Banned tools - Fibreglass pens belong in the bin; the DeWalt Laser Level reminder

[@pldaniels]

Fiberglass pens offer excellent abrasive qualities in a compact form factor for many purposes; unfortunately they also leave behind some rather problematic detritus in the form of short/medium singular glass fibres that will penetrate a lot of protective equipment. In this instance, I had tried cleaning battery-leakage damage from the contact springs in my DeWalt laser level over a year ago ( unsuccessfully ) and today when I decided to put some more effort in to cleaning I encountered one such of these loose fibres. Fortunately for me I have a microscope and a reasonably steady hand, as such I was able to remove the entire glass fibre intact; makes me shudder to think if it had broken off :| For electronics and small contacts, use a PCB cleaning block ( basically like a coarse pencil eraser ).

[@bblod4896]

Yes, I use them. Same as cactus needles. No fun though. 🍻

[@pldaniels]

@@bblod4896 at least you have a chance with cactus spines, and if nothing else the body will probably react fairly agressively against them over a short period of time ( usually ). Still not great :|

[@Lightrunner.]

What else ?? ......

[@RFC3514]

I always get itchy fingers for a couple of days after using fibreglass-reinforced wood filler, for example. On the plus side, the fibres they put in those tend to be so thin and short that they don't get very deep into your skin. On the minus side, the fibres they put in those tend to be so thin and short that you can't pull them out with tweezers, you just have to wait for your skin to flake off.

[@aitorbleda8267]

That fibreglass can also get to the lungs. Where it stays.

[@1kreature]

Nah, it doesn't stay. It usually works it's way through the tissue piercing any organs it encounters on it's way. Movement of tissue, stretching etc will impart the energy needed for it to keep digging... Very nice if you like being pierced by very small glass needles.

[@RFC3514]

Your lungs actually have a mechanism to (slowly) expel that kind of detritus, so as long as it's amorphous silica (which most fibreglass is) you should be fine. Just don't _keep_ inhaling it.

[@1kreature]

@@RFC3514 The problem is the sharpness of the particles. It causes actual damage.

[@FuchsHorst]

@@1kreature But its dust is almost the size of asbestos so probablay cancerious. It's the same with carbon bike frames in modern bicycle shops, they regularly cut forks to the user's size and pollute their workshop with small particles. Wearing a mask doesn't help when the particles accumulate in your workplace.

[@buixote]

Have had good luck with "bikini wax" removing super-small slivers. Not sure if it would work on glass fibers, but worth a try if you don't have a microscope.

[@sokoloft3]

Few months ago I was looking at getting one. Glad I didn't. Thanks for pointing out the PCB scrub blocks. I'll look into those.

[@LeslieBooth-n6o]

Yes I have had fiberglass in my fingers it really does not want to come out

[@LawpickingLocksmith]

I had used them extensively for over 10 years without incident. Ironically in search of better flux I found Paul thru the mad 3 cat lover that moved from NYC to Austin.

[@MrPnew1]

Damnit, I felt itchy from just watching this. Thanks Paul

[@taiiat0]

i hate anything Fibreglass when it isn't DEEPLY bonded inside of some Resin where it can not cause problems just for existing.

[@jp-ny2pd]

I use a pencil eraser. Not as fast but it will still polish contacts and is a lot less troublesome then the fiberglass pens.

[@TheRabidTech]

lol, I did the same thing not so long ago, it's only rare occasions a fiberglass pen is really useful, I make myself use it outside now to avoid exactly that

[@pldaniels]

Agreed, they can definitely be useful, so long as I'm using them out of the workshop and on something I can flush with a lot of water or similar

[@josephking6515]

Good thing you didn't sit on it and end up with a _fibre gl-ass._ 😲 You have just convinced me to *not* get one of those brushes. *Thank You!*

[@pldaniels]

Well, if you do get one just flush away the debris with liquid in to some sort of papertowel to stop those fibres :( Still, not going to risk it any more with my workshop, this one had been sitting in battery leakage junk for about 12 months.

[@SomeoneBloodyRandom]

I use a battery powered "nail drill" pen with a carbide pin tip (or a larger tip if I need to remove more surface area, or other tips if I need a softer touch). Was pretty cheap off the usual import sites. Does a good job at removing solder mask and cutting though copper traces when I need to do rework on PCBs. Prefer it to the scrub blocks but simply because I don't need the surface area those scrub blocks provide so I get more finer control of what I'm removing.

[@pldaniels]

I've got one of those and use it when appropriate, though overall I still tend to prefer using the xacto / knife just for finer control on some surfaces

[@JonnyFix]

About 2 weeks ago I pulled out one at least 4 times longer than that because I held onto the full length fiber insert as the pen body was no good. Won't do that again and I think I'm suffering a deeper splinter from then as another finger has swollen up today for no reason other than light repeated pressure :(

[@pldaniels]

Oh that's something that makes me want to upchuck my lunch reading about. Hopefully your body will be able to isolate and evacuate the foreign object :| Complicating matters is the difficulty in even seeing something that fine, let alone being glass, in an x-ray.

