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Author Topic: Super glue allergy  (Read 23484 times)

Offline Nexus

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Super glue allergy
« on: June 28, 2011, 09:46:49 PM »
Hi fellows! Long story short, I seem to have developed an allergy to super glue (sucks, doesn't it?) I have googled and searched different forums and found that it is not an all that unusual phenomenon. However, most describe their symptoms differently than the ones I get. Blisters, skin irritation, headaches etc.

I just get a really runny nose (as in I'm almost dehydrating, litres spurting out here, ffs) and really itchy eyes. The symptoms start about 12 hours after exposure (you know, sitting at the workbench sniffing those sweet sweet fumes) and last for several days.  If it actually is what I fear it is, I must warn you guys. This is really awful!

The doctor wouldn't see me until autumn (they don't seem to accept cases like this during the pollen season where half of the population are suffering from similar symptoms), so I might as well ask around...

Has anyone else noticed anything similar?

Offline Zach82

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2011, 10:45:44 PM »
Nope, but I hear rubber cement actually works better for plastic models anyway.  Of course, you won't be able to merely snap off bits like you can with superglue.

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Offline Nuigen

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2011, 11:57:54 PM »
It doesn't really sound like allergy to me, but then I'm not an expert.

It would seem, from what you tell, that the most common type of allergy to super glue is a skin allergy and what you're describing sounds more like the type you get from pollen and dust.

I would simply put it down to a simple reaction of the mucus glands in your nose. The glue will probably dry out your sinuses, and that can result in some overproduction of liquid. This can also make you react to other things such as pollen.

As for the itchy eyes I get that too if I get to close to the stuff. I think it does that to everyone.

Use plastic cement for plastics and open a window when you use the super glue to get some airflow. Also you should probably, and that goes for all solvents, try to limit your exposure to them. 12 hours is a really long time to be sniffing glue. :-D

I don't think there's any reason to panic, just think about what you're doing and the amount of time you spend with the glue. If you don't feel any improvement you should of course go see a doctor.

Also it would seem that alot of my english vocabulary is related to nasal fluids.  :-D


Offline Nexus

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2011, 12:24:09 AM »
Quote
The glue will probably dry out your sinuses, and that can result in some overproduction of liquid. This can also make you react to other things such as pollen.

Thanks for the comment. This actually seems likely. Yeah "allergy" might not be the right word. Maybe "over sensitive" sounds better. In either case, if anyone else is suffering from similar stuff, please post.

Offline Midaski

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2011, 07:35:21 AM »
12 hours after exposure also makes it dubious.

Glue sniffing has been about for a long time, so the fumes/vapour will have an effect on anybody - as suggested ventilation is your friend.

I use two sorts of bottle as well - long narrow snout for delivery of small amounts to models, and a brush-on version for the large jobs like models to bases or big pinned joins - and I put the cap back on whenever I am not going to use it straightaway.

I've never had hay fever in all my years  :engel: but I have been suffereing a bit this spring - I was getting headaches when I woke in the morning, and my nose felt clogged up - finally went to the doctor and he prescribed a nasal spray and said it could be all sorts of things from pollen to dust mites.

The nasal spray made crap all difference.  :engel:  I just decided to get more sleep so I wasn't so tired - much better.

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Offline Moriar

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2011, 08:37:05 AM »
Are you using super glue on plastic too? I know a lot of people that do this. Switching to plastic glue could solve some of your problems. I only use small amounts of super glue myself now that most minis are plastic. And those few metal minis, you could glue them together outside or have someone help you.
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Offline steveb

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2011, 01:56:30 PM »
super glue is a skin irritant, that being said, I am reminded of what my old Biology teacher used to say; "if you smell a fart, then you have poop in your nose" when you smell the crazy glue then you are taking in molecules of glue and it is adhering to the lining, or mucus membranes of your nose, the fluid is your body's attempt to flush it out as it is an irritant.  We all know how tenacious a grip super glue has on flesh, so the body keeps going until it actually sloughes off the affected skin (sheds).  There are a number of ways to avoid this inconvenience, but the simplist is to use adequate ventilation and do not hover over the top of your work when gluing, use smaller amounts, smaller amounts actually bond  better.  If you smell it, your nose is too close.  Good luck with this issue, crazy glue along with acrylic paints are two of most important developments in the world of wargaming since I started over 40+ years ago.  steveb

Offline Nexus

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2011, 01:18:10 PM »
Today is the first snot-free day since the glue-orgy last saturday. Yay!

