Toxicity of finishes

[BeanJean]

I’ve been reading threads on the various things to consider when choosing a finish. Tone, application process, skill, durability, drying time are mentioned often. I haven’t found a thread that discusses the range of toxicities that finishes have and how that influences a choice. What is important to know about this?

[Bernie Daniel]

I’ve been reading threads on the various things to consider when choosing a finish. Tone, application process, skill, durability, drying time are mentioned often. I haven’t found a thread that discusses the range of toxicities that finishes have and how that influences a choice. What is important to know about this?

Hi, Actually the toxicity of various finishing options has been discussed on this forum many times in great detail. May need to try different search terms?

[sliebers]

Nitro lacquer is probably the most toxic and the safest is grain alcohol dissolved shellac. Everything else is in between those two extremes for range.

I think the most important factor if you spray any finish is good ventilation and a respirator. I've known of too many luthiers and finish guys that ended their careers early because of COPD and other respiratory illnesses.

[sunburst]

What is important to know about this?

That we use many toxic materials in our lives and that we need to take appropriate precautions to avoid injury.

As players, we don't have much to worry about. Cured finishes are hardly harmful at all. As builders, we need to learn how to properly handle, store and apply finishes, and we need to invest in the proper equipment to keep ourselves safe, learn to use said equipment properly, and use said equipment properly.

[Br1ck]

I used to spray nitro a lot, and found out quickly I did not want to be in the same room when it was drying. Things got hung in my shed for a couple of weeks. Once in a while I notice a new guitar in a shop still giving off that smell, but not commonly.

Tom Ellis walked over to the finishing shop for Pavas one day and decided he didn't want to subject his employee to laquer any more so changed the finish on the Pavas because of it.