Worst Hobby Mistake

[csxengineer]

When I was 15 I wanted to make a snow scene on my HO layout. It was in the garage, and I figured I could use this somewhat off color white powder I found by the lawnmower. When I showed my mom, she asked what I used, and I pointed to the big brown bag. She freaked! "That's Limestone used for fertilizer"! I had to call the poison control center who told me to open the windows, use a mask and get vacuum up every speck of dust!

Needless to say, I haven't modeled winter since.

 

[Fred_M]

I think it was the poison control center covering their hinney. Calcium carbonate is pretty benign, it's what tums and maalox is made of and we eat that. http://www.gicare.com/pated/calcium_carbonate.htm It's also what most rocks are made of along with sea shells. Sure if you like breathed a whole lot of it it could hurt you just like breathing water can hurt you. If you breath flour or plaster dust it too can hurt you. I would think limestone would be just as safe as anything else used for snow. Just wear a mask and read the MSDS. When you first started the story I thought you was gonna say it was a kilo of coke and all your LPBs were coming out to get a nose full. DASH

 

[billk]

Unless it was (or they thought it was) quick lime - isn't that stuff kinda bad?

 

[Fred_M]

Quick lime is Calcium oxide and the msds for it states, "Inhalation: Extremely high concentrations of dust are typically self-eliminated due to the nuisance conditions they create. Over exposure may produce irritation of the mucous membranes, nose, throat, coughing and shortness of breath. In addition it may contain small amounts of silica particles less than 5mm in diameter. These silica particles are capable of causing silicosis if inhaled in high enough concentrations over an extended period of time. The principal manifestation of silicosis if difficulty in breathing. This condition can progress to dry cough, shortness of breath on exertion, decreased lung function and pulmonary fibrosis. " So I guess not. The MSDS is at http://www.peterschemical.com/CaO - MSDS.htm. About any item can be looked up on Yahoo by searching " MSDS name". DASH

 

[Fred_M]

Here's one for water though it's not required under current regulations as water is considered to be benign by OSHA. http://www.hsegroup.com/hse/text/water.htm ... But we all know breathing it is ususally fatal. DASH

 

[sumpter250]

"Visitor come to American city
they will find it really pretty
just two things of which they must beware
Don't drink the water, and don't breathe the air" - Tom Lehrer