, Joel had been very supportive as had Craig Correia who also is fighting the same cancer only his is terminal while mine is in remission. I wrote this bit after reading of the passing of John Cukras, who as some have pointed out always had a ciggie hanging off his lip. Many of my teenage racing friends adopted the "Cukras look" right down to the dark shades are now dead. There were just too many chemicals involved in trying to be fast, solder smoke scarred my lungs bad enough to kick me off the list to join my brothers and many friends in Viet Nam, epoxy would make me sick and break out in lesions but I continued in hopes to get some arms in the right hands to launch my slot car enterprise. 

 

Take care of yourselves plus encourage the younger guys to practice safety in their slot pursuits, it's a great old hobby but not worth losing friends over. While you are at it maybe say some prayers for all of the old racers that we have lost due to toxicity of the stuff we used to go fast. The guys that are still with us, thanks for your contributions to our hobby and our lives by giving us exciting race results to droll over in our youth.

 

Jess Gonzales

[Alchemist]

Hi Jess,

 

I'm glad to know your health issue is in remission.

 

Thanks for this post because it is reminder of what "not to do" so that we can live longer to race/play with our slot cars longer!

 

I always enjoy and very much appreciate the banter, humor and camaraderie on Slotblog!

 

May all of you be blessed.

 

Be well!

 

Ernie

[Dave Crevie]

And to you, Sir!