Wood toxicity

[Oldgreybeard]

I spent several hours yesterday turning a couple of walnut bowls. Used a full face mask and cheap mask over the mouth and nose.

Had a bad night, sore eyes, itchy dry nose and ocassional breating difficulty. All Ok now.

Searching the internet this morning I found this chart which others may not be awware of - Wood Allergies and Toxicity | The Wood Database (http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/)

See notes also for Mulga , Milky Mangrove and Poison Walnut:o:o

Can anyone recommend an effective mask for turning English Walnut ( I presume that this is the type grown for the production of food walnuts)

Bob

[BobL]

Wood toxicity comes in two kinds.

Where it affects everyone (or most people) the same way.
Where it depends on an individuals response - a bit like peanuts affects some people way more than others.
Testing out whether you are allergic or not is a bit of a gamble because in doing so may result in triggering a bunch of allergic reactions to a much wider range of woods.

Note how many (i.e. nearly all of them, including English Walnut) on that chart are listed as skin allergens.
Mask are simply incapable of providing adequate protection against skin contact with wood dust, and short of a space suit neither is just covering yourself with any sort of apparel going to provide adequate protection .
Every time you move your body and clothing act like bellows to suck air and fine dust underneath your clothing.

About the only way to guard against this is to use high volume air flow dust collection.
It may not collect all the chips but they can be guarded against skin reaction using clothing and a suitable face shield which turners should be wearing in any case..
After installing and using high volume dust extraction, wearing a mask provides extra insurance. especially for those with an airway allergy.

[John.G]

The list is far from exhaustive too. There are three standouts missing that I picked up on straight away.

Red Bean (Miva Mahogany) is worse then most in the nasal/breathing irritant through to coughing blood from repeat exposure class. Aint a lot of people go back for more after a good run in with it.

Then theres both Cooktown Ironwood and Georgina Gidgee. Same reagent and the same result in both - an unremoved splinter is enough to kill ya, and a good lungful of dust is going to give you a real bad week.

[Woodturnerjosh]

I always apply barrier cream to exposed skin (it makes a huge difference for me when turning wet wood)

I haven't turned English Walnut before but on the topic of masks I remember a guy I was working with who did an asbestos handling course said he was told he had to shave of his beard or put heaps of vaseline in it to obtain a satisfactory seal with his respirator...just something to consider.

[Simplicity]

Bob,
Also you have a beard!!

How tight was the mask fitting around said beard ??

[BobL]

Bob,

Also you have a beard!!

How tight was the mask fitting around said beard ??

Which Bob?
FWIW I use a full face Triton mask with P2 filters - beard doesn't matter.

[Simplicity]

The other one lol

[Oldgreybeard]

Bob,
Also you have a beard!!

How tight was the mask fitting around said beard ??
Fit wasn't too bad - beard had its quarterly trim just before Christmas to ensure that it is looking its best for the 'whatcha doing at Dooen' GTG later in the month.

Seriously looking to get a Trend positive pressure respirator.

Bob

[Dengue]

hey John.G, what about Mackay Cedar? I thought it was pretty dangerous to work with too

[smiife]

Hi bob , I use one those dust-b-gone masks
they are supposed to be ok with a beard
I wash mine after use , and still seems good
have had it awhile now !

[clear out]

Note the 5 stars for Western Red Cedar.
Tafe teacher in ACT did in fact get NPC from this.
Another mate had to stop all woodwork due to major chest probs due to Blackbean.
A well known turner at Mogo couldn't walk into his shed after his Blackwood allergy developed.
Not to mention David Ls Teak Dick.
Had beard for 50 years.
Bought a Racal back in 84 when turning big 1200 muck (MDF) stuff on Dons lathe.
H.

[John.G]

A lot of these allergies are person specific though. And I suspect some is a repeat exposure thing, maybe over years.

I get a (pretty much immediate) skin reaction to Northern Silky Oak: not particularly irritating but an obvious rash anywhere sap touches me, which is pretty much everywhere by the end of the day. It doesnt seem to worry my dad at all.

