Thread: Blackwood Poisoning

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Timber Health Hazards

Best thing is to assume all timber dust is dangerous to some degree, and take dust precautions.

I always try to use dust protection when using my power tools either with dust extractors or a face mask but what about hand sanding? The mirror i am making at the moment from blackwood has a mountain of hand sanding involved. Every day i spend in the shed i notice heaps of black yuk in my tissue so clearly i'm inhaling a lot of dust from the hand sanding. I have a dust mask, 1 of those rubber ones with a large filter fitted in the front, but the idea of using it for hours at a time is not a comfortable thought. I get a lot of condensation building up inside in a very short time, this can't be healthy.
I also have a Trend face shield air filter. It does a great job when standing still at the lathe etc, but once again i don't like the idea of wearing it while hand sanding where i am moving around, looking at the project from all different angles on the hunt for missed scratches.
I'd be very interested to hear what others use.

Rattrap. I use a twin canister dust mask all the time in my shed. Once I got used to it there were no problems.

I usualy use P2 masks and make sure they seal well. I use a lot of hand tools so fine dust is not such a big issue untill the end when sanding.

i have seen a bloke that turned blackwood got the dust over his chest ,sweated and ended up with a rash on his chest, also know another that ended up in hospital with respitory problems and is now allergic to blackwood and cant go near it . take no chances and make sure you always use some sort of face mask

I now wear a DustBeGone mask *ALL* the time I am in my shed. I stupidly didn't wear it last Wednesday night whilst polishing some boxes and ended up feeling nauseous, sinuses were very yucky and had a massive headache for the next two days. I'm going to invest in a second one at the T&WWW show this year.

I remember John T from this forum & our local community shed bought a dust bee gone a little while back & raved about it, looked very comfortable too.
Do u know if the dust be gone masks are available at bunnings? I'm heading there today & would love to pick up 1, this is something i need to address sooner rather than later.

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Hi all,
I'm with Cookie, as I wear the same type of Mask.
I don't bother with Blackwood anymore, as soon as I get to use it, the nose runs something awful.
4 of us bought these masks for $20ea. but the mailing killed it as we all had to pay $30 to get them here. But they are really good, & I can wear mine up to 3hrs. at a time, & I have Glasses & a Beard.

I think i'll order a dust bee gone & start using the mask i have until it arrives.
Its interesting that u mentioned your nose running when u work with blackwood Issatree, my nose always tends to run due to general allergy's but i have noticed it worse at present. I had just put it down to winter coming on.

Yea i think the best thing to do would be wear a dust mask whenever doing anything that makes dust to stay on the safe side of things.

Rattrap,

Its a late reply but I use a 3M 7500 series half face respirator with a P2 filter (for wood dust, etc). They cost around $100 and you can find them at BOC Gas & Gear stores. I've seen them at the one in Launceston (Invermay Rd). If you buy the kit that comes in a round tub, it comes with clean wipes (non alcohol based), spare filters, etc.

Thanks for that Cin, i'll check them out as i have yet to get myself a dust be gone mask. I haven't been back to the lathe much since my last post.