# Dye Sub Smell



## tatonkathomas (Jun 23, 2011)

So we make custom mousepads. The smell throught the day gets pretty bad. What do you all do to take care of this? Have any of you done this at home in your garage? Any ideas on what to do if the neighbors are complaining of the smell?


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

tatonkathomas said:


> So we make custom mousepads. The smell throught the day gets pretty bad. What do you all do to take care of this? Have any of you done this at home in your garage? Any ideas on what to do if the neighbors are complaining of the smell?


Neoprene does cause more of a smell than other substrates - not much one can do other than having good ventilation. Never heard or experienced the smell being so bad a neighbor complained.


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## tatonkathomas (Jun 23, 2011)

Ever done 1,000 in a row. Pretty smelly. We notice that the Nomex pad we use make the smell quite strong as well. A lot of moisture gets on our press. We do vent a lot but that just sends the smell outside. I am looking for a shop but in the mean time I was trying to figure out a way to keep everyone happy. Even thought about looking for those baked cookie smellerators and sending some yummy smells out there at the same time, haha.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

tatonkathomas said:


> Ever done 1,000 in a row. Pretty smelly. We notice that the Nomex pad we use make the smell quite strong as well. A lot of moisture gets on our press. We do vent a lot but that just sends the smell outside. I am looking for a shop but in the mean time I was trying to figure out a way to keep everyone happy. Even thought about looking for those baked cookie smellerators and sending some yummy smells out there at the same time, haha.


Not that it really matters to the issue but we have done as many as 600 in a stretch. Not any more smell doing 600 or 60. Just last longer

One issue may be using a Nomax pad. Not sure why one would do such as they are expensive and have no bearing on pressing mouse pads. 

If you have people complaining outside about neoprene odors being vented out from your shop you have people way too close to your house. The smell just does not carry that far in concentrated amounts.


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## tatonkathomas (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks! What do you use when pressing mousepads?


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Lets hope OSHA doesn't read this forum! For any of you pressing a few hundred or more pads without a properly filtered venting hood, the fine if you're reported will make a big dent in your pocketbook. 

The outgassing from neoprene is mildly toxic, and some types can give off cyanide. (Remember, these blanks are made in China, and like everything from China, there's no way of really being certain what they contain.) So if you're doing so many that your neighbors are complaining, I wouldn't do these in a residence, and I'd invest in a filtration unit.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

tatonkathomas said:


> Thanks! What do you use when pressing mousepads?


I assume you're talking providing a cushion to protect the bottom rubber platen of your heat press against getting a permanent indent from the mouse pad? For this I just use some old cotton or linen or wool fabric. Double or triple it up, and that should provide enough cushion. 

You could also use the cheapo green foam from Joann's. One piece will last at least 50-100 pads.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

tatonkathomas said:


> Thanks! What do you use when pressing mouse pads?


The only time we really use anything on the bottom platen is if we are crushing a premade shirt and want to even out the pressure due to hems and seams. In that case we also use a nomax pad. Other than that we simply use two sheets of fabric. When they get oily we wash and do it all over again. We do not use anything for the top platen. Decent paper should not blow through to the top platen.

Best of luck


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Tatonkat, have the neighbors complained about the smell?


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## tatonkathomas (Jun 23, 2011)

selanac said:


> Tatonkat, have the neighbors complained about the smell?


Yes they have. Well one of them, who "has a sensitive nose".


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Give them some nose plugs, lol.


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## uncletee (Feb 25, 2007)

print when they are sleeping!


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Personally I would get them a "life". If they are truly bothered by heat press fumes generated by a neighbor they are looking for something to complain about.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

For everyone suggesting you should just let your neighbors complain, consider that you're running a business that produces noxious fumes from a residence -- they wouldn't complain unless they could actually smell it. It's strictly not allowed to run such a business from residential zoning. The law is not on your side. Not only can you receive a hefty fine from your city's or county's code enforcement, any business licence you may have could be pulled, making things inconvenient for you, at best. 

If you're making so many pads it's a problem for your neighbors then you really need to rent a small space in an industrial park, and not risk your business on neighbors.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

GordonM said:


> For everyone suggesting you should just let your neighbors complain, consider that you're running a business that produces noxious fumes from a residence -- they wouldn't complain unless they could actually smell it. It's strictly not allowed to run such a business from residential zoning. Not only can you receive a hefty fine from your city's or county's code enforcement, any business licence you may have could be pulled, making things inconvenient for you, at best.
> 
> If you're making so many pads it's a problem for your neighbors then you really need to rent a small space in an industrial park, and not risk your business on neighbors.