Dad wont come near the mill when we're cutting BlackBean anymore. He started getting a rash from it years ago, now he gets the full blown hives thing and shortness of breath. Even handling dry wood sends him into an itchy mess. So far I've never had any problem with it.

When cutting Damson Plum I get numb in the lips/tongue/mouth area. Aboriginals used the beaten up bark for a fish poison so I guess thats why. Dry wood is harmless though, its just a sap thing. I dunno anyone else who has that issue.

I've spent a large percentage of my life up to my ass in Eucalypt sawdust with no ill effects bar being deaf as a post, and know plenty of people in the same situation. I was pretty suprised to see a lot of those species listed there because when you consider sheer volume of exposure and the fact that I mostly handle it at the "still got leaves on it "stage I'd reckon if it was an allergen I'd have an issue by now. I do get skin irritation at times - but thats a skin irritant type issue the same as if you tipped a handfull of sand into your clothes rather then an allergy. Do other people acutally get allergic reactions to some of this stuff, or is it simply misdiagnosis of a sawdust between clothes and skin type chafe?

[Mobyturns]

Do other people acutally get allergic reactions to some of this stuff, or is it simply misdiagnosis of a sawdust between clothes and skin type chafe?

I think you are right about the "mechanical" irritation being misdiagnosed at times but some of us are definitely predisposed to suffering adverse health effects from wood - sap, splinters, dust & volatiles.

Do a search for "contact dermatitis & wood" - it will reveal some interesting and scientifically documented cases. Contact dermatitis is not the only adverse health outcome though, breathing difficulties, nasal & lung cancers (western red cedar), raised blood pressure, arythmia's (fast slow or erratic heart beat), sepsis (infections) etc have been linked to the chemicals found in "wood". Some are extremely rare others quite common and well known (regionally or wider) - yew, poison ivy (which is similar to Grevilia robusta toxins), Milky Mangrove, Mackay Cedar, Black Bean etc.

Southern Silky Oak (Grevilea robusta) is a major problem for my Mum as contact with leaves, wood, dust etc cause dermatitis and triggers her Asthma. We first noticed it when she moved to Perth and started to come into regular contact with Grevilleas.

I like to be cautious because as a kid I often visited (weekly at min) the sawmills around Cairns and very occasionally the Simms mill at Bloomfield, Winkworth's joinery, the veneer / ply mills etc. It was common to see the mill workers coughing and spluttering but maybe that was more to do with smoking??? I do remember them bitching about milling Black Bean, Red Bean, Fishtail Oak, and a few others. I remember feeling dizzy with some of the stuff they were milling and ending up with a stinking headache, plus getting nose bleeds. The mill hands would stuff cotton rag up their noses when cutting fishtail oak.

For me Mackay Cedar, Raintree, Penny Leaf ( Dalbergia sisso), Gutta Percha, Camphor Laurel and some Australian Red Cedar, particularly the stuff from the Cathu SF area, causes me problems, but wood dust in general causes me significant sinus infection issues. Even with good dust protection (PARP) I still get the headaches from the volatiles in the timber - the worst has to be Gutta Percha , Mackay Cedar, Camphor Laurel, and Cathu SF Aust Red Cedar, not in any particular order.

Things have changed a lot since then, for one the sawmills and timber industry is all but gone, however the processes and attitude to health and safety and dust has also changed.

[Willy Nelson]

[QUOTE=BobL;1999637]Which Bob?



The young one

[brendan stemp]

I have started stocking these dust masks and face shields. Protective Wear | You Turn with Brendan Stemp (http://store.youturn.tv/collections/protective-wear)

I find the dust mask very effective but couldn't vouch for its effectiveness with some woods. However, I am allergic to all timbers I use a lot (redgum, buloke, camphor, silky oak, boxwood and more) and find the dust mask does alleviate any allergic reation I normally have. And it can be worn under the face mask without fogging issues. I found the Trend Respirator to be excellent in all ways except for it's weight and balance. I couldn't wear it for any length of time. It's a pity the 3M repirators aren't a little cheaper.

I can bring the dust masks along to Dave's Dooen Getogether if anyone is intersted.

[Robson Valley]

In P#2, BobL has the right concept = you can't wear just a mask and leave all of the rest of you marinating in wood dust.
Then, you can't just finish for the day and whip off the mask in a room fogged with wood dust. But you all know that.
The dust in your clothing will follow you everywhere.
Pump that dust outdoors, up a chimney, anything to make a space between you and it.

I can't do that here in the winter as I can't afford to heat the make-up air from, say, -25C to +20C for the shop.
Any sanding projects get piled up and done outdoors on windy summer days, much of it western red cedar/Thuja plicata.

[John.G]

I like to be cautious because as a kid I often visited (weekly at min) the sawmills around Cairns and very occasionally the Simms mill at Bloomfield, Winkworth's joinery, the veneer / ply mills etc. It was common to see the mill workers coughing and spluttering but maybe that was more to do with smoking??? I do remember them bitching about milling Black Bean, Red Bean, Fishtail Oak, and a few others. I remember feeling dizzy with some of the stuff they were milling and ending up with a stinking headache, plus getting nose bleeds. The mill hands would stuff cotton rag up their noses when cutting fishtail oak.

Things have changed a lot since then, for one the sawmills and timber industry is all but gone, however the processes and attitude to health and safety and dust has also changed.

I think the coughing and spluttering is a dust issue rather then a smoking issue. When I quit smoking a few years back I noticed pretty quickly that the phlegm I spat up had a lot more fibre in it, so I took up smoking again as a safety precaution. That durry hanging out my mouth is a lightweight air purification system.:rolleyes:

Seriously I think the health and safety and overall attitude to dust has changed in the industry but I'd also say "not enough". The reality is that aside from the largest processors its not economically viable to shift enough air in $/m3 processed equation for most sawmills to take any more then basic precautions. It's not like a shed or shop setting where theres limited number of "containable" machines - whole log processing takes big gear and that means impracticably big volumes of air to move. And moved to where? The reality of fine dust is that its just about impossible to pipe it far enough away that it wont float back on a wind change. It can be done, but its cost prohibitive to the point where if EPA/OH&S pushed it the market would basicly export the risk offshore. Yeah we're making progress, but the reality is that the air I breathe most days isnt good by any means. Lung issues will make my last years a misery.

I would suggest that the long term solution will go two ways. Big linear processors like canters are "containable" so dust extraction there isnt an issue. Other then that I think there might be scope for "dust suppression" rather then extraction. If you wash the sawdust away rather then blow it then it doesnt get into the air until the settlement pond is drained. Thats another set of EPA issues, but its not a OH&S risk unless you swim in it. But I think the rest of us are waiting for an air conditioned self contained full face respirator/shield that you can actually move in to save us: being tethered to a hose will get you killed, impaired vision due to sweat/fogged up lenses will see you bleed out on the floor - compared with that 40 years of work and 20 years of respiratory issues are at least slower.

[Robson Valley]

John, don't do that to me. I quit (5 months now) after 50+ years of smoking.
I'll take my chances, I won't start again just to immunize myself against pollution!
Still funny.

[powderpost]

I have difficulty with black bean, it causes me to sneeze a lot. Northern silky oak (cardwellius sublimus) splinters will give me grief within 30 minutes. Spotted gum is strictly verboten in my work shop. Many years ago, when I worked in a joinery shop making wooden window frames, before aluminium took over, we used a lot of spotted gum. I would break out in a rash on my arms and gut. three years ago I turned 15 fish pacifiers from spotted gum and the rash came back with a vengenance. I resorted to wearing a full "chemical" suit of coveralls and a respirator, that made no difference with the second batch. I was of the opinion that the problem was the CCA treatment, but an investigation revealed that spotted gum was no longer treated with thos chemicals, so the wood was the problem. The infection went from my neck to my knees, and there were NO parts spared. Not pleasnat.

