Replies

1. 
   Gretchen_ | Jan 07, 2001 03:25pm | #1

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   If the ventilation is that bad I would worry a lot more about you being brain dead from inhaling toxic fumes. The breathalyzer measures metabolic results of alcohol consumption, I think.

1. 
   Bob_The_Boardman | Jan 09, 2001 05:13pm | #2

   *Gretchen is right on 2 points. First, worry more about inhaling toxic fumes, and second, the breathalyzer measures alochol that's in your system. Granted, if you were to spray a breath freshener into your mouth immediately prior to taking a breathalyzer test, you'd get a (artificially) higher reading.But alcohol evaporates quickly in air, and most of the alcohol that would be in the shop (even with poor ventilation) would evaporate before it got to your lungs, and in your system. To prove the point, pour a glass of your favorite whiskey, put your nose over the glass, and inhale the fumes for an hour. If this worked, no one would drink their whiskey...they'd inhale fumes, get their buzz, and pour the remainder back in the bottle.Bob

1. 
   Mark_McCollough | Jan 12, 2001 03:30am | #3

   *Point well taken, Thanks, I do want to remind everyone that this is just a bet, no one is saying that this is a practice that I do, have done, or suggest.As I had said the issue was brought up and I didn't think that it would alter a test of that sort, a friend said he did, I agree the over spray would have already evaporated and returned to just shellac.Thanks,Buy the way, I do have a good ventilation system and a respirator.

1. 
   Mike_Null | Jan 13, 2001 01:04am | #4

   *Mark:Shellac is one of the safest of all finishes. The alcohol solvent evaporates rapidly and leaves little residual odor. I would doubt that you'd even get a reading on a test.Mike

1. 
   Don_Stephan | Jan 15, 2001 01:42am | #5

   *The responses have me puzzled. Granted, the alcohol will evaporate quickly, but doesn't that mean it is dissolved into the air that is being inhaled? And the lungs are very effective at absorbing chemicals from inhaled air. Granted, the concentration of alcohol in this situation actually absorbed into the bloodstream will likely be very small.Wouldn't the possibility of an explosive air-alcohol mix be of more concern?

2. 
   bill_taber | Jan 17, 2001 02:43pm | #6

   *Just an opinion, but I think the breath test could detect an alcohol in the blood through inhalation. Without adequate ventilation the -OH would be in the blood and not doing you any good whatsoever. Detection would depend on the analyzer however.Use a good chemical mask with good ventilation.Check with the analyze maker if you really want the answer to your question.

3. 
   Steve_Shelley | Jan 25, 2001 06:51am | #7

   *I recall an article in Fine Woodworking years ago where polyethylene glycol is used to reduce the tendency of undried wood to crack. I wonder if it would work on chainsaw-sculpted projects, and how should it be applied. Paint or spray it on, immerse it in a large container, etc.?