is spray A dangerous?

[barclayb]

After a quick search here and on the internet … well, it's hard to find the right search term … I bring my question to you, glass gurus.

I'm pretty sure you're going to get a big laugh out of this. I haven't found posts about Spray A other than how to use it. My bottle jumped out of my hand, leapt up in the air, and came back down, splooshing half the contents out- I swear it did it all by itself . On me, it splashed 3 toes and the back of 2 fingers. The studio got the brunt of the spillage.

My husband (Don) freaked out when he read the bottle warning. It says to wash it off with mild soap and water and to call a doctor immediately. Am I going to die?! (Hyperbole intended.) The bottle also says it's not food safe, presumably because it contains lead. (It's probably safe after being fired, right?) Don said the bottle makes it sound "as if it's plutonium." So I took a shower, we wiped down the surfaces it splashed on (if nothing else, I'd rather my cats not lick it up), and he insisted that we throw all the towels we used away and put them in the garbage can outside. He wanted to throw away the clothes I'd been wearing, too, even though they didn't get splashed. He said it sounded like something we shouldn't keep in the house and asked if I'd agree to get rid of it. Well, no. I'm pretty sure he's overreacting in the extreme.

I tried to find the ingredients listed online; all I see is borax (is it actually boric acid?). WebMD wasn't much help with the effects of borax except that it causes skin irritation and you shouldn't swallow it. Borax used to be used in laundry detergent, and my mom used a little to kill roaches, where it could have come in contact with our skin, so it can't be too bad. (If it poisons through skin absorption, well, we are bigger than roaches, after all.)

I figure it's not a big deal or people wouldn't be using Spray A all the time.

He's way overreacting, right?

[Greg Rawls]

Get yourself a MSDS for the chemical and read it. People need to do this for every chemical that they use so they know what to avoid and how to protect themselves when using it. This is anti-devit spray, right? I believe it contains lead. Even though skin contact is a route of exposure for lead, you washed it off thoroughly so you will be fine. I would wear a P95 dust/fume/mist respirator when you use this stuff.

Greg, the retired Industrial Hygienist

[Ed Cantarella]

I'd agree with folks above, if you washed it off you should be fine. Lead poisoning is usually a cumulative thing over time and/or repeat exposure. If you are really concerned see your doctor - they will give you a mineral supplement to chelate (draw off) the lead.

Spray A Plus is Lead Free. https://www.gofusing.com/Spray-A-Plus-8 ... Overglaze/

If it's minor devit issues, a dip in the common boron dips works pretty good. And you can't beat the price at a few dollars to make a few gallons.

[barclayb]

Thank you! I appreciate the edification.

So it's the lead that's the issue, not the boron. I haven't thought about lead poisoning in decades, forgot about it, and am in the generation where lead paint and gasoline were banned so should remember it well.

I've been slack about using Spray A carefully. At least I haven't used it much, just a few times.

Not thinking ahead is my default state. I work at being better in the glass studio. I've probably seen recommendations to read MSDS info and blown them off; i have a short attention span for reading technical documentation, even though I used to be a tech writer for a living.

[barclayb]

After mulling more clearly about it, Creative Craftsmen should have listed the ingredients on the label and should never have sold a product that contains lead in the first place. That's highly dangerous and irresponsible. I'll avoid buying their products in the future. Boron, huh?

[Tod]

Good questions, good responses.

for some Spray-A MSDS-type info from Slumpy's site, see: https://system.na3.netsuite.com/core/me ... 9&_xt=.pdf

Seems like the seller should have info for prospective users to read before buying.

[Terry Gallentine]

It is a good idea for anybody who works with glass to check into the facts about lead poisoning. I contacted my state occupational health agency many years ago about it. In some ways, it can be less dangerous than you think and in some ways it can be very dangerous. When working with lead based flux, ingesting or breathing in the powder is dangerous but once an item is fired it is safe to handle if it does not come into contact with food or drink. In other words, it can be used for decorative work without worry. Once fired the lead will not be leached out of the object unless it comes into contact with acid. Working with lead came and solder can present more of a lead danger. I recommend an occasional quantitative blood lead test for most workers who have been doing a lot of stained glass work. It is especially essential for young women since the body can confuse lead with calcium and that can lead to problems during pregnancy since the body draws calcium from the mother's body for the developing child.

[Kathy K]

There is a comment by Ed above about using boron as a dip for pieces with light devit. Can someone talk more about that and also where do you get boron?
Thanks for any info.

[jim simmons]

20 mule team borax from the grocery store
dissolve in water
The other Jim

[Ed Cantarella]

There is a comment by Ed above about using boron as a dip for pieces with light devit. Can someone talk more about that and also where do you get boron?
Thanks for any info.

4-5 cups borax (one box if 20 Mule Team)
5 gallons distilled water - heat up to coffee/tea warm, borax dissolves better.
Pinch of liquid dishwasher rinsing stuff(buy one that says sheeting action )
Lidded 5 gallon bucket of your choice - Home Depot is my bucket store of choice.
Dip and dry.

*Make sure your hands are clean - it does nothing for finger-prints made of kiln wash.

[Kathy K]

Ed, Thanks for the detailed info!

[Barry Kaiser]

Five gallons of borax solution will last until the dinosaurs roam the earth for a second time.
I mix one pint of hot water with enough borax to saturate the water. Let cool and pour off the liquid which is the devit solution. That amount lasts me years (but I son't do whole sheets).

Barry

[Ed Cantarella]

Five gallons of borax solution will last until the dinosaurs roam the earth for a second time.
I mix one pint of hot water with enough borax to saturate the water. Let cool and pour off the liquid which is the devit solution. That amount lasts me years (but I son't do whole sheets).

Barry

Agree that 5 gal is a lot - it's the recipe I had... We really don't use/need it that much - seems like we used it more when we started out. Probably 4.5 gallons left.