What the hell happened?

[home-painter]

hello all- I know this is an old thread, but I just had a bad experience with urethane paint and need some information

I have my old Pontiac car apart, and wanted to put a flat black rat rod paint job on it. I purchased Eastwood rat rod flat black urethane paint w/catalyst. Also have a 6200 3M respirator mask, so went out and bought brand new charcoal filters and prefilters from Lowe's for the mask.

I spoke to 3M reps by phone and email, inquiring if their half mask/cartridges would protect against urethane iso's- they said yes, using the 6001 organic vapor cartridge with P95 particulate prefilters- so that's what I got. They also said break down the job into pieces, and spray it outside- so that's what I did. Removed hood, trunk lid, doors, rear valance from car. I was doing this anyway to sandblast to bare metal the entire car, and get rust off backsides, jambs, bottoms of panels. I etch primed, then epoxy sealed the entire car and parts- all undercoat/precoat/primer spraying was done outside with 3M respirator and new cartridges I had at home unopened, 6001 OV w/prefilters.

For the urethane, I opened and installed the brand new 3M cartridges from Lowe's- and that was also done outside. All painting was done with respirator on, from the time I opened paint can, until I walked to my car- then I took my mask off.

First day I painted undersides of removed panels with urethane.

Second day flipped panels over, painted topsides with urethane.

Third day, pulled car outside, masked off glass, and painted front fenders, rear quarter, roof, front bumper, and rear tail panel around tail lights.

I got done with car, backed it back into garage, got out and was walking to fuse box panel to shut off compressor, when I got very lightheaded and dizzy. My respirator was still on. Shut off compressor, ran outside, took mask off and started feeling a little better- got in my car, drove about 10 miles, stopped for gas and coffee, it hit me again- very dizzy. It seemed to subside when I drank or ate anything, but still was lightheaded.

Next day my throat and chest was sore, like a dull burning sensation that comes and goes, and similar to heartburn or gas in my chest. Also at night I wake up for no reason, and in mornings have some phlegm in my throat.

I seem to be improving over time, it's been 4 days since the incident, but has anyone else had these symptoms, if so how long is this going to last ?

Recently I did a lot of research, had the MSDS sheets faxed to me, and the sheets state use a supplied air mask, and only use a charcoal mask with plenty of ventilation and no longer than one hour.

Well I was painting all together over the 3 days for over an hour, maybe 1 hour 15 minutes, at the most 90 minutes. It sounds like the new charcoal filters "give up" on iso's after only a short time. And in between painting I was storing the mask double bagged in plastic zip lock bags to preserve it. As of today, the charcoal filters are only one week old !

Like OP said here, what the hell happened ?

I called and emailed 3M and they insisted the mask should last for many days before breakthrough of iso's. I told them it did not, and recommending that mask for iso's is borderline criminal negligence, somebody could have gotten hurt- good thing I was outside painting, and not inside.

I also looked around on the net and found that many vendors selling 3M masks, state right in their ads "not for urethane paints" for the same mask that 3M told me would work.

Why the contradicting information from 3M ? Are they just protecting market share for their product ?

Any help or advice appreciated, thanks. I've been painting cars as hobby now for about 25 years. Never had this bad experience with catalyzed SE or AE paints.

this urethane is NASTY stuff- as I'm keying this now, my chest hurts noticeably- not excruciating, but it's there. I just hope this goes away eventually. I read somewhere else where a kid who painted with urethane, said his lungs burned for 3 months afterwards.