Thread: Timber Allergies and Effects

Hi Barnsy
As others have said mckay cedar dust from some trees cause sneezing and running nose .
Carie pine not sure of spelling I think fromNZ hayfever running nose

one of the malasian species I think minyak dust itch around the eyes.

Cheers Tony

I can't specify which timbers affect me, as I don't get immediate "violent" reactions and I generally work with several different species at a time.

I know that spalted timbers such as Blackheart Sassafras get me and I suspect that Blackwood is another but only to a minor degree. ie. if I breathe the dust, which isn't healthy regardless of the timber.

The usual effect on me is to wake up the following day feeling miserable. Puffy eyes, feeling sinusy and it hangs on for a couple of days. Just like a cold, but at any time of year.

There is one timber, I forget it's name but when cutting it smelled of fresh dog ####. That one gave me a rash up the inner arms & on the chest from the dust. The smell alone has stopped me from working it since.

The only one That has affected me so far is Silky Oak (Grevillea Robusta) and only after or while sanding. Itchy all over and a light rash on the inside of arms and on the body.

Regards
pal

Hi Burnsey,
Your motives are noble, and it would seem on the face of it to be a good idea to compile a list of woods that give people trouble. Unfortunately, with the limited number of responses you'll get here, it will most likely give a very skewed sample, which won't identify the most hazardous woods, just a few unfortunate woodies that have struck problems.

For starters, most people probably don't know the difference between allergic reactions & toxic reactions. Black bean contains a toxalbumin, which is why you got one respondent pointing out that it reams his snoz out - it will do that to almost anyone. Straight toxins are a bit easier to deal with because there is usually a linear dose-response - the more you get, the worse it is. Facemasks & care can cope with this situation to some extent.

Allergic reactions are a specific response to extremely small amounts of whatever sets you off. As already implied, too, the allergen may be a component of the wood, or it may be made by one of the myriad of fungi that make a living on wood. You may not be able to see that the wood is infested, with your naked eye, but your nose will tell you! This is but one of the reasons why you seem to be able to work with wood X on some occasions, but go into paroxysms of sneezing as soon as the saw hits it on others. One of the unfortunate features of allergic reactions is that the response is out of proportion to the dose, so that the reactions tend to be worse with subsequent exposures, not the amount you suck in. This sort of situation can be dangerous, because if you continue to work with woods that are stiirring you up this way, you could end up having a dangerous reaction from just the tiniest amount of dust.

The other unfortunate thing about allergies is that they are so damned unpredictable - everybody is allergic to something, somewhere, so while there are a few woods that seem to be pretty good at it, like SO (though it bothers me not one bit), you could read a list such as might evolve from this thread, & avoid some nice woods unnecessarily, and possibly run into something that doesn't even raise a sniffle in the rest of us, but blows your head off!

Best approach, I reckon, is to give anything two, or three goes, & if it gets at you, and particularly moreso on the 2nd or 3rd exposure, give any left to a worthy cause (me? - with a warning) & try sommat else.

Cheers,

Ian's comments notwithstanding, Ubeaut has a fair list of timbers known to cause problems.

http://www.ubeaut.com.au/woodstuf.htm

I get a shocking reaction from Silky Oak. Worse when it's wet - my face puffs up, arms and neck feel like they're on fire with itchy... Really not pleasant.

Dry Silky still gets me but at about 1/4 strength. I came home from the WW show this year and the next day my wife asked me if I'd been near Silky Oak. I remembered somebody was sanding a piece on a demo lathe.

Cheers,
Dave

Sorry, forgot to mention. Thanks Dan Sensei and for the bad wood link. Interesting reading.

Edit: And SilentC too

Cheers,
dave

Hey, I posted it too!!

(note to self: read both pages of the thread before responding)

Should I mention Ubeaut's list of bad woods?

http://www.ubeaut.com.au/woodstuf.htm

Yeah, that's another good link.

G/day All

Similar to Ozkaban

Wet Silky Oak is bad. Causes red,itchy skin for number of days.

I think the best thing is to treat this subject carefully . Have had throat and asthma like symtoms from various woods , I use a full fresh air mask when im turning and a tee shirt worn outside my shorts ,so it doesnt contact the tender skin . But milling apart from black bean and mackay cedar ,which seem toxic to me ,but still get done over a couple of weeks ,its too good to leave .And is beautiful when finished . If i got a really strong reaction would probably not use it . cheers Bob

I get nosebleeds from NSW Scented Rosewood, I have not had an issue with any other timber.

Skew- If memory serves me correctly the dog doo doo timber is QLD Walnut- dark brown can be stripey.