Spray safe!

[Ouija]

This is an important topic for beginners, since it addresses your health and how to protect yourself from the chemicals used in paint, markers, and other graffiti tools.

The most important thing is inhalation. Paint, as well as ink, contains chemicals that can cause nerve damage, cancer, brain damage, kidney problems, and tons of other shitty things. The most straightforward way to protect yourself from fumes is to wear a respirator. A respirator is basically a gas mask that covers just your mouth and nose, with a head strap so you can keep you hands free. Respirators are sold pretty much anywhere that sells paint, or has an extensive paint department. Places like local hardware/paint stores, Home Depot, Lowes, Eagle and Sears have them. Most of the time they're in the paint department, and run between $25-$40 (US). It's sounds like a lot, but dude, I'd rather dish out $40, and get replacement cartridges every so often, than have uncontrollable facial tics, a loose bladder, and renal failure when I'm 45. Make sure the mask filters out paint vapors and is NIOSH/OSHA certified/approved. Read the instructions, because this is the rest of your life you're talking about. Change your cartridges, because the mask is no good when the filters are done.

In addition to inhaling fumes, paint can soak into your skin and cause the same problems as inhaling the vapors. Your fingers might look cool after a night of painting, but it's a smarter idea to wear latex gloves, for a variety of reasons. A big box of 100 gloves is only a few bucks, and you can get them in the paint section of most department stores, supermarkets (where they keep cleansers and cleaning supplies), and pharmacies. You could even ask your doctor next time you have a check-up if you can get a box. I don't see why they'd say no when you explain you want to keep toxic chemicals off your hands. (I never tried it, I usually just grab a handful when they leave, but it's worth a shot)
You can also help prevent paint and ink from absorbing into your skin by staying hydrated. Drink water before and after you paint, and you won't get that tired assed-out feeling you sometimes get after a night on the town.

Check www.graffiti.org (http://www.graffiti.org) for detailed information on health and painting. They have a whole section devoted to real scientific information concerning the chemicals involved with spray paint, how to avoid exposure, and keeping yourself from becoming a drooling slob with incontinence.

[Ouija]

Oh yeah......if any of you feel like linking specific pages, copy/pasting information on here, or otherwise adding anything I forgot, please do so.

Don't be afraid to ask questions you think might be dumb. Fuck the haters.

[Smart]

nobody wants 'the drip' kids... take him seriously.

[Pistol]

Originally posted by Smart
nobody wants 'the drip' kids... take him seriously.
No one wants both versions of "the drip"
If your going to be painting in an enclosed area for a while make sure you don't just use one of those cheap surgical masks. Those thing's might help keep your boogers from getting all multi colored but the inhalants and other bad stuff can and will STILL fuck you up. If wearing a mask like that you might even be hurting yourself even more because your just getting alot of that stuff stuck inside your mask, thus inhaling that shit straight up.

[*SIZEROKS*]

I NEVER USE TO THINK ABOUT IT UNTILL ONE OF MY FRIENDS STARTED HAVING BLATER PROBLEMS.... I BELIEVE HE IS IN HIS EARLY THIRTYS AND HAS BEEN PAINTING SINCE THE LATE 80'S. HE'S EXPIERENCED THIS I THINK TWICE....PISSING BLOOD AND PASSING STONES IS NOT WHAT I CALL A PLEASENT TIME........

[hipnos]

i've heard that storing cans without the outer cap can also be a probem, because the propellant leaks out or something. i'm not sure about this, but better safe than sorry..

[23578]

couple things

hipnos-i think your misinformed, the only way it could leak past the valve would be if the cap was still on and gets pressed down, like in yr. backpack or what have you. it's a good idea to keep the caps in and top on for longevity reasons however.

on the safety tip, the way to tell if your mask needs new cartridges is if you can smell traces of fumes.

don't store your mask with your paint, even if it's in a sealed container i'm told that it goes bad too quickly like that.

aside from the fumes, be safe around high places and heavy moving objects as well.

[imported_alkaline]

I originally posted this in a glove thread that Daze One Million started in June. It’s long, I know, but it’s very important that everyone is aware of this.

Originally posted by alkaline
Something to keep in mind for all you guys that wear latex gloves. This is an article that was printed in Skin and Ink magazine. The situation this guy describes is a little different, but it's good information to have just in case. Sorry about the length.
------------------------
A potential threat to the health of all working tattoo artists lurks in latex gloves, the very item we now think of as standing as our first defense against cross-contamination with blood-borne diseases.
When I began my tattoo career fifteen years ago I was immediately instructed in the concept of sterile field, and the many ways that a tattoo artist must maintain constant vigilance in their working environment. My mentor Cliff Raven was ahead of his time in his awareness of medical concepts, and as a result wearing gloves has always been a part of my tattoo experience. It is important to note how recently they have become a part of tattooing, and how ubiquitous their presence is now.
After five years or so I started to notice that I would get a rash on the back of my hands if I used gloves for long hours in hot weather. This is called a contact dermatitis, caused by direct contact with a substance. These little bumps are called comedomes, and if scratched at they become tiny open sores, perfect portals for entry of virus. When I learned that the vaseline commonly used to maintain the stencil on the skin is capable of breaking down the latex, causing it to become porus (why they advise NOT to use petroleum products with latex condoms) I started changing them every twenty minutes and making sure I let my hands cool off in between.
Eventually I started hearing rumours of latex allergy, which I heard was caused by the powder in the gloves. It acts as an abrasive substance, wearing down the skin surface, the epidermal layer, inviting the allergy-causing latex proteins to enter into the body. So at a cost almost double that of powdered gloves I switched to powder-free latex, marketed for the electronics clean-room industry. Things were fine for the next decade or so, no rashes, except I did notice that I coughed when I ate kiwi fruit, said to be an indicator of increasing sensitivity to latex. I figured, ok, how often do I eat kiwi?
Then this last February I worked at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Portland, Maine, one of my favorite conventions. I worked a very intense three day event in a room full of artists and fans, and immediately afterwards I developed a wierd barking cough. At the time I thought it was some sort of virus or fungus I'd caught on the plane flight in, and laughed with my friends about how the airlines never change the filters in the planes and we are all lucky not to get Legionnaire's Disease when we fly.
But the cough didn't go away, and it developed into something that felt like asthma. I was running on reduced oxygen, feeling like I was pre-pneumonial, and very tired all the time.
Then one day it hit me: maybe I had developed a latex allergy? I went to my Macintosh and spent the next three nights reading many of the over one thousand websites devoted to and discussing latex allergy. What I found out scared me a lot, and I am writing this article not as a medical expert but as a person who is immediately affected, to warn the rest of the profession that this problem is waiting to affect all of us.
My theory is that working in that room, where most of the artists were using powdered gloves, pushed me over a toxicity limit and caused me to develop a greater sensitivity to latex than I had previously.
On one website I saw a photograph of a powdered glove being taken off, and the lighting is arranged to show the three-feet-across cloud of powder filling the air around it. It is barely visible to us under normal circumstances, but it is a real problem. The proteins in the latex have bonded to the powder in the gloves, and once they are airborne they go into the lungs. This is how the allergic reaction develops. Once enough of this protein-bonded powder gets breathed in, it causes the body to develop immunities and the response is like asthma or a hayfever allergy.
Originally the gloves were powdered with talc, but in 1988 this was switched to corn starch which caused fewer cases of contact dermatitis. Now many are switching to oat powder, said to dry out the skin less and bind less to the proteins. Most manufacturers offer all their gloves in powdered and unpowdered forms.
The powder is the vehicle for transferrance for the proteins, and the rate at which this happens can vary greatly between suppliers or even between batches from the same supplier. Unpowdered gloves go through a chlorine wash that should lower the level of concentration of the proteins on the surface by rinsing them away.
But it doesn't stop with itchy dry skin and asthma. If exposure to the allergin continues, the reaction becomes more severe. It progresses from simple irritant contact dermatitis, to allergic contact dermatitis, to full latex allergy.
There are several of the websites I read that are dedicated to the memory of doctors and nurses who have dropped dead of heart attacks or anaphalactic shock because of this. Many medical professionals have had to leave their chosen careers because of it, and now cannot even enter a hospital. Many wear Medic-Alert bracelets warning of latex allergy, because if emergency treatment is given (say, after a car crash) with a latex tube for intravenous fluids, they will go into shock and die.
Scared yet?
How about not being able to ever again wear sneakers, or touch a rubber band. The average home or workplace is filled with things made from natural rubber latex, a fascinating substance whose discovery led to a host of products making use of the unique qualities of this natural polymer, a chain of molecules that can be stretched out and then retain its shape.
No more latex condoms! Now you can see this can get serious. Working around latex once you have the allergy could have disasterous consequences, and latex-free living could get very confining. No elastic in underwear! No pencil erasers. Let your imagination run a bit.
Fortunately there is a way to use an alternative product in the tattoo studio, and I am very pleased to say that within a week of converting my shop over to Nitrile gloves all my symptoms are gone. My employee Andreas Gutow had been experiencing mild problems breathing and chest constriction for years, but hadn't ever thought it was work-related or if it was he figured it was no big deal. In his other life his band Les Benson often plays in smoke-filled bars, and heÕd considered any wheeziness an unavoidable side-effect of a rock-and-roll lifestyle. He also noticed the difference as soon as we switched to Nitrile, those symptoms are gone.
Nitrile butadiene rubber, a completely synthetic polymer that mimics natural rubber, was developed many years ago; but until just a few months ago a patent made it the closely held product of only one supplier. The cost was prohibitive, and as a result few artists have experimented with it. Nitrile gloves are commonly blue or white, and so you may have seen a trendy few at conventions wearing them and wondered if this was a fashion preference. I predict they are going to be an important clue to the preservation of many careers that could otherwise be cut short.
I emailed all forty companies I could find on the web who listed themselves as suppliers of Nitrile. I asked them all for samples. Nine replied, and the result of my small bit of consumer testing was that I stayed with the same glove distributor I had been buying from.
Of the few who did send samples, not all of them were identified as medical quality. Beware what may seem like a good price on nitrile, because if the glove is not clearly marked for EXAM use it may be industrial or food industry grade and NOT have the FDA class one medical device 510K status. No gloves are actually "approved" by the FDA, but to be labeled exam quality they must pass more stringent quality control testing.
I ended up buying a case from my usual glove supplier, who was also so good as to accept back for trade-in my two cases of powder-free latex I had in backstock at the studio. He is very knowledgeable about the glove industry, a world-wide trading frenzy that involves Malaysian and Indonesian raw materials and production coordinated with international supply routes. In conversations with him I sorted through all that I was reading on the websites and got a deeper understanding of the problem.
Since the advent of AIDS and the several hepatitis strains the worldwide demand for latex gloves has skyrocketed, and not all the factories overseas keep to the medical-grade standards of production that are crucially necessary. If they do not rinse the latex gloves thoroughly there are more proteins left on the surface, and these possibly cheaper gloves will bring on an allergic reaction quicker. If they use a cheaper grade of powder, ditto.
It is these same companies that are now going into the business of producing Nitrile gloves. They have the factories in place, the technology is similar, and most importantly they have the international distribution routes in place. The gloves are brought in from Malaysia or Indonesia in containers on cargo ships, and hopefully they are inside the ship as it makes the forty day journey across hot tropical seas. If the container is on the top deck, a whole side of cases of gloves can be damaged, where they were overheated in transport. The mystery of why some batches of gloves break easily or stick together is solved.
It is quoted on numerous websites that twelve to eighteen percent of the medical personnel in America are now experiencing some form of latex allergy. A current flyer from the Center for Disease Control and the US Dept. of Helth and Human Services warns: "Workers exposed to latex gloves and other products containing natural rubber latex may develop allergic reactions such as skin rashes; hives; nasal,eye, or sinus symptoms; asthma; and (rarely) shock."
Johns Hopkins University teaching medical center is soon to become the first hospital to go latex-glove-free. They cannot go completely latex-free, that would require doctors and nurses to give up elastic in their underwear and shoes, but it is a start. Some patients, such as those with spinal bifida and certain auto-immune diseases, develop severe reactions to latex. Ask any nurse or doctor, they will tell you personal stories of co-workers and patients affected.
Another synthesized protein-free glove does exist, vinal stretch elastomer, polyvinal chloride, or poly-ethelyne gloves. These are the 1.0 mil thick sandwhich-bag type gloves used in food handling. They are non-conforming to the hand, not safe for use around blood, offer no tactile sensitivity, and are not at all an adequate alternative. Also PVC plastic contains DEHP, a probable carcinogen, and is being withdrawn from medical applications. I got samples of vinal labeled exam quality but the fit was way too floppy and totally inadequate for use around blood.
Tattoo artists are now competing for supply with many others who have non-medical applications for barrier gloves, such as automobile garage mechanics and food service workers who are increasingly being encouraged or required to glove up. All these new customers are putting a real strain on the world supply of gloves, and many new companies are entering the marketplace, often with substandard product. It is vital that tattoo artists remember that for their safety any glove much be rated for medical use, not industrial.
For me, I feel extremely lucky to have had the flash of inspiration to self-diagnose this in time, and also that the cost of Nitrile gloves has dropped now to a manageable amount, not much more than latex. I consider it a small extra price to pay to continue in the occupation I love. But I won't be working any more conventions, because I can't risk a recurrance of another major sensitising event. I want to do everything I can to not get any more allergic.
Much as I don't want to make myself into the poster child for this problem, informing my fellow tattoo artists of this very real threat to their continued ability to remain within this industry is very important to me. If this article saves a few people some illness and allows them to continue their work, I've done my bit.


Check out this picture of some nitrile gloves. ('http://"http://www.andersons-online.com/images/7005.jpg"')

Also, do a search online, and find 800-numbers of some glove distributers. Sometimes you can call them and ask them to send you a few sample gloves. That way you can make sure you like them before you buy a whole box.

If this helps even one person, then this post will have been worth my time.

[imported_CATS]

All I can say is keep the people informed. I had a close friend who would never wear a mask, he would tel me it was gay and that I was paranoid. Wel my homie is now pissing into a bag from paint fume inhalation. Dont catch yourself sleeping, wear your damned mask.

[Cracked Ass]

Hipnos, that seepage threat is nonexistent, even from a 300-can stash next to your bed. Seepage occurs very slowly, over the years, from some cans. The amount that seeps out in an hour or a day is what they call "negligible", or so close to zero that it's tough to find a measuring device sensitive enough to pick it up. In any case it's way below what your liver and kidneys can handle around the clock.

[wakassOATH]

i get my gloves from the doctors office
my mask is totally fucked i did all the rong things with it
and it has little holes and streach marks in the inside rubber
plus my filters are totally shot
time for a new one

[--zeSto--]

Originally posted by 23578
aside from the fumes, be safe around high places and heavy moving objects as well.

so roof-tops and frieghts are out.

seriously though, They're are real risks involved (more than just the police).
I dont think I'm willing to die for the throwup over the freeway.
Just make sure to plan safely, and work your way up to things.
There's a reason why some rooftops aren't open to traffic.
Cellings have canved in and rusted metal lurks almost everywhere.
The older the building, the greater the risk.
Even storm drains and gulleys could be the end of it.
It's very important to play safe.

[~i~hear~voices~]

i cant stress enough with how much u guys need to wear a gloves, and masks.....especially u new comers startin to write.......i know for me i really dont like to use gloves that much but im startin to get in to the groove of using em...i guess why i never used em was cause of the feelin and stuff...but now that i know how much it can fucked up the nerves in ur skin...well thats not my idea of cool...and the mask thing...is very important....before i ever started painting...i always hit my black book...and those uni paint...sharpies....super piolots...etc...arent excalty the smell free type....i remember 5 mins of hittin in that shit...i would come out floatin on cloud nine....which wasnt really cool cause after awhile i started forgeting things...even the smallest shit i couldnt remember...then when i started painting it got kinda worse... i always used to see my folks wearin em when they went and painted i always thought it looked hella stupid so i was like i aint wearin that shit ...but they started noticing how much i could keep my head straight and shit so they gave me a mag on graff health...i know it sounds funny but they actually have that shit so it u cats can get u hands on it go grab it.. or go to that web site ouija recomended...its really use full info....and like he said id rather throw down 40 for a mask and filters then to have tics and bladder problems...which is what i did so i hope now itll help... but the best for u new comers to do is ask questions.... try to find out all the health risk about it and see what u can do to better ur health.....cause i know now that id rather know when i have to go insted of just losing it every 5 sec.......:D

[SayOne]

I'd spent a whole day on a fairly large production. I had this brilliant sensation of a burning throat, chest and stomach. I felt dizzy and sick. This is when I finally realized paint fumes were really starting to get to me.

Anyone who has ever done a piece should know afterwards, the colour of your main fill-in, reappears when you blow your nose. If you're saying "yuk.. I don't look at my snot", - let me put it to you another way. Ever painted indoors? If you have, you'll know what I mean by "spray mist". Spray cans let the paint out, and most of that paint lands on your train, wall or whatever, but the gas drifts on outwards.. until it settles. When you're painting, your lungs take in this mist, the inside of your lips and nose absorb it. (Ever seen anyone sniff cocaine?) Paint-toxins can even be absorbed through your skin. (Read anything on aromatherapy baths etc.) Now with this knowledge, think about the ground underneath your piece.. did it ever have a taint of your main colours? A cover of fine, sticky, dusty pigment? Now think about that in your body... Now buy (or rack) yourself a mask, pronto.

What Mask?
A decent mask should cover your nose and mouth. It should have at least two filters. The outside filter is called a "dust filter", and usually consists of filt, or a paper based filter, in plastic casing. The outside filter stops you inhaling the dusty particles of paint mist. The inside filter is a "gas filter", and usually consists of a coal-based substance, in a metal casing. This is the filter that stops the gas/fumes - which you may not notice as easily as the "paint dust" - yet this is the most hazardous aspect of using aerosols.

Both filters should fit in, or screw into your mask. Masks themselves are generally made of latex, plastic or rubber, and should strap on tightly enough to stop you inhaling any other way than through the filters. There is usually a simple valve on the mask itself - which allows you to exhale.

Filters will continuously "clean" air if they are left in an open space. So when your mask is not in use, keep it in a clean airtight container. (Your mothers tupperware will do ;-)

If you ever smell or taste paint through the mask, it's time to change filters. Generally - depending on how much you paint - changing once a year is advisable.

There are other, cheaper forms of masks, but these usually only stop dust/mist.. they're meant for sawdust.. not toxic fumes... by all means they're better than nothing - but not good enough.

Furthermore

Before and after you paint, make sure you eat and drink (preferably water). This should make your body less absorbent to the paint's toxins. Never clean your spray can tips by blowing through them, (this will invariably cover your lips in paint), do it as it says on the can, hold upside down, and spray until only gas comes out.

In my case, I think I might of realized just in time. I'd never suffered from asthma before. Now, when I run to catch a train or whatever, I'll quite often end up wheezing and puffing badly.

The following extract is quoted from Upski's book "Bomb The Suburbs". If I haven't influenced you, hopefully this will:



MESSAGE TO MARIO: WEAR YOUR MASK
"We used to have a joke that spray paint was fucking up our memories. A few weeks ago, Mario called me with a new joke. When we were 13 and 14, we painted dozens of walls together, traded girls, fought gangbangers, battled other crews, and talked on the phone almost every day. For a while, Mario was my best friend. After we stopped hanging out, he got even deeper into painting. He painted with different partners every week, traded photos around the world, and filled his life with graffiti. Even the great Trixter had said he was a graffiti head.

We used to have a joke that spray paint was fucking up our memories. A few weeks ago, Mario called me with a new joke. "It wasn't the memory, it was the bladder," he said. "About a year ago I started noticing I had to use the washroom more often. Before I learned to control it, I would urinate in bed even. It kept getting worse. Now, I can't drink anything for two hours before I go to bed. I pee once before bed, then I have to get up again twice during the night"

The neurotoxins in spray paint have damaged the part of Mario's brain which produces hormones to control his bladder. The label on any spray can will tell you it can also damage the immune and nervous system, kidney, liver and lungs - the same is true for a lot of markers.

Anyone who's gone piecing has felt the slight dizziness, and loss of appetite. Some of us get headaches and nausea. I personally get muscle spasms and my hair is starting to go (one of four writers I know who're early balding). In the long run, who knows? Spray paint could be our Asbestos, our AIDS.

Coincidentally, I have a second friend named Mario. This Mario lives on the West Side, and he's at least as much of a graffiti head as the first Mario. He paints at least as much as the first Mario, and has at least as many problems. "All my life, I never used to pick my nose," he told me recently. "Then in 1988, I started having to pick my nose all the time, getting paint-colored snot, scratchy throat, wheezing. Then one time, I did this real big production and I coughed up blood. After that I lost my voice for like a week. Dude, I was scared. I didn't want anybody to know. The doctor told me don't spray paint no more. I kept doing it, and my symptoms kept getting worse. I stutter... I get a tightness in my eye, twitches in my wrist... Dude, I get major, major headaches... The worst part is, I feel like I'm getting stupider; I can't articulate myself as well as I used to be able to... I think I'm addicted to doing graffiti, I fiend for it. Graffiti is my life. I feel like I might have to die for it."

I have to admit, death by graffiti sounds like an honorable way to go out. I dream of it myself. But isn't that giving up at the game, copping out at the challenge of life: the challenge to be stronger, smarter, healthier, better than we thought we could be. The challenge to survive.

Mario, I don't want to visit you in the hospital or at the cemetery, and I don't want you to visit me there. Sometime in life, I too may have to cough up blood, lose my hair, or to lose my mind because of the painting I've done. But I ain't going out like no sucker.

When I use spray paint, I do everything to dilute the toxins and keep them out of my body. I eat before and after painting, use the wind to avoid inhaling fumes, steer clear of other toxins, refuse to paint indoors, and refuse to go out unless I really care about the piece. Most of all, I wear gloves and a mask, changing the filters regularly. I'm wearing that fucker right now. Please wear your mask too, Mario. Both of you. that shit ain't funny no more."


Taken from "Bomb The Suburbs - revised second edition", by William Upski Wimsatt,
http://graffiti.org/faq/masks.html
http://graffiti.org/

[BIGMETALCIRCUS]

kidney stones are by no means fun at all. it took me three months to pass one that was 6mm by 3mm in diameter. lots of blood pissed away and a day spent in a canadain hospital while on vacation.

[Ouija]

Not like avoiding putting it on backwards or whatever, but to make sure you have a tight fit around your face, so no fumes come in from the side.


After putting your mask on, cover the cartridges with your hands and take a deep breath. If you feel any air seeping through the sides of your mask, adjust it. Then cover the little piece in the middle where air escapes after you breathe it. Adjust that if necessary. If you have facial hair, that might fuck up the airtight seal you need, plus everyone's face is shaped differently, so adjusting the mask is important. It takes 2 seconds.

[imported_Magnet Man]

when im bombing and i dont wanna wear a mask..

i just dampen my hoody sleeve and breath thru it. filters out a little bit of the nasties...