Jim

[BobL]

Spotted gum has a very high tannic acid content. Tannic acid is used extensively in the food and beverage industry and in low concentrations to treat certain medical conditions. However some people are allergic (mainly when taken internally) to tannic acid and its general allergic properties are poorly understood.

One problem with becoming allergic to tannic acid is many other Aussie timbers all contain this material so the risk of the allergy spreading to working with other timbers increases

[John.G]

I have difficulty with black bean, it causes me to sneeze a lot. Northern silky oak (cardwellius sublimus) splinters will give me grief within 30 minutes. Spotted gum is strictly verboten in my work shop. Many years ago, when I worked in a joinery shop making wooden window frames, before aluminium took over, we used a lot of spotted gum. I would break out in a rash on my arms and gut. three years ago I turned 15 fish pacifiers from spotted gum and the rash came back with a vengenance. I resorted to wearing a full "chemical" suit of coveralls and a respirator, that made no difference with the second batch. I was of the opinion that the problem was the CCA treatment, but an investigation revealed that spotted gum was no longer treated with thos chemicals, so the wood was the problem. The infection went from my neck to my knees, and there were NO parts spared. Not pleasnat.

Jim

Get a couple of beers in me one day and ask me about the time a scrub tick attached to my penis. Some things you never forget - its a hell of a yarn but not for polite company.

[powderpost]

As an addendum to my previous post, as an apprentice and later as a carpenter, the most common species used for cottage construction then, was spotted gum. All of our timber then, was sourced from the Maryborough area (Queensland). It appears I have developed an alergy to this species.

Jim

[Mobyturns]

Get a couple of beers in me one day and ask me about the time a scrub tick attached to my penis. Some things you never forget - its a hell of a yarn but not for polite company.

Been there as a 10yo but a little lower down. We were heading down to Rubyvale gem hunting when a comfort pit stop resulted in an unwanted passenger. Having my Dad wanting to pour some metho on the tick while having the rollie fag hanging from the corner of his mouth didn't seem like a very good idea to me at the time. :o :oo: :no: We negotiated another option - tweezers! :C

[Mobyturns]

Back on track now, Len J Webb did a lot of research for the CSIRO on plant biology including "useful" compounds found in rainforest species and also on compounds that were "problematic" - mostly about alkaloids like those found in Cooktown Ironwood etc. Much of it is scientific research from the CSIRO Tropical Forest Research Centre then located in Atherton, so not very accessible to woodworkers.

I had the good fortune to meet Len on a number of occasions through Judith Wright and was introduced to Len during a tour of the Atherton facility during a job interview for a technical assistant position in the late 1970's on Judith's recommendation. Didn't get the job btw. Very interesting times with the formation of the ACF, the Hinchinbrook Island protests etc.

[Ubernoob]

Thanks for the list, some good info for me.

I seem to get a pretty solid headache the next day if I inhale any African Ironwood dust, seems to irritate the eyes a bit too but it may just be me.

[NeilS]

As an asthmatic I have always had to take extra care with protecting my lungs from all wood dust, regardless of species.

The better the dust protection I'm using the less I notice the differences in the woods I'm using.

Fortunately I don't get affected so much from skin contact, but I always wear zip-up overalls while in my workshop. That way I don't take dust home with me on my clothing/skin. You have to spend a lot on dust protection, but a good pair of overalls is one of the least expensive and long lasting items of protective equipment.

Stay safe and...

Stay sharp!

Neil

[BobL]

Fortunately I don't get affected so much from skin contact, but I always wear zip-up overalls while in my workshop. That way I don't take dust home with me on my clothing/skin. You have to spend a lot on dust protection, but a good pair of overalls is one of the least expensive and long lasting items of protective equipment.

While they are better than nothing (and I highly recommend using them) even zip up overalls won't guarantee against dust getting to your skin and taking some home with you. In a dusty environment, even just breathing, let alone any movement of arms and legs, moves clothing like bellows so fine dusty air is constantly pulled inside clothing.

