Date: Fri, 23 Dec 1994 02:45:33 -1000 From: sekler@hp-2.intes-stuttgart.de (Eberhard Sekler) Message-Id: Organization: INTES Subject: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) Hallo, I used a 100W soldering iron to hot cut rippstop Nylon and Dacron sail pieces. Last time I had some unusual health problems. Now I suspect this has something to do with kite building activities in the last weeks. Now my question: did anybody knows what toxical substances will be freed by hot cutting of Nylon/Dacron; and what physical symptoms are to be expected. -- MfG Eberhard Sekler. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Eberhard Sekler; Email:sekler@intes-stuttgart.de ; Tel:+49(0)711/7849913 INTES GmbH ; Industriestr.2 ; D-70565 Stuttgart ; Fax:+49(0)711/7849910 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 23 Dec 1994 00:08:01 -1000 From: crowell@teleport.com (Carl Crowell) Message-Id: Organization: Kites By Carl Crowell Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) sekler@hp-2.intes-stuttgart.de (Eberhard Sekler) writes: >Now my question: > did anybody knows what toxical substances will be > freed by hot cutting of Nylon/Dacron; and what > physical symptoms are to be expected. Imagine buring plastic and breathing in the fumes... I know some of the ripstop that I buy comes with warnings that it contains materials that have been shown to cause cancer. Though playing with fiberglass and carbon rod probibly does more damage to you. carl ___________________________________________________ email: crowell@teleport.com FTP: ftp.teleport.com/pub/users/crowell WWW: http://www.teleport.com/~crowell Kites By Carl Crowell - O.S.F.M. World Headquarters = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 23 Dec 1994 15:47:17 -1000 From: sasaki@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: <3dfuj5$ft8@netope.harvard.edu> Organization: Harvard OIT Network Services Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) In article sekler@hp-2.intes-stuttgart.de (Eberhard Sekler) writes: > did anybody knows what toxical substances will be > freed by hot cutting of Nylon/Dacron; and what > physical symptoms are to be expected. I don't know exactly what is in the smoke from burned nylon and dacron, but it can't be good for you. I try to do hot cutting only when I have lots of ventilation and try to wear a carbon filter mask when I do it. And as Carl says, cutting and smoothing fiberglass and carbon aren't good for you either. You should try to have a dust collection system of some sort when cutting this stuff. I have a cardboard box with the nozzle of the shop vac attached to it. This cuts down the dust considerably. And there is more to worry about. Some people are allergic or have reactions to the glues that are often used in kiting. So, what should you do? Make sure that you handle this stuff with good ventillation. Use a mask if the fumes bother you and wear gloves if contact gives you problems. Making kites is great fun and very rewarding, but it isn't worth risking your health... -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 29 Dec 1994 10:10:31 -1000 From: Carl.Bigras@ccmail.chin.doc.ca Message-Id: <9411297887.AA788742843@ccmail.chin.doc.ca> Organization: Harvard University Office of Information Technology Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) Concerning the health problems of burning nylon/dacron. These are plastics polymers and are very dangerous if inhaling fumes when burning. If you wish to see their chemical composition, go to your library and lookup nylon and nylon-6 (#6545 and #6546) in the MERCK INDEX (chemical book). Then, look it up in a toxicology book. There should be a MSDS safety sheets. If you can not find MSDS safety sheets, send me a note and I'll see what I can find through the people in our textile lab. at work for you in the new year. Notes; Nylon is a trade name by DuPont. See also Caprolan, Enkalon, Kapron, Mirlon, Perlon, Phrilon and Amilan. Ventilate the room you are working in. Use a respirator with the appropriate filters. Merck index- " caprolactam can be produced by the nitrosation of cyclohexanecarboxylic acid with nitrosyl sufuric acid in presence of oleum." If you find anything good in this let me know. Have a very good new year and a good health to you. Carl = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 30 Dec 1994 10:35:59 -1000 From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-Id: Organization: /usr/lib/news/organisation Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) Carl.Bigras@ccmail.chin.doc.ca writes: > Concerning the health problems of burning nylon/dacron. [...] > Use a respirator with the appropriate filters. Exactly what do you mean by a "respirator", and what sort of filter would be approproiate? Andrew -- Kite FAQ's: ftp.hawaii.edu:/pub/rec/kites/faq) o /\ Kite Jumping For sale: 10' Flexis with std & UF Spars. |_ \/ is for andrew@tug.com AoXoMoXoA (_\ M O R O N S = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sun, 1 Jan 1995 18:34:17 -1000 From: axel@hal.hanse.de (Axel Voss) Message-Id: <789021257.27snx@hal.hanse.de> Organization: Private site Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) In article <3dfuj5$ft8@netope.harvard.edu> sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu writes: > >In article > sekler@hp-2.intes-stuttgart.de (Eberhard Sekler) writes: >> did anybody knows what toxical substances will be >> freed by hot cutting of Nylon/Dacron; and what >> physical symptoms are to be expected. > >I don't know exactly what is in the smoke from burned nylon and >dacron, but it can't be good for you. I try to do hot cutting only About four years ago, we awarded an independent chemical consultant to analyse the hazards of the smoke of burned (hot cutted) ribstop. The result was that it is not the nylon itself which is the most dangerous thing. It is more the coating and the color, though the nylon itself is dangerous as well. We made offcial approaches to the manufacturers but not all of them were very cooperative. Hence the study is of restricted validity. The study is quite long and complicated and my fractioned english does not allow me to translate it into english. A german summary can be found in the May 91 issue of DRACHENmagazin and whoever feels capable to translate the study into English in order to put it into the net may contact us. Tight Lines! Axel = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 2 Jan 1995 22:42:57 -1000 From: crowell@teleport.com (Carl Crowell) Message-Id: Organization: Kites By Carl Crowell Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) I have been hot cutting nylon for years.... (that sez it all...) ___________________________________________________ email: crowell@teleport.com FTP: ftp.teleport.com/pub/users/crowell WWW: http://www.teleport.com/~crowell Kites By Carl Crowell - O.S.F.M. World Headquarters = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 6 Jan 1995 05:47:50 -1000 From: Carl.Bigras@ccmail.chin.doc.ca Message-Id: <9500067894.AA789425548@ccmail.chin.doc.ca> Organization: Harvard University Office of Information Technology Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) andrew@tug.com > Use a respirator with the appropriate filters. Exactly what do you mean by a "respirator", and what sort of filter would be approproiate? Andrew A "respirator" is a face mask with either one or two filter cartridges attached to it. You can buy these at a 'safety supply store'. They would know which type of filter to use. May your line be in the direction of heaven and not Hell, not down there again.... Carl carl.bigras@ccmail.chin.doc.ca = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 6 Jan 1995 09:09:39 -1000 From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-Id: <9501062009.aa05062@tug.com> Organization: Harvard University Office of Information Technology Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) You scrawlz: > A "respirator" is a face mask with either one or two filter cartridges > attached to it. You can buy these at a 'safety supply store'. They would > know which type of filter to use. Ah! so you *are* talking about a serious bit of kit, like a gas-mask, not something small, cheap, disposable and comfortable like those dust-masks. Andrew -- Kite FAQ's: ftp.hawaii.edu:/pub/rec/kites/faq) o /\ Kite Jumping: For sale: 10' Flexis with std & UF Spars. |_ \/ evolution andrew@tug.com AoXoMoXoA (_\ in action Will eat Ueberraschungseier to supply anemometer components in return for food = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 9 Jan 1995 18:20:37 -1000 From: karengus@rain.org (Karen Gustavson) Message-Id: <3et1ul$1ip@news.rain.org> Organization: RAIN Public Access Internet (805) 967-RAIN Subject: Re: Hot cut of Nylon/Dacron (injuries to health? ) > >In article > sekler@hp-2.intes-stuttgart.de (Eberhard Sekler) writes: > >> did anybody knows what toxical substances will be > >> freed by hot cutting of Nylon/Dacron; and what > >> physical symptoms are to be expected. > > > >I don't know exactly what is in the smoke from burned nylon and > >dacron, but it can't be good for you. Labels on an order of recently arrived ripstop state that the material may contain low levels of formaldehyde. The label reads that formaldehyde exposure may cause irratation of skin, eyes, nose, and throat, and may trigger allergic reactions and cause cancer. My practice, I cut in a well ventelated area and get it over with fast by using as hot of a knife as possible. I wonder if the hotter knife actually also reduces airborne vapors. Hope this helps. -- Karen Gustavson karengus@rain.org = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =