Stinky Wood

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KenB259

KenB259

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I imagine how things smell, as does taste, will be different for others. I have been working with some purpleheart this morning and man it smells like a barnyard. I hate the smell of it. What do you all think is the stinkiest wood?
 
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I don't smell woods often, as I'm fairly sensitive to wood dust and usually wear a respirator. On the occasions I have smelled woods, they usually don't smell bad. In the few cases they have...I thought it was because they exhibited some form or another of fungal infestation.

If your purpleheart smells really bad, it is very possible it is because of something else in the wood. Fungi (mycellium) which would probably present as dark streaks (though, fat and soft, not fine like spalted maple or the like). It is also possible that the wood was in contact with...well...poop. If the wood got wet, it could well have absorbed...some of that...

In any case, I would just warn you, make sure you wear PPE. Fungi junk, possible...poop dust...and then just the wood dust from many woods (purpleheart can in fact cause nausea, eye irritation, and I think I've had some lung issues from it, although that could have been something else IN the purpleheart), can all be dangerous. Even woods that have no known irritant or sensitization factors, could have fungi or other things in them, which would all become the dust you breathe in when turning. If you smell something nasty from a wood that generally doesn't smell nasty...its probably something else in the wood.

I just want to encourage you, and everyone reading, to wear PPE whenever turning wood. I've suffered a lot from wood. Back when I started, in 2020, it was impossible to get anything other than those cheap blue medical face masks. All PPE, half and full face, PAPR, etc. respirators and other PPE were reserved for front line responders. I had HUGE health issues in 2020, and it turned out to be due to, well first and foremost CA fumes, and then second wood dust (and whatever else, like fungi, was in the wood). I don't wish what I suffered in 2020 on anyone, even my worst enemy, so...I encourage you to protect yourself. With a proper respirator, you shouldn't smell anything. (Although, if the stuff smells like a barnyard...I would certainly wonder what that piece of wood was steeped in.... o_O)
 
Not a wood but a natural polymer, I've found that casein plastic is the stinkiest material I've turned. Once it gets some heat into it my garage takes on a sour stench. But it honestly turns beautifully.
 
jrista said:
I don't smell woods often, as I'm fairly sensitive to wood dust and usually wear a respirator. On the occasions I have smelled woods, they usually don't smell bad. In the few cases they have...I thought it was because they exhibited some form or another of fungal infestation.

If your purpleheart smells really bad, it is very possible it is because of something else in the wood. Fungi (mycellium) which would probably present as dark streaks (though, fat and soft, not fine like spalted maple or the like). It is also possible that the wood was in contact with...well...poop. If the wood got wet, it could well have absorbed...some of that...

In any case, I would just warn you, make sure you wear PPE. Fungi junk, possible...poop dust...and then just the wood dust from many woods (purpleheart can in fact cause nausea, eye irritation, and I think I've had some lung issues from it, although that could have been something else IN the purpleheart), can all be dangerous. Even woods that have no known irritant or sensitization factors, could have fungi or other things in them, which would all become the dust you breathe in when turning. If you smell something nasty from a wood that generally doesn't smell nasty...its probably something else in the wood.

I just want to encourage you, and everyone reading, to wear PPE whenever turning wood. I've suffered a lot from wood. Back when I started, in 2020, it was impossible to get anything other than those cheap blue medical face masks. All PPE, half and full face, PAPR, etc. respirators and other PPE were reserved for front line responders. I had HUGE health issues in 2020, and it turned out to be due to, well first and foremost CA fumes, and then second wood dust (and whatever else, like fungi, was in the wood). I don't wish what I suffered in 2020 on anyone, even my worst enemy, so...I encourage you to protect yourself. With a proper respirator, you shouldn't smell anything. (Although, if the stuff smells like a barnyard...I would certainly wonder what that piece of wood was steeped in.... o_O)
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I've had lots of purpleheart, it always smells bad to me. This was supposed to be a lighthearted post. Everything doesn't have to be a cautionary tale.
 
I love the smells of bocote, Lignum vitae, Thuya and Amboyna.

