Are resin fumes combustable...?

meaning for instance, if you set off a bug bomb or an arisel can in you carage and give it a few minutes, then flip a light switch or garage door opener, it'll blow up your garage...

would resin fumes act the same way ?

~Tim Bonner

------------------
:::: Decklid vent Mods. Coming soon ::::

dewd, the fumes make you more creative maaaannn...

i don't know. i have done sone glassing in the house and turned lights off and on and stuff without anything happening.

in fact while i was typing this i remembered times when i was glassing something small and set it by a lit stove trying to get it to set. could have been angels watching over a fool but nothing happened.

------------------
Phil T.

start where you are,
use what you have,
do what you can. arthur ashe

Yes, the resin fumes are flammable. Polyester resin has a styrene base, and styrene vapor will burn.

You can mix West System epoxy hot enough it will ignite by it,s self.

Sure the fumes are flamable, but if your in the garage with the concentration that high, I think the last thing you'd be worried about is flicking on the light switch.

Here's some additional information about styrene, which is the monomer of common polyester resins:

Properties of styrene monomer:
• m.p. -35 _C
• b.p. 135 _C
• flash point 31 _C
• flammable limits: lower 1.1, upper 6.1%
• toxicology: acute respiratory toxin, chronic potential carcinogen.
Summary: Styrene monomer is a volatile, flammable and toxic compound. It is one of the most prominent pyrolysis products found at fire scenes.

Do not, under any circumstances, mix the MEKP catalyst with acetone, it will explode, and you will not be able to extinguish it, it provides it's own oxygen.

When your working with any type resin, you generally want to have good air circulation, for your breathing health. If you don't have the required air circulation, you should be wearing the proper air mask (not a dust mask). But this has nothing to do with flamability.

Working next to an open flame might present a problem, but I just don't think you'll have the opportunity.

David Breeze

What OPM2000 said - it could possibly form an organic peroxide, which is highly explosive. When I was young(er) and stupid, I used to play with a certain peroxide (not MEKP and I won't tell you which) and acetone. It would form an extremely unstable compound that would go BANG at the slightest provocation.

Apparently, I 'slightly provoked' it in my foolishness, since I'm still missing the very end of my left index finger to this day... Lesson learned, don't mix stuff that doesn't like being mixed...

Would the government or whoever come after m,e if the resin fumes were fanned outside the garage (into the atmosphere)...

legal...?

No OSHA would not botter you , you are not a business doinbg it daily, for the limited use you are going to be using the products there would be nothing said and I dont think big brother is watching that closely anyways.

------------------
'87 GT
93 3800sc series I / 4t60e
7.597 1/8mile ET
1.579 60'
88.53 mph

flamable, yes.....combustable, no. it can ignite itself under the right conditions but it won't explode. well, maybe if you can get it in a sealed container and light it up somehow. when it's cured, it will burn really pretty and the fumes can kill you but again, it won't explode.

Ok, what if I did start a buisness in this area...? Would OSHA bother me then...?

Both Polyester and epoxy resins are flammable. There is also the problem of skin sensitivity especially with epoxies. As someone mentioned previously, self ignition can be a problem with both types of resins if they are improperly mixed. Too much catalyst for a given amount of resin. Solvents used for cleaning are extremely flammable. Acetone is commonly used with polyester resins in the boat building industry and has caused many fires. I know this from personal experience. A company that I worked for lost their laminating building when an acetone pump leaked and the fumes ignited. As for OSHA, yes they have regulations governing this type of operation and I imagine your local fire marshal would be interested too.

If I were to start a buisness, What would be required to be legal..?

Ventalation systems / filters, etc...

(glad to see Im not the only late night poster... )

You probably need to check zoning laws before doing anything else. What you're doing would probably be considered "light industrial". You probably can't run such a business out of your garage, in the quantities you would like. You might be able to get away with a few small pieces a week, but if you're going to start popping out stacks of body panels, you're probably going to attract unwanted attention.
Of course I could be wrong, but it seems to me...

OSHA is going to bother you, only if you have employees. They will be interested in personal protection measures, personal safety, work environment.

EPA will just plain have a field day with you in almost any state. Just do a google search on styrene emmisions.

And as to flamability, read this:

http://www.fibreglast.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1407

David Breeze

quote Originally posted by Blue Shift: When I was young(er) and stupid, I used to play with a certain peroxide (not MEKP and I won't tell you which) and acetone. It would form an extremely unstable compound that would go BANG at the slightest provocation.

Acetone peroxide is a highly unstable high explosive I wouldn't touch that stuff with a 10' pole! Well... okay, yeah I probably would. Not with a 5' pole though!

I used to be able to use any catalyst without any problem.
Now I have a reaction anytime I breathe the fumes and I don't
have any "normal" allergies.
I'll stay congested for several days, so now I use it with me standing
upwind or with (preferrably) a respirator.
Epoxy paint gets me too.
It's a drag getting old............

Flammable or not, I'd get good ventilation for any reason.
TG