[MisPantalonesEstaEnfuega]

paint absorbed through the skin will fuck you up!

I am very good about wearing my mask but I never wear gloves and in the summer I am sometimes almost naked when painting, like an idiot. I have recently developed a kidney problem that is going to stay with me the rest of my life. I piss blood atleast once a week, my lower back hurts, I am always sleepy, and very achie. The other thing about it, there is nothing my doctor can do to help me. Sure, pain killers, they won't make me better. Also, drink a shit load of water before and after.


please wear gloves.

[*DESNT*]

wow, thnx for all the info guys. i usualy dont wear a mask or gloves, but after reading all this i think i might start. also, wear a condom when u paint.......trust me.

[imported_dr. frink one]

i just have to ask....what are some minor side affects you guys are feeling now..., or major ones for that. Sometimes i think i am just being paranoid....i wear a mask, but juts wondering if people could list some minor things they notice.

[dai]

actually...tonight i was painting a freight and i inhaled alot more fumes than i ever have. then on my way home from the yard i pieced up a wall and then again i was inhaling alot of fumes. well i got home with a KILLER headache and i felt like puking. i just come now to figure out how bad fumes can hurt you. you can bet your ass im not going painting again without a mask or gloves...this has scared me straight. thnx guys, this site is doin a damn wonderful thing ;)

[imported_tEkRoCkS]

werd up fellas good lookin out for the rest of us.......:cool: :cool:

[dai]

could that possibly be the tek i know? VA tek?

[imported_CATS]

If anyone paints in a warm climate they may notice sweaty mask syndrome. I usually place a paper towel inside my mask, this absorbs the sweat and helps keep the correct seal.

[Ouija]

Originally posted by dr. frink one
i just have to ask....what are some minor side affects you guys are feeling now..., or major ones for that. Sometimes i think i am just being paranoid....i wear a mask, but juts wondering if people could list some minor things they notice.

Some common problems are muscle spasms and other irregularities in motor function, respiratory problems, like wheezing and coughing, persistent headaches, dizziness, bladder problems, sterility (your boys don't swim), etc, etc. Everything that can happen to you can be found in the MSDS information for paint. Check the manufacturer's websites.

http://12.15.48.56/ibg/MSDS/

Keep in mind that you can experience similar symptoms from any number of unrelated conditions. Getting a headache every day might not be related to painting at all.

[fire crotch]

Hey. First I would like to say this post is great. I never really check the yard but these are good tips. I just recently acquired a respirator. So i am pretty new on using the thing. I was just wondering like how often i should change the filters and cartridges. And to not be smelling the aerosol through the mask, yet still be breathing it in? Cause the other night i was peicing and i was wearing my mask, and i thought it was correctly fitted, and when i was done i had worked up a huge headache. So i was wondering if I got a shitty respirator or if it wasnt fitted or what. If anyone has answers or just more tips on becoming more familiar with your respirator please hit me back. Thank you.

[Ouija]

Originally posted by fire crotch
Hey. First I would like to say this post is great. I never really check the yard but these are good tips. I just recently acquired a respirator. So i am pretty new on using the thing. I was just wondering like how often i should change the filters and cartridges. And to not be smelling the aerosol through the mask, yet still be breathing it in? Cause the other night i was peicing and i was wearing my mask, and i thought it was correctly fitted, and when i was done i had worked up a huge headache. So i was wondering if I got a shitty respirator or if it wasnt fitted or what. If anyone has answers or just more tips on becoming more familiar with your respirator please hit me back. Thank you.

If you're painting and you catch a whiff of fumes, your mask is leaking somewhere. Not like a hole in it, necessarily, but some part of the seal isn't fitted well. Try adjusting it.
If you smell paint continually while wearing your mask, the cartridges are spent. Time to get new ones. They'll last longer if you keep them in some sort of airtight container, like tupperware or a freezer bag. If you can't smell the fumes, your mask is ok.
Keep in mind that headaches are common with stress, too. You could work up a good headache in a sketchy spot if you're feeling nervous. It's called a tension headache.

[fire crotch]

thanks a million man. peace

[wetgal925GMP]

i just want to say thanks to all the peps that are looking out for everyone else most people just talk shit about it but you are taking it serious like it should be so thanks to u all and i give much props

[imported_dirtysicks]

I have never used a mask, aint nuttin rong wif me!

[imported_reighn_1]

yeah, before and after you paint, eat food and drink a lot of water. it will help you in not being affeted as much, and will help your body get rid of it easier.

i had decided before i paint next that i am getting one. i had known a lot of this stuff before, but i am reading this book called The Crazy Makers. its about how the pesticides and preservatives in our food are whats making people have ADD and tons of deaseases like cancers. but it talks about how bad some of the chemicals are for your brain. and i'm paranoid after reading this.

one time i was painting in the yard with one of my friends and there is a light way down at the beginning of the yard. well my friend was on the panel of the car closer to the light. i look over and could barely see him cause the light was hitting all the fumes. he was in a huge cloud. ar first i laughed, then i realized how scary that is.

[fire crotch]

Yo, even if you dont care if it helps u or not...it looks cool and gives you a lil disguise when u are doin stuff. :eek:

[BeeBee]

Hey...you can get the little white masks at lowes for only $4...they are NIOSH approved...does anyone know if these do the job?
Here is the link to respiratory masks at lowes (http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=productList&function=search&categoryId=FACE_PROTECTION%2FRESPIRATION.CATEGORY)

[imported_dr. frink one]

those little sugical masks won't help you avoid what you are trying to avoid.
on another note, how long do people usually notice problems?
after 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years? What have you guys heard.
All I know is this post has helped me, but made me very very paranoid. Every time i pee, and shake, and then have some more left, i think OH NO! could it be??? yea...

[BeeBee]

ok...also the fumes from paint can hurt ur eyes too so...would it help to wear those plastic eye things?
btw, that thing happens everytime i piss lol

[fire crotch]

nah man, thats just the pee shiver. it happens to the best of us. lol...its great. so dont let it get u down, enjoy it. lol. its not bad unless u start convulsing or something...then u might wanna get it checked out.

[GorbortOrman]

I want to know if crohns disease, IBS(Irrtable Bowel Syndrome), and Ulcerative Colitis(sp?) have any relation to paint chemicals or inhalation. I dont have a good mask right now but I'm getting one soon. I remember in a post a few monthes back you said that paint inhalation causes 'gastrointestinal(sp?) diseases' Thats why i'm asking this cause I have killer intestinal pains and i have been hospitalized 3 times already for it in the last year and I paint almost everyother day atleast. Fill me in if you can... thanks

[imported_dirtysicks]

What mask do you use? Is there one you would recommend? Something small, light, efficient.:confused:

[imported_Proph UAcrew]

Well, I've been wearin a mask for a year and a half almost since I heard about the pissin blood shit and all the drama that comes with that, but I still went without one for like 5 years...
alkaline- thanks for posting that, that shit is crazy, I would have never thought of having medical problems from latex gloves. I bet most of the people who read this thread skipped right by your whole post because of it's length. I probley already have symptoms of this and don't even know it... I prolly just blame it on the booz or smoking... but I have gloves on for like 25 hours every week, and condoms on about the same amount of time. and it's not even like you can just stop using condoms cause you fear this, and I've never seen Nitrile condoms... or not yet at least. maybe thats the next thing coming out, that would be ill, cause there are alot of girls allergic to latex, which puts you on the spot to make the decision... go raw, or go home... which sucks.
anyway... thanks

[uh and yes]

um, yesterday my heart rate was 180 (average is 70) for a good 10 minutes... then, it cooled off. does anyone know any correlation for this. i admit i rarley wear a mask nor gloves.

[~i~hear~voices~]

Originally posted by dr. frink one
i just have to ask....what are some minor side affects you guys are feeling now..., or major ones for that. Sometimes i think i am just being paranoid....i wear a mask, but juts wondering if people could list some minor things they notice.

some of the shit im noticing with me is twitching...and bloody noses this has been going on for a while now and im to subbren to go get it checked out....it started 3 months ago and has been going on ever since..not bad but some time when i work out or play vegoris(sp) sports i notce my muscles start to wig on me on go into this twitching sence and i some time bleed at the nose to...i paint indoors sometimes and ur main color does reaccure in ur snot like sayone mentioned...no i dont look at me snot its just kinda hard not to when u see blue or a teal color highliting ur bugers..lol...i paint at my cuzes once and a while and i forget my mask at times and he only has one and hes always using it...well it sucks cause its indoors and i breath all this in well its making it worse not better...so to all those that paint...remember ur masks and gloves no matter what the situation calls for.........:D

[HAL]

Man, you really need to start wearing a mask.

Painting indoors is pretty much the worst thing you can do.

[donaldfrisco]

yesterday i painted for about three hours...for the rest of the day my kidneys were aching...Now they feel ok, but god dam that shit actually hurt...I had a mask with me, but didnt use it (i know, great discussion)...

Anyone else experience this shit??

[Amuser]

Does anyone know if chrome paint is more toxic than colours? I almost always feel fucked after a chromie.

[imported_leakbreath]

i always use the mask....i seen them fumes fuck people up.

[Umpa Loompa]

i read this thread about two weeks ago.. and since then, ive been so careful with everything.. gloves, masks. all that great stuff..i plan on checking back to this thread just to remind myself of how bad fumes and such really are... ive been making lts of krink, which has lots of oil.. and ive been getting alot of it on my skin.. what will this do....

[metasin]

painting without respirator= stupid

[imported_NME]

Originally posted by metasin
painting without respirator= stupid

>comming from a person who just asked what a marker is used for..........?!

[pullatrigger]

:D paint smells good. damn. fuck a mask sniff that shit. I fuckin squirt paint into my nostrils because i like cant get enough of it.


By the way, has anyone seen that episode of Cops with the dude who sniffed one 20 oz can of paint everyday? He was like a zombie, practically brain dead.

PEACE. TVC!

[mawsAA]

Yeah Uumpa Lumpa, I'm going to do the same thing, I ead this post and then went and got myself a mask and painted with it the first time last night and it was so good. I didn't feel shit afterwards at all.
And Amuser, I think you may be right..I always feel worse after chromies too....
Especially if you use Australian "Export" type paint..I swear that stuff is toxic as fuck...

[HAL]

Chrome and other metallics are more harmful than regular paint. On domestic brands like rustoleum and krylon, there's a VOC (volatile organic content) percentage on the bottom. Most normal paints are 60-65%. Metallics are 80-85%. What that means is that 85% of the vapors in metallics are harmful to the human body. Also, metallics actually contain metal, which is why old chromies tarnish and fade after time. Metal is generally not good to breathe in.

[40ozProphet]

damn,thanks everyone on this site for this info.luckily,ive just done small quick tags with markers and havnt done anything with spray paint.you all just saved my healthy life :king:

[Porcheezee]

its also very important not to fo anything dangerous such as: climb up to a high area such as a rooftop or billboard or expressway overpass, and never ever ever go into abondoned buildings or near live trains, especially passenger trains such as the metra, because they are very heavy and can kill you. also you should stay out of bad neighborhoods because there are all sorts of ruffians about that can be harmful or fatal. avoid fights or physical altercations of any kind. other good health tips:
get your flu shots every fall
always wear a scarf if it's cold out
don't have sex before you're married
don't drink or smoke
eat right- you'll be proud of yourself
stay away from illegal substances of any kind

following these simple tips will definatly keep your overall health at a maximum, hell you could live to 100!

[microsoft_golf]

lately my lungs have been hurting at times...ouch...not even when painting it hurts to breathe...even though ive been wanting a mask...ive been out of a job for a while but should have one soon and ill be getting a mask...i hope the hurting isnt from painting...ill never stop though!thanks for the info everyone!:cool:

[DASK NCK]

i dont have a mask yet, im workin on getting one. I just hold my breath and then step away from my "canvas" and then go back...