At work we did testing to demonstrate the reverse. What we wanted to know was how much surface dust, skin particles and clothing fibres escaped from inside lab workers clothing. we found so much tuff was constantly being puffed out of lab wear and because of this we had to beef up the dust extraction capability in the labs. If stuffs gets out then dust also gets in.

We tested a variety of lab wear and found that close fitting forensics style Tyvek overalls with elasticised wrist cuffs, ankles and full hood with elasticised neck line was considerably superior to looser clothing like loose fitting shirts. These are not that expensive and probably worth considering if you have a skin allergy.

[Mobyturns]

The one thing that constantly comes up is that there is no 99.99% solution to exposure to potential allergens or potential harm. No item or practice is perfectly "safe" its more a matter of choosing practices, tools, machinery, raw materials, finishes etc (items) that reduce exposure from potential hazards to within acceptable ranges, i.e. give you some certainty.

Some products / materials may be considered "safe" or "inert" but that is also dependent on the context in which we are exposed to them. An atmosphere of 0% oxygen is as potentially harmful as say 50% or 100%, same as "pure" water is not harmful to drink but is if you are wholly submerged in it for a significant period of time.

"What is acceptable?" Well that may be specified in regulations or may simply be "best practices" determined through experience. Limiting exposures to potentially harmful practices, materials, products etc is the key. So following "best practice", selecting tools, machinery, plant, PPE, etc that help to reduce potential harm and learning about the potential for cumulative toxicity from repeated low level exposures is a smart move in the right direction.

[NeilS]

Limiting exposures to potentially harmful practices, materials, products etc is the key. So following "best practice", selecting tools, machinery, plant, PPE, etc that help to reduce potential harm and learning about the potential for cumulative toxicity from repeated low level exposures is a smart move in the right direction.



Agreed, Moby.

When 'teaching' I try to stress all of these aspects of safety. In the near term new turners are at greatest risk of a catastrophic event, but I also try to future proof them against the risks that will slowly accumulate over time if they continue to turn.

[Phily]

I find the dust mask very effective but couldn't vouch for its effectiveness with some woods. However, I am allergic to all timbers I use a lot (redgum, buloke, camphor, silky oak, boxwood and more) and find the dust mask does alleviate any allergic reation I normally have. And it can be worn under the face mask without fogging issues. I found the Trend Respirator to be excellent in all ways except for it's weight and balance. I couldn't wear it for any length of time. It's a pity the 3M repirators aren't a little cheaper.


Ditto Brendan, I reached the stage where just a few minutes on the lathe with almost any type of timber resulted in dreadful nights of hacking coughs and blocked sinus. I invested in a Trend but found the weight and balance a problem. In the end I invested in a 3M out of pure hope that it would provide a solution.

After a few weeks tracking on eBay I picked up, seperately, a 407 helmet (with shroud) and an Adflow powered filter all new for just over half the rrp. Had I known how good this combo was going to be I would have been happy to pay full price. It has saved my woodworking life! My only critisism of the 3M is its high pitch scream, ear protectors are mandatory if using for a few hours at a time. NB I have a beard but its not an issue with the shroud.
Cheers
Phil

[NeilS]

Had I known how good this combo was going to be...



Me too, Phil.

There were quite a few that came up discounted at the end of the mining boom. They are hideously expensive at full price, made worse by our $A:$US exchange rate.

I have two of the 3M head sets and one of their belt respirators. I use one of the head sets hooked up (tethered) to my Sunbeam air cleaner. That is the combination I use most of the time. It is lighter and overcomes the noise issue that you raise Phily by distancing the filter unit away from the user.

Combining the head set with a fixed HEPA unit is also a cheaper solution and provides a more substantial filter area (with cheaper replacements) than the worn units.

It is the best I've used but I can't for the life of me see how they can justify the price when compared to the Triton.

Apologies for taking the discussion further off topic.

