How toxic are 2K car paints?
 

I've been practicing with PPG 1K paints, and getting good results. And now are getting close to doing the real thing on the 911.

I use a 3M respirator and wear disposable gloves, but don't paint in a proper spray booth with extracted air etc.

A friend said 2K paints, and we were talking about PPG clear coats, are highly toxic. Just how bad are they? I'm doing a few small jobs - fenders, hood etc. It's not like I'm in there all day.

Isocyanates bad stuff...

Can affect your body by inhalation, or exposed skin

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/isocyanates/

https://medicine.yale.edu/intmed/prep/worker/hazards/isocyanates/

I've painted a few cars with two stage.. last two I used water bases, base coat and just Iso containing on the clear..

When I'm spraying clears, I wear tyvek suits, wear do-rag head covering, goggles, and a proper respirator..even built my own basic extraction booth using plastic sheet and fans, furnace filters..

They can screw up your lungs, and respirators can't filter them out.

Once you develop a sensitivity, it is all over. I can't go near them.

Not true.

Properly fitted half face or full face masks, with cartridges that are changed before its useful life is exceeded are acceptable.

This means for most hobby, home painters, new cartridges every time you spray.

A supplied filtered fresh air supply is recommended

https://www.grainger.com/know-how/health/airborne-contaminants-noise-hazards/respiratory-protection/kh-233-isocyanate-qt

https://www.grainger.com/know-how/health/airborne-contaminants-noise-hazards/respiratory-protection/kh-respirator-cartridge-change-schedule-196-qt?cm_sp=CM-Shop-_-inline-text-_-kh-233-isocyanate-qt-_-2020-05

granger is not NIOSH or OSHA, only fresh-air mask and a full suit is required. You absorb the Isocyanates off-gas cyanid witch build up in your body until its too late.
Be safe

Apparently you didn't bother to take the time to explore the links (to both OSHA and NIOSH) that are provided by Grainger that cover this... and apparently didn't notice the links to OSHA, and a Study by Yale... I link in a previous post..

Simply put, a cartridge type respirator does remove Isocyanates.

And again Simply, the cartridges "time out" and need to be replaced on a calculated schedule...

Simple..

Is it really that hard?

For a home hobbiest who may paint one car a lifetime..

Are you spraying in a closed in space? I would also worry about getting blown up, Keep ventilation flowing through and air compressor well away from the area. I have sprayed about 10 cars. Wear a proper fitting respirator with proper cartridges.

I have no experience with paint, but watching several car shows that do painting, I’m surprised at the number who use just a N95 type mask. My understanding is they filter out particulates, but not gasses, which is a big problem. Some shows, they wear the full suit with a face mask and filtered air.

You are correct about the N95 mask. It’s crazy not to use the correct safety equipment.

Thanks guys. All good advice. Although it's fenders and hood (stone chips) I think I'll just use PPG Premium 1K clear coat. My base coat is PPG Deltron silver and they seem to work together well.

A while ago I made some enquires at a commercial paint store about 2pak paint for my 911.

They showed me some 2pak paint that they called "Helicopter Paint" that doesn't have Isocyanates in it.
I don't know the proper name for the paint but they told me it was safe to spray in the open air. ("Helicopter Paint" = Super tough scratch resistant paint)

The terminology used for the newer paints is confusing & the possibility of poisoning my neighbours kids is scary.

I'm seriously considering wrapping my car instead.

The miss the good old days of Acrylic Lacquer. Non toxic and the over spray dries in the air but it's soft compared to 2pak.

Umm, interesting, thanks. I should talk to my (two) paint places and see what they say in regard to paint like that. Or their opinion as to what is the very best 1K clear that works with my PPG Deltron 1K basecoat.

I painted the engine lid and it's a work or art LOL Looks just like the rest of the car :)

What do you mean by "1K paint"?

Is it similar to non catalyst old school enamel? (You have to bake Enamel for it to cure all the way through)

This one https://www.protec.com.au/images/uploads/tech_data_sheets/526-48213_PREMIUM_1K_CLEARCOAT_Dulon_Clearcoats_01-06-16.pdf

PPG 1K Premium Clearcoat, now called Protec.

i've been using it for all sorts of stuff including putting an insane gloss on some new wood furniture I made LOL

Thanks Bill... From the link: "acrylic lacquer clearcoat".

Thankfully we can still use it. I think it's illegal in California.