-----Original Message-----
From: dixie [mailto:dixie4@wales.freeserve.co.uk]
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 12:02 AM
To: Geo Hahn; TR
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Rehab
Snip
A safety warning here! Be very careful when sanding Bakelite do not inhale
the dust it is deadly!
In the 60s I worked in a factory that produced machined products using
Bakelite. After 25 years I went to a works reunion. 90% of the guys I knew
were dead, the big C, I am glad to say I only worked there four years and
not on production of these products.
Snip
--------------------------
Just in case anyone is worried:
I would think some sort of facemask protection a good idea when sanding
anything. However, I wouldn't be all that worried about a little
unprotected sanding of a TR's Bakelite steering wheel based on Adrian's
experiences. The problem with Bakelite is that it's made by reacting
formaldehyde (a carcinogen for sure) with phenol, and there may be residual
formaldehyde that is released upon machining of recently formed Bakelite.
Formaldehyde is a volatile (though water soluble) gas, so a dust mask would
probably be ineffective protection against bakelite carcinogenicity, but I
doubt if there is any formaldehyde remaining anywhere near the sandable
surfaces of 40+ year old steering wheels, and even if there was, the
exposure amounts from a one-off sanding would be infinitesimal in comparison
to those of a worker in a machine shop where the phenolic plastic was being
constantly shaved, ground, milled and drilled day in and day out for years.
Cheers,
Seth Fidel
(newbie here)
|