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?
Stinky Wood
- Thread starter KenB259
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carlmorrell
Member
Bocote makes a lot of smell. Any wood smells better than antler.
Bocote smells like dill pickles to me.
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....
)
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....
)
sorcerertd
Member
Mojave Green
Member
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.
SabertoothBunny
Member
Green elm smells like dog urine....
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 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....
Todd in PA
Member
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.
I don't think there are any woods that I dislike the smell of enough that it deters me from working it, honestly.
Brandy
Member
Alaskan yellow cedar smells delightful!
Manny
Member
DIW 
Aguynamedglitch
Member
Lignum vitae (ironwood) always kinda smells like burning garbage to me. It's not awful, per se, but not quite as nice as cedar or olivewood.
egnald
Member
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
jcm71
Member
Yet, conversely, amboyna burl and camphor burl smell delightful when turning.
Humongous
Member
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.
Hippie3180
Member
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.
henry1164
Member
Olivewood and Jack Daniels Bourbon Barrel......nice!
Not the point of this discussion.
Camphor, ERC, & Olivewood are my favorite wood aromas
jttheclockman
Member
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.
1080Wayne
Member
I love the smell of lilac , and like the smells of aspen poplar and caragana , although some find them offensive .
RDHals
Member
Fresh Oak has a stank to it like a urinal, can't say I'm t fond of that. I agree about the antler, even my dog leaves when I turn, cut or drill that stuff.
Hippie3180
Member
Maybe not, but most threads take relevant turns.
KMCloonan
Member
Thuya has a very distinctive smell, reminiscent of Aromatic Cedar. I also like the smell of Cocobolo. It smells sort of "sweet"
sorcerertd
Member
Does it smell like whiskey?
Bottlebrush tree was pretty stinky when it was still a little green.
Perhaps the best smelling wood I've worked with is Tamboti.
wolf creek knives
Member
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.
wolf creek knives
Member
P**s wood