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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20233 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:59 pm Post subject: Brake cleaner warning: A worthy read |
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http://www.brewracingframes.com/safety-alert-brake-cleaner--phosgene-gas.html
I went to dinner with my family tonight since it's our tenth wedding anniversary. We stopped at a cool little off the path place that has cold beer and good food. I picked up a motorcycle magazine (the place caters to traveling bikers) and found an interesting article. It was a follow up to the one I have linked here.
Please read it. This is something that had never occurred to me, but is something that any one of us could encounter when working around the shop. It opened my eyes. _________________ nothing |
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zozo Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2005 Posts: 5217 Location: South of Ol' San Antonio
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:24 am Post subject: |
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Holy crap!
Thanks for posting that. |
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drscope Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007 Posts: 15273 Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:46 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for posting this.
I saw this a while back somewhere else and wanted to share it with a few of the guys who hang out here and use my shop and welder. But when I went looking for it, I couldn't find it or remember where I had seen it.
If I remember correctly, 6 months out, this guy was still in bad shape. _________________ Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch! |
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Stripped66 Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2005 Posts: 3467 Location: Charleston, SC
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:46 am Post subject: |
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And FWIW, before some blowhard from California or Canada starts spewing misinformation about how all brake cleaner solvents are now non-chlorinated (the chlorinated solvents are the ones that can produce toxic fumes in the situation described above), many regions of the USA still sell chlorinated brake cleaners, often shelved right next to the non-chlorinated brake cleaners. When in doubt, read the can or download the MSDS. Be safe! _________________
66brm wrote: |
Bodacious wrote: |
Why not just make a custom set of wires with a Y splice in them. Then you could just run one distributor. |
I don't think electrickery works that way |
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Russ Wolfe Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2004 Posts: 25187 Location: Central Iowa
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:25 am Post subject: |
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Many of your older brake clean products are made from the old Freon.
Freon when burned produces phosgene gas.
Be careful with the old R-12 freon. If it gets sucked in and burned by the engine, it will produce phosgene gas out the tail pipe. _________________ Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey
Gary: OK. Ima poop. |
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58758 Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2005 Posts: 971
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:41 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the article, I passed it along to some non-VW gearheads too. |
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Braukuche Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004 Posts: 10968
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:42 am Post subject: |
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Poor man, guess I am going to start reading the warning labels! |
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Bart Dunn Samba Consiglieri
Joined: May 09, 2004 Posts: 2354 Location: Sea level (Mid Atlantic)
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:08 am Post subject: |
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Wow, I'm completely fucked.
Phosgene gas was one of the nasties they used in WWI.
Thanks for posting that. _________________ Not enough car seats fit into my:
'58 Beetle convertible
'58 Beetle sedan |
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millerje78 Samba Amishman
Joined: October 16, 2005 Posts: 2445 Location: Holmes County, Ohio
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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I read that article with my grandpa this evening and he started telling me all about the way stuff was in 50s (grandpa was a mechanic for 35 years). He said they used to use carbon-tetrachloride, which was a common parts cleaner used years ago, to wash grease off their hands at the end of day. its truly a wonder that more old mechanics don't have cancer. _________________ always seeking a better way
my 73 standard project
do your research, consult with experts, and buy quality parts. you won't be sorry |
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doc1369 Samba Member
Joined: March 31, 2010 Posts: 2859 Location: Las Vegas, NV, again
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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Dirty oil is bad for you too, way up there on the "thing's that will kill ya slow" list. That's why they push the glove's these days. I couldn't wear them because I couldn't feel anything and I got use to seeing with my fingers. _________________ Fatchicks: Daily drivers, donor cars, collectibles. What can't they do? |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20233 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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I wear blue gloves now while changing oil. I started doing that about ten years ago. I remember using spray cans of carb cleaner as a teenager and never using gloves. (my Dad didn't, why should I?) After a few seconds of spray, I could feel my fingers tingling and then going numb. At the time I thought it was kind of cool. Now I wonder what the long term effects may be. I've breathed in my share of Vermiculite and some other bad shit, too. Nothing can change it now, but I try much harder to protect myself than I did back then. _________________ nothing |
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EZ Gruv King of Plaid
Joined: December 10, 2002 Posts: 8544 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, thanks for posting this _________________ Eric
1977 Deluxe Westfalia - 2.0L FI Type IV, Completely Original
Photographer for HotVWs, VolksWorld, AirMighty, VW Camper & Commercial, Hayburner, and more.