Perhaps it's best to try another glue. After some googling, the "Gator Grip" hobby glue seems like a winner. I'll try that one out and see how my poor nose likes it. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/405823/review_gator_glue_an_alternative_to.html

Offline Nexus

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2011, 09:54:22 PM »
Just wanted to follow-up on this. The "Gator" glue was essentially ordinary PVA and took hours to set. Useless for these purposes.

I'll have to look into that "plastic cement" stuff someone mentioned. How does that work? Does it "melt" the plastic, making the two parts melt together? Does it set as quickly as super glue? Anyone has any recommendations as to which brand I should go for?

Worst case scenario I'll have to get a frigging gas mask...  :icon_sad:

Offline Otaku

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2011, 09:58:23 PM »
Have you ever tried using the super glue in a different location to see if it really is the glue and not something else nearby like dust, animal dandruff or a plant?

Offline Nexus

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2011, 10:12:40 PM »
Yes, it took a while before I narrowed it down, but it is definately the glue.  :icon_sad:

Offline Wolfsgaum

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2011, 11:07:06 PM »
Let me see if I can get this straight. You're using super glue to assemble plastic miniatures. Right? If so, you should be using plastic cement. http://www.hobbylinc.com/Plastic_Model_Cement

If you need to assemble metal on metal or plastic on metal, you could always use two part epoxy glue. http://www.hobbylinc.com/prods/rga_nhp.htm

Offline Nexus

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2011, 12:40:56 AM »
Yes, I pretty much use superglue for everything, but that didn't turn out so well in the end, it seems.  :icon_sad:

Thanks for the link. That Testors cement seems like it's pretty popular. Does it set about as quickly as super glue?

Offline ZeroTwentythree

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2011, 12:58:04 AM »
Yes. And it forms a better bond. It's not a glue holding the two pieces together, it's actually a solvent that melts the plastic together.

The liquid stuff is just solvent. The stuff in the tube is thicker and is, more or less, a mix of the solvent and already melted plastic.

In either case, they dry quickly to the extent that you don't have to hold the pieces more than10 seconds or so, though I would let it cure for a bit longer for full strength.

The epoxy takes longer to set, and is a hassle in that respect. But as long as you mix the two parts properly, thebond will be far stronger than CA/superglue.

Offline Nexus

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #14 on: October 04, 2011, 01:03:44 AM »
Cool, sounds like I'll have to try it out. Although, it seems plastic cement is pretty toxic as well, being some kind of acetone. Hopefully this oversensitivity I've got is specific to cyanide or whatever stuff there is in super glue.

Offline ZeroTwentythree

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #15 on: October 04, 2011, 01:08:53 AM »
Yes. And the epoxy has a funky smell as well. Use both in a well ventilated space.

There is a non-toxic plastic cement from Testors, but I've never used it.

Offline Essexkiwi

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #16 on: October 04, 2011, 04:17:54 AM »
Add another vote to say stop using superglue, not just for plastics but for everything.  It's crap and only popular as it's easy, readily available everywhere, and cheap.    Can't believe you persevered knowing it was having an adverse effect on you! 

 
That Testors cement seems like it's pretty popular. Does it set about as quickly as super glue?
Plastic cement basically melts the plastic at the join, so glued pieces are effectively fused together which is what makes it bond plastic as strongly as if it were a single piece.   It will 'grab' pretty quickly but the plastic at the join remains soft for quite a while, so you don't want to put any pressure on it for at least several hours.

For metal and resin figures switch from superglue to a good quality epoxy.  Seriously the ONLY valid use for superglue is to make temporary emergency repairs like if you're at a tournament.   Superglue dries crystalline-hard, which means brittle.  It's also a b*tch to trim or file when tidying up glued joints prior to painting.

Get yourself a good quality 2-part epoxy.  I use BSI (Bob Smith Industries) Quik-Cure 5 which comes in two small bottles with dropper lids.  The 5 minute working time is the best I've found for a balance between giving you some working time to fiddle around and get the fit just right, and curing fast to grab and hold quite quickly.  IMO A good epoxy will hold as strongly if not better than any superglue but remains slightly flexible so is far better at taking the knocks, has filling properties for those bigger gaps and can be trimmed easily after gluing if required to tidy it up.

Offline Delthos

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #17 on: October 04, 2011, 04:39:05 AM »
Yes. And the epoxy has a funky smell as well. Use both in a well ventilated space.

