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I have been using titebond wood glue with a little water in it for my paper mâché. I use my barehands for an hour or two at a time (or more on occasion) and feel no ill side effects. The yellowing on my fingers goes away with washing. On the titebond site it has all these warnings about exposure to your skin. I was wondering if these warnings are just them legally covering themselves.
Anyone here use titebond like this? Do I need to worry about exposure?
Thanks
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The U.S. insists on an MSDS (Material Safety & Data Sheet) for any chemical-based product that isn't guaranteed totally non-toxic.
Personal sensitivity can have a lot to do with it, as can amount of exposure. Use common sense: Wash it off periodically. Don't bathe in it. Don't use it as an eye wash. It appears a lot less toxic than other materials.
Here's the MSDS for TiteBond: http://www.franklininternational.com/ms … ao0020.pdf
Among other info: "Slightly irritating to the skin. Prolonged or repeated contact can defat the skin and lead to irritation, cracking and/or dermatitis.
CAUTION! MAY CAUSE EYE AND SKIN IRRITATION."
Sue
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Thanks for your reply.
Is defatting serious or a technical term for drying out the skin?
Last edited by Glue Jockey (2012-10-30 07:56:36)
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It's just drying it out. Our skin produces natural oils, and some chemicals will strip those oils out and make the skin dry. Harsh soaps and detergents will do the same thing. A little hand lotion should fix that condition until the skin replaces the oils on its own.
A person could also develop an allergy to the ingredients over time, so if you get reddening or itching after exposure, consider using some thin latex or nitrile gloves to avoid direct contact. Many hardware stores carry 50-glove boxes of these for about $10.
Sue
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Whenever I used any brand of wood glue I would break out in a rash all down my forearms. I used it on my larger (4' plus) pieces for strength, so I was reaching above my head a lot and it would run down my arms. I found that by rinsing it off frequently and not allowing it to dry helped. I try to avoid it's use now for all but the smaller pieces, where it doesn't come into contact with the seemingly sensitive skin inside my arms. I think it is really just a matter of sensitivity in some people.
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It is not necessary to use a wood glue. An ordinary white pva glue (look for "non-toxic" on the container) is perfectly fine. You will also save money - wood glue tends to be pricier.
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Thanks for all your replies! My hands are fine and I used straight wood glue yesterday and had it on my hands for hours. Typically I rinse them but I was experimenting.
Jackie, wood glue actually dries harder than white glue and is made for sanding. White glue gums up the sandpaper. At least that's what I read and it seems to be true 
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Glue Jockey, is the TiteBond that you use the yellow kind? I had heard that the yellow wood glues do dry harder. I was thinking of getting some to use to make a thin original shell over a mold. Let it dry, then cut it off, stick it back together and keep going.
Allergies can appear at any time. Just because you're fine today doesn't mean you can't in the future. Like beekeepers -- they can get stung a thousand times, and then one day they get stung and start having trouble breathing and go into anaphylaxis.
Sue
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Yes, wood glue is stronger than pva Glue Jockey, but the point I was making is that you don't *need* to use it. There are lots of stronger adhesives, but I'm a great believer in keeping it simple.
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Artist and their cousins the craftperson, need to be aware of the potential toxicity of all the materials they use, adhesives included. There are a number of books on the market that give information on the toxicities of paints, glues, varnishes etc and we all should be cautious in their use. Even if you don't have an immediate reaction, you could be injuring your health through cumulative exposure. Don't take anything, even naturally source materials, for granted
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