Stay sharp!

Neil

[BobL]

A decade ago when I first got my lathe I had a 1HP DC located outside my shed and ducted inside the shed with 4" ducting, but it simply could not keep up with the fine dust generation of even short spindle work. Having some dust sensitivities and seeing the amount of gunk I was snorting out of my nose in the shower I bought a Triton full face mask. It worked, just like all the full face respirators I've used at work I find them claustrophobic and none of them provide anywhere air enough air to cope with my level of perspiration in warmer weather. Worse still was my shed filled up with more and more fine dust and it really put me off turning and I thought there has to be a better way of doing this.

In 2011 I more than doubled the size of my shed and bought a 3HP DC (also located outside the shed) and set up 6" ducting.
When I set up the dust collection from my lathe I used a Bell Mouth Hood because this is by far the most efficient hood in terms of air flow.
Then having access to fine wood dust measuring equipment enabled me to check what is going with respect to fine dust while turning.

What I found was that this setup draws so much air away from the lathe that the level of fine dust near my head while turning is the same as the background air outside my shed.
The counter intuitive thing is the setup collects only a few chips and there are times when I am ankle deep in chips, but unless you have a significant skin allergy any dust you can see is harmless although walking on the chips does make some fine dust .
Anyone seeing all these chips immediately thinks there has to be LOADS of fine dust in the air but there isn't because the volume of air removed means that the fine dust is rapidly swept away so the levels of fine wood dust in the shed air remain below detection levels.

The net effect is I can now turn without a respirator (just a facesheild) and more importantly when I finish turning and suck up the chips, I have very low levels of residual fine dust in the air inside the shed.
Not even a hint of nose goop and far less skin itches when working some wood.
The Triton still gets occasional use for some chainsaw work or when using an Arbortech outside the shed.

In terms of hierarchy of control this is the recommended way of working, PPE such as masks should be used after engineering type controls have been utilised.
Given that wood turning is one of THE dustiest wood dust making activities I find it hard to understand why more turners (even those with loads of very expensive turning gear) don't work like this.
One thing I do wonder about is how many air mask users continue to wear their mask inside the shed after they finish turning?

[Mobyturns]

I have followed a similar path to BobL and used a Purelite / Trend respirator but got frustrated about the amount of fine dust still settling on surfaces. Not much point wearing PPE while creating the fine dust then take it off and then stir up fine dusts while performing other activities. I concentrate more on collecting the fine dust at the source and not worrying so much about chip collection and have a similar experience to Bob, the PARP becomes redundant in most applications now.

[NeilS]

Like Bob and Moby, my primary dust protection is provided by a cyclone. And, as they say, you can't judge how well it is doing the job by the depth of the chips on the floor, viz.

404360

But, I also like the additional protection that the the filtered air supply to my head protection provides. I put it on first thing and it is the last thing I turn off as I leave the workshop.

With my mask and tethered filter setup, which has a more than ample fresh air supply, I don't experience any sauna effect. If anything, it can be a bit chilly blowing over my bald pate in the winter months.

[BobL]

[QUOTE=NeilS;2001533] 404360[QUOTE.
Looks like you could use a bell mouth hood instead of a naked piece of flexy/
What size is the flexy?

[dai sensei]

[QUOTE=NeilS;2001533] 404360[QUOTE.
Looks like you could use a bell mouth hood instead of a naked piece of flexy/
What size is the flexy?

I've got a huge scoop hood on mine but my floor is the same. Literally impossible to catch the bigger stuff on a lathe as it generally goes over your shoulder rather than behind the lathe

[Bushmiller]

Just returning ever so gently to the actual toxicity question :rolleyes: I think much of the issue comes down to individual susceptibility. Please don't think I am knocking the issue of dust inhalation, because I am not: It is very important.