There is a non-toxic plastic cement from Testors, but I've never used it.

While it works, the non-toxic version isn't as aggressive so it takes longer to melt the plastic and take hold. Unless you are very sensitive to the Red label Testors, I wouldn't bother with the non-toxic version.

I never understood why anyone would use superglue for gluing plastic to plastic. Plastic cement is definitely the way to go.
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Offline Obi

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #18 on: October 04, 2011, 06:12:43 AM »
Thanks for the comment. This actually seems likely. Yeah "allergy" might not be the right word. Maybe "over sensitive" sounds better. In either case, if anyone else is suffering from similar stuff, please post.
It is. There are four types of over sensitivity, and only one of those is actual allergy. That'd make you respond a lot sooner.

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Offline Nexus

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #19 on: October 04, 2011, 01:50:24 PM »
Yes. And the epoxy has a funky smell as well. Use both in a well ventilated space.

There is a non-toxic plastic cement from Testors, but I've never used it.

While it works, the non-toxic version isn't as aggressive so it takes longer to melt the plastic and take hold. Unless you are very sensitive to the Red label Testors, I wouldn't bother with the non-toxic version.

I never understood why anyone would use superglue for gluing plastic to plastic. Plastic cement is definitely the way to go.

Well, I like superglue for its awesome speed. As long as I find an alternative that takes hold quickly so I don't have to hold the pieces into place for a while, I'll be happy.

I just ordered that non-toxic Testors cement. Seems the non-nontoxic variant is hard to get in Sweden. We'll see how it works glue-wise and nose-wise.  :icon_smile:

Offline Delthos

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #20 on: October 04, 2011, 04:45:03 PM »
In my experience, most plastic cement bites and holds quick enough that you can put glue on say and arm (works best if you place a small amount on both parts to be glued), hold it in place for a few seconds, then set it aside for a few minutes. While it won't have cured totally it can be handled. I ususally let my plastics cure over night before I do any work with them. With my painting schedule that works for me. If you need to paint on them immediately, superglue is likely better, although it really needs time to fully cure as well before painting over it.

Also bigger parts need more time to cure, and sometimes even need support or clamping until fully cured. As the glue melts the plastic, it won't hold until fully cured if there is a lot of stress on the glue point. This can be because of a big piece that is putting a lot of leverage on the glue joint or because the part is warped. In those situations I've resorted to superglue on occasions. I'm having memories of assembling my IG Chimera body tanks and Leman Russes. A lot of the panels tended to be slightly warped and superglue gave the instant hold without having to resort to clamps that the plastic cement would require. I almost always went back and spread some plastic cement along the joint so that it would seep into the seam and fuse the two parts together around the superglue.
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Offline Auberoun

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #21 on: October 04, 2011, 07:19:19 PM »
I suffer from migraines and allergies, so I feel your pain.  On days where they are really bad, I don't even attempt to do any hobbying.  But, if I must, I rely heavily on baking soda.  That's right, baking soda.  Especially for heavy parts.  It will cure super glue instantly  Seriously, just put a few drops of glue on each part, hold together, and sprinkle a little baking soda over the seam.  It will set within a few seconds.  (IF you use too much, the join will become brittle, so it may take some experimentation on your part.)

(Also, beware of the rapid exo-thermic reaction though, so if too much baking soda, and too much glue contact each other, they will get a bit warm.)  Also, I never use super glue on plastics.  That's what plastic glue is for.   :happy:

Hope that helps.
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Offline Superdan

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #22 on: October 04, 2011, 08:12:08 PM »
I've heard of things like this, oddly a friend of mine who is a manager of a GW store happens to be allergic to super glue, plastic glue, green stuff and most of the gw paints (sounds unbelievable but true) i think he just wears latex gloves or similar when he has to use them is a pain but thats how it goes. just out of interest i assume its not just that specific brand of super glue? but yeah certainly for plastics i'd recommend plastic cement of some sort just for a better join

Offline orcyboy

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #23 on: October 04, 2011, 08:16:19 PM »
I prefer the toxic stuff


Offline Nexus

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Re: Super glue allergy
« Reply #24 on: October 06, 2011, 05:40:18 PM »
Ok, the store sent me a bottle of "Italeri" non-toxic cement, when I had ordered ModelMaster. Oh well. It smells nice and I hope my nose won't react to it. I had to hold the pieces in place for about 30 seconds before it took hold, but I guess I can live with that.  :icon_confused: