There is a lot of Carbon Fiber (CF) used throughout all sections of engineering. I have used it in making my wing spars and reinforcing wing panels and within the fusulage of aircraft. I will never use this stuff again. There are huge problems with CF that not many people realize. A classic example is when the CF breaks. The CF will in many cases disintergrate creating hundreds of needle sharp slivers and splinters. I had a photo (lost it now) of an index finger that had a splinter of CF that penetrated deep into the digit. The tissue surounding the splinter kept growing over the foreign body to try and isolate it. The result was a large "digit" growing on top of the index finger. It was exceedingly gross! A splinter should be removed by a doctor who knows what this stuff is about. I believe the correct procedure is to excise the splinter with the surounding tissue. Never try and remove a splinter with tweezers when the end of the splinter is visible. It will definitely break off and leave some or most of it still imbedded.
Sanding this stuff is akin to working with aspestos and sets you up for meseothelioma. The danger of injury from a broken CF spar or mast deletes CF from my workshop now and forever. The diameter of the splinters is extremely small which makes the stuff very hard to see. The people who have suffered most in the sporting world with CF are the archer fraternity. They use CF arrows that shatter from unseen cracks after the arrow has hit a hard object and is fired again from the bow. The sudden force on the arrow shaft when released from the bow has shattered the shaft and injured many people, some of them very seriously. If you decide to use this stuff, PLEASE take EXTREME care when you handle it or make repairs with it or to it.

Kody

Hi Hillsie
Glass Fiber is the same but different. Those who work with it are fully covered and use a respirator. GF is at its worst when it is being sanded or cut with a grinding wheel. I believe that repeated exposure can also cause mesotheliomo, I think its called "Glass lung". I hate working with the stuff but I will do it. The worst seems to be when you are cutting the excess away after its cured and you get those glass slivers stuck into your hand etc. They are so hard to see as they take on the same colour as the skin etc. And doesnt that glass "sand dust" make you itch all over and hurt.

Kody

You have that right there Kody with those two "wonder" products.

I think it is a matter of "wondering" how long it will be before this stuff kills me.

Worked at the Gladstone Power Station where they used fibre glass mat as the gasket in the joins in the hot air chamber. We're in a confined space drilling through this stuff and they are telling us that all we needed was a paper mask.

Workplace Health and Safety, what a joke!!![}:)]

I should NOT have worked there and I am glad I didn't!!