ACTSNYC@CS.COM on fri 2 jun 00
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 22:26:09 -0700
> From: David McDonald
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: for the smell of wax
>
> Mel said:
>
> "when you turn on the wax, well it is like an aphro d zee ac.
> makes a potter smile."
>
> That explains everything Mel. Just kidding! Hey, let us not forget that
> wax, parafin, is a petrochemical product, and heating it up produces
> fumes which could be quite toxic. Especially impure waxes from
> questionable sources. Many petrochemical products are known carcinogens. <
That's true of unrefined petroleum distillates, but highly refined ones like
paraffin, vasoline, and baby oil are pretty darn clean. The problem is that
whenever any hydrocarbon burns, natural or synthetic, bad stuff is generated.
Wax is no different. Bees wax releases very similar stuff. And since bees
wax melts and burns at a lower temperature than hard paraffin, it will
release nasty stuff with heating at even lower temperatures than paraffin.
Doesn't matter a whole lot whether wax is made by God or by Goodyear.
> Anyone on the list know how much we might want to be avoiding breathing
> those fumes? I for one would be happy to hear that wax fumes are not so
> bad to breath, as I've used hot wax resist in my studio for over 20 years
> ( with good ventilation). My hunch is though, that it is not a good
> thing. David McDonald <
You should try to reduce exposure as much as possible. Whenever I specify
ventilation for wax heating it is local exhaust. There is no air-purifying
respirator approved for acrolein (TLV = 0.1 ppm) and some of the other
typical wax emissions, so ventilation is the answer.
Monona Rossol
ACTS
181 Thompson St., # 23
NYC NY 10012-2586 212/777-0062
ACTSNYC@cs.com
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