I don't think there are any woods that I dislike the smell of enough that it deters me from working it, honestly.
 
Can't say that desert ironwood is unpleasant, but it's not pleasant either.

However I really enjoy turning the whiskey barrel blanks from Drop Anchor.
 
All of the gorgeous woods that I see on IAP that I don't have in my inventory (i.e. collection) stinks. Woods like crosscut hairy oak for example. Not that the wood smells, it just stinks that I don't have any and don't know of any suppliers. It is definitely unpleasant. - Dave
 
There's alot that I like the smell of. Bocote (pickles), lignum vite, sassafras (root beer), olive wood, black walnut, zebra wood (chocolate at least to my nose). Haven't really run into any that I don't like the smell of.
 
KenB259 said:
I've had lots of purpleheart, it always smells bad to me. This was supposed to be a lighthearted post. Everything doesn't have to be a cautionary tale.
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I know of someone who got a terrible sinus infection from turning wood and breathing in the fungus from it, had to have surgery. I think it's prudent that folks know the ramifications of turning wood/plastic without ppe.
 
It is never a bad idea to mention safety protection should be used in a shop at all times but hopefully this becomes ingrained in our heads when we first started. To answer the question at hand, I never really encountered a wood or plastic that was irritating and annoying to work with and I have worked with lots of exotics over the years. As one person mentioned the one thing that does fit this category is antler. That definitely needs lung protection when worked with but that smell lingers in the shop too.
 
I used a piece of what I thought was Oak. It smelled terrible but made a great mallet. I showed it to a friend and he told me it was "**** wood". It came off a pallet from the Philippines according to my friend. I know it smelled terrible. African Black Wood smells like coffee to me, some say urine though.
 
I turned a couple of pieces of Box Elder yesterday, it's been a while and I'd forgotten the smell. Seems it is stronger when the wood is freshly cut (this was felled about 3 months ago so it had calmed down a little.)
 
KenB259 said:
I've had lots of purpleheart, it always smells bad to me. This was supposed to be a lighthearted post. Everything doesn't have to be a cautionary tale.
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Well, if you had had my experiences with inhailing wood dust and CA fumes, you would understand. There were points at which it was so bad, and I was literally unable outside of forcibly sucking in air to breathe right for so long (even after doc appts.) that I honestly wondered if it was worth it to continue living. Single most miserable experience of my life. Woods are sensitizers...so it can get worse and worse and worse over time (and some woods can sensitize you to other woods.)

I don't think there is ever a time when a cautionary tale is bad. If you are smelling the woods you turn, then you are at risk. 🤷
 
jrista said:
Well, if you had had my experiences with inhailing wood dust and CA fumes, you would understand. There were points at which it was so bad, and I was literally unable outside of forcibly sucking in air to breathe right for so long (even after doc appts.) that I honestly wondered if it was worth it to continue living. Single most miserable experience of my life. Woods are sensitizers...so it can get worse and worse and worse over time (and some woods can sensitize you to other woods.)

I don't think there is ever a time when a cautionary tale is bad. If you are smelling the woods you turn, then you are at risk. 🤷
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This is pertinent information that should be considered. I saw some x-rays of a knife makers sinuses, they were full of wood, Alumilite and metal particles from not wearing a mask. I haven't seen his work in quite awhile, my guess is he's having to deal with all that gunk in his sinuses. I feel pretty certain he wishes he'd worn a mask. Imagine what this does to your lungs?
 
Although it's not wood, I have seen corn cobs used as pen blanks. Not all of them smell bad, but when I was growing up, my aunt and uncle kept a pile next to the outhouse on the farm. Of course they all started out just fine, but they always seemed to wind up stinky. - Dave

PS, Their Sears & Robuck catalog always seemed to be missing pages too. 🤔
 
When I worked for Dan Deluz he had me make a few bowls from a wood that I don't remember the name but it smelled bad and it actually attracted some weird looking flies.
I like the smell of Koa and Milo but I really like the smell of Hawaiian Sandalwood and Naio AKA false Sandalwood.
Aloha.

Kalai
 
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