[fire crotch]

Sykorok- Have u been breathing hard out in like really cold weather perhaps? Cause thats happenned to me and afterwords my lungs hurt like a bitch for days and sometimes weeks. Just wondering...Oh yeah and i wouldnt breathe in anything where you can see the particles everwhere...like chrome or metallic

[JoeHatesCops]

I was painting once with three other people, and we had a mask, and two bandannas and we were trading off like, when a person was doing their fill they got it, even then, we were coughing up paint

[imported_Colt]

Word up to this post, we can't have writers dying left and right....one day after painting i realized i couldn't walk straight....so I thought to myself...that probabally means brain cells are dying! YAY....it's been all about the respirator ever since then.....another thing....paint fumes are HORRIBLE for your eyes....i'm not saying people should wear goggles when they paint, in fact, i have no solution....i guess just get creative...
thanks for all the info...i never used to wear gloves...I may start...

COLT

[fire crotch]

Just paint with your eyes closed..ha. At least you could try it out. Or maybe put on some real dark sunglasses and wheel around in a motorized wheel chair and have a seeing eye dog and carry a back pack full of your gear and bomb. If you were disguised as a blind guy i bet the cops would never fuck with you.

[shameless self promotion]

[img]http://www.freephoto-i.net/users/aeso/shame.JPG'>

[ASER1NE]

ive only used a mask like twice , and i dont really think its a big deal , if i notice the fumes i just cover my mouth with my sleeve / shirt

[HAL]

Sorry pal. That doesn't do the trick. You might be blocking the paint particles, but the fumes expelled with the paint are gas, and will go right through cloth.

Gas masks have filters filed with charcoal, which soaks up the gases and paint particles. Covering your mouth with your sleeve or a dust mask doesn't really block anything. The gas passes right through the fibers. I guess it's better than nothing at all.

[ASER1NE]

that i did not know , but im not to worried about it.....even if i should be...
those cheap dust masks dont do anything ? ive used them a few times......wheres the charcoal in those masks ? i only notice some sorta white fibrous material...........?

[REGULATOR]

about how many times on average do these people paint???? because ive done maybe 10 fills over a 2-3 month time where i can hella smell fumes, the others were in the wide open......but is that enough to fuck me up???

[autobernard]

although masks cost about 40 bucks or so, they're well worth it. A leaky bladder and cancer will set you back a whole lot more. The other thing -- to prolong the life of your mask, store it in a large ziploc bag or some airtight container. otherwise the mask is constantly filtering the air around it. and if you put your nose to the filters and they smell anything like paint its time to discard them for new ones.

[ASER1NE]

good tip AUTOB , ima look into getting one in the near future...

[C-O-K PBScru]

THATS AS SCARY THAN BEIN A WRITER IN NYC AND GETTIN CAUGHT BY THE POLICE IN THE YARDS BY YOURSELF DAMN POLICE BRUTALITY

ANYWAYS THANKS FOR THE INFO CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE PAINT GETTIN THROUGH YOUR SKIN

MUCH LOVE TO ALL WRITERS PEACE

[mawsAA]

Yeah paint is sketchy...With the getting in your eyes thing, I don't know what you can do about that, just watch where you're spraying, and try to get out of the way if it floats near you..Cos I got it in my eyes last night and it stings, it can't be good...
And I think this may have been said before, but I'll say it again for effect...Drink water before you go out for a paint, cos it stops the paint from soaking into you......
Have fun and goodnight....

[HAL]

A lot of old school NY guys are experiencing some serious health problems from never using a mask and painting in tunnels and all that. Cancer, kidney problems, lung problems, brain problems.... I don't want to go into specifics out of respect for people's privacy, but it catches up to you. Your life is just as precious to you when you're 20 and when you're 50. It's tough to keep it real when you're on oxygen or have to get dialysis. Not to mention reproductive harm.

[leprakan]

i usta wear a resporater...but not much no more cause its kinda troblesome to carrie around

[magali]

Damn I couldn't agree more, ones health ALWAYS comes first, good post.

[Smart]

bump

[BROWNer]

Originally posted by HAL
Painting indoors is pretty much the worst thing you can do.

in addition, maybe not quite as relevant, painting canvas or boards whathaveyou,
and then bringing them in your house anytime earlier than a good full day is not
very good either. leave that shit outside to air out and dry.

[RaiD]

i just purchased a new top quality resperater the other day... after throwing down a 4 hour piece i felt GREAT! not dizzy or sick or anything... never painting without it again!

[mizx]

yeah i wanna getta mask.. but i dont have anough money :(

[Statistics]

Same with me. But i hope to get a job soon so there we are.

[kavis87]

I found a nice mask with like a dozen new filters in this abandoned factory, it did me good for a while, but was really drunk one night and let someone borrow it, then he went to jail for a long time...so I need a new one now. I think it's essential to wear gloves, as well, in case shit goes down with the 5-0 you won't be caught red-handed. I hear you can get out of trouble easily as long as there's no paint on your hands, no evidence, I guess.

[SALEM]

i had a friend off in tha westside who used to bomb a lot, and he would be complainin about liteheadness and shits then one day he blew his nose, and his snot was blue (cuz we were lovin that rusto) but now hes developin like "pothead symptoms" delayed reactions and shit, forgetfulness headaches, diffulculty in breathing all that bad stuff. So what i am saying is wear a mask, get them gloves on and be safe

[desired]

One day I was walking in the dark and out of the blue a dog starts attacking me. I first reaction was 2 bark back,lol (naw man).
So I grabbed 2 cans in my bag and aimed it at the dogs face, and sprayed and sparyed until the face of the dog turned blue. Eventually the dog fell 2 the ground and I was safe.

moral of the story is spraypaint saved my life. yup said 2 say it but who knows what that dog could have done.

in a closing note when U c a mean dog just bring out the spraypaint and spray and end up being safe

[artsol]

yikes...tics,liver,kidney and bladder problems aren't too keen in my eyes. fuck gettin my nerves messed up.thanks for all the info ...I had heard of some of this from BTS but hadn't known how rough it gets.
gotta get a mask and gloves

[Rym'N Simon]

i was just wondering........if ur out bombing should you still wear one or least one of those little ones...gloves are must always...cant let ur parents see that paint on your hands n saftey reasons too

[mos_j1]

id only wear a small hospital mask for bombs if that. for pieces def get a repirator.and yeah gloves can save your ass with cops too.

[KataL]

how do u see in the dark wen u r bombing, pieceing, etc.?

[ana]

Hey this is a little off topic but what the hell.
I'm starting to get tendonitis from painting-I'm thinking I might have to switch up hands in order to continue, which'll be fricking hard. Last time I went out painting, I couldn't even open the fridge for a couple of days after. Has this happened to anyone else? Any suggestions or ideas?

[Statistics]

For the dark, uve got to iether bomb where theyres some light or just get used to doing your throw etc. and u can do it in the dark.

[cultural me]

what about gloves when bombin with just pilots..i mean i get it on my hands sometiems but i dont think its a big enough problem for gloves...but again i dont wanna pee blood into a bag so...yea

[Statistics]

Fuck pilots. They wont do that much. Just wash your hands off that night. If you wanna be paraniod about it, use Steal Wool and scratch your hands. It hurts and leaves you with bad, kinda rough skin, but it gets the job done. Use lotion and mosterizeres if u use the steal wool.

[5starstyle]

Originally posted by ana
Hey this is a little off topic but what the hell.
I'm starting to get tendonitis from painting-I'm thinking I might have to switch up hands in order to continue, which'll be fricking hard. Last time I went out painting, I couldn't even open the fridge for a couple of days after. Has this happened to anyone else? Any suggestions or ideas?

could someone anser this persons question, Im very interested in this subject and if possible a way to stop it from happening to me

[Soul_Rebel]

ide just like to say thanks for all the concern on the board. much respect always.

[HAL]

Originally posted by ana
Hey this is a little off topic but what the hell.
I'm starting to get tendonitis from painting-I'm thinking I might have to switch up hands in order to continue, which'll be fricking hard. Last time I went out painting, I couldn't even open the fridge for a couple of days after. Has this happened to anyone else? Any suggestions or ideas?

You might be developing a case of carpal tunnel. It's a tendon disorder associated with a repetitive movement, like typing, writing, or pulling. The best thing to do is see a doctor, and there's various treatments. I've had it for years, and it manifests itself as a spasm so that my hand loses all it's strength, and I can't grasp or hold onto objects for a short time. It's like my hand got a huge dose of anasthetic, and I can't move it properly.

[WhOZE]

Originally posted by --zeSto--


so roof-tops and frieghts are out.

seriously though, They're are real risks involved (more than just the police).
I dont think I'm willing to die for the throwup over the freeway.
Just make sure to plan safely, and work your way up to things.
There's a reason why some rooftops aren't open to traffic.
Cellings have canved in and rusted metal lurks almost everywhere.
The older the building, the greater the risk.
Even storm drains and gulleys could be the end of it.
It's very important to play safe.
if u were really dedicated u would be willing to die for it....but me myself nope...whoze?

[ana]

Thanks very much for the advice Hal, I'm pretty sure it's tendonitis but I'll ask my super duper physiotherapist roommate. Her advice little arm exercises: basically get a couple cans of soup and do little arm crunches to strengthen the tendons. I feel pretty silly doing them but sure beats not getting up.

[shameless self promotion]

OK, so i never come into the yard, mainly because im like almost every other writer out there, i hate educating the youth, i learned alot of shit the hard way, and its not like me to really preach or teach about graffiti, lifestyle or techniques....

But, i have been writing for a good while now, i have not used a mask up until the last year.(unfortunatly for me, this last year in college was fucking brutal, so i didnt get out that much)...
Not using a mask has prolly been one of my bigger regrets in life i think...i think its done more harm to my body than smoking up has, and i do it rarely...during my senior year of highschool, i found it increasingly harder for me to make full sentences with my words in order. I work for a painting contractor and i have been spraying the insides of houses since i was young (this was mixed with my love for graffiti), i never wore a mask then. Back then i thought it was the coolest thing to shoot different colored boogers out your nose...now its not so cool. I do stutter alot, i forget peoples names and many other things that happen to me easily, not to mention that my attention span has narrowed to about 3 min, and the words in my sentences get re-aranged. Im really not sure if its from the fumes and shit, but im willing to bet it is.....wear a mask gentlemen, its definatly worth the cost.

[RAID.ONE]

About gloves and masks, they are pretty much mandatory anyway, because as other people have said, apart from the health benefits, you have a far lesser chance of getting clocked if you're masked and gloved up.

Here in London there's CCTV cameras everywhere, and the Graffiti Squad really do take the fucking piss with evidence gathering via fingerprints and DNA and shit. They must well love their job or something.

In London Underground tube yards there's now motion and pressure sensors, laser trips, and even strategically-placed razor wire to gather DNA (not sure about the legality of that, but it's there). All that and 24-hour CCTV attendants with cameras everywhere, you can see how masks and gloves will aid in your missions.

And about tendon and arm strain, yeah, I get it all the time after a good painting session. Sometimes the tip of my index finger goes numb for days due to constant pressure by pressing on the cap, and sometimes, whilst out drinking and attempting to pick up a glass, I get a massive shooting pain right up my whole arm, and for a few hours I can't pick things up and am in a lot of pain.

I've started doing arm exercises with weights and these have helped, but I still get massive muscle and tendon stress and fatigue after long painting sessions.

