Control Smell from Resin

[remeolb]

I recently started my first attempt at fiberglass work in my car. My garage shares a common wall with another space. I did my fiberglass work outside of my garage but have received several complaints from the people on the other side of the wall about the smell. They're really upset. I've done everything I can to keep doors open and ventilate the space. Not to mention all of the resin has been used outdoors. I even left my enclosure outside over night to cure. I don't know what else I can do and these peoples say the smell in their space is horrible. Any suggestions? What do professional shops do to control the smell?

[Greg S]

You might have to switch to epoxy resin. It generally has much less of a stink to it but cost a lot more. It's just a general fact that poly resin stinks and the smell does get everywhere. Other choice is to not glass where you are doing it.

[remeolb]

Would Evercoat's marine resin be considered an epoxy resin? I'm currently using their automotive resin.

[chad]

Move, some people are sensitive to two part stuffs, I'm married to one. Even bondo makes her angry.

[fourthmeal]

Shops don't give a F-. LOL.

But yeah, the fumes are pretty rough, I admit.

Epoxy resin should be easier on them, but rougher on your wallet.

[remeolb]

Have you guys found that doing work outside is enough to at least reasonably control the problem?

[fourthmeal]

I run the resin a little hot, that way it doesn't reek for days on end as it cures. Also when the mold is complete I use the milkshake technique (a little hot as well) and for some reason that doesn't smell nearly as bad.

Baking soda boxes help a bit.

[chad]

Round up a bunch of ferrel cats, male, to piss all over their bushes, this way they have a smell that's more pungent to worry about.

[fourthmeal]

Originally Posted by chad

Round up a bunch of ferrel cats, male, to piss all over their bushes, this way they have a smell that's more pungent to worry about.

I was going to say that if they are Indian then you could turn around and complain about their Curry...but I figured that would be out of line.

[remeolb]

Originally Posted by chad

Round up a bunch of ferrel cats, male, to piss all over their bushes, this way they have a smell that's more pungent to worry about.

This is my favorite suggestion yet, except for the part where I have to deal with cats.

[fourthmeal]

Ammonia passes for the same thing!

On a more serious note and to help you for real, ... either switch to a different brand of resin first, OR go Epoxy resin and see if things get better.

[fourthmeal]

...or burn a tire while you do it.

[chad]

Originally Posted by fourthmeal

...or burn a tire while you do it.

/thread due to extreme win.

[fourthmeal]

Originally Posted by chad

/thread due to extreme win.

YAY! I hardly ever score the winning point.

OP...what brand of resin are you using?

[scooter99]

You could try a fan too! When you glass, is your garage open when you do it? If it is, you can either shut your garage that way fumes don't go sit in there, or you can put the fan in it facing the driveway that way the fumes get vented out. Then give them the finger and say you're doing everything you can, deal with it!

[94VG30DE]

Would this help?

How to make a ghetto paint/sanding booth

[scooter99]

that's a great idea but the issue is the smell in the area not to him but his neighbors. Wouldn't that just blow the smell into the air?

[chad]

it's going to smell, it's going to smell all over, that's all there is to it... it smelled in my GD BASEMENT when I did mine and it made it there faster than I can run there.

[remeolb]

I'm using Evercoat's automotive resin

[fourthmeal]

Oh, that's pretty good stuff. Well you got your options, choose whatever works. Another thing to do is to befriend a local audio guy who has a HOUSE.

[sands1]

Just a shot in the dark here but if you already have a basic mold and its out of the car but you still want to do more to it, find a large thick plastic garbage bag big enough to drop your mold with room to spare. A big lid or large ring with a hole cut in it , a fist full of bounce dryer sheets and some tape .As soon as your ready to let it cure get it in the bag , use the dryer sheets to mock up a vent on the ring/lid and tape it to the top of the bag. You might need something to keep the bag from touching the mold as much as possible.
This really isn't a fix more of a reducer in the smell problem over a longer time period . While it cures it heats up and the smell spreads . Maybe the dryer sheets will let thru enough air to have flow and perhaps taint/reduce the resin smell ? By restricting the air flow it may take much longer to fully cure though.

Just an idea, not saying this would work, might be worth a shot though

[chad]

sounds like a fancy no-smell gravity bong to me.

[sands1]

That exactly what it is! It's it great how different endeavors with similar problems have similar solutions.

[remeolb]

I was afraid those were the only options I have. I was hoping there would be some sort of awesome "oh I never thought of that" type solution.

[94VG30DE]

Unfortunately it doesn't sound like it. This is the problem with living in close proximity to other folks that usually don't share your tolerance for the smells of the hobby. Same thing I had to deal with when I lived in an apartment complex. Turns out people don't like hearing a circular saw going through a full sheet of MDF on the common lawn. Oh well, never got kicked out. Just try to be courteous, and get the glassing done ASAP, and assure them that the fumes will not permanently damage anything