Stinky Glue and my solution (hopefully)

[LeytonO]

Having come back to modelling after a long break the newer types of glue are giving me grief.
I suffer from Chronic Cluster Headaches, won't go into details, but one of the worst triggers is strong odours/fumes.
My proposed solution is along the lines of a spray booth minus the filters and vented out an adjacent window.
I do have a proper spray booth for airbrushing, but this will be a diy on the cheap project.

To that end I dug out an old Photo Light Box Studio, its basically a fold up solid sided 16" cube.
Sourced a 4 inch Xpelair extractor fan on the Amazon Resale (warehouse) site for 14 quid.
That will be positioned in the top of the cube along with a usb powered ring light, just need to hunt it out.
Then some 4 inch duct from Screwfix, already have the electrical bits I will need.
Should be enough room to work and hopefully suck out the worst of the fumes.

Any thoughts or other suggestions gratefully received

[Steven000]

Sounds like that should work fine Rich, I too dislike the smell of modeling glues, they are nasty chemicals for your health so the less you breathe in the better.

I don't think it will be a problem, but just keep in mind the fumes might be highly flammable, could be somewhat dangerous in a small 'sparkly' ventilator, but not sure what type your amazon motor is, have fun with project ? Cheers

[LeytonO]

Thanks Steven, think its a good quality unit, but definitely something to be aware of.

[Andy T]

Sounds like a plan, but have you thought about something along the lines of a soldering fume extractor?

From as littleas £15 on Amazon with 6m of pipe. Placed nearby it should do the trick, but take up less space. Just a thought.

Solder Fume Extractor Fan Solder Smoke Absorber Remover for Soldering Wood Burning & Air Circulation, USB Solder Smoke Absorber ESD Fume Extractor Fan(Fan plus 6m pipe) https://amzn.eu/d/hm4dJxr

[LeytonO]

I hadn't thought or looked at one of those, so thanks for the idea.
So if my cube proves a bit tight for space I could just place the extractor fan nearby.

[PaulTRose]

As some one who has had cluster headaches in the past i can sympathise

Another fan alternative is a pc fan......quiet and cheap .....get as big as possible......i once had a diy spray booth that used one and it coped......and cos its 12 volt and brushless theres minimal fire hazard

As a glue alternative i almost exclusivly use ca cos i find it has minimal odour

[LeytonO]

Another good idea there, thank you Paul.
The fan is coming today, so i'll give a try, but lots of other options now

[Miko]

Is using a respirator mask out of the question? I assume you use one when airbrushing?

I quite like the scent of modern glues and solvents although they can make me a bit giddy if over exposed

Miko (perhaps it's my inadvertent passive solvent abuse makes me unaware of what 'cluster headaches' are?)

[PaulTRose]

me unaware of what 'cluster headaches' are?)

think intensity of a migraine but lasts a second......then a minute later you get another second of pain......then again.....and again......for ages

I used to wince with the pain and a big bit of it for me was the waiting for next jolt of pain cos it was so random

I used to say it was like having a little man inside your skull with a pickaxe and every now and then he would take a swing

[Miko]

I used to say it was like having a little man inside your skull with a pickaxe and every now and then he would take a swing

Ouch!!

I've had that before, not sure why? Thankfully not for a while now

You have my sympathies

Miko (a bit numb these days)

[Tim Marlow]

Hi guys. If you are looking to control this issue here is the regime you should follow…


PPE should be your last resort. A respirator that is designed for paint fumes may not actually be suitable for protection against glue fumes. LeytonO’s idea of extracting the fumes is the better approach, and comes under the heading of engineering controls.

[LeytonO]

Cluster Headaches are very unpleasant, thankfully an injection of Sumitriptan works fairly quickly.
Slight change of plan with the fume extraction plan, the fan from Amazon was a dud and gone back for a refund. Now made up a charcoal filter for my spray booth and will use that instead for glue work.
Worked quite well when I tested it, so that will do me for now until I have another brainwave.

[LeytonO]

Project " Stinky Begone" is now completed.

Purchased a sheet of Cooker Hood Carbon Charcoal filter, approx 57cm x 47cm which was cut down to size.
Made a frame using mount board and a mount cutter then reinforced it with two extra layers of board cut and glued in strips.
Attached the filter to the frame with some adhesive Velcro tape I had from previous diy projects.
Also added a small tap of tape to facilitate removal of the frame from the both, its by design a tight fit
Then cut a smaller filter for the fan housing opening from the remnants of the large filter sheet.

First tests have been very successful and hardly any noticeable odour from the adhesives.
No headaches and wife happy the house doesn't stink, think the modern parlance for that is a win/win situation.
Well worth the effort, cost was about twenty quid and that included the new A3 cutting mat for the spray booth.

[Andy T]

Looks very smart ?

[Panzerwrecker]

Having come back to modelling after a long break the newer types of glue are giving me grief.
I suffer from Chronic Cluster Headaches, won't go into details, but one of the worst triggers is strong odours/fumes.
My proposed solution is along the lines of a spray booth minus the filters and vented out an adjacent window.
I do have a proper spray booth for airbrushing, but this will be a diy on the cheap project.