My Photography Page. |
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millerje78 Samba Amishman
Joined: October 16, 2005 Posts: 2445 Location: Holmes County, Ohio
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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we people that are into wrenching on old cars and building stuff with our hands need to pay extra special attention to all the crap that we use in the process. Those warning labels aren't just there to take up space on the can.
that said, I'm the worst offender I know of...too lazy to source some gloves before using solvents and such. its the same reasoning I use when I work in the yard I guess. It would take me 30 seconds to go find a hat and sun glasses but I just charge ahead and spend hours in the sun, exposing my eyes and skin to the full potential of the sun's UV rays, that is until my wife see me and makes me put them on. _________________ always seeking a better way
my 73 standard project
do your research, consult with experts, and buy quality parts. you won't be sorry |
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CalFinn Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2010 Posts: 25 Location: U.S.
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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Everything will kill you, might as well die doing what ya love.
I used to wash the grease off my hands and parts in the solvent tank w/o gloves. Used gasoline to wash my hands too. Used all the cleaners w/o masks or gloves. Changed oil for decades w/o gloves. For kicks we used to use a bic and brake cleaner to make flame throwers on slow days lol.
Compared to the 2 packs a day I smoke, that stuff won't ever catch up to me. _________________ do it today, tomorrow it may be illegal |
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millerje78 Samba Amishman
Joined: October 16, 2005 Posts: 2445 Location: Holmes County, Ohio
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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CalFinn wrote: |
Everything will kill you, might as well die doing what ya love.
I used to wash the grease off my hands and parts in the solvent tank w/o gloves. Used gasoline to wash my hands too. Used all the cleaners w/o masks or gloves. Changed oil for decades w/o gloves. For kicks we used to use a bic and brake cleaner to make flame throwers on slow days lol.
Compared to the 2 packs a day I smoke, that stuff won't ever catch up to me. |
thats a dangerous viewpoint you're taking. to each his own. _________________ always seeking a better way
my 73 standard project
do your research, consult with experts, and buy quality parts. you won't be sorry |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20233 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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CalFinn wrote: |
Everything will kill you, might as well die doing what ya love.
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Dying after breathing phosphene gas is not what I would call "doing what I love."
Yes, there are many things out there that will kill you. We are forced to take calculated risks everyday. If we want to be absolutely safe, we should never drive a car, and we need to start wearing helmets to walk to the mailbox. But reasonable people make reasonable decisions based on the facts that are presented to us. The issue at hand is something that is easily avoidable and costs us nothing. Plus, as a bonus, you won't die if you avoid making the gas. _________________ nothing |
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SteveVanB Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008 Posts: 1645 Location: This side of Daytona
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Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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Wow! I use brake cleaner to clean the air filter elements in my 2-stroke power equip. I always wondered why they smoked/smelled(even after air drying for an hour or two) so bad after starting 'em up!!! That's the end of that!!!!!! _________________ 91 CARAT |
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abgwin Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2004 Posts: 1490 Location: Toledo, oHIo
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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CalFinn wrote: |
Everything will kill you, might as well die doing what ya love.
I used to wash the grease off my hands and parts in the solvent tank w/o gloves. Used gasoline to wash my hands too. Used all the cleaners w/o masks or gloves. Changed oil for decades w/o gloves. For kicks we used to use a bic and brake cleaner to make flame throwers on slow days lol.
Compared to the 2 packs a day I smoke, that stuff won't ever catch up to me. |
My dad was a master machinist who worked with dozens of different chemicals every day. He had the same cavalier attitude - washed grease off with gas, rarely if ever used hoods, gloves or even goggles, etc etc.
At least he did until dark spots started showing up on his hands, nose, and ears. Yep, skin cancers all over the place. By the time he retired he was visiting the dermatologist once a month to cut, burn or freeze 'em off.
So if you're too stubborn to protect yourself for your own sake, do it for your spouse, kids or whatever family you have. They don't deserve to watch you die slowly, do they? _________________ Siglines don't hurt people: people hurt people. |
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yellow73kubel Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2008 Posts: 789 Location: Columbia, SC
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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^ Reminds me of a guy at the local machine shop who is probably in his 60s and close to deaf. He now has a pair of ear plugs dangling around his neck at all times. Wearing safety gear really stinks sometimes, but the alternative is usually far worse (check out any video on removing metal shards from an eye).
Good warning about the brake parts cleaner. I never would have thought about the nasty stuff that it creates when burned.. Of course, I've also never seen a reason to use it on something I'm about to weld. |
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bugninva Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2004 Posts: 8858 Location: sound it out.
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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yellow73kubel wrote: |
^ but the alternative is usually far worse (check out any video on removing metal shards from an eye).
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been there done that.... and was wearing safety glasses when I got a piece of metal... standard safety glasses are only marginal at best at stopping small flying pieces of metal... mine came from dirt and such that was up in the wheel well of my truck... fell straight down, and in the open part of my safety glasses.. _________________
[email protected] wrote: |
With a show of hands, who has built over 1000 engines in the last 25 years? Anyone? |
GEX has. Just sayin |
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