Asbestos Asbestos Asbestos

[Braeden P]

So on my lathe in the electrics the covers have asbestos on them. So my question is should I let if be or coat it in something to stop any of it from getting airborne?

 

[RJSakowski]

If it were mine, I would let it be. The chances of any of the fiber becoming airborne are slim as long as you don't disturb them.

If you are concerned, you can replace the asbestos with plastic insulating sheet. Wear PPE when removing the asbestos and deposit in a sealed plastic bag and dispose of properly.

 

[jwmay]

Well what do you know?! My switch is the same but I never even considered that was asbestos. Thanks for the unintentional warning!

 

[Nogoingback]

I watched a crew remove asbestos from a house I sold years ago. They were of course wearing protective
gear, but the way they removed it was to soak the asbestos completely with water from a spray bottle before
disturbing it. Get it sopping wet and you won't get the dust. A little detergent mixed in might help as well.

 

[rabler]

Don’t use any power tools, including a vacuum cleaner, in dealing with it as that tends to aerosolize it.

 

[mpoore10]

This is not professional advice. It is solely my amateur opinion. Asbestos is naturally occurring. You have inhaled it before. People were hurt by it, but they inhaled it on a daily basis for years. My grade school had pipes above our heads in the basement classroom that dropped asbestos on our heads. We played with it when we were not busy breaking thermometers to play with the mercury while laying across the back window of our mom's car. Asbestos was an original trial lawyer class action scam to explain why people that smoked two packs of cigs a day were having lung problems. Once they started winning against the tobacco companies, asbestos disappeared from the news.

 

[Shootymacshootface]

At my age (53), I wouldn't worry too much about leaving it there and possibly disturbing it once in a while for maintenance or repairs. But, at your age, I would definitely avoid ever breathing in any of that stuff. Once it got in your lungs, it would have a lifetime to fester into the asbestosis.
I'm not sure what to tell you about what to do with what you have there, other than a proper abatement.

 

[jwmay]

I don't know what you do with asbestos. But if it bothers you, find out who you can deliver it to for disposal, and make a new switch cover plate. It's just a piece of sheet steel.... says the guy not remaking it.

 

[Braeden P]

I have some body liner for the chassis of a car would that work?

 

[682bear]

Is that like a spray-on undercoating? I would think a few heavy coats of that might work pretty good... it's just for insulation, right?

-Bear