Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Wed Aug 13, 2025 5:21 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Celluloid fumes?
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 8:00 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:31 pm
Posts: 1682
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Looker
City: Worthington
State: OH
Zip/Postal Code: 43085
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I just started working with faux tortoise celluloid binding for the first time.

Wow does that stuff stink when you scrape or sand it!

At first I thought it smelled like Vicks Vapo Rub but now I think it just smells nasty.

Does anyone know if it's a particular chemical component that causes the smell? I assume there aren't any health risks besides the stuff catching fire.

Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Celluloid fumes?
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 9:33 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2005 7:46 am
Posts: 1315
Location: Branson, MO
First name: stan
Last Name: thomison
City: branson
State: mo
Zip/Postal Code: 65616
Country: united states
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I personally never have had an issue with fumes. If it is old style stuff, if heated it will catch fire and is like lighting an old ping pong ball. That could be bad. Anyway I have never heard of a good fire in a shop. But shouldn't be a problem. I use it all the time and even sand it with a ors for some things. Very, very few but some. But scraping you won't have a problem. If worried wear a mask.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Celluloid fumes?
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 10:13 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5901
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
We used to burn celluloid picks, and I always thought they smelled like Vicks.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Celluloid fumes?
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 10:20 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 4:02 am
Posts: 3272
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
First name: Barry
Last Name: Daniels
Lots of different ingredients have been used in nitrocellulous plastic over the years, but camphor is often used as a plasticizer and this may account for the Vicks smell.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Celluloid fumes?
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 11:24 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:25 pm
Posts: 1958
First name: George
City: Seattle
State: WA
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Ah, Vicks. Fantastic stuff. As a kid, whenever I came down with a cold, my mom would bust out the Vap-O-Rub and slather it all over me. Before turning out the lights she'd dig her finger deep in the jar and scoop out a nice dollop for me to chew on as I drifted off to sleep. Delicious! Years later, when I learned to read warning labels, I kind of wondered if maybe she never really liked me all that much.

_________________
George :-)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Celluloid fumes?
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 11:36 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:31 pm
Posts: 1682
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Looker
City: Worthington
State: OH
Zip/Postal Code: 43085
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
The tortoise came from The GMC at Martin and I glued it with Weld On cement.

I'm not sure what camphor smells like but I read up on it & suspect it's what I'm smelling - very aromatic.

Thanks for the replies.

Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Celluloid fumes?
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 11:47 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2005 7:46 am
Posts: 1315
Location: Branson, MO
First name: stan
Last Name: thomison
City: branson
State: mo
Zip/Postal Code: 65616
Country: united states
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Now I know what to use next time for a cold. Just keep me away from the fire.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Melt in the Sun, Michaeldc, Mike Thomas and 38 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com