Reel Repair by Alan Tani

General Maintenance Tips => General Questions and Trouble Shooting => Topic started by: FatTuna on August 03, 2014, 12:44:45 AM

Title: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: FatTuna on August 03, 2014, 12:44:45 AM
I just realized that some of the old reels that I've been working on have asbestos washers in them. Should I be concerned?
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: ChileRelleno on August 03, 2014, 01:08:23 AM
Only if you're grinding or crushing them and inhaling the dust/fibers, otherwise not too much to be concerned about.
Also don't recommend using them as cough drops.
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: thinket on August 03, 2014, 01:26:31 AM
depends...are you eating the washers with or without hot sauce? ;D
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: FatTuna on August 03, 2014, 02:17:23 AM
haha, no I wasn't planning on chewing on them.

I didn't think that it was a big deal provided that I was wearing gloves. I just wanted to make sure. The word asbestos has a negative connotation.

Thanks guys
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: alantani on August 03, 2014, 05:08:43 PM
the risk of a mesothelioma lung cancer is zero.  it's a very common question at poison control.  the asbestos fibers have to be an exact particle size that is found only with raw asbestos.  once it's mixed up with drag washer material or brake linings, then ground up, it poses no risk.  that's why you never hear of auto mechanics getting asbestos-linked cancer. ship yard workers during wwII or guys that worked in asbestos mines were a different story.
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: Shark Hunter on August 03, 2014, 05:26:55 PM
Just pitch them and replace with Ht-100's. Superior drag.
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: seaeagle2 on August 07, 2014, 12:56:18 AM
Quote from: alantani on August 03, 2014, 05:08:43 PM
the risk of a mesothelioma lung cancer is zero.  it's a very common question at poison control.  the asbestos fibers have to be an exact particle size that is found only with raw asbestos.  once it's mixed up with drag washer material or brake linings, then ground up, it poses no risk.  that's why you never hear of auto mechanics getting asbestos-linked cancer. ship yard workers during wwII or guys that worked in asbestos mines were a different story.
It's amazing the stuff I've learned on this site, I always wondered about the brake shoe deal, when I was in College, I worked in an autoparts store and handled thousands of "core" brake shoes. 
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: johnachak on August 07, 2014, 04:24:10 AM
Wait, we shouldn't be smoking them either? Ruh, Roh...
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: Shark Hunter on August 07, 2014, 05:37:11 AM
I have had the leftover asbestos drags from previous reels I have serviced in my repair box forever. I threw them all away last night. No need to reuse them or smoke them. ;)
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: bluefish69 on August 08, 2014, 03:29:44 AM
A particle of Asbestos can fly air born for 8 hrs. I was licensed for removal from NYC & L.I. for 3 yrs. then I dropped the it. I did have part of my right Lung removed a few years ago.

Mike

Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: Dominick on August 08, 2014, 03:46:34 AM
Quote from: alantani on August 03, 2014, 05:08:43 PM
the risk of a mesothelioma lung cancer is zero.  it's a very common question at poison control.  the asbestos fibers have to be an exact particle size that is found only with raw asbestos.  once it's mixed up with drag washer material or brake linings, then ground up, it poses no risk.  that's why you never hear of auto mechanics getting asbestos-linked cancer. ship yard workers during wwII or guys that worked in asbestos mines were a different story.
When it's in processed form it is considered "friable" meaning it is stable. It's a rip off to have to get a special permit and take asbestos materials to special expensive dumps.  Stuff like roof shingles and asbestos siding is safe but not according to the uninformed bureaucrats that force the permit issue.  Dominick
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: bluefish69 on August 08, 2014, 04:16:03 AM
I was a Plumber from '63 - '07. Many places had it installed year ago & I remember watching the Pipe Coverers mixing the powder in water.