I'm going to have to devise a way of distributing the pressure of the cap on the index fingertip as well, as I can't stand it always being numb. It is interfering with my love life too, if you get what I mean... :crazy:

Anway, hope that helps, and hope all you bredren start doing arm exercises too.

Safe.

[near]

not much to add but i dig the thread.....ya paint can be a bitch...whenever i go out without my resperator i come back with a hella sore throat. evin if u dont spend the dough go out and get a paqrtical mask from the local dollar store...it wont protect u from the chemicials soo much but is better than nouthing.....ps...after years of painting without masks many wrighters have experenced hair loss so there is some insentative to go get one

[wutangbanger]

mask are for pussys breath that paint in!!!!!!!
J/K take that shit serious u should wear masks

[Grafn4Fame]

SHIT, AFTER READING THIS POST I WANT TO KNOW "WHAT IS THE BEST RESPIRATOR I CAN FIND" I DONT GIVE A FUCK HOW MUCH IT COSTS. THANKS:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[HAL]

Here's some links to respirator information, to help you learn about and select the proper mask.

CDC (scroll down to respirator selection)
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/respinfo.html

OSHA selection guide...
http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/respiratory_a..._selection.html (http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/respiratory_advisor/respirator_selection.html)

Respirator Selection specific to painting
http://www.paintstore.com/archives/respira...rators/108.html (http://www.paintstore.com/archives/respirators/108.html)
(excerpt)
Gases and vapors pose the most common respiratory hazard in painting. Prominent in this rogues' gallery are organic vapors, which typically emanate from paint solvents. An initial whiff of organic vapors might not faze you, but 20 years of the stuff can lead to a brain disorder called chronic painter's syndrome. If it doesn't kill you outright, the disorder can leave you impotent, paralyzed, or psychotic.


Online respirator retailers....

http://www.leonardsafety.com/leonardsafety...EN/catalog/1103 (http://www.leonardsafety.com/leonardsafety.storefront/EN/catalog/1103)

http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/catsafe.asp...GEN9=0&s=1S2RES (http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/catsafe.asp?UID=2002060222513187&GEN2=&GEN3=&GEN9=0&s=1S2RES)

Many manufacturers produce a respirator suitable for paint particles and organic vapors. My suggestion for buying one is to get one that you can find replacement cartridges for easily. Home Depot carries a 3M mask, but the replacement cartridges are very expensive. Sears, and many other smaller Hardware stores sell Aearo AOSafety masks. The replacement cartridges are slightly less expensive, but heavy. All brands that meet organic vapor filtration standards are fine.

[Grafn4Fame]

YO HAL......THANKS FOR THIS INFO. I NEVER THOUGHT OF WEARING A MASK. I THOUGHT THEY LOOKED STUPID. BUT NOW I DON'T GIVE A FUCK.:cool: :cool:

[tassie toy]

I just told my mum all about the shit that can happen to me if I don't wear a mask so she agreed on buying me one. One of my friends just "borrowed" a good mask from his school. If your still at school most wood, metal and design department should have heaps of them, You can save $30. I have noticed that my short term memory is getting really fucked. I never use a mask or gloves so this could contribute. I'm also not any where near as fit as I used to be. I don't know about bombing with a respirator. For tags and throws it seems tedious. Thanks for the info

[montanaman]

im glad to see theres still some sort of descencie among artist , i kno we have our beef among one another but when it comes to your health im sure we all agree about this post im glad to see this ... i just started to use a mask a year ago ... but a year too late some of the damage had started taking affect from all those years of painting with out a mask... i had finished a prodo with the crew and i was on my way home i told my girl to stop and get me some asparines at the corner store on our way home.. i had this masive headache.... i chugged them down with some gatoraid.. but as i was blowing my nose i felt my left side of my upper lip was going numb and i looked down at the floor and in the next ten minutes my left side off my face went numb it was like if i just got out of the dentist office and i was still under the anastigia ...little to say i was in the local hosp. emergency room .. the doctor called it (bellspausy)he said its just happens so i mentioned i had just finished doing a major prodo. and i was not using a mask and he looked at me with discused... and said if this is the case,, then its not bellspausy he said. i would be like this for at least 3 to 5 months ...needless to say fellas used the fukin mask... i couldnt speak right i felt like a retard i couldnt close my left eye i had to sleep with a patch on my eye and put eye drops in it every 15 min..i lost all facial movement on my left side its been six months and im finally been able to whistle cause even that i couldnt shape my lips in to th o shape to whistle this is serious fellas use a mask i had to use a straw to drink my mornin coffee and get this you also lose your taste buds everything is sour....so from now on im using it ...im using the mask..i look at those that dont ..and i try to teach them the right way... i wish we had this out a few years back this might not had happened .....thanx for this post u might save a few nuckle heads out there piece....

[Daddy_Screw]

reading this shit has made me really paranoid, i've noticed my short term memory has really been fucked recently and my attention span is getting shorter.

At first i thought it was cos of the weed but after reading this, i've just realised how i've only used those small surgical masks a couple of times, and i'm starting to ask my self whether i'm addicted to the fumes or not.
FUCK!

thanx for the info

[TEEHEEHEE]

I have a friend who paints a fair bit with really shakey hands could this have any relation
to the issue at hand ?

[KillYurSteel]

when i first started painting i never used a mask even if i was painting inbetween lines never wore a mask......well i started getting headaches not all the time just every now and then but as i kept painting without a mask the headaches got worse and came more frequently.....so i went out and got a mask cause well i never got headaches really before i started painting now that i wear my mask everytime i paint headaches dont accure as often...i still have trouble remebering shit but theres nothing i can do about that now......paint fumes are some serious shit wear that mask....

[toyeattoywar]

3m makes a good resonably cheap mask.

[eLcos]

Originally posted by Rym'N Simon
i was just wondering........if ur out bombing should you still wear one or least one of those little ones...gloves are must always...cant let ur parents see that paint on your hands n saftey reasons too

when i go out paint i always were a mask. i mean if your just bombing then i really dont think it matters but wearing one does make it more open if your busted by someone.

[EViL AFRO :)]

Originally posted by Ouija
This is an important topic for beginners, since it addresses your health and how to protect yourself from the chemicals used in paint, markers, and other graffiti tools.

The most important thing is inhalation. Paint, as well as ink, contains chemicals that can cause nerve damage, cancer, brain damage, kidney problems, and tons of other shitty things. The most straightforward way to protect yourself from fumes is to wear a respirator. A respirator is basically a gas mask that covers just your mouth and nose, with a head strap so you can keep you hands free. Respirators are sold pretty much anywhere that sells paint, or has an extensive paint department. Places like local hardware/paint stores, Home Depot, Lowes, Eagle and Sears have them. Most of the time they're in the paint department, and run between $25-$40 (US). It's sounds like a lot, but dude, I'd rather dish out $40, and get replacement cartridges every so often, than have uncontrollable facial tics, a loose bladder, and renal failure when I'm 45. Make sure the mask filters out paint vapors and is NIOSH/OSHA certified/approved. Read the instructions, because this is the rest of your life you're talking about. Change your cartridges, because the mask is no good when the filters are done.

In addition to inhaling fumes, paint can soak into your skin and cause the same problems as inhaling the vapors. Your fingers might look cool after a night of painting, but it's a smarter idea to wear latex gloves, for a variety of reasons. A big box of 100 gloves is only a few bucks, and you can get them in the paint section of most department stores, supermarkets (where they keep cleansers and cleaning supplies), and pharmacies. You could even ask your doctor next time you have a check-up if you can get a box. I don't see why they'd say no when you explain you want to keep toxic chemicals off your hands. (I never tried it, I usually just grab a handful when they leave, but it's worth a shot)
You can also help prevent paint and ink from absorbing into your skin by staying hydrated. Drink water before and after you paint, and you won't get that tired assed-out feeling you sometimes get after a night on the town.

Check www.graffiti.org (http://www.graffiti.org) for detailed information on health and painting. They have a whole section devoted to real scientific information concerning the chemicals involved with spray paint, how to avoid exposure, and keeping yourself from becoming a drooling slob with incontinence.

no 1 wants to die young listen to the man..:P

[EViLPRiCK]

deffinitally

[crazy cre8]

Ok here is my experience before i wore mask i would get the colored boogers to and my eye would twitch and for sure it was due to the paint and as for the hand hurting i use this thing that fits on to the can with a trigger that spray s for you really helpfull especially when filling in a peice some other writers looka t me weird for using it but while im easily painting theyre resting their hand..ha...anyway the mask i used cost around 25 bucks it works ok but i think i need to change out the filter and i use powderless latex gloves from walmart 50 for under 5 bucks so get these thing fellas even you have to steal them they are well worth it...

[Upgrade]

Originally posted by alkaline
I originally posted this in a glove thread that Daze One Million started in June. It’s long, I know, but it’s very important that everyone is aware of this. If this helps even one person, then this post will have been worth my time.

This post may have been worth your time but not mine. Damn nigger write a book or sumfin. I understand that youre trying to drop the info and shit but dont hog the thread, killer. NO BEEF INTENDED. Have a bitchin' day:crazy:

[virus]

how is a 3m mask?

[virus]

i get 3 m masks for free my dads a car painter !!!!!!! good for me but my quistion is r they filter replaceable

[throwups]

ive been painting for a year now. u wudnt beleave what has happened to me so far. my penis fell off. my ears and eyes are bleeding nonstop especially during school. both of my thumbs have exploded(once during church and the other while masterbating.) i still paint cause my friends tell me to and they always tellme that im ther e friend but i think ther just pulling my leg. the doctor told me that i would bee suffering from shrunken eyeballs in the near future but i dont believe him. paint on brothas!

[swiss cheese]

I dont get headaches, but i have urination prolems. It just wont stop dripping. My bladder seems weaker also. Nothing serious, but a pain in my arse. I try to wear a mask as much as possible, but damn I love that spraypaint smell and buzz. Besides, sometimes I think dying youg wouldnt be so bad.

[xxSIRExx]

3 m mask's are tight...

[virus]

o.k so i use them i think im aright with the haelth shit i got my self some gloves to

[ROMA]

Racking a mask is probably one of the most important things I've ever done, Not wearing it unless I'm doing a permission wall most likely isnt. It's true that masks are a pain in the ass, especially if you got a heavy one with metal filters or when they begin to drip with wetness inside, but after reading this thread I'm thankful I already have a mask because I know if i didnt I'd continue painting until I could get one, regardless. After time everyone will begin to see the side-effects or inhaling paint, I get bloody noses after almost every session, and its starting to freak me out a little. If you want to be smart about it--- GET A MASK !

ROMA _AX_cReW

[axx]

I started feeling fucked for a couple of months ago..
Mostly when painting in long subwaytunnels.. afterwards I get a dry feeling in my loungs, almost like when smoking weed but not as much and in the loungs. Then when you caugh you caugh like you would be sick with something.. sorry for my bad english but iam trying to find the word for pain in your throat.. :)

Then yesterday when I was mixing paint and testspraying it(indores) I got the incredable headek I never got before so I opend all windows and put my mask on.

well anyways.. I got a mask that covers my nose and mouth for $15...
All you SWEDISH people... can get it at JULA for 149sek (also check www.jula.se (http://www.jula.se)) Ask for "Halvmask med dubbla filter" and "A1 filter för organiska ångor" The filters are brown and already on it when you buy it.

