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Scotti Adams
Apr-02-2004, 9:01am
..a while back there was a topic on this...I couldnt find this info then..excuse my mess if its old news...

Potassium dichromate is a carcinogen. The MSDS gives it a health rating of 4 (Extreme;Cancer Causing)
It is rated as a severe oxidizer and it's contact rating is a 3 (Severe;Life)
Here is a list of the potential health effects

Inhalation:
Corrosive. Extremely destructive to tissues of the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract. May cause ulceration and perforation of the nasal septum. Symptoms may include sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath, and labored breathing. May produce pulmonary sensitization or allergic asthma. Higher exposures may cause pulmonary edema.
Ingestion:
Corrosive. Swallowing can cause severe burns of the mouth, throat, and stomach, leading to death. Can cause sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea. May cause violent gastroenteritis, peripheral vascular collapse, dizziness, intense thirst, muscle cramps, shock, coma, abnormal bleeding, fever, liver damage and acute renal failure.
Skin Contact:
Corrosive. Symptoms of redness, pain, and severe burn can occur. Dusts and strong solutions may cause severe irritation. Contact with broken skin may cause ulcers (chrome sores) and absorption, which may cause systemic poisoning, affecting kidney and liver functions. May cause skin sensitization.
Eye Contact:
Corrosive. Contact can cause blurred vision, redness, pain and severe tissue burns. May cause corneal injury or blindness.
Chronic Exposure:
Repeated or prolonged exposure can cause ulceration and perforation of the nasal septum, respiratory irritation, liver and kidney damage and ulceration of the skin. Ulcerations at first may be painless, but may penetrate to the bone producing "chrome holes." Known to be a human carcinogen.
Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions:
Persons with pre-existing skin disorders, asthma, allergies or known sensitization to chromic acid or chromates may be more susceptible to the effects of this material.


The chromium in potassium chromate (K2CrO4) and potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) are both in the chromium(VI) oxidation state. They are fairly strong oxidizing agents, which means that they themselves are reduced. The reduction products are usually some form of chromium(III), e.g., Cr2O3. Cr2O3 is green, hence the unwanted side effect of using dichromates to color wood is a greenish tint.

Apr-02-2004, 12:10pm
Dang.. Get that stuff away from me

Tom C
Apr-02-2004, 12:20pm
You mean I'm not supposed to put it in my cereal?

Chris Baird
Apr-02-2004, 12:31pm
It makes a mean curry sauce too. BTW I tried it and it does make the wood greenish. There is no reason to mess with it as it is too much work to try and protect yourself from it for the results you get.

Bill James
Apr-02-2004, 1:55pm
I spilled a little on a cat's rear end and he passed a motorcycle.

Kevin@bluegrassbrethren
Apr-02-2004, 2:41pm
Yep sounds pretty bad. Keep in mind the chronic and acute exposures listed above are going to be the same as any substance containing chromium or heavy duty solvents. You'll find the same charachteristics in say methylene chloride (paint stripper). A respirator will not protect you from that either.
In the end everything is bad for you it all depends on the dose.......

For instance if you receive to large a dose of water it is called drowning.:D

Dave Cohen
Apr-02-2004, 9:05pm
As carcinogens go, chromium(VI) is even worse than methylene chloride. Chromium(VI) is in about the same league as benzo-a-pyrene and a few others. In other words, it is about as bad as they get.

BTW, Scotti, that last paragraph is just about verbatim what I posted either in the thread on this board, or in the Leftbrainluthiers group, I forget which.

crawdad
Apr-03-2004, 12:16am
I won't use the stuff. Heck, all I want is to finish the wood so it looks nice. By finely sanding the instrument, the wood does pop, and the stain seems to enhance the grain pattern plenty enough for me. Then again, I'm more concerned with the sound of the instrument than with how much the flame shows. Just me. No need for such chemicals, especially at the risk of health. And, if you use them, your buyer will have a mandolin full of them. Not a good thing to pass on to your benefactor.

Chris Baird
Apr-03-2004, 8:51am
I think nearly everyone is introduced to the chemical through the Dudenbostel construction pics. Lynn has a caption that states that potassium dichromate gives a beautiful patina to the wood. I got a green dirty look and wondered what Lynn was doing different. Then I took a closer look at his pics and his mandolin was green too! I guess the burst covers up the green.

Apr-04-2004, 9:00am
HA LMAO

krishna
Apr-10-2004, 4:35pm
Hello boys and girls! my name is #Kerry and I got something to say about this here subject. I work (right now )as a lab technician at ------ University,in the soil science dept. Now, are you all LISTENING...K-dichromate is THE most carcinogenic thing on this whole campus! One sniff of this stuff sets the little cancer causing molecules to start planning a christening party. One drop on MY skin would get me to get out my razor sharp sweedish army knife VERY QUICK!(exageration) #The precautions in using this stuff scare the most jaded of the technicians #anywere.A drop of that stuff on the counter will get;wiped with a damp cloth;put in a ziploc bag(freezer bag) and stored with all the other toxic waste untill a specialized truck comes and gets it. I can only use it;under a fume hood (on high speed); With special gloves (to be thrown also into toxic waste container; With damp paper towels ready in case of spill; Get me in SO much trouble ...... If I ever had got A SINGLE DROP on my labcoat...it would also have gone in toxic waste! The funny thing about this stuff is that it's coolaid red,and looks like you could drink it.Doing K-dichromate digestions here is the absolute SCARIEST thing I have done in my whole lab career.Do you people get the picture?AND if you think people luthiers don't know about this,you would be right!This subject comes up on lots of instrument repair and building websites.:angry: http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif #Kerry Lets be carefull out there!

krishna
Apr-10-2004, 4:40pm
PS Can I come back and play in your forum again sometime?I was looking for some page I could introduce myself on ,but could'nt find anywere...

krishna
Apr-10-2004, 4:43pm
Someone should change this thead name to K-dichromate Death Incarnate...

John Soper
Apr-11-2004, 5:18am
Guess that answers the question I had about the advisability of using the stuff on mando #1...

Scotti Adams
Apr-11-2004, 6:52am
..welcome Kerry....this topic was discussed at length a while back...all of the things you mentioned was mentioned then...this was just extra added info....come back and play sometime...just dont be angry... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Tom C
Apr-11-2004, 7:45am
It's not a substitute for MSG?

grafik-obsessions
Apr-11-2004, 9:32pm
you know ledbelly used to strain sterno and black liquid shoe polish thru bread and said it made a great bathtub gin:blues:

grafik-obsessions
Apr-11-2004, 9:33pm
you know ledbelly used to strain sterno #and black liquid shoe polish thru bread and said it made a great bathtub gin:blues:

Luthier
Apr-12-2004, 3:50am
OK...I have to tell you this one.
When I first moved here I was scoping out different woodshops just out of interest. #Lo and behold I came upon two good ole' boys manufacturing waterbeds. #I had told them I really liked the color of the stain they were using and I inquired as to what it was. I was taken by surprise when I was told they mixed tar and kerosene to make their stain. #It seemed to work for them and they were..."plum happy with it cause it was slicker than deer guts on a door knob...."

I love it....LOL

Don

futrconslr
Apr-15-2004, 2:57pm
Isnt kerosene and tar what Gibson uses on that new "distressed" mando???----Just kidding...dont send charlie and Big Joe after me.