Toxics woods

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jfoh

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One of the for sale postings about getting out of turnings because of allergies made me think about my own problems. I confess I love turning cocobolo but have become very sensitive to it. I use a trend pro face face mask, turn only with complete coverage of clothing to eliminate exposed skin, run a ceiling air cleaner as well as my dust collector and have built a fully enclosed air tight box around a lathe like a sand blasting cabinet. And I still have mild skin rashes for days after turning cocobolo. Even with all these steps a little must get out and I then pay the price but the wood is so beautiful I keep going back. This is the only wood that I am that sensitive to at this time. I suspect given time some of the rosewoods would give me the same problem.

Anyone else that bad about a wood that is just not good for them?
 
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jfoh said:
One of the for sale postings about getting out of turnings because of allergies made me think about my own problems. I confess I love turning cocobolo but have become very sensitive to it. I use a trend pro face face mask, turn only with complete coverage of clothing to eliminate exposed skin, run a ceiling air cleaner as well as my dust collector and have built a fully enclosed air tight box around a lathe like a sand blasting cabinet. And I still have mild skin rashes for days after turning cocobolo. Even with all these steps a little must get out and I then pay the price but the wood is so beautiful I keep going back. This is the only wood that I am that sensitive to at this time. I suspect given time some of the rosewoods would give me the same problem.

Anyone else that bad about a wood that is just not good for them?
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G'day,

The issue is a lot more complex that you may think, and my best advice to you is, as soon as you identify a wood that is causing you problems, STOP working with it for good...!

There are other woods that are carcinogenic such as the Silky-Oak, Rosewoods ands many others a Google search will give you the info you need but, each person has different immune level of resistance but when something went from very minor reactions to serious stuff, no masks or any kind of protection will work apart from keeping yourself free of any contact with the cause of the allergies.

Sure, Cocobolo is a nice wood but, well known for its cracking and its allergy provocations I see absolutely no reason why you should believe that Cocobolo is the only wood you like or is giving you good results, mate you have thousands of other tree species that are equality beautiful and perfectly capable to replace your "killer" Cocobolo, make no mistake, people do die from severe allergy complications so, find alternative woods, you have plenty to chose from...!

Good luck

Cheers
George
 
Given all of the precautions you have used and you still have reactions I agree STOP using Cocobolo! If you persist, try improving the filtration equipment with finer bags to capture more of the dust which lingers in the air. Rashes are obviously visiible but can you cannot see inside your lungs. Other Rosewoods such as Bolivian and Honduran do not create as fine a dust particle as Cocobolo.
 
My dust collector is in another area outside my shop. It already has a 1 micron bag so that is just about the end of that upgrade. That is why I run a in-shop air filtration system to clean the in shop air. If it gets into your lungs you are in big trouble so I keep as much stuff out of them and the air in general as possible.

I turn Cocobolo only sparingly these days and am down to perhaps my last hundred blanks. When they are gone I will not buy anymore. Bocote does not bother me yet. My reaction is very mild and not at all life threatening. If I took a little Benadryl it might not even be noticeable. I have friends that have problems with oaks, hickories and holly. So I am lucky.

Do be aware that if you turn a lot of spalted wood some of the fungus in the spalted wood will cause the same type of reactions. There is not substitution to good filtration and a good supply of fresh clean air which will reduce the total risk. It will not eliminate it. And sometimes we do things that are less than perfect for us.
 
jfoh said:
My dust collector is in another area outside my shop. It already has a 1 micron bag so that is just about the end of that upgrade. That is why I run a in-shop air filtration system to clean the in shop air. If it gets into your lungs you are in big trouble so I keep as much stuff out of them and the air in general as possible.

I turn Cocobolo only sparingly these days and am down to perhaps my last hundred blanks. When they are gone I will not buy anymore. Bocote does not bother me yet. My reaction is very mild and not at all life threatening. If I took a little Benadryl it might not even be noticeable. I have friends that have problems with oaks, hickories and holly. So I am lucky.

Do be aware that if you turn a lot of spalted wood some of the fungus in the spalted wood will cause the same type of reactions. There is not substitution to good filtration and a good supply of fresh clean air which will reduce the total risk. It will not eliminate it. And sometimes we do things that are less than perfect for us.
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Who cleans out your dust collector and filter? Full exposure when you do that. If you have sensitivities to wood dust, don't expect filters and collectors to solve your problem. Stop turning it! Hard to believe that domestic burls, double dyed burls, and curly woods won't satisfy your need to turn wood. I think you will find no facts to back up your claim about spalted wood. An article in the AAW Journal dispelled that as an old wives tale.
 
You should STOP IMMEDIATELY using any wood that causes you any problem. Each successive exposure increases your risk of anaphylaxis. BE CAREFUL, DON'T RISK IT.
 
Just a note about the spalted wood and old wives tale. My father almost died from those old wife tales few years ago. The official cause of his lung infection was fungus partiicules that he was spreading in the air when he turned his spalted wood. Some people can have or DEVELOP very strong reaction to these particules. Same with wood. If you start to have problem with a product stop using it ASAP . !!! Sell those cocobolo blanks, dont wait until they are all gone. Most of these allergie are evolutive and sometime pretty fast. One day you are ok and gradually you start to have reaction that can increase on a long period or a very short period. Just dont take the chance. Many people will tell you that they are no risk using CA glue becase surgeon use it to close wound and that its old wifes story that it can be harmfull. CA fume in your lung will close and slowly dammage the alveola that your system need to transfer oxygen to the blood. My Dr. advice when i talk to him about the way i as using that glue: Stop it or loose 5 years of your life, your choice. Sorry for the long post but like it have been said before, those reaction HAVE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
 
I never knew you could have a rwaction to wood. ... makes sense when thought about, just never occured to me. I have one reaction while in my shop but im yet to identify it . I think its the sodium hydroxide emissions. I think a bit of investment into a fume cabinet may be the way to go for me.
 
My uncle was cuttin some wood one time. Rumored to be Texas ebony ( which Is deadly if burned by the way. ) he almost died form the dust.
 
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