The OP didn't mention ... but if one is in a HOA then not only having the city to deal with, but also the HOA if you are home based business. They can even tell you what colors you can only use to paint your garage door with. LOL


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Come on - OSHA visiting? If OHSA has nothing better to do then to roust someone crushing mouse pads we are all in big trouble. Could they? Surely but the odds are about as great as in snowing here in Arizona today when it is over 100.

Unless the person is living in a condo, shared duplex or the like the smell that is emitted is miniscule at best once it hits the outside air. You will get more fumes from a car idling in a drive way then crushing mouse pads.

Surely one can be a good neighbor and apologize. As one stated if you have neighbor with so little to do with themselves you can print morning/night when they are holed up inside peeking through their blinds on their neighbors.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

HOAs are a pain, but they're private contractual agreements (usually), whereas zoning ordinances carry the weight of civil code, for which the police can be called in.

I have a neighbor who is a house painter. He sometimes painted cabinets and things in his garage. Didn't bother me, but one day some paint spilled from the back of his truck, leaving a little trail of white dribbles down the road. Another neighbor complained to the city code enforcement. In addition to a fine for illegally operating a painting business out of his home, my painter neighbor was also at risk of losing his state contractor's license. Had that happened, he would have gone out of business.

Obviously, since then, he no longer does any painting in his garage. He still skirts the law by storing paints and other chemicals in his garage, but he doesn't risk actually doing any painting work from home.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Riderz Ready said:


> Unless the person is living in a condo, shared duplex or the like the smell that is emitted is miniscule at best once it hits the outside air.


Read his posts again. He said the neighbor complained. That means the smell is enough to be bothersome and not "miniscule." 

I assume you don't work out of your home, because you know it's not a good idea because of laws and ordinances. So why are you suggesting it for someone else? The OP is obviously doing enough volume to have received complaints. What comes next is a code enforcement officer from the city or county. And then a demand for a big, fat fine.

Tell you what: Should it come to getting a fine, the OP can send you the bill, and you can pay it for him. It was your "professional" advice, after all.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

GordonM said:


> HOAs are a pain, but they're private contractual agreements (usually), whereas zoning ordinances carry the weight of civil code, for which the police can be called in.
> 
> I have a neighbor who is a house painter. He sometimes painted cabinets and things in his garage. Didn't bother me, but one day some paint spilled from the back of his truck, leaving a little trail of white dribbles down the road. Another neighbor complained to the city code enforcement. In addition to a fine for illegally operating a painting business out of his home, my painter neighbor was also at risk of losing his state contractor's license. Had that happened, he would have gone out of business.
> 
> Obviously, since then, he no longer does any painting in his garage. He still skirts the law by storing paints and other chemicals in his garage, but he doesn't risk actually doing any painting work from home.


Yup, they are usually private contracts with HOA, but if you want to live there you still have to abide by their rules. End result can still be fines or they can take you to court. They_ can_ force you to not do business in their development. 

Had a neighbor once that ran a "puppy mill" in his house and garage. Talk about the neighbor from hell. LOL


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Riderz Ready said:


> Come on - OSHA visiting? If OHSA has nothing better to do then to roust someone crushing mouse pads we are all in big trouble. Could they? Surely but the odds are about as great as in snowing here in Arizona today when it is over 100.
> 
> Unless the person is living in a condo, shared duplex or the like the smell that is emitted is miniscule at best once it hits the outside air. You will get more fumes from a car idling in a drive way then crushing mouse pads.
> 
> Surely one can be a good neighbor and apologize. As one stated if you have neighbor with so little to do with themselves you can print morning/night when they are holed up inside peeking through their blinds on their neighbors.


Apologizing is usually when you are sorry and did something offensive to someone, but what if you continue the "offense"? 

Apologizing alone will not likely solve the problem if you need to keep committing the same "sin".

Have a co-worker that likes to pass gas at work in front of others, he does say he is sorry each time though.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

GordonM said:


> Read his posts again. He said the neighbor complained. That means the smell is enough to be bothersome and not "miniscule."
> 
> I assume you don't work out of your home, because you know it's not a good idea because of laws and ordinances. So why are you suggesting it for someone else? The OP is obviously doing enough volume to have received complaints. What comes next is a code enforcement officer from the city or county. And then a demand for a big, fat fine.
> 
> Tell you what: Should it come to getting a fine, the OP can send you the bill, and you can pay it for him. It was your "professional" advice, after all.