Its a Climax if anyone knows the name.. I sure never heard of it before..
(dont try www.climax.com (http://www.climax.com), I did it and got thousands of XXX windows popping up my face.. just a second ago.. hard to get them away if you want the away:))

Here is a pic of my mask:
http://www.jula.se/img/bilder_650/540018_c.jpg
(its not me:) its a pic from the store:))

PLEASE DO NOT USE ONE OF THESE MASKS!!!
http://www.jula.se/img/bilder_650/540009_c.jpg
They dont help against the dangerous shit in paint. They make it worse... how?
When you wear it you will after a while start breading deaper than normal because you cant as normally to get as much oxy as you are used to... so you just bread the gas longer down your loungs.

PS. Xylene(XI or what they write on the cans)(used in many cans)
XYLENE GIVES CANCER! (and also great ghosts when used in ink:))

L&G has some kind of cans with oxygen in them..
http://montana.anymotion.de/de/home.cfm?p=...FTOKEN=87466092 (http://montana.anymotion.de/de/home.cfm?p=64&t=c&pi=3&swe=0&CFID=250510&CFTOKEN=87466092)

If you are worried get one and if you get breading problems... use it.
They got it with 2L and 5L of pure oxygen(so they say). The cans are not big..(not as 2L or 5L of wather)..

[KsM]

damn........i need to start to wearing a mask.......and some gloves.....

[crazy cre8]

i read further up about some one getting a soar throught ive experienced that too and dont ever drink and paint i was chillen at a legal spot one time just kickin back drinkin and paintin for an entire day I got home and was throwing up clear liqued it felt like i was really drunk bout i only had one six pack for the entire day so i have come to the conclusion that paint and beer dont mix:spent:

[KUKU 1er]

READ MOST OF THIS THREAD WOULD LIKE TOO GET SOME MORE INFO ON THE EYES BECAUSE YOU WOULD THINK THATS VERY IMPORTANT././. EVEN IF I WEAR MY MASK I GET HEADACHES...MAN THE PRICES WE PAY TO DO ARE THING IS ALMOST TOO MUCH...ANYWAYS THNX FOR THE INFO AND THE LINKS.....63

[the_snake]

what happens if i spray paint my butt?

[Sega Genesis]

^^^^^^hhahahaha ONly the snizake..........

[calculust]

this is fucking positive shit that people should really listen to, i'm sure as fuck i will.

life changing stuff, at last writers can talk about shit to help each other... what next unity in the scene?


i cant wait for the day writers unite to fight a common enemy and world is painted a million different shades

peace

[Shunner]

whats the drip?

[havek]

QUESTION 2 ANYONE WITH A POSITIVE FEEDBACK I HAVE A CLOSET FULL OF PAINT AND 3 DRESSERS FULL OF PAINT AND I GET NOSE BLEEDS OFTEN I HAVE A FAN 2 GIVE OFF GOOD VENTILATION IN THE ROOM BUT DO U THINK THE CONTINUING FUMES FROM THE CANS HAS 2 DO WITH THE NOSE BLEEDS THAT I RECEIVE?
ADDED THERE IS ENOUGH MOISTURE IN THE AIR ITS NOT CAUSED BY DRY HUMIDITY

[KUKU 1er]

TO THE KID ABOVE ME, WISH I COULD HELP YOU BUT I DONT KNOW .ALL I KNOW IS I HAVE PAINT IN MY ROOM AND I DONT HAVE NOSE BLEEDS...SPRAY SAFE....REKS63

[Kill Me Now]

paint smells good....

[YOURGAY]

oh shit i never new paint spray was bad for you..i used to try to get high and sniff the shit and i would paint for hours without a mask at my yard and just sniff the shit and get high off my mind..full on holusinating and shit.maybe i should stop..im always shaking now and shit..i pee blood sometimes.sometimes my eye bleeds to from not wearing goggles..wear fuckin goggles! no lie.it fuckin sucks.wear a mask.and if u do drugs.do them safely.

[Bact]

wow, good thread. definatly something i needed to read. the only paint i didnt mind the smell of was krylon flat black, it used to smell like cinnamon candy....

[shitmop-1$]

get really high.

[shitmop-1$]

then die.

[krie]

some times i dont wipe me bum, then i just find a wall , bend over and drop a tag. no paint invovled so i aint breathing in any toxic fumes thatll kill me in the long run, the fumes from my ass my stick a bit but it aint that bad ya know...

[westy]

Originally posted by artsol
yikes...tics,liver,kidney and bladder problems aren't too keen in my eyes. fuck gettin my nerves messed up.thanks for all the info ...I had heard of some of this from BTS but hadn't known how rough it gets.
gotta get a mask and gloves

thats awful.....poor dog............and Ouija, you are too nice.

[SyCo13]

wut up peeps..the info...that was posted on this thread is very good advice..for being a writer for 8yrs, i have experanced some bad side-effects from spray paint. for one i am also a painter for Company Buildings and also Houses(part time)...
with all of this i have to express that if ur a toy, or a newbie u need to wear gloves...
why i say this is b/c my hands have pretty much developed callis. (harding of skin) but through out the yrs of writing..the skin on my hands and around my wrists started to peel and then it came to basically falling off my hands.
with that my hands started to develope blisters and also skin would open up and would start bleeding..well now that my hnds are now pure callis it doesnt bother me anymore. but before i developed callis my hands went through pure-hell. and its not fun..also if ya go out and write when there is a little wind. try to wear long sleev shirts.

also if u have already have started hurting or delevoping cuts ..etc.....a good thing to use is a pure ALOE Lotion. it really helps. but also u can go to the dermataligis(dr) and just tell them that u deal with paints and blah blah..and they will give you some good ass med.

as for wearing mask and etc.. it may bother you but ull get used to it. i only wear masks if im in a inclosed area , but when im out in the open writing i for one have not expreranced any side-effects on my face or anyting..probly just some brain damage lol. anywayz if u like getting high off paint. the most toxic is SILVER. and GOLD paint. but oh well.. anywayz thats it. just basically besafe while out writing. ...

Ltrz.

[razeagainst]

im starting to question if graffiti is really worth the risk.....


...WTF, of course it is, what the hell was i thinking?

[deph]

Originally posted by SyCo13
with all of this i have to express that if ur a toy, or a newbie u need to wear gloves...
why i say this is b/c my hands have pretty much developed callis. (harding of skin) but through out the yrs of writing..the skin on my hands and around my wrists started to peel and then it came to basically falling off my hands.
with that my hands started to develope blisters and also skin would open up and would start bleeding..well now that my hnds are now pure callis it doesnt bother me anymore. but before i developed callis my hands went through pure-hell. and its not fun..also if ya go out and write when there is a little wind. try to wear long sleev shirts.

[deph]

Originally posted by LDN_THING


dude sound like you have what i got its called aggrevated dermatites or something like that I went to my doctor and she gave me this cream to put on my hands when I'm washing them it is called aqueous cream. its a cream but you wash it in with water. leaves a weird coating on your hands but takes away all the dry skin.

p.s listen to this guy he knows its all about the gloves.

["XWAY"]

I dont know if its still going on but artcrimes.com had a link on ther were you could get a free respirator. i got one there fukin nice!

[DRUNKN MASTR]

bumps

[parcheesey]

in the new style wars dvd iz the wiz explained how in 1995 or whatever how his kidney was all fucked up from breathing the paint fumes and other stuff. he had to be fed intervenously for a while.

[TranceStoner]

Im sure it was talked about somewhere in this thread, but what do people here do about bombing? Yeah wearing cloves, but does anyone here wear a mask while doing highways etc...? Another question, do you have to paint for years before the fumes affect you? Stay safe guys.

I'm gobbling up food right now and am gonna down a couple glasses of water before I go to sleep, just to be safe . haha

[Relakx]

i hadnt painted in 2 years. before that i had painted for about 7 years. i've never ever worn a mask. i'm 22 years old. when i got home from painting the other day i felt like shit. its been over a week and i'm still sick.
who else out there is balding at a young age?

[Rectum]

Originally posted by mawsAA
Yeah Uumpa Lumpa, I'm going to do the same thing, I ead this post and then went and got myself a mask and painted with it the first time last night and it was so good. I didn't feel shit afterwards at all.
And Amuser, I think you may be right..I always feel worse after chromies too....
Especially if you use Australian "Export" type paint..I swear that stuff is toxic as fuck...

oath..once i did a chromie in a little attic type thing with no windows, i felt well fucked after that, i used one of those little white masks but it got kinda moist and caved in due to the fumes....fuck that SHIT!!

this thread has been a real eye opener i have to admit

:eek:

um whoever was talking about feeling stupid... i know i aint usually dumb.... but kinda recently i started noticing real stupidness...at the time i put it down to lack of sleep and being punched in the face.....but i am constantly doing things like not noticing that pavement in front of my house was ripped up and shit like that..........
the thing is i dont piant very much at all, probly once a week....is that too little for these effects?? is it all in my head????

[Rectum]

hmmmmm

[Rectum]

and another thing:
when handwriting (like normal writing i mean) i can barely write afew words without leaving letters in the middle of words out.... when i reread what i have written it is VERY poor....i always thought it was lack of sleep or dyslexia but after reading this thread i wonder.......i really do ................... i know for sure i didnt always do that kind of shit....

[inshAZ]

word up.. wear ya mask....
[img]http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL215/1112040/2107707/26123300.jpg'>

[sfx2]

er... is there any cheaper alternative for wearing a mask? Mebbe a mouth-cap like the sars things, or dont that work?

[deph]

^^^ basically the paint particles are very small and wont get stopped by a piece of cloth. However if your in an open space like tracks or illegal walls out side then I don't really think there is much point. But tunnels, between two parked trains and inside you'll get fucked up lungs eventually. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: and look all ill.

[sfx2]

No I mean liket the mouth caps made of some special filter material that filters out anything that isn't "regular air"...

but like what you said, what do you mean with eventually? Like... if I do it at a regular base without any protection ill get it over a few years right?

[Distorted]

Does a single Cartridge respirator do a good job?

[ewok]

i was painting this pretty isolated spot and i forgot to bring my mask so i was down there for about an and hour and a half and after an hour i started to feel dizzy and lightheaded at times. then after i noticed tiny bumps on the inside of my lip. anyone got the scoop on this sideeffect?

[Average White Railfan]

nice topic name

[theta]

instead of blowing through caps to clear them after painting, or having to drop em in paint thinner, just put the cap on an empty can and spray it. doin this will save you from getting your mouth on a cap or using thinner which is pretty harsh.

[throw-up]

After hearing all these horror stories i'm kinda spooked,
i may sound paranoid and what not but i've only benn writing for a few months maybe around 8-9months. During the majority of my time writing i've have not been sing a mask or gloves. I recently just bought a mask and a pack of gloves. I know i may sound paranoid and worried (partially because i am), but do u think i'll develop any health problems?

Most of the writers in the city i live in dont wear masks, but i was a bit skeptical and bought one, i now use it religiously and am gonna start wearing gloves.

Thanks for all the info, it was very informative.
keep painting everyone

[xwibxonex]

Originally posted by johndoe
in the new style wars dvd iz the wiz explained how in 1995 or whatever how his kidney was all fucked up from breathing the paint fumes and other stuff. he had to be fed intervenously for a while.

yet did you notice he did a peice wearing nothing but a fucking peice of cloth over his face? he aint getting my sympathy.

[AlwaysBombin]

Bump cuz this is a reely important topic.I was lucky to have a cousin whos a painter so I knew all about the damage fumes could do from the start so kids go to ur local hardware store and rack a mask (buying is for pussies). And as far as gloves go thats jus a no brainer...The best place to get them if your still in school is after the final bell rings go to one of the janitors closets(they'll all be open after school) and jus gank one of the big boxes of gloves, most likely they'll have the 100 packs layin around..Then your all set to reck shit safely...Have fun

[add + style]

hey i gotta question, i dont find myself painting in closed areas that much, but im still really concerned and aware about my body. im not cool with all the physical damage paint can cause, but, i dont really like the idea of spending 20 bones on a respirator. i do wear a bandana around my face (like old bank robbers and cowboys, ya know?). I really wanna know if it filters anything. i know its not fumeproof but its better than nothing. thanks alot, experience writers advice perfered. cool. more paint. less talk. one love.