Mike
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: Shark Hunter on August 08, 2014, 05:44:33 AM
WOW Mike!
A plumber for 44 years! I will be asking you questions in the future Buddy. I had a toilet crisis a few months back. The flange was not square to the wall and it was leaking between the Linoleum and the floor. I had to cut out a section of the floor and replace it. Sal Almighty guided me through it! ;D
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: Keta on August 08, 2014, 06:19:31 AM
All a plumber needs to know is #### flows down hill, payday is on Friday and don't bite your fingernails.
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: alantani on August 08, 2014, 06:21:54 AM
many of the pipes at the old hospital were insulated with raw asbestos.  their answer was to paint it over once every 5 years. 
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: bluefish69 on August 08, 2014, 02:51:16 PM
Quote from: alantani on August 08, 2014, 06:21:54 AM
many of the pipes at the old hospital were insulated with raw asbestos.  their answer was to paint it over once every 5 years. 

When you had a leak you had to call an outside contractor to remove the Asbestos Covering. After removal they used floor wax sprayed on to seal to spots they removed.
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: MFB on August 08, 2014, 11:37:56 PM
I worked with some old fella's at Railways who did their time on steam engines. One of them told me that they had an asbestos room where the used empty sacks of into a trough and mix it up for lagging. He said the air was so thick with it you could hardly see let alone breathe. There was still a little bit around in the 80's when we used to strip and rebuild engines that had be built the 60's on copper water pipes and axle box liners.

Rgds

Mark   
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: FatTuna on August 09, 2014, 12:56:30 AM
So in looking up asbestos and the risks of exposure, I found out there are multiple diseases that it is linked with. I just want to clarify, when the mineral is mixed with other substances to form drag washers, there is a zero risk of developing other forms of cancer or asbestosis, correct?
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: Shark Hunter on August 09, 2014, 04:01:09 AM
That's the way I see it Sean. It has to be in pure form to be harmful.
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: Alto Mare on August 09, 2014, 10:34:35 AM
Quote from: Dominick on August 08, 2014, 03:46:34 AM
When it's in processed form it is considered "friable" meaning it is stable. It's a rip off to have to get a special permit and take asbestos materials to special expensive dumps.  Stuff like roof shingles and asbestos siding is safe but not according to the uninformed bureaucrats that force the permit issue.  Dominick
I'm a general contractor and deal with asbestos every now and then, minimizing dust will help, I never cut or grind the material.
To me, putting up some type of circus tent over your house for precaution during removal of asbestos is just as valuable as putting duct tape around your windows to protect you from a nuclear holocaust Undecided.
When we say we dispose trash, do we really throw it away? Maybe if we shoot it out of orbit, and even then...
Most of the stuff we throw away is still with us.
Sometimes getting too deep into things works against you, lets go fishing and forget about it...life's too short.
Sal
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: Robert Janssen on August 10, 2014, 12:52:14 PM
I know they are generally referred to as asbestos on this and many other boards, but really the friction materials as found typically in older Penn reels are generally comprised of a phenolic resin matrix filled with varying amounts of filler materials in a sort-of scientific blend. Glass, metal and organic fibers, maybe some asbestos too, rubber, metal flakes...a pinch of newt's foot, a dash of dragon tail or whatever else was nearby.

Inclusion of asbestos in friction materials was gradually and largely phased out over the years, and i really don't know if Penn's material actually contains any asbestos at all. In any case, it would be bound within the resin matrix and thusly not have freefloating airborne particles.

Incidentally, i'd like to recall that Penn's material used in the very early Internationals was a whitish-grayish donut- that may or may not have actually contained more or less asbestos (which was considered an excellent friction material).


Quote from: fatstriper on August 09, 2014, 12:56:30 AM
So in looking up asbestos and the risks of exposure, I found out there are multiple diseases that it is linked with. I just want to clarify, when the mineral is mixed with other substances to form drag washers, there is a zero risk of developing other forms of cancer or asbestosis, correct?

Something like that. Just don't crush it into dust and snort it. You should be okay.

.
Title: Re: How dangerous are asbestos drag washers
Post by: FatTuna on August 16, 2014, 10:46:58 PM
Thanks for the information guys. I just wanted to be safe rather then sorry.