What percent of people who post on this forum work from their homes? I would guess 90% plus. You saying they should all shut it down because they will get a fat fine? Seriously? The OP said a complaint not complaints. There are neighbors who will complain about anything. 

There is a big difference of someone operating a small home business versus a contractor operating out of their house just like there is a big difference between someone going 5 MPH over the speed limit versus someone going 25 MPH over the speed limit - both are wrong but no one gets stopped going 5 MPH over the limit.

Bottom line is OSHA is not going to come knocking on his door. Chances of code enforcement knocking on his door is near zero unless he is "advertising" the fact he is running a business out of his house.

My point was simple - compared to all the things that happen in a neighborhood of any kind if the worse thing that happens is someone smell neoprene from a neighbor they should be grateful. Hate to think what they would think of someone working on their car in the driveway or grilling in their backyard.

This forum is going to get very lonely is everyone takes your advice and shuts down their home business.

Are you the neighbor?


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

GordonM said:


> HOAs are a pain, but they're private contractual agreements (usually), whereas zoning ordinances carry the weight of civil code, for which the police can be called in.
> 
> I have a neighbor who is a house painter. He sometimes painted cabinets and things in his garage. Didn't bother me, but one day some paint spilled from the back of his truck, leaving a little trail of white dribbles down the road. Another neighbor complained to the city code enforcement. In addition to a fine for illegally operating a painting business out of his home, my painter neighbor was also at risk of losing his state contractor's license. Had that happened, he would have gone out of business.
> 
> Obviously, since then, he no longer does any painting in his garage. He still skirts the law by storing paints and other chemicals in his garage, but he doesn't risk actually doing any painting work from home.


I would think though that zoning is still applicable even on a private development, the builder still would have had to have the properties zoned (for a specific purpose) by the local govt.

So could be a double wammy, got the HOA and the local govt. on your back.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

mgparrish said:


> I would think though that zoning is still applicable even on a private development, the builder still would have had to have the properties zoned (for a specific purpose) by the local govt.
> 
> So could be a double wammy, got the HOA and the local govt. on your back.


Don't forget OSHA!

Where do you conduct your business?


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Riderz Ready said:


> Don't forget OSHA!
> 
> Where do you conduct your business?


In my house. Used to have week-end retail in swap meets but still did orders at home.

Never had trouble with neighbors. Some in an apartment or a rental or their own house in a HOA are at the mercy of the landlord or HOA association. Neighbors could complain there for sure and do. 

I think if I were in that situation I would concede I have a neighbor that doesn't like me, wait and see if he takes any actions elsewhere.

There are zoning violation hotlines setup in places, but they would still need to prove you are actually running a business. Hopefully you don't have a local yellow page ad or a sign in your front yard LOL.

If you have a tax license could be a "smoking gun" though, just would depend on how far the local govt. would go to act on the complaint.

I don't see OSHA getting involved, perhaps technically they could.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

mgparrish said:


> in my house. Used to have week-end retail in swap meets but still did orders at home.
> 
> Never had trouble with neighbors. Some in an apartment or a rental or their own house in a hoa are at the mercy of the landlord or hoa association. Neighbors could complain there for sure and do.
> 
> ...


exactly - -


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## BRC (Mar 27, 2007)

The agency wouldn't be OSHA but the EPA. Yes they do get involved in small operations like this, just ask my wife's Uncle. He painted a couple cars in his garage and was told if he did so much as 1 more the fine would be enormous. I'm lucky and have some really good neighbors, but then there is the one that went to a lawyer and threatened to sue me. You just never know.


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## bratdawg (Jul 17, 2012)

As Terry said, you just never know! The odds of being struck by lightning are rather astronomical too, but it generally only takes once! 

Obviously there are many home businesses in this industry, and most probably know they're skating the local ordinances and in many areas you can not get a business license to work out of a home (I'm in one!). 

As long as everyone is aware of the possibilities it is up to them as to how much of a chance they're willing to take. Personally I would be concerned about neighbor complaints because if they pursue it, they can make your life miserable not to mention costly!

I own a condo warehouse for my business, and sit on the board....so I know what kind of a PIA those type of associations can be as well, and the power they wield! 