=good thread too.

[rubbish heap]

page 5 ;)

the thing is, once you spend 20 bucks on a mask, you don't ever have to put money into the thing again (well, besides buying new filters). if you have a job, it really shouldn't be any problem. bandannas really don't serve much purpose besides disguising you, as the toxic vapors can easily get through one.

[add + style]

alright cool. thanks for the advice. less talk. more paint. one love.:ballcap:

[shor]

im not sure if this has been askd allready, if so i appologize.

but lets say im out in the open...like painting on a semi-truck trailer thing... and i dont smell paint or anything... or if i do, i smell very little, should i still worry about a mask?? indoors is a must, ive done it indoors and my boogers turn colors and its kind of terrifying, wondering what my lungs look like..

ANYWAYS, if you could please help me out with my question that would be very much apreciated. thanks.

[xwibxonex]

nobody knows for sure exactly how much paint it takes to cause all the harm, so i would just play it safe, i mean if you havet had any paint hangovers or gotten really dizzy from it before, i dont think it'd hurt, but if you think you've had one too mnay experiences without a mask, i wouldnt fuck around and just wear something.
when i started i never wore one, went a good 4 5 months of hitting freights on a regular basis, most of the time getting a soar throat, body aching, being hungry, etc... i started wearing a little 3m dust mask, and it helped somewhat, but not much, i recently aqcuired a 3m half mask and stocked up on like 6 extra filter/cartridge packages, i haven't peiced a freight without it since. I love the idea of painting a freight and not getting dizzy and a soar throat afterword, but that's just because i went so long without it. so yeah, don't take your chances.

[king kong]

.

[wyze]

True that guys. Mask and gloves are key ingrediants. I am just starting to piece, but you can bet im going to get me some safety gear. Go to www.theworldofhiphop.com (http://www.theworldofhiphop.com) for both medical gloves and respirator purchases (gloves under 'markers+gear' and masks under 'paint'). thanks guys, and be safe.

[king kong]

.

[joseph879@ms]

:idea:

[ODS-1]

I don't go to graff sites where I can't make stupid posts. Hee ehhee!

[maskedvandal]

shit im a soldier ive gotten very dizzy but shit im always high off weed so i never can tell the difference :lol: :lol: :lol:

[3dgee]

there may also be paints that your unique body may not like. for example when a use a certain brand of black i get an extemely light head and start to throw up. dust masks are pointless,they stop paint particles but none of the vapours.
catchya

[Jonny5]

I've looked through this thread, and I can't find anything saying specific brand/model/whatever.

Does anyone have a favourite mask? I'm not heading out again till I get at least a mask, probably snag some gloves while I'm at it, but I don't know what kind to look for.

Any pointers?

Thanks!

[TranceStoner]

I just got a mask recently... but whenever I put it on fumes leak through... The same thing happens to a buddy of mine. I adjust the staps and everything but it keeps happening... So i said fuck it and stopped wearing it. Any one else have this problem? or have any advice.

[ODS-1]

173rd

[shake em off]

bumb...this thread is lovely..nice advice

[ODS-1]

Originally posted by upsetdasetup
i kill a million brain cells a day...the more i loose the sooner i leave earth!!:lol: :lol: And then the happier we all are.

[recknhoodz]

Originally posted by ODS-1
And then the happier we all are.

u arent gonna be so happy when u see i toy'd all ur shit on the streets!!......

[guido]

whenever i paint indoors or outside for a long time, my eyes always start to burn and i get heartburn real bad


i guess i need a mask.
hows the AOSafety Quicklatch?

[ODS-1]

Originally posted by recknhoodz
u arent gonna be so happy when u see i toy'd all ur shit on the streets!!...... Which proves how much of a toy you are.!:D

[ralphy.sj]

YOU MIGHT AS WELL USE GLOVES ANYWAY TO AVOID BEING BUSTED FOR LOOKING LIKE AN ART STUDENT.. USUALLY GRAF ARTISTS HAVE ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT BY USING OTHE SUBSTANCES WHICH MAY VARY..IT REALLY MAKES ME WANT TO GET A MASK..COLOR BUGERS MAY LOOK COOL BUT YOUR NASAL CAVITY IS LESS THAN AN INCH FROM YOUR BRAIN

[GaryColemen]

DONT PAINT DRUNK.....U GET IT EVERYWHERE, ESPECIALLY PAINTING ON SIDEWALX AND SHIT

[fireone]

seriosly,try not to spray yourselves in the face.this happened t me and i had it on for an huor and started fucking hallucinatin.fuckin twelve foot tall zombies are not fun.

[TREDAWG]

INDEED RESPIRATORS CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE.IF YOU USE CARBON FILTERS,MAKE SURE YOU DUCT TAPE IT'S EXTERIOR WHEN YOUR DONE.THIS PROLONGS THE LIFE OF THE FILTER.:idea:

[arktic]

you should always try to wear a respirator a. you don't want paint in you lungs b. paint on your hands sucks and its incriminating and c. no it is not funny when you pull out ultra flat black boogers. you'll lose braincells and start sounding like writers from ny,
s l o w .

[Beethoven]

Originally posted by arktic
you'll lose braincells and start sounding like writers from ny,
s l o w .

ouch:lick:

[fiberNSC]

somedays i feel like i have no air in my lungs and that shit annoys me. anyone ever painted in a room with no air ventalation, breaths in fuck loads of fumes, when you exit the building or whatever you can taste the paint in your throat and when you spit it's not clear it comes out as the colour paint you've been using for the last hour or so. fuck i need new lungs and health!!

[Xplosive]

I dont know whether this has been asked before, but here goes...

- What if you wear a scarf or a balaclava over your mouth? I know this probably wont help as much as a proper mask but does it do any good??

- Do gloves cause any damage to your skin? I saw someone posted an article on the first page about the dangers of them but I dont really understand how they can damge you...

[RoboticDog17]

Originally posted by --zeSto--
Even storm drains and gulleys could be the end of it.
[/b]

One thing I haven't seen posted is shit about gulleys and what have you. Anybody ever hear of a flash flood. I laughed the first time I heard about it, but son, you won't be laughing when an eight foot high wall of water is rushing down at 80 mph on you when you're on the banks of something like the LA river trying to clean up your shit when it starts raining. In high flood areas, when you paint things down in storm gulleys, be aware. There's a reason why they call them "flash" floods. One minute it starts raining, the next, and you're in a world of hurt.

End of Line

[GaryColemen]

i was once in a flash flood, it was only about 2.5-3 feet of water but thats enough, plus if u get swept down that shit aint no telling what shit is under the water you could hit, it isnt the most plesent exp in the world.

[NasK]

I never really thought about the bladder and shit lol after hearing all the shit in this forum im goin straight to the fuckn hardware shop lol but i mean seroiusly cops come and you have gloves and a mask on its just obvuios that ur painting lol i mean what can u do in that situation! When ur talking about wearing the mask is that like mainly when your doing a piece or do u mean even when your bombin. What can happen from not wearing gloves??

[jakepaints]

in the style wars extras iz the wiz is talking about how he was being fed intravenously (sp?) for 4 months because of all the fumes and shit that fucked up his liver and all that. then they show him painting a piece and if i remember correctly he was only wearing a bandana. seems sorta negligent, especially coming from a guy who said hed trade graf back for his health.

[jakepaints]

oh yeah, i just caught that dudes got some weird ass growths on his arm too. like tumors or some shit

[RoboticDog17]

Originally posted by jakepaints
in the style wars extras iz the wiz is talking about how he was being fed intravenously (sp?) for 4 months because of all the fumes and shit that fucked up his liver and all that. then they show him painting a piece and if i remember correctly he was only wearing a bandana. seems sorta negligent, especially coming from a guy who said hed trade graf back for his health.

i'm willing to trade a cop run in with the risks of not painting with a mask. I got a brand new respirator last week at home depot and It sure is worth the 30 bucks.

[kisalc]

just thought id tell some "early symptoms" that ive gotten from neglecting to using a mask. i can barely breath solely through my nose any more-it consistantly feels as if its blocked when its not, ive also contracted a weezy cough that ive been carrying for the past 3years. i just thought id comment also on what alot of poele have said-that they still get hedaches or dizzyness whilst they have worn a mask, i think this has to do with the fact that your getting a much lower amount of oxygen intake as opposed to not wearing 1 at all(with no fumes lingering in the air)-just think how a mask restricts the amnt of air we breath if you cant really get what im saying, cause i usually feel really out of breath having been wearing 1 for awhile. alot of this thread has made me paranoid but in doing so also made me aware
cheers 4 the info.

[rob deer]

besides reading stuff like this...reasons I wear a mask when ever I can...and have started using gloves when ever they're around

1. I basically drive drunk after painting
2. I shake in the morning like I'm an alchoholic at times and I drink on average 1 beer a day
3
and my scary ass hospital story...
ok, i admit it I'm a weirdo. Once, after smoking a blunt and feeling good after rocking a couple trains by myself...I figure, hey, why not induldge myself and beat off. Sorry. So anyway, about a week later I get these bumps on my dick, just a few, but I was with a girl who I had heard rumors about from jelous hoes apparently, so I kicked her to the curb and hit up the doctor. in the scariest moment of my life I wipped it out for him and he said, ahh, ok, you can put that back...my guess is that when you peed you had some sort of chemical on your hands, pop em and they'll go away. (sounds like some guy from his chemistry class went out like this.) it was contact dermititis. seeing blood on your wenis is not cool, you dont' feel like you can hit the bars with scabs, and I lost the gutter punk girl with the baddest kung-fu grip and psycho stabber eyes, and I'd probably have to be airbrushed just a little if I was ever in playgirl.

play safe and teach your girl to paint

[adderall]

the heavy metals that paints contain reside in your body basically until you die, and the kind of damage they can cause to your brain and other intenal organs is quite scary.. if underarm deodorant can cause cancer.. imagine what a solution of carbon black, cadmium, xylene, toulene, among other things can do to your body

[WorldBench]

if you paint, dont do drugs, else when youre 40, you'll be a complete moron :D

[WorldBench]

on the real tho, do play it safe, if there's any chance you're going to get busted doing graff, you probably will, with or without a mask, so wear one! and if any of you work at food places, steal gloves from there...

seriously, and going out in the cold, make sure you double up, we're all going to be so fucked up when we're older from bombing and shit...

[=[BeRZeRk]=]

i need some tips about bombing trains - post away :D :D :D

[=[BeRZeRk]=]

and were can i get these respirators i dont want blood on my dick or anything like that :eek:

[XIII]

hardware store :rolleyes:

[=[BeRZeRk]=]

would i be able to buy them at bunnings warehouse???

[Swtchn'style]

thats my question, also how much do they cost

[Easy E]

after only about a year of writing and my hate towards masks ive developed a respiratory problem...sometimes its hard to beath, i wake up in the morning and cough up paint sometimes, short term memory? thats a forgein word. dont forget all those brain cells ive said goodbye to. i do however like the feel of gloves, so i always wear those when painting, and sometimes when not(hey, who doesnt like to feel like a doctor every once in a wile:crazy: ). and yet to this day i still dotn have a mask......for all you kids who have the money for one..its deffinately worth getting:dazed:

[TheOh]

seeing Iz the Wiz in the old Style Wars as a beefy lad and now seeing him in the new DVD as a skinny ass crack addict looking mf gets me shook. reading this thread got me thinking too. time to get a mask and some gloves.

