Acrylic Pen Blanks Question

Blessed (Cursed?) with virtually no sense of smell I didn't realize that the acrylic blanks I've been turning smell bad. At least they do to SWMBO who has a very good sense of smell. Now she's concerned that the acrylic fumes may actually be toxic to some extent. Anyone know if there is any basis to her concern? Would like to put her mind to rest one way or the other. Thanks!
.....Gord

I've noticed the smell too when turning acrylics, but I dobn't thimbk theee fummesse aree annthig to wory abut.

Seriously, good question, but I don't know the answer.

Acrylic blanks are discussed, and cussed, extensively on the pen turning forums. General consensus is to drill at slow speeds and withdraw frequently to allow cooling. I don't do enough non-wood stuff of any kind to have developed much of a technique. But, I do keep a large syringe available. When drilling acrylics, I'll fill the syringe with water and use to drip into the hole as a coolant. Another caution: Many acrylic pen blanks cannot be drilled all the way through without blowing out. It is often necessary to cut the blank over-length then drill only past the length needed for your tube then cut the waste off, leaving exact length properly drilled.

BOB HAINSTOCK

Ive turned several "man made materials," and they all stink. Just finished two pens of corion. Same deal. Best guess not too long on one project at one time. It all polishes up nice though.
Bob

Hey, Bob,

Turn off your caps lock. It is the equivilent of shouting on the internet. And it's harder to read.

Thanks.

Well the use of acrylics in Nail bars has precautionary recommendations

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/sr13.pdf

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Gord

They say that 80% of smell is particulate, in other words a solid. Acrylics, corian, inlay stones/metals, and the stuff they use to stabilize wood is inorganic. If you can smell it there is an 80% chance you are breathing in some kind of dust, very small grains, of these products. The fact that they are inorganic means that your body/lungs can not process them back out like regular wood dust, an organic compound, and therefore will build up over time causing respritory problems.

I am in complete denial on all of the above. I do alot of inlay and turn alot of stabilized bottle stoppers. This was a discussion my lovely wife had with a doctor at our table while at the 2006 AAW Symposium banquet. That meeting combined with constant nagging of one of my closer friends in the local club have diverted much of my turning spending toward dust collection/control over the past year. Without that conversation I would have a vacume chuck by now, oh well.

So Gord, This story doesn't help ease your concerned housemate, sorry.

Frank