[@optix3100]

If its any consolation i have had one in my thumb for 5 years+,

[@electronicrepairservice2020]

OUCH !! 😖 Nasty stuff, especially the insulation stuff for houses. I always rubbed my arms with baby powder first and wore leather work gloves.

[@pldaniels]

oh yes, house insulation is horrid. I switched to using polybatts which basically are the same filling as with quilts/duvets; not as great an insulator as the rockwool/glass stuff but immensely nicer to handle.

[@blindbodger]

OWCH! I use to machine fibreglass for large electro-motors full extration and masked up wearing paper suit.... still makes me itch thinking about it! Those fibres/strands in those pens PURE EVIL!!!

[@pldaniels]

Horrible stuff - I'm actualy also sorely tempted to get all the pink-batt stuff removed from my ceilings and replaced with polyester; I do worry about how many fibres rain down on us through all the cracks in the ceilings.

[@blindbodger]

@@pldaniels horrid thought! but how many more fibres will get airborne by disturbing it all?!... get the sealer/caulking gun out and deal with the cracks :)

[@LetUsRepair]

Damn! That went in deep 😵Fibreglass is "nice" but damn brutal

[@josephking6515]

There is a video of some guy digging away at this finger and eventually starts pulling out a *very* long and *very* deep splinter. It was a jaw drop moment like this one.

[@LetUsRepair]

@@josephking6515 I saw a video of a guy (he was a doctor) working on some patient's foot. He made a small opening, and a figgin' ~3 INCH "splinter" popped out. And it was thick too!

[@pldaniels]

@@josephking6515 oh I've seen that one, you *really* feel it when he draws that tree trunk out of his knuckle. With building the cat house I've had a few slip in when I've been rough handling some wood but seeing that other video just makes me go slackjawed

[@tcarlson0290]

wow, i was thinking about getting one a few days ago.

[@pldaniels]

I mean, you still can... I just loathe them for the work I do :)

[@WinrichNaujoks]

Could you actually get asbestosis from inahling the fragments?

[@pldaniels]

I suppose it'd be closer to what is known as silicosis

[@QsTechService1]

I just picked up some fiberglass pencils eraser ✏️ I see Paul S using them he shared the link in his last video I ordered the two different brand he posted links to Never really really cared for the fiberglass pens never aware good for me, but they should work amazing the pencils ✏️

[@MrPnew1]

Like Bill Clinton, PLD did not inhale 🤣 Paul S loves them, but a bit like you I am very wary of them because of this.

[@pldaniels]

They can have their place but no longer in my workshop; maybe they make good personal-defense weapons?

[@BigBaddaBoom]

That's interesting. I have never owned or used one, so I didn't know they would break down this way and become weapons of mild but irritating mayhem. I bet they cause cancer in the state of California

[@JCozzyphotos]

wax strips bud. i have had some boards in from a local shop and they always have fiberglass pen crap. actually i think you may have ended up with a couple.

[@pldaniels]

I think I recall one. Even the small 2mm dia pens are still too brutal for the stuff we work on, feels like using a sledge hammer to crack a peanut.

[@wilbertbirdner1303]

Just like glass from fibre optic cables. I've been told it can end up being carried in your bloodstream.

[@josephking6515]

I wonder if that then gives you even faster *Packet INternet Gropher* times? 🤷‍♂

[@pldaniels]

Oh that's just nightmare stuff :-o

[@mycosys]

Melamine sponge ftw

[@vincei4252]

Now imagine breathing that into your lungs. Good call, Paul.

[@pldaniels]

Yep, not like you can just put the lungs through a wash... not that it'd help. I was incredibly thankful that one didn't break off as I extracted it too.

[@vincei4252]

@@pldaniels I had half of a lung removed what seems like a lifetime ago. I was never a smoker too. The must f'd up 6 months of my life!

[@bblod4896]

Hi Paul

[@pr0engineer873]

Ow!

[@pldaniels]

Thankfully it was more of a "Something is niggling me in my finger" ( after the initial stab at least ). What *would* have driven me insane is if I had broken the fibre while removing it... :shudder:

[@S_RaccoonPotatoWizard]

Duuuuuuuude mark this NSFW!! >__>

[@ianmorris8534]

Microfibres are dangerous, we have the example ofAsbestos.........Microplastics, anyone?

[@bblod4896]

I'm getting ready to head to a house and help a friend service his hurricane shutters.

[@dsfs17987]

fearmongering, dumb video those pens are very useful for certain tasks, just need to be mindful when using them and clean up afterwards knowing there are broken off fibers around, even brushing over a trash bin is enough to avoid those broken off fibers contaminating your work space, don't use them if there are sticky substances around, soldering flux, oils, greases, clean and degrease before using the brush, else the brush itself gets contaminated and you carry that gunk over to next job