Think Again—Blink Again!

by Don Nix, Insider Safety Column Editor

In my last column (In the Blink of an Eye), I told of a personal mishap with CA adhesive. Shortly after that issue went online, reader Darwin Hawkins of Kansas responded with his own personal incident:

“A few years back I put some CA on a rather involved joint. Hit it with the kicker and the joint exploded in my face. I had not noticed that a pool of it had formed in a corner. Lucky for me, I had my reading glasses on, as the CA splattered right into the line of vision in the center of my right lens and actually etched the plastic in several places. I still have those glasses. They hang on the end of the pull cord I use to turn on the light over my work bench. I can never turn on that light without being reminded that safety glasses can save your eyes. Who would have ever thought you need safety glasses when working with CA?”

Thanks, Darwin. Personal experiences from you readers out there are usually more interesting—and likely to be taken seriously—than anything I can preach about. Keep ‘em coming on any subject related to safety.

Since writing the previous column, I remembered a second personal experience with CA that threatened to be more serious than just getting my face spattered. I can’t imagine any modeler who hasn’t read the warnings on CA bottles about minimizing the inhalation of fumes, using with plenty of ventilation, etc. However, I have to admit that I sometimes become pretty casual about such warnings, especially after using a particular product for a while without incident.

These days, we are inundated with a virtual Niagara of warnings. So much so that they become like wallpaper, and our eyes glaze over when reading them. Because of the litigious society we live in these days, lawyers insist manufacturers warn about every possible hazard, however slight the likelihood or how silly it might seem. For example, some manufacturers of model propellers are putting stickers on them saying something like “Do not put fingers in spinning propellers.” Uhhh … yeah. As the old saying goes, “It’s impossible to make anything foolproof, because fools are so ingenious!”

After using CA for years with no problems, I had assumed I was immune to any adverse effects. Well, we all know what happens when we assume something.

Staying up late one Friday night, I was doing a lot of sheeting on the leading edges of a pair of wings so I could cover them the next day. I spent a couple of hours using copious amounts of CA, with my face up very close so I could see in all the nooks and crannies.

Near the end of the task, I noticed I was beginning to wheeze a little, and by the time I cleaned up and made it to bed, I sounded like someone in the last stages of emphysema. Having had a daughter with severe asthma, I began to realize what she must have gone through in many of her attacks.

I spent the next two nights propped up about 30° in my bed so I could breathe. The first thing I did the next day was to order one of those masks that control such problems. I think the one I bought was made by 3M and cost perhaps ten bucks. Yeah, it was a bit of a nuisance to wear the thing, but a couple of days wheezing around the house made a believer out of me. And my wife thought the Darth Vader look improved my appearance.

Now might be a good time to review the precautionary information on the various products you use—household materials as well as hobby products. They are there for a purpose, and usually because somebody somewhere has suffered ill effects.

I’m always happy to answer reader questions (if I can) at FLYERDON@aol.com. Until next time, happy modeling and flying … safely. Q