To that end I dug out an old Photo Light Box Studio, its basically a fold up solid sided 16" cube.
Sourced a 4 inch Xpelair extractor fan on the Amazon Resale (warehouse) site for 14 quid.
That will be positioned in the top of the cube along with a usb powered ring light, just need to hunt it out.
Then some 4 inch duct from Screwfix, already have the electrical bits I will need.
Should be enough room to work and hopefully suck out the worst of the fumes.

Any thoughts or other suggestions gratefully received

I can totally sympathise Rich, as glue sniffing has been completely off the table for me since early this year. Over a three or four month period I seemed to have developed a very worrying and most annoying allergy. I'm branding it GluFlu! Sadly, the cumulative effect of continuous exposure has now meant I literally cannot currently spend even a few minutes in the vicinity of an open pot of adhesive, even with a mask on, without succumbing 12hrs later to one or even two days of really bad flu-like symptoms! So, I've had to a take a step back from any type of construction work! Hopefully not indefinitely!

For anybody who might be interested I mainly use white and green top Tamiya adhesives. I think the catalyst might have been due to one spillage in particular and even though the mancave was thoroughly aired out and the cutting mat replaced, my nasal mucus membranes must have taken a huge hit and I think subsequent and regular exposure has triggered progressively worse nasty flu like episodes.

Thankfully I can still airbrush (always with a mask), brush paint with acrylics, weather with enamels etc, without issue so, it’s just painting, weathering and finishing projects for me for the foreseeable.?

It’s not like I've not got way too many of them?



Los

[LeytonO]

I can totally sympathise Rich, as glue sniffing has been completely off the table for me since early this year. Over a three or four month period I seemed to have developed a very worrying and most annoying allergy. I'm branding it GluFlu! Sadly, the cumulative effect of continuous exposure has now meant I literally cannot currently spend even a few minutes in the vicinity of an open pot of adhesive, even with a mask on, without succumbing 12hrs later to one or even two days of really bad flu-like symptoms! So, I've had to a take a step back from any type of construction work! Hopefully not indefinitely!

For anybody who might be interested I mainly use white and green top Tamiya adhesives. I think the catalyst might have been due to one spillage in particular and even though the mancave was thoroughly aired out and the cutting mat replaced, my nasal mucus membranes must have taken a huge hit and I think subsequent and regular exposure has triggered progressively worse nasty flu like episodes.

Thankfully I can still airbrush (always with a mask), brush paint with acrylics, weather with enamels etc, without issue so, it’s just painting, weathering and finishing projects for me for the foreseeable.?

It’s not like I've not got way too many of them?



Los

I share your pain Los, my allergies are many and varied with symptoms very similar to those you describe.
One of the worst for me is the disgusting very strong "fresh" clothes conditioner that many people use.
Its so pungent that I dread anyone getting on a train or plane with clothes stinking of it.

Maybe consider giving my solution a go, I was surprised just how effective it is.
Whatever i hope you recover sufficiently so that you can resume your construction work.

[Panzerwrecker]

Cheers Rich. I'm right with you on clothes conditioners. I'm the same with house air fresheners too. This obsession with everything smelling 'fresh' winds me up!

I think my long term break from exposure can only be a good thing, but I will experiment with other manufacturers products when I feel the time is right. I have plenty to be getting on with but I am itching to complete some unfinished builds

[Tim Marlow]

I can totally sympathise Rich, as glue sniffing has been completely off the table for me since early this year. Over a three or four month period I seemed to have developed a very worrying and most annoying allergy. I'm branding it GluFlu! Sadly, the cumulative effect of continuous exposure has now meant I literally cannot currently spend even a few minutes in the vicinity of an open pot of adhesive, even with a mask on, without succumbing 12hrs later to one or even two days of really bad flu-like symptoms! So, I've had to a take a step back from any type of construction work! Hopefully not indefinitely!

For anybody who might be interested I mainly use white and green top Tamiya adhesives. I think the catalyst might have been due to one spillage in particular and even though the mancave was thoroughly aired out and the cutting mat replaced, my nasal mucus membranes must have taken a huge hit and I think subsequent and regular exposure has triggered progressively worse nasty flu like episodes.

Thankfully I can still airbrush (always with a mask), brush paint with acrylics, weather with enamels etc, without issue so, it’s just painting, weathering and finishing projects for me for the foreseeable.?

It’s not like I've not got way too many of them?



Los

Sounds like you may have become hypersensitive to TET. Look for one with a different active ingredient and see how that goes…

[Richard48]

Dont Tamiya do a glue with a lemon scent?,Ive got some thiners called zest it that smells like Orange which i use when i do figures.

[Panzerwrecker]

Sounds like you may have become hypersensitive to TET. Look for one with a different active ingredient and see how that goes…

Cheers Tim

Same? I have been doing some research and there are some alternatives. None which appear to be as effective at stinking things together as TET ?

Los