Steve


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

bratdawg said:


> As The odds of being struck by lightning are rather astronomical too, but it generally only takes once!
> 
> Steve


And yet we all walk outside everyday. 

All these "stories" about OSHA, the EPA, etc are crazy. So it is against the law to shoot a car in your garage? Highly unlikely. Maybe the uncle was disposing of paint down storm drains but simply painting ones car in their garage would hardly call for the EPA to come knocking. Hate to think who would come running if you painted your house. Heck that may call for HazMat and SWAT.

Companies like yours, Conde, etc. better hope and pray dye sub home businesses do not shut down or you will be looking for a job.


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## paintersspouse (Jul 26, 2012)

Yes, the EPa and Osha will show up if they get complaints. They are just the half of it.

One of my retail accounts had a three day visit from everyone from the police to the attorney general's office because the supplier( an artist) decided the store was not selling enough of her stuff. Now she has to get a restraining order ( suggested by the police). Stupid and crazy but the result of a crazy vindictive person.


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## bratdawg (Jul 17, 2012)

Riderz Ready said:


> Companies like yours, Conde, etc. better hope and pray dye sub home businesses do not shut down or you will be looking for a job.



Absolutely! The majority of our customers are home based. Whether they're legal or not is their concern and I'm sure many are or at the very least not raising any flags in the neighborhood. I have dealt with OSHA in the past and it was no fun and I can only imagine the EPA and some local authorities can be difficult as well.

However you are right in that we all take chances every day of our lives. I'm not saying anyone should stop working from home, but I do feel everyone should be aware of any consequences with anything you do in business or life. All choices are a personal matter but you should know the downside as well. 

Unfortunately in life, everything does not go as planned or even hoped for! And if all neighbors were nice and never complained or worried about what others are doing, the court system wouldn't be bogged down as much as it is. 

Other than that, I hope that all sublimators succeed and do well, whether from home or not! 

Steve


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Riderz Ready said:


> What percent of people who post on this forum work from their homes? I would guess 90% plus.


You're intentionally ignoring the fact that he suggested he was doing a good quantity of these, enough for the smell to get bad "throughout" the day.

Most of the members of this forum who work from home probably aren't pressing all day, and likely not something as smelly as mouse pads. You can do t-shirts all day long and no one would be the wiser.

You have a knack for telling people to treat their business as a real business. But somehow this same advice doesn't include moving to a commercial zone when you're doing enough quantity to cause a complaint from the neighbors.

I meant it when I said the OP should send you the bill if he gets a knock on the door from the city inspector and is fined. You somehow think that's unlikely given the neighbor has already complained. Amazing.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

mgparrish said:


> I don't see OSHA getting involved, perhaps technically they could.


I mentioned OSHA for the "professional" who said he did 600 pads a day apparently without filtration. He has a known place of business, and publicly admitted to a potentially unsafe work environment.

So what that he's not sensitive to the odor. The outgassing released from heated polychloroprene (and who knows what else the Chinese put in these things) is listed as hazardous, including chronic lung disease in cases of heavy exposure. For anyone who doesn't believe me look up the MSDS sheet.

A couple of these these pads at a time is fine. What is naive is saying in a public forum you do hundreds at a time without adequate protection for your workers. Not smart, IMO.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

BRC said:


> The agency wouldn't be OSHA but the EPA.


I mentioned OSHA because someone publicly stated they don't take any special filtration precautions despite doing hundreds of pads at a time. The agency to investigate claims of workplace safety is OSHA.

It comes down to this: If you're going to break the law, don't advertise it in a public forum.

My personal advice still stands: If you're going to be doing a thousand of these at a time, as the OP has indicated, it's time to move out of the house, as well as invest in a filter hood. Companies like Dupont will tell you what you need to be compliant. The hoods are not terribly expensive, considering.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

GordonM said:


> I mentioned OSHA for the "professional" who said he did 600 pads a day apparently without filtration. *He has a known place of business, and publicly admitted to a potentially unsafe work environment.*
> 
> So what that he's not sensitive to the odor. The outgassing released from heated polychloroprene (and who knows what else the Chinese put in these things) is listed as hazardous, including chronic lung disease in cases of heavy exposure. For anyone who doesn't believe me look up the MSDS sheet.
> 
> A couple of these these pads at a time is fine. What is naive is saying in a public forum you do hundreds at a time without adequate protection for your workers. Not smart, IMO.


I have to disagree on the "known place of business"... known to whom?

He knows he has a business, but does OSHA know that, or the local govt? 

