# Acrylics smell!



## markymark (May 6, 2011)

Hi guys,

This may sound like a dumb question, but I going to ask it any way.
I like the colours acrylics give a pen, however, the smell is sooo bad! After just one blank, I feel like I need to vomit! Because of this, I have had to sick to woods or trustone products...I have found that some brands smell worse then others when working on. Therefore, is there an acrylic that does not smell so bad when being cut into?

I cannot help to think there are toxins going into my body doing God knows what! Any thoughts?


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## Ruby pen turning (May 6, 2011)

No, they all smell bad. I mean they all smell bad to you. I like the smell of acrylic in the morning. I love the smell of fresh resin also. My wife is like you, they make her sick to the stomach.


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## robutacion (May 7, 2011)

markymark said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> This may sound like a dumb question, but I going to ask it any way.
> I like the colours acrylics give a pen, however, the smell is sooo bad! After just one blank, I feel like I need to vomit! Because of this, I have had to sick to woods or trustone products...I have found that some brands smell worse then others when working on. Therefore, is there an acrylic that does not smell so bad when being cut into?
> ...



Acrylics can make a lot of people sick, even when fully cured.  The worse part of the smell strength is is the first 30 days after it was poured.  Old blanks never small as bad as the fresh ones.

It is a big difference is between not liking the smells, another is to be affected by its toxicity. If is only the smell you want to control when you're working with them, you will find that a common dust mask, sprayed or sprinkled with some of the perfumes of your liking, will disguise the acrylic smell while you are working.

If the smell is affecting you physically, you have 2 choices, you either stick to wood or you will have to use a good ventilation system in you work-shop and ware a proper chemical mask while turning the stuff.

There is also a factor that you have to remember, if you never been exposed to the acrylics, you will feel the smell a lot stronger than if you have had contact with it, in fact, the more you work with it, the less you can smell it.  While this can look a good thing, the reality is not, if over exposer is taken place, it will become a slow/silent killer.

We all have a different immune system and therefore, reacting differently to the exposure of chemicals and other harmful stuff.  There is no need to panic but, you are the only one that can know and decided what is the best for you.  However, there is not much you can smell in our days that will not kill you sooner or later, the air we breath has enough elements that are sufficient to kill a human, some of us are more "resilient" than others, otherwise how could you explain a person to be known to die of lung cancer, without ever smoke or being ever in a dusty working or else, environment.  On the other hand, you stop a person that have been smoking heavily for 50 or 60 years, and that person will be dead within months, while it could live a very long life if left be...! 

In resume, your question is not a dumb one, the problem is that the answer is not that simple...!

Good luck

Cheers
George


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## bensoelberg (May 7, 2011)

I agree, they stink.  I don't have nearly as strong a reaction to them as you do, but they are not my favorite smelling blanks.  I took an acrylic pen to school with me a couple of weeks ago and one of my students told me that it smelled like her mom.  I gave her a confused and slightly horrified look.  She then told me that her mom works in a nail salon, applying false (acrylic) nails all day.  She likes the smell because it has a good association.  Just figured I'd share that to let you know that some of your future customers may love the smell that you hate.


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## crabcreekind (May 7, 2011)

Wear a respirator, they are like 30 bucks at home depot and you wont smell anything!


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## scotirish (May 7, 2011)

*I have no problem with the smell, but my wife does.  Since my shop (studio) is in the basement the odor permeates all through the house.  As my lathe is in the proximity of the furnace and water heater I have a problem with the exhaust system I added.  The make-up air for the fan (mounted over my lathe and ducted to an outside window) is coming back down the flue for the water heater, not a good idea.  So I put the "Shop Vac" air cleaner with a carbon filter attached to the intake side on a table right behind the lathe and it pulls the air through the carbon filter and, so far, has eliminated the odor.
Ron*


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## markymark (May 7, 2011)

Did you buy the shop vac at Home Depot?
I have my workshop in my basement too and could really use some kind of air cleaner.
Do you guys rec. any affordable and quality build units?


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## Rangertrek (May 7, 2011)

A good dust collector system works wonders for taking odors away from the turning area.  A respirator will filter particles but not fumes or odors unless you have a specific filter for fumes.  I t will cut down on the odor.  

You may want to look at a Triton hood.  It has air flow across the face and filters fine particles.


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## Brooks803 (May 7, 2011)

Everyone has put in great advice, the only thing I could think of is for "acrylics" use blanks made of alumilite. No smell whatsoever. They have a new formula that allows a really nice shine.


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## 1080Wayne (May 7, 2011)

Don`t get confused by those who call all plastics acrylics . I would suspect that it is the polyesters that you have the objection to . Compare acrylic acetate from say Bear Tooth Woods to polyester from Brooks 803 to Alumilite (polyurethane) from Mesquiteman . I believe Trustone is also acrylic based . After doing those comparisons (there are others as well) , stick with what you can tolerate or follow the excellent advice above on odour control .


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## markymark (May 7, 2011)

Hi guys!
I really appreciate your input!  
You have really helpled me out!


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## drgoretex (May 7, 2011)

Hmm.  I love the smell of acrylic.  Smells like...Ok, not victory, but at least creativity..

Ken


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