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Hi Trevor, No one is going to jump on you here. This is not like some of those "pro forums". You question is understandable and I am sure it is also shared by many who read but never post here. Rusty is entirely correct. First hand experience can't be beat. I would add to his excellent post that you don't have to be a pro painter working daily with the stuff to be affected. Different people have different tolerance levels for it. My own experience with isos was about 25 years ago. I painted just two cars (outside I might add) using a standard chemical cartridge respirator. I was using hardened acrylic enamel. Somewhere between two and four hours after the first car was completed I developed an acute hacking cough. That evening and through out the night I could only take relatively shallow breaths without coughing. That cough persisted for a couple of days. The second car was about a year later and the exact same thing occurred. I then began to pay attention to the "real fine print" on the hardener can label. As I recall, back then the recommendation was not as strong as you see nowadays. I think it said something to the effect that a standard respirator was recommended but for the best protection, a supplied air respirator can be used. I decided then that if I was going to continue using these materials I would get a supplied air system. I did just that and I have never had a problem since. Perhaps it's because of my prior experience with isocyanates that I feel you should do eveything you can to reduce or eliminate your exposure to them. I do my mixing outside and the only time I actually use the material without the fresh air mask is in a small paper cup, outside with an artist's brush touching up bolt heads and nuts. The eye protection is important also, although I have not had any problem with eyes. But then I use a full facemask where my eyes are already protected. Skin protection is advisable too. If you have ever seen any ads showing a pro painter in a booth spraying a car in recent years you likely will notice a complete tyvek "shoot suit", in addition to a helmet or hood plus rubber gloves. A "space suit" if you will. Automobile refinishing is done with iso-containing materials probably 90% of the time now (if not more). The increased emphasis on health has led (rightfully I think) to such precautions. I don't use a tyvek suit, although I probably should. I do wear long sleeves and use nitrile disposable gloves. A good, short and to the point, discussion of isocyanate health effects and safety is here. Another good one is here. Can you do "just a little bit" and get away with it? Maybe. It is unlikely to kill ya. I do not recommend it though. There are certainly some who pooh-pooh the safety precautions recommended when working with isos. Maybe they have lungs of steel; or maybe they are some of the lucky ones who are simply not adversely affected at all. In any event, the preponderence of the evidence over the past couple of decades indicates otherwise. Read as much as you can about the subject and make your own personal decision. Only you can make such a judgment call concerning risks to your own good health. Here's a section from the MSDS for one of the hardeners used with PPG OMNI MTK acrylic urethane: EYE PROTECTION: Wear chemical-type splash goggles or full face shield when possibility exists for eye contact due to splashing or spraying liquid, airborne particles, or vapors. SKIN PROTECTION: Wear protective clothing sufficient to cover exposed skin surfaces. For applications where skin contact is likely and impermeable clothing is necessary, select clothing constructed of: neoprene rubber. No specific permeation/degradation testing have been done on protective clothing for this product. Recommendations for skin protection are based on infrequent contact with this product. For frequent contact or total immersion, contact a manufacturer of protective clothing for appropriate chemical impervious equipment. RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: Where vapors or overspray are present, use a NIOSH approved, positive-pressure, air- supplied respirator for the entire time of spraying and until all vapors and mists are gone. Follow the respirator manufacturer's directions for respirator use. Didn't mean for this to be so long; got carried away :o).  Rod
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