Actually I think I am mistaken even saying "technically" they (OSHA) could get involved ... as long as his business is really _clandestine_ then officially he is not a business. OSHA doesn't inspect households. So I see the bigger threat being running a business in a place not zoned for it.

If the business is not _clandestine_ and likely on properly zoned property ... hence _known,_ then I could see a knock on the door from OSHA. Perhaps a local Dept. of Health would be the governing agency for _household_ environment and safety, the EPA I'm sure covers environment anywhere.


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## paintersspouse (Jul 26, 2012)

mgparrish said:


> I have to disagree on the "known place of business"... known to whom?
> 
> He knows he has a business, but does OSHA know that, or the local govt?
> 
> ...


Osha will visit any place where there are people working. Especially if someone complains that something is bothering them. They don't have to have a listed physical place of business.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

paintersspouse said:


> Osha will visit any place where there are people working. Especially if someone complains that something is bothering them. They don't have to have a listed physical place of business.


I would presume if OSHA went to a household and demanded an inspection the home owner could state they don't have business and ask them to go away. 

At that point I would think that the OSHA people would refer that over to Health dept officials or local zoning officials. 

I found the actual "act" and the Applicability of the Act

The OSH Act 1970. Occupational Health and Safety Legislation

So it does cover actual working _anywhere_, say for example domestic workers are in your household, you employ others to come into your house and perform chores (or pressing mousepads) etc. and _maybe_ even if you are the lone "worker" as a business owner of a 1 man (or 1 woman ) operation.

So looks like you are right in that respect.

But I think you are missing my point on a "clandestine" business, unless you concede you have a business there _of any type,_ or workers in your house then I don't see them inspecting. Otherwise if my wife left the bleach bottle with the cap off when she does the laundry then could they fine me, or even be able to enter my property?

I still see OSHA unlikely unless you conceed to them you have a business there or actually have hired help in your house. But not to say if they were suspicious that they woudn't take to other agencies.

If they should show up at my door for inspection I would go tell them to go pound sand and that there is no business nor employment in my house. Of course at that point you really need "plan B" for your business location.


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## paintersspouse (Jul 26, 2012)

mgparrish said:


> I would presume if OSHA went to a household and demanded an inspection the home owner could state they don't have business and ask them to go away.
> 
> At that point I would think that the OSHA people would refer that over to Health dept officials or local zoning officials.
> 
> ...


I can see that you have not had any dealings with OSHA. They do their homework before they even approach you.


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## jpkevin (Oct 22, 2007)

You could use a mousepad that does not have that smell.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

paintersspouse said:


> I can see that you have not had any dealings with OSHA. They do their homework before they even approach you.


That's true I haven't, I would still tell them to pound sand unless they had a court order, then of course I would cease my home operation.

If I let them in voluntarily then _shame on me_ for the fine. They can research me all they want, any "violations" they would have to have entry to confirm.


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## BRC (Mar 27, 2007)

If you look at the MSDS for the mousepad Iam sure there would be something in it that would be cause for health concerns. They are simply CYA for the manufacturer and even asprin can be lethal. When someone complains it starts a whole mess of things from a simple Homeowners Association (which I used to be the Secretary of ours) visit to a visit from the police to a more serious visit from higher Gov. agencies (they can make life a living hell, they have more time and money than most of us)

In the case of my wife's Uncle, there are strict laws about paint, and the spaying thereof. Years ago you could paint cars in your backyard, but not anymore. I'm sure that releasing certain chemicals into the air by heating a mouse pad (again look at the MSDS for which ones) COULD POSSIBLY subject you to some type of liability.

The simple solution here is to not piss off the neighbor, and if you do offer them a mousepad for free. Those of us that work from home simply have to keep the neighbors in mind when it comes to noise , smells or whatever. Where I live I don't need any license and there is no zoning against a home business but I do have nice friendly neighbors and I'd like to keep it that way.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Don't forget they're your neighbor.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

mgparrish said:


> I have to disagree on the "known place of business"... known to whom?
> 
> He knows he has a business, but does OSHA know that, or the local govt?


I don't think you're following my inference. I was not referring to the OP.

But while on the subject, it's more likely for the OP would get into hot water because his neighbors call the code enforcement office in his city. They would send out an inspector to investigate. As his workplace is not officially a business, I don't think OSHA would get involved. If he has employees coming to his home to work, he's in trouble for other things. OSHA somehow seems unimportant at that point!