My point is that we all have different levels of tolerance when it comes to sawdust. For example I appear to be allergic to cypress pine, but I still use it a lot (primarily for building work). If I use it only a little I suffer no effects. If I use it making plenty of dust, by the end of the day I will have a rash over my forearms and face. If I use it all day for a week the rash will have escalated, my face will have become puffy and my eyes are starting to close up. I discovered this more than twenty years ago while building a house using cypress for the framing material.

I have been told that Silky Oak can be a problem and somebody mentioned Cooktown Ironwood too. I have not experienced any issues, but have only used the Ironwood lightly.

If you are going to have allergic reactions the lathe is certainly the machine which will enable you to find out.

Regards
Paul

[NeilS]

[QUOTE=NeilS;2001533] 404360[QUOTE.
Looks like you could use a bell mouth hood instead of a naked piece of flexy/
What size is the flexy?
That is my 6'' floor sweep about to suck up those chips.

Apologies, again, for going off topic

On topic: my son helped me to move some fresh cut silky oak. His arms swelled up almost immediately but it had no effect on me that way, but my lungs aren't too keen on it when I'm turning it.

So, yes, people are affected by different woods in different ways.


Stay sharp!

Neil

[BobL]

Just returning ever so gently to the actual toxicity question :rolleyes: I think much of the issue comes down to individual susceptibility. Please don't think I am knocking the issue of dust inhalation, because I am not: It is very important.

I agree, just like some cures work differently on different people.


[QUOTE=BobL;2001546]
That is my 6'' floor sweep about to suck up those chips.


If you are using it to scavenge fine dust while turning its worth considering use one of these.
Theory says these flared or Bell mouth tools scavenge up to 50% more are than a naked duct end but that's not quite what I measure.
The one on my lathe is turned from 3 x 18 mm layers of MDF the PVC one is formed on that former on the lathe.
Details here http://www.woodworkforums.com/f200/improving-machine-cabinet-dust-ports-187936/5#post1999606
404402

[Phily]

I had no idea at first what was causing my coughing and blocked sinuses. I went to a GP who prescribed inhalers and nose sprays but as time went by with no improvement I was referred to a Specialist. The Specialist changed my prescriptions but with no improvement, discussions commenced on operating to drain my "chronic sinus infection".

When on one visit (final) I mentioned that I seemed to be improving following use of a better quality dust mask his jaw nearly hit the desk. You could hear his brain saying "maybe I should have asked him about the environment he lives/works in".

I suggest that if you have a sinus problem or a chronic cough, make sure your doctor is made well aware that you are a woodie!!

[Oldgreybeard]

I did not envisage that my post would create so much discussion - Thank yo to all who have / are contributing.

The effects can be quite alarming at 3.00am in the morning, so I encourage you to read the comments and advice offered by the above contributors and review your own work environment.

Bob

[BobL]

I did not envisage that my post would create so much discussion - Thank yo to all who have / are contributing.

The effects can be quite alarming at 3.00am in the morning, so I encourage you to read the comments and advice offered by the above contributors and review your own work environment.

Bob

That's what I like about these forums - they range over a number of topics and view points.

[artful bodger]

Perhaps the worse stuff I have turned is common old M.D.F.
A patternshop I use to work in used it exclusivley for their patterns. I quit when I was coughing up blood. And I used a dust mask.
Turning asbestos was nearly as bad. Did not worry my lungs but my skin came out in welts.

[Bushmiller]

Oh dear, Artful...........

I can't really imagine a worse scenario. I trust you remain well.

Regards
Paul

[John Saxton]

OK tongue in cheek.

When it comes to the point of robots doing all your woodworking ,you'll have a healthy body but no joy of experiencing the task yourself

Personally I'd rather have lived the task experience rather than give up on it,I very nearly did some years ago with Pulmonry issues before the the knowledge of air shields/face respirators.
This topic also brings to mind of a couple of turners some years back when I first started turning,down Albany way who died of lung cancer through inhaling dust from banksia nuts & blackboy stumps.I still have a blackboy fruit bowl I believe to have been turned by one of these gents way back in the 80's.
Cheers stay well take care enjoy the wood experience.