Author Topic: Yes, it is the epoxy (Read 8710 times)

dbohara · « **on:** September 14, 2015, 02:16:12 PM »

Several years ago, I developed a severe allergic reaction after replacing the transom on my Tolman. I was tested for everything and had diagnosis ranging from caffeine poisoning to something called Grovers disease. Finally, a doctor allowed me to make up a test pattern for various things including the boat epoxy and the various epoxies I use at work. It is the Bisphenol in the epoxy and all epoxies have it. Once sensitized, you cannot get rid of the rash unless I take big doses of steroids so as there is bisphenol in many products, I'm cursed to have a normally mild itch all the time. The only time I've been fre of it was this past summer in Wyoming where it was cool and dry.

Yesterday, I worked on the boat with lots of epoxy, by late evening, it was BAD. The rash is made worse by any sweating but this is Florida, of course I sweat. Today, its nasty so I put powder with eucalyptus on it. Am just gonna have to deal with it till I get the boat repaired. Sometimes it hurts to have fun.

Dave Wright · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2015, 02:35:11 PM »

Quote from: dbohara on September 14, 2015, 02:16:12 PM

Several years ago, I developed a severe allergic reaction after replacing the transom on my Tolman. I was tested for everything and had diagnosis ranging from caffeine poisoning to something called Grovers disease. Finally, a doctor allowed me to make up a test pattern for various things including the boat epoxy and the various epoxies I use at work. It is the Bisphenol in the epoxy and all epoxies have it. Once sensitized, you cannot get rid of the rash unless I take big doses of steroids so as there is bisphenol in many products, I'm cursed to have a normally mild itch all the time. The only time I've been fre of it was this past summer in Wyoming where it was cool and dry.

Yesterday, I worked on the boat with lots of epoxy, by late evening, it was BAD. The rash is made worse by any sweating but this is Florida, of course I sweat. Today, its nasty so I put powder with eucalyptus on it. Am just gonna have to deal with it till I get the boat repaired. Sometimes it hurts to have fun.

Sorry that allergy is so problematic David. It's good that you mentioned the culprit - Bisphenoll A diglycidyl ether. And every lying m#ther f#cker who promotes his epoxy as green and natural and environmentally sound, and safe to put on your skin has this stuff in his epoxy too, not to mention the other potential biocides too.

dbohara · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2015, 05:06:10 PM »

I've checked various epoxy manufacturers and the ALL have the Bisphenol A. I checked because I want to continue building boats. The problem is that there are traces of the stuff in a lot of things and once sensitized, ANY amount will set it off. My pillows, my pillows fer gods sake set it off so I had to go find some really old ones filled with feathers. I'm still gonna repair the Tolman but may have to wait till its cool enough to wear a tyvek suit.

dbohara · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2015, 09:23:20 AM »

I gotta get my boat fixed and nobody else is going to do it so....... I figure, I won't touch the epoxy, I'll just drill some holes into the voids and inject epoxy with a syringe. No sanding dust and no direct touching the stuff,

OK, it works, I mistakenly touched some but no big deal. That evening, as expected, I broke out in the normal rash but it's mild. Next day, dang, my eyes itch. Wife says "How'd you get pink eye". I'm the least social person on the planet and it s'posed to be contagious. Go to walk in clinic. Doc says he doesnt think its the bacterial version and he acts sorta puzzled. Then he says unbutton your shirt, I do so and he sees the rash and declares "It's an allergic reaction".

gdwamsley · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2015, 03:22:35 PM »

Hey the doc got it right.

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Kiwi Jon · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2015, 02:49:54 AM »

Ok, have a go at this, and I know it might sound weird but get some lavender oil and try it in a very small area as a test to see if it works?
I say this as it's soothing effect on burns is incredible, as well as other skin problems.
It was my wife's idea, I think that she is secretly a white witch, but it's effect are uncanny.

Cheers

Jon

Cannon · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2015, 08:57:24 PM »

Quote from: Kiwi Jon on September 27, 2015, 02:49:54 AM

Ok, have a go at this, and I know it might sound weird but get some lavender oil and try it in a very small area as a test to see if it works?
I say this as it's soothing effect on burns is incredible, as well as other skin problems.
It was my wife's idea, I think that she is secretly a white witch, but it's effect are uncanny.

Cheers

Jon

My wife proposes the same voodoo fix...

Kiwi Jon · « **Reply #7 on:** September 28, 2015, 07:47:57 PM »

I was incredibly skeptical about Lavender oil myself, till my wife Stella burnt her hand rather badly on a hot metal coffee pot.
She quickly doused her palm where most of the burning had taken place, but missed the end of a finger where she wasn't aware that she had burnt it.
The next day you could see that her hand had been burnt, but she said there was little or no pain or inflammation, but the finger she had missed was noticeably red and throbbing.
Since then a little bottle lives in the kitchen and I have also use it on eczema and sunburn, works a treat.
So if we could find that it works on Epoxy rash, well then we are sorted.

Chester, Y'all · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2015, 12:09:17 PM »

This brand of epoxy claims to be bisphenol free:

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/15/columns/chuck/duckypoxy/index.htm#.VhQbh3BHarU

No comment on how good it is, but if it means you can get back to work on your boat w/o a reaction it might be worth an experiment.

UP Tolman · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2015, 12:47:22 PM »

Quote from: Chester, Y'all on October 06, 2015, 12:09:17 PM

This brand of epoxy claims to be bisphenol free:

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/15/columns/chuck/duckypoxy/index.htm#.VhQbh3BHarU

No comment on how good it is, but if it means you can get back to work on your boat w/o a reaction it might be worth an experiment.

Thanks for bringing this epoxy to my attention. I've been using aeromarine epoxy since summer of 2014 but this year I have been getting worse and worse skin reactions. I am going to try this and hope to finish my boat with it. I can't wait to take a good long break from using epoxy.

Greg

Dave Wright · « **Reply #10 on:** October 06, 2015, 01:13:13 PM »

You can always try it and see what happens. The SDS mentions "trade secret" a number of times. One might think that when allergic reactions can be so devastasting to certain individuals complete disclosure of ingredients would be the moral thing to do. Who knows? I would ask does this epoxy use bisphenol S in place of bisphenol A?

FishyFish Tolman Alaskan Skiff and Boat Building Forums

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Author Topic: Yes, it is the epoxy (Read 8710 times)

dbohara

Yes, it is the epoxy

Dave Wright

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy

dbohara

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy

dbohara

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy

gdwamsley

Re:

Kiwi Jon

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy

Cannon

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy

Kiwi Jon

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy

Chester, Y'all

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy

UP Tolman

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy

Dave Wright

Re: Yes, it is the epoxy