a stop at the tobacco shop

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Every few months or so, I buy one of those little cigars.  I had to do something to get the sensation of the worst smell I have ever come across, and I’m convinced that tobacco is both a cancer fighter and causer, depending on your regularity of use.  I took one long stoke and passed it to someone I know who will smoke, eat, or drink anything presented to him.  I also brought him two shots of strong, expensive bourbon and down it went.  No sipping, he just placed it into stomach via throat.  Did I mention that the first purchase of the decade for me was a bottle of Kentucky straight?  (on New Year’s Day)

The most horrible smell I have ever encountered is plastic epoxy, and the first time I encountered it was while passing through a mall, I ran into this stench coming from a nail salon combined with a popcorn stand on the other side of the hallway.  The combination hit with such a disgusting potency, this made me hold my breath to bluing, and still I could not avoid that sensation lingering for days.  It is a vile, vile smell.  Epoxy usually smells like solvent, and granted – breathing it is to be avoided.  But this… is bad.

My winter maintenance, meticulous and meditative, now comes to the pedals that I must clean out and rebuild.  Represented on my work table are Japanese, Italian, US, and English pedals.   The XTs on my current runner are the only ones in service.  I don’t go clipless in the winter.  I go with Chippewa boots.

MyTableI gotta face the poor carbon frame that I patched with that shit and sand that shit, and I’m going to wear a fucking mask but that smell is going to seep in and I’m shuddering now because it’s still stuck, maybe a few ppb, on my nose’s sensors.  Stay the hell away from that stuff they call PLASTIC WELD.  It can ruin a shop’s air like Kroil’s creepy oil, only more nasty a stench.  I need some advice on how to patch the paint on a carbon frame.  To start with, the Campagnolos that have been accross the continent with me a few times.  I can only procrastinate pedals for so long.  One running bike just isn’t enough.

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About littlejar

5 - Learned to ride in paved alley behind liquor store in Lowell. 16 - Road bike riding alone while peers do soccer practice. 18 - First new road bike bought with winnings from Project Graduation. 20 - Burlington VT. Nuff said. 22 - Joined the Air Force. 23 - Joined team Fair Wheel in Tucson - rode the Shootout. 24 - Rode El Tour in under five. 26 - Toured to Quebec City 28 - Toured Oklahoma to Vermont 30 - Found my dream bike - a 1989 58cm LaBan (#22) 32 - Experienced Minneapolis and saw BIKE CULTURE. 34 - Building my first bicycle frame, with a self made jig. USA

12 Replies to “a stop at the tobacco shop”

  1. Save your lungs. You want an activated charcoal, chemical purifying respirator mask. Not a dust mask. Those only block particles, not fumes. If it cost a buck, it won’t work.

  2. here here to what Cody says!!!
    don’t mess with that shit without the proper PPE!!!
    a dust mask will not cut it!!!
    this is coming from a guy who sprays urathane 155, along with other nasty shit, including chemicals like MEK.

    /////////////////////PAY ATTENTION////////////////
    all that shit is bad for you, maybe not tommorrow, maybe not next year, but 20-30 years down the road that nasty shit will kill ya!!!

    Peace

  3. A cartridge filter mask, yes, I know dusk masks don’t block fumes. Duh…
    Believe me, I am so insanely aware of how toxic shit is. I always put on gloves when handling motor oil or fuel systems, or anything of that nature. The fucked up smell (that I still cannot come up with a description for) of PLASTIC WELDER went away after it dried. This carbon frame with a carbon fork is going to rip, I just know it (had to go with a 20 year old frame) classical carbon – it has down tube shifter mounts. If I get some Ksyrium SLs for it, might even be a competition grade rig.

  4. Just one more word of advice for everyone out there.
    When you go anywhere to buy shit be it paint, WD40, or anything made with chemicals. Ask the salesperson for the MSDS paper work. (The MSDS tells you the make up of said product, and most impotantly the harmful Heath affects of said product.) if they give you the 1000 yard stare, (and most likely they will) ask for the manager!
    By law they have to provide you the MSDS paperwork!!!
    In my daily work I don’t touch anything that I have not read the MSDS write up!!!!
    Information is power!!!!!!!

    I also love my life and am totally enjoying the ride, and want to ride it for alot longer as should all of you!!!!

    Ok stepping off the soapbox.

    Peace

  5. I think most MSDS’ can also be had on the interwebs for most household products.

  6. Hell may freeze over, but I’m actually on the same page as dave. Maybe I’m not understanding what you are doing, but if the damage to the carbon was structural, the frame needs to be scrapped. No amount of epoxy will fix it. Once the carbon fibers are broken, there is no way to repair them. If it’s just cosmetic, fix away…

  7. You should be able to get the MSDS from the manufacturer for industrial products. Fisher Scientific will have a bunch of them for the individual chemicals as well.