I can't (and won't after this) stress enough that when a business gets to a particular production level, it's time to move out of the home. It's not the place to run a factory.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

jpkevin said:


> You could use a mousepad that does not have that smell.


Kevin, that would be great. Any direct links to one? 

@BRC, The MSDS sheets are CYA, for sure. But it's known that neoprene products release hydrogen chloride (and other chlorinates) when heated. When HCl hits the moisture in the air, it turns into hydrochloric acid. (This is how "acid rain" is made.)

Now, you'd have to press a lot of pads for the amount of outgassing to be a problem, but a lot is what we're talking about here. On laser cutting equipment, where certain plastics give off much higher concentrations of the same gasses, the hydrochloric acid will quickly destroy the machine in just a few days. For humans, the release of much less HCl and chlorine gasses gets into the lungs, and burns mucous membranes. 

All this is to say the MSDS sheets are not over-dramatizing the potential for harmful fumes when processing a lot of pads. Anyone who works around this type of concentration needs personal protection, and the work area itself needs a fume hood.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

GordonM said:


> I don't think you're following my inference. I was not referring to the OP.
> 
> But while on the subject, it's more likely for the OP would get into hot water because his neighbors call the code enforcement office in his city. They would send out an inspector to investigate. As his workplace is not officially a business, I don't think OSHA would get involved. If he has employees coming to his home to work, he's in trouble for other things. OSHA somehow seems unimportant at that point!
> 
> I can't (and won't after this) stress enough that when a business gets to a particular production level, it's time to move out of the home. It's not the place to run a factory.


It's not clear from his post if he is at that point yet, also I didn't see mentioned where there were employees coming from the outside, so perhaps you are speaking hypothetically. 

One thing about hiring "true employees" and you are working in your home, then if you need to fire that person and they want to be vindictive, then they can cause you trouble blowing the whistle on you. I can handle most things by myself, but if I need, the wife can help with stuff so I never hire from outside help.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

tatonkathomas said:


> So we make custom mousepads. The smell throught the day gets pretty bad. What do you all do to take care of this? Have any of you done this at home in your garage? Any ideas on what to do if the neighbors are complaining of the smell?


This might give you some ideas on containing the smell. This stuff I'm sure is pricey, but I think you could easily DIY on something like this.

Air Purification Systems, Ductless Hoods & Fume Extractors

Where I work we have a "Ductless Fume Hood" that we use for conformal coating and pottings. This stuff we use for the coating and pottings is nasty and smelly, much more so than mousepads. It works well, the air is not sent outside. It just filters locally, 5 ft. away you cannot smell anything, even though the air is not sent outside.

Seems you could buy an exhaust hood that was made for above a stove then just put some filters in line with the extraction fan through a sheet metal "pipe". The key would be to build a box that could hold some filters that you could source from various places. So you could either send the exhaust outside after filtering or keep it local.

Anyway, you can reference at that link for ideas.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Making your own hood could work, though it needs to actively suck up the fumes, as some of them are heavier than air. For neoprene and neoprene-like rubbers, in addition to HCl two others to be concerned with are butadiene, heavier than air, but listed by most states as a toxic air contaminant -- so you can't just vent it. Another is acetylene, a by-product of the manufacture of some of these rubber sheets. It's lighter than air, but flammable. 

These pads predominately come from China, who may use older and less environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques, so keep this in mind. If you have a gas detector that registers things like benzene and carbon monoxide, I'd use it to test the pads you get. (I don't think the pads give off benzene, but the detector may register similar gas molecules.)

Realize, again, that I'm talking about production volumes of mouse pads here (hundreds, 1000+), not a couple or even a few dozen at a time.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

GordonM said:


> I don't think you're following my inference. I was not referring to the OP.
> 
> But while on the subject, it's more likely for the OP would get into hot water because his neighbors call the code enforcement office in his city. They would send out an inspector to investigate. As his workplace is not officially a business, I don't think OSHA would get involved. If he has employees coming to his home to work, he's in trouble for other things. OSHA somehow seems unimportant at that point!
> 
> I can't (and won't after this) stress enough that when a business gets to a particular production level, it's time to move out of the home. It's not the place to run a factory.


My bad, the _inference_ is where I got confused.


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## jpkevin (Oct 22, 2007)

Johnson Plastics:*MOUSEPAD 7-3/4 X 9-1/4 DRYSUBMATE

Here is the link. The backing is a different material that does not smell when heated.


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