[Swtchn'style]

Originally posted by TheOh
seeing Iz the Wiz in the old Style Wars as a beefy lad and now seeing him in the new DVD as a skinny ass crack addict looking mf gets me shook. reading this thread got me thinking too. time to get a mask and some gloves.
haha:lol: :lol: :lol:

[MentOne]

Most of the safety precautions you can take are fairly practical as well... The mask covers your face, and no paint on the hands with latex gloves... Everyone knows after a hard night of bombing w/o, you've got rainbow hands, and the fuzz tends to check for that if they recieve any calls from nosey individuals... Thats why I started wearing masks and shit, then I took a vocational class in school and realized the importance of protecting yourself from inhaling these chemicals...

[ODS-1]

I have paint on the outside of my respirator from peices I have done.
Could this be incriminating? Should I get a new one?


Hey kid from Louisville. Email.Me. [email protected]

[earo 35]

I have paint on the outside of my respirator from peices I have done.
Could this be incriminating? Should I get a new one?

how the hell did you do that, did you hold the can in the wrong direction and spray your face?

[micro]

i almost did that at night once...stupid but funny shit:lol:

[mhendricks]

Thanks guys, this is an excellent thread. I haven't been out painting yet, only writing on random stuff and in my sketchbook. I'm glad I read this so soon. Definately gonna get me some masks and gloves before I go out.

[KuiK]

apologies if this question came up in the previous pages: whats tyhe main diff between the respirator and the normal cheap painter/doctor masks.

[ODS-1]

The surgical masks will trap paint on it, so you will practically be huffing paint. But yeah, wearing a respirator when you paint is like wearing a condom when you have sex in a counrty with a high AIDS rate. Common.Fucking.Sense.
You kids who don't where a respirator think you're tough?
Let's see how tough you are when you piss yourself all the time and have drool on your shirt.

[CIKQm8]

take a look @ IZ the Wiz with all the health problems he has know

[yeaaaah baby]

yeah the other day i did a blue fill and when i got home i blew my nose and there was blue paint on the kleenex. thatsa no good! i always wear the gloves tho. oh and when bombing and you dont want to wear latex gloves you can always wear normal cotton gloves that have grips on the palms and fingers. they work like a charm

[ODS-1]

Paint may soak through cotton gloves and get paint on your hands. Wear latex gloves, so you can toss them afterwards.

[chumbawumba]

Latex gloves are so fucking expensive now, $7.00 for a box in a $.99 cents store :mad:

[yeaaaah baby]

^^ you can always get free gloves when you go to the doctors office. and paint stores will usually give you gloves for free

[CIKQm8]

Originally posted by yeaaaah baby
^^ you can always get free gloves when you go to the doctors office. and paint stores will usually give you gloves for free
just go to the doctors with a backpack and take a few boxes cause doctors office visits are not cheap

[Gates]

By a pair of gloves and a mask and be health and strong. don't buy a mask, be weak and dumb.

[timemachine]

who cares man i love the fumes in my lungs, pussy
ive been breathing it in along with every other kind of shit for like 6 years now who cares
yuour like one of those people that think everything gives you cancer

[Tommy Url]

I'm good with the mask but the latex gloves really bother me. Sometimes I wonder how healthy it is to restrict your hands from recieving oxygen and if wearing latex gloves for long hours can cause its own problems like arthritis in your hands. Does anyone know of any other type of gloves that can do the job without soficating your hands? Sometimes summer days in Virginia can be unbearable. I don't mind if a little paint seeps through the gloves sometimes just as long as my hands could breath.

[earo 35]

Originally posted by CIKQm8
take a look @ IZ the Wiz with all the health problems he has know
whats wrong with him?

[FightTheBuff]

Originally posted by Tommy Url
I'm good with the mask but the latex gloves really bother me. Sometimes I wonder how healthy it is to restrict your hands from recieving oxygen and if wearing latex gloves for long hours can cause its own problems like arthritis in your hands. Does anyone know of any other type of gloves that can do the job without soficating your hands? Sometimes summer days in Virginia can be unbearable. I don't mind if a little paint seeps through the gloves sometimes just as long as my hands could breath.

just get some simple cotton gloves with grips on the palms. theyre a lot more comfortable than latex ones, they dont rip easily, and they dont get all sweaty and sticky. but you gotta get some with grips on them or else...

[timemachine]

Originally posted by MentOne
Most of the safety precautions you can take are fairly practical as well... The mask covers your face, and no paint on the hands with latex gloves... Everyone knows after a hard night of bombing w/o, you've got rainbow hands, and the fuzz tends to check for that if they recieve any calls from nosey individuals... Thats why I started wearing masks and shit, then I took a vocational class in school and realized the importance of protecting yourself from inhaling these chemicals...

haha who cares i sure as hell dont
if u smoke your gunna die and look sick
if u breath in smog the same

everything either way will fuck you up so who cares

[KOMA IRS]

dont forget 2 wear ur seatbelt on the way 2 paint and knee elbow pads plus a helmet while painting jus in case u fall down go boom hurt u lil bottom other things u shouldnt do paint graffiti

[AWProvidence]

dont forget 2 wear ur seatbelt on the way 2 paint and knee elbow pads plus a helmet while painting jus in case u fall down go boom hurt u lil bottom other things u shouldnt do paint graffiti

hmmmm...... :nope:

[technikal]

Be safe kids! and dont go to the east side man you gets capped

[horse boy]

yea its good 2 wear gloves and masks. ive been paintin a few years and have noticed dat my memory is pants and wen i paint i breath heavy! and n e way if u wear gloves wen paintin ilegaly u can get ur way outa stuff cos u can throwaway da gloves and u wont have no paint on ur hands 4 da feds 2 c!!! :p

[vein]

this is some scary shit!

least now i know why i always felt fucked after a long patch of painting.

and why i exercise a lot but still have the shittest lung capacity, it fuckin hurts when i sprint for a small distance

must buy/rack mask an gloves

[vein]

i thought my bad memory was just down to too much alcohol, drugs and partying!

:lol:

[BlueStreaks]

I dont know if this has been posted before,but whatever.Would a small mask(not a respirator)would that work just as well as a repirator?

[slapjuan]

No small masks dont work and u do need to use a respirator. The bad part for me is that im actually already pretty forgetful and the last time i went painting i could taste that shit in mouth after words but nuthing satisfied the taste of krylon in my mouth. And latex gloves out in NM sux they get all sweaty and shit and my hands become wrinkly. It bugs the fuck outta me sometimes too. But its worth it cause when u get popped and no paint on ur hands u scott free unless a witness identifies you. My bro has also woken up where he couldnt breath and blowing paint outta hise nose so its some crazy shit.

[ASKERDEE]

do them cheap white mask work

[clichedarrow]

for the hundredth time they dont do shit bro.
get a respo.

[BLaCkNiGGa]

Originally posted by ASKERDEE
do them cheap white mask work

this man. geezas christ. but if you didnt know that, i dont know why you would need one anyways.
[img]http://store1.yimg.com/I/allergybegone_1802_2948792'>

[WallDecoratR]

latex or rubber glove only work for about 20 minutes. After that, the moisture and outside materials will work their way through the pores of the gloves. So change your gloves every 20 minutes.

[WallDecoratR]

no

[WallDecoratR]

yes

[Issac Brock]

haha dont worry all the dumb writers will die out and the safe ones will pass their ways on. i use respirator and gloves when im peicing, but not when im bombing. well, ill use gloves when im peicing. kids--make your parents buy your masks. "im not gonna spend my allowance on a mask, i gotta get the new vik vaughn. but im coming home with headaches".

there ya go

[escapeartist]

When i go piecing i use my mask.. but bombing is a whole different story.. Having the metal cartridges makes it clumsy to work with in hot spots.. I still use my mask consistently but was wondering what kind of mask u cats use on your bomb runs? Its kinda obvious if you're rocking a mask @ the same time being stealth.. any1 have flicks of the mask they use? or if any1 can recomend a quality yet lightweight respirator with possibly 1 cartridge for quick and easy access? it'd b much appreciated;)

[Coler Blind]

What is the point of wearing gloves when painting? I mean..sure.. if the cops stop ya.. your hands are clean. Besides that fact... why is it a must to wear gloves while painting?

[WHO R U?]

MAN I WEAR MY MASK FOR EVEN THE SMALLEST GET UP...BUT IM REALLY NOT A FAN OF LAYTEX GLOVES..LIVING IN MIAMI WITH ALL THIS HOT WEATHER AND HUMIDITY, MY HANDS SWEAT LIKE A MUTHA..., DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THOSE YELLOW RUBBER GLOVES THAT MOST HOUSE MOMS WEAR TO CLEAN THE BATHROOMS WITH HELP MORE THEN WEARING AND STOCKING UP ON LAYTEX GLOVES?

[Hokus]

i read this whole thread..my homies always said it didn't matter if you wore that shit, but imma go get one tomarrow..and a box of gloves..much thanks for everybody that posted info

[R A I N]

note to self : get a mask and gloves ASAP

thanks for the info guys.

[Chakat Master]

Marla noticed that. She was lifted out of her misery by her curiosity about her friend's wish. She looked at her and saw a mixture of emotions crossing her face. This quickly cleared and she looked Marla in the eyes and said, "I have something to show you, my friend." She then quickly pulled off her slacks and panties to reveal that she too was now a hermaphrodite.

Marla was stunned. "Why? I would have done almost anything not to be this way, and yet you have done this to yourself deliberately. Why did you wish to become a hermaphrodite?"

[Chance Em Redy]

Originally posted by Chakat Master@Oct 11 2004, 10:26 PM
Marla noticed that. She was lifted out of her misery by her curiosity about her friend's wish. She looked at her and saw a mixture of emotions crossing her face. This quickly cleared and she looked Marla in the eyes and said, "I have something to show you, my friend." She then quickly pulled off her slacks and panties to reveal that she too was now a hermaphrodite.

Marla was stunned. "Why? I would have done almost anything not to be this way, and yet you have done this to yourself deliberately. Why did you wish to become a hermaphrodite?"
Quoted post


What
The
Fuck

[KAES.IVB.ET]

Am I the only person thats blown there nose after painting all night and all you see is black paint. Ugh. *Cough*

[TeezerPHM]

Originally posted by IVomitBombs@Oct 15 2004, 10:07 PM
Am I the only person thats blown there nose after painting all night and all you see is black paint. Ugh. *Cough*
Quoted post



noperZ

[WitE TrAsH]

Originally posted by Chakat Master@Oct 12 2004, 03:26 AM
Marla noticed that. She was lifted out of her misery by her curiosity about her friend's wish. She looked at her and saw a mixture of emotions crossing her face. This quickly cleared and she looked Marla in the eyes and said, "I have something to show you, my friend." She then quickly pulled off her slacks and panties to reveal that she too was now a hermaphrodite.

Marla was stunned. "Why? I would have done almost anything not to be this way, and yet you have done this to yourself deliberately. Why did you wish to become a hermaphrodite?"
Quoted post


You need to kill yourself... but backing to spraying safe. Have any fo you seen the thread that was just made about wearing latex gloves and how you can get rashes or irrations on your skin from the powder i think... just check the thread out because its got alternatives to the latex gloves. But the mask is always necessary

[*KeApItComin]

Scary shit...How long have all you ones who've developed kidney problems, etc... been painting without mask, gloves...Doesnt seem like anyone wears any protection around here...what assholes.

[little-G]

are the filters for http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...5913840949&rd=1 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2594&item=5913840949&rd=1) this mask easy to come by or will any type fit?

thanx