Can the bad stuff be used on an interior without killing brain cells
Ken:
If it contains Methylene Chloride OSHA/NIOSH require a "SCBAF" (Sell Contained Breathing Apparatus Full Face). This is not a simple filter type respirator but a positive pressure supplied air source (like "SCUBA" gear). They are very expensive, require special initial and recurring training and fit-testing.
And this only covers the respiratory protection. The dermal protection required is also extensive. Then you need to address clean-up & disposal of wastes, etc.
My simple advice is DON'T use the stuff, especially in a confined space. There are better, cheaper, healthier ways to do the job.
Once again, I direct you to the posts I mentioned previously in this thread.
An old furniture restorer taught me to NEVER strip anything! And to use laquer thinner and paint thinner in a fifty-fifty mix to, as he put it "clean the finish" He claimed this would disolve the finish, take the dirt out, and redeposit a very thin coat of finish on it. We always used 4-0 steel wool, and used it like we were washing the object. This was followed with tung oil. Yes, it had to be well ventilated, but the results were beautiful! It did clean, but not destroy, leaving the character of what were working on!
Elizabeth in Iowa
__________________ The carpeting is gone! The carpeting is gone! Long live the cork floor!
Yeah, I would love to have a full respirator! I've actually considered one several times, but just couldn't pony up the $4-500 bucks for one.
I do a lot of HVLP spraying and would love to have a "breath of fresh air" so to speak. Even the best "face filters" clog quickly if you do a lot of varnish spraying.
Ken, if you can't afford the respirator, you might try "Spoggles". They are a cross between goggles and sports glasses. Most woodworking stores have them. They aren't rated for anything, but they have a foam gasket around the eyepieces that should help keep vapors at bay. They're pretty indestructible too. Better than nothing at all.
Also, do yourself and your wardrobe a favor and wear some sort of tyvek suit. Again, not rated against stripper, but will help. HD or Lowes has them for under $10.
Tripp has obviously "Been There - Done That". He has addressed the "other side of the coin" here = dermal protection.
QUOTE]Also, do yourself and your wardrobe a favor and wear some sort of tyvek suit. Again, not rated against stripper, but will help. [/QUOTE]
Many different types and brands are available. Check the "break-through" time for the specific chemical. I don't have the Tyvek catalog at hand, but check the www. I expect break-through time for aggressive strippers (with Methylene Chloride) would be less than an hour (you change the suit at that interval).
I'm not an expert and don't mean to be an alarmist, but have worked with "Bad Stuff" for 30+ years. Just trying to help you out.
I suspect the Heineken and single malt Scotch (life is too short to drink blended) have destroyed more brain and liver cells than anything I've been exposed to on the job and/or Airstream project.
It's your choice, but please Practice Safe Stripping.
My "liquid refreshment" is exactly what got me into trouble! Didn't realize I had stripper on my skin until. . . OOWW!! At that point, looks like I had a cat chewing on my neck!
No long term damage though! Just a lot of choice words!
I tried various concoctions of lacquer thinner, paint thinner and acetone today, as suggested in some of the posts above. It worked really well for stuff that had damage to the finish only. I put some teak oil on afterwards. It looks really nice, and was MUCH faster than a complete strip down and refinish. Isn't it nice when something takes LESS time than you thought?
These solvents didn't work too well for stuff where the damage was more extensive. For example, damage that extended into the wood itself didn't look very nice after cleaning the surface with acetone or lacquer thinner and steel wool. It also didn't do much of anything to the solid parts of the cabinet frames (i.e. the non-plywood parts that were finished with a different material). I did get it to work on a small door, but that was only because I could cover it with saran wrap to prevent evaporation. Then it pretty much worked like regular stripper by lifting the finish as a wrinkly, gooey film.
So, it's good news and bad news. I've been introduced to a great new technique for the stuff that really shouldn't be stripped all the way down. But, it looks like I still need some kind of stripper.
Would someone who has the "Back to nature" stuff be willing to do a test? Please put a blob of it on a sheet of clean aluminum foil. Leave it out in the garage at a moderate temperature. Let us know how long it takes to evaporate and how much (if any) residue is left. There was a LOT of hard, white residue left by the 3M stripper, and it was kind of a hassle to clean out of the wood grain.
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The carpeting is gone! The carpeting is gone! Long live the cork floor!
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