Porthandbuoy
Well-known member
It's that time of year again when many of us will be slapping on primer and anti-fouling; myself included. I'd spent the winter scraping back and wet sanding until I was satisfied I had a reasonable surface to begin painting. One last job however, a quick wipe down with rags and thinners #3.
I thought I was well prepared with overalls and vinyl gloves to protect me from the thinners. How wrong was I.
I was simply adding a bit more thinners to my rag when the can slipped from my gloved hand and headed for the ground. My reaction was to bend over and try to catch it . . . not the wisest thing to do with hindsight. The can hit the ground square on and a significant amount of thinners #3 shot straight up into my face.
At first it was no worse than a splash of water, but I just knew that was too good to be true. Seconds later I couldn't open my eyes long enough to see. Fortunately for me one of the marina lads, Alan, was working on the next boat and he turned on a hose which allowed me to flush my face and eyes for several minutes. A public "Thank You Alan"!
A shower, a change of clothes, and later on a bath, and my eyes are still smarting. My nostrils are still filled with the stink of the thinners, and despite the best part of a bottle of South African Shiraz, I can still taste the damn stuff. Oh, and I have a headache. And kids sniff this stuff for kicks! (the thinners, not the Shiraz)
Worse still, my better half is complaining the washing machine now stinks of paint thinners . . . AND WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Still, I did get the first coat of primer on, though it's started raining again and has probably ruined the finish.
So, a salutary lesson has been learned. Never, ever, wash clothing soaked in thinners in a washing machine.
I thought I was well prepared with overalls and vinyl gloves to protect me from the thinners. How wrong was I.
I was simply adding a bit more thinners to my rag when the can slipped from my gloved hand and headed for the ground. My reaction was to bend over and try to catch it . . . not the wisest thing to do with hindsight. The can hit the ground square on and a significant amount of thinners #3 shot straight up into my face.
At first it was no worse than a splash of water, but I just knew that was too good to be true. Seconds later I couldn't open my eyes long enough to see. Fortunately for me one of the marina lads, Alan, was working on the next boat and he turned on a hose which allowed me to flush my face and eyes for several minutes. A public "Thank You Alan"!
A shower, a change of clothes, and later on a bath, and my eyes are still smarting. My nostrils are still filled with the stink of the thinners, and despite the best part of a bottle of South African Shiraz, I can still taste the damn stuff. Oh, and I have a headache. And kids sniff this stuff for kicks! (the thinners, not the Shiraz)
Worse still, my better half is complaining the washing machine now stinks of paint thinners . . . AND WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Still, I did get the first coat of primer on, though it's started raining again and has probably ruined the finish.
So, a salutary lesson has been learned. Never, ever, wash clothing soaked in thinners in a washing machine.
