Treated wood

[Taffy]

I have some good looking slabs of hardwood that the builder left behind after building a deck, they are only off cuts but the sizes are 400x300x50, the problem is they are treated, I would like some advice from anyone that knows much about CCA treatment as to how dangerous this would be for turning, I realise that it is nit suitable for foodstuffs but I don't know for instance how deep the treatment sinks into the wood.
I (like all woodies I suspect hate to throw a good piece of timber away but this may be the only option.they lay there tempting me but I have resisted so far mostly through ignorance. Can anybody enlighten me.
Taffy

[RETIRED]

Gooday.

If it is treated properly, the teatment will go right through.

We turn a lot of treated pine posts. You should wear a respirator (Racal type). It will be hard on tools if it is dry as the treatment tends to harden the timber.

Other than that have fun.

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Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"

[RobHowarth]

The `A' part of CCA stands for Arsenic. Arsenic is an accumalitive poison ie, your body finds it difficult to process and the dose accumulates with repeated exposure. I am also fairly certain that one of the `C's stands for Cadmium. This is a seriously toxic heavy metal. The manufactures advice that you do not work or burn treated timber. Imagine how great pieces of timber you will miss out on if you get sick from using these bits. Chuck `em away

[RETIRED]

Gooday.

Many years ago when we started turning this type of post we approached the CSIRO and a number of treatment works about the toxicity of treated pine posts or any others for that matter.

This is a precis of their reply.

A horse would have to eat 2 complete 1.2mx150mm posts every day for 21 years to die from the effects.

A human would have to eat 2 complete 1.2mx150mm posts for 18 years to die.

I have eaten a number of strange things but I ain't in the mood to sit and eat 2 posts. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

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Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"

[Iain]

Careful , someone may have a recipe and pass it on to your wife!! http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/wink.gif

[RETIRED]

Gooday.

She don't need a recipe book http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/wink.gif.

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Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"