[AT] respirators and Isocyanates (Urethane paint)

[Dudley Rupert]

George's response/philosophy on using the old standby paints has reminded me
that this is my philosophy as well.  I guess, however, that I arrived at
this philosophy not because of safety concerns (although safety should
always be paramount) but because I've become cheap.

In 1984 I entered the muscle car world when I bought a 67 GTO and like a lot
of folk in that world I wound up pouring a gazillion dollars into bodywork
and paint to say nothing of the mechanical work.  As you might guess this
became a "garage queen" which only made it out on a handful of occasions
each year.  I was always up tight that someone's knees, elbows, chin (when
they bent over to inspect), grimy fingers or just their moist breath was
going to come into contact with the car.  When my oldest granddaughter was
about four (she just turned seventeen) I came so close to yelling at her to
not touch grandpa's car when it dawned on me that this is not the kind of
guy, let alone grandpa, that I want to be.  I kept the car for several more
years but I virtually lost all interest in it and my attention turned to
antique tractors, which I vowed would never have expensive paint jobs for
the reason given above.

My first tractor restoration, which was in 95, was a 52 John Deere Model B
that I sprayed with John Deere green (no hardener) and brushed with John
Deere yellow ...less than a hundred bucks in paint.  There are scratches now
on the sheet metal from the tractor going through brush and fuel stains
around the gas cap but I've come to love those imperfections as they remind
me not of a showroom tractor but of a real working tractor.

I had a Super H Farmall sprayed with PPG/Ditzler paint with hardener five or
six years ago and then a year later I sprayed an MTA with IH paint (no
hardener).  Like George said regarding his experience it's pretty hard to
tell the difference.  These tractors also have fuel stains around the filler
cap and one has a small rear engine oil seal leak and the other a hydraulic
leak at the two-way valve.  But to me it's these imperfections that give the
tractor entry into the working class of tractors.

I still enjoy very much going to car shows and admiring the $$$$ paint jobs
just as I do the tractors at the shows.  But I am now content to let someone
else pay for them and get the ulcers from worrying about them while I enjoy
playing in the dirt or mowing fields with my tractors.

Dudley

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of George Willer
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 10:34 AM
To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group'
Subject: Re: [AT] respirators and Isocyanates (Urethane paint)

John,

Take it from a guy with badly damaged lungs.  There is no reverse!  The
catalyzed paints are best left to the professionals with their exotic
equipment.  Those of us who are doing our own painting with less than
perfect equipment can still get a nice job using the old standby paints that
don't require the dangerous additives.

Some years ago I painted two identical tractors two weeks apart using IH
dealer supplied paint... one with hardener and one without.  I can only tell
them apart now by the damaged (lifted) paint around the gas cap.  That's the
one with hardener.

George Willer

> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-
> bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of John Wilkens
> Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 3:19 PM
> To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> Subject: [AT] respirators and Isocyanates (Urethane paint)
>
> Thought it's about time I got serious about tractor painting and my
> health!   Can anyone suggest an affordable air-supplied face
> mask/hood that I could hook up to my air supply?  I'm starting to do
> a lot more painting with catalyzed paint (mostly acrylic urethanes)
> and I don't have a multi gazzillion dollar vented paint
> booth.....just an empty wood shed.....until the weather get good
> enough for outside painting.  The more I read about the nasty
> isocyanates in paint catylists the more I think I'd better protect my
> lungs!  Looking for ideas.       John W.