Thomas Carpenter writes; <<I`m thinking of trying the CA application. ....if applying 1/2 to 1 oz. won`t the odor by overwhelming? ....How long will it linger? ....Will it be unsafe to inhale for a time?>> I have a lot of experience with, and interest in, the above questions. Experience A ---- I treated a grand with CA glue, tapped the pins, pitch raised, tuned, was there for 4 hours. Twelve hours later I easily could have gone to the hospital, but I thought I had just gotten a severe case of the Flu. My eyes were tearing, my nose was running, I was uncontrollably coughing, my lungs were burning, and I had trouble breathing. I was knocked flat for two full days, and canceled three days of work. Experience B ----I did an internet search regarding CA glues, and got into some medical databases and the Material Safety Data sheets (MSDS) for the chemicals which comprise the CA glue. These are ethyl cyanoacrylate (95-100%), and hydroquinones (0-1%). Amongst other hazards, the MSDS’s say “vapor highly irritating to eyes and mucus membranes above 0.2 ppm exposure. Prolonged and repeated overexposure to vapors may produce symptoms of non-allergic asthma in sensitive individuals.” AND - lucky us, you can become sensitized to the chemicals after repeated overexposure! ( I understand that the “odorless” stuff is just as bad, just a different ester, but I am not sure of this.) Experience C ----I tipped an upright and treated it, windows open, big fan blowing across block, me wearing new organic vapor canisters in mask. Treated it as fast as I could, 10 minutes, stood it up and left. Didn’t take the mask off until outside. I was knocked flat for a day, same symptoms as in experience A above. Experience D ----13 days later (the people went on vacation) I returned to this upright and pitch raised and tuned it normally, without a mask. House and piano had been closed up. Later I felt mild respiratory symptoms for several hours. Proving that I personally am highly allergic, or sensitive, to the stuff. BIG QUESTION --- So what happens if you treat a piano and run like a chicken thief away from the fuming chemicals in the piano? - The customer doesn’t! This upright’s owners, a couple in their 70’s, were frail. Where does it leave me, or them, if 6 hours after I leave they call the paramedics because one of them is in respiratory distress? Do they sue? Am I negligent? Am I liable? They sell CA glue in tiny little bottles and tubes, as it is normally used as a spot here, a dab there. Now, out of the blue, tuners are pouring ounces of the stuff into pianos and the piano sits there fuming off for days! Piano technicians, once the height of innocuous people, are in people’s homes acting like toxic waste dumpers! MY SOLUTION? The CA treatment is so darn effective, I would really hate to stop using it. - I have a small oil-less air compressor that can feed outside air through 30 foot of tubing directly into my mask. Good for me, useless to the customer. (not used yet) - I just bought 30 feet of 2” swimming pool vacuum cleaning hose, so that I might set a shop vac outside and suck air from a flimsy plastic sheet or cardboard hood which I can set up over the pinblock. (not used yet) I like this approach because if accelerator is used, the “fuming” should be of short duration, and the fumes are evacuated from the house, reducing my exposure, the customers exposure, and my liability. - Move it out! Bring the piano to my shop, treat it with a huge airflow, protecting myself, then days later work on it and move it back, and charge the customer for the ride. About zero possibility of adversely affecting the customer or me. HAS ANYONE ON THIS LIST NOTICED OR HEARD ABOUT ANY NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES TO THE HEALTH OF THE CUSTOMER OR TECHNICIAN from doing CA treatments? If so, I would really like to hear about it. So, Mr. Carpenter, you asked good questions. I will watch for the feedback of others. Sincerely, Bill Simon Phoenix
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC