Thread: Mackay cedar

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Hi guys
A few years back I met an old chap who worked a saw mill that cut mostly Mackay Cedar.
The old bloke said he ran the mill with three of his brothers.

He told me that they are all dead of cancer and he had it too when I met him. We were waiting for our respective appointments with the doctor and it came out in the conversation.

If the burning like pepper does not tell you something maybe the above story might.

I refuse to have anything to do with it, and neither will many locals.

Grahame

Hi Grahame,
do you happen to remember what type of cancer those old guys had ?

Mky Cedar, a beautiful timber & easy to work with if you take the normal precautions. Worked with it a lot of the years while I was in Mky but it certainly isn't the worst timber I ever used, Red Bean takes that prize! 100 times worse IMHO.

Originally Posted by Shane Watson

Mky Cedar, a beautiful timber & easy to work with if you take the normal precautions. Worked with it a lot of the years while I was in Mky but it certainly isn't the worst timber I ever used, Red Bean takes that prize! 100 times worse IMHO.

Thanks for making me sound like a redneck Shane.
Mate, I cleaned up my shed with the ducted outdoor dusty the next day and even that caused me a coughing fit and another day of irritated airways. I swept the floor on the other side of the shed a day later and even that wasn't pleasant. This stuff is insidious.
Today I had to empty the dusty bag, so I used a face mask with twin canisters and had no problems. (read very relieved)
But I know one thing. I'm never using it again. If I have to walk around like a spaceman just to use my shed 5 days afterwards, despite using dust extraction, I'm not interested. There are just too many other friendlier timbers to use to risk it.
Perhaps we need a thread of nasty timbers to avoid. We could put your red bean at the top of the list.

Such as the Badwoods list from our host. Mackay Cedar is not on the list, but as it says, flick 'em an email.

I have had one run in with the stuff and ain't going to play with it again, unless I get suited up with mask etc

Well I'm glad I saw this thread. I bought a lovely big slab of Mackay Cedar at the Sydney woodworking show a couple of years back and it's still sitting in the shed while I try to think up something to do with it that will do it justice - it has the most magnificent grain figure (like a red flame on the pale beige background), a really spectacular piece of wood.

But obviously one to treat with a great deal of caution, which I wasn't aware of.

Yes, have had this occur with Mackay Cedar. Has anyone ever had an allergic reaction to Spotted Gum? I have heard of a number of people who break out in hives when working it. Pretty nasty apparently!

Never had any trouble with Spotted Gum myself.

I've been turning a few small bits of Mackay Cedar lately, no problems as long as the cyclone is turned on and sucking all the dust away.

I got a few bits of Pennyleaf after the cylone earlier in the year. I noticed it gives the skin a burning sensation when you get covered in the dust.

Originally Posted by Alastair

I have been turning some Australian Cedar, and have also found that this is quite irritating. I have a bit of Mackay as well, but haven't got around to turning it yet, so will feed back then.

One for TTIT, are the species related?

regards

Came across this revived thread, and thought I would update my naive comments at the time.

Did turn some of this.

beautiful timber.

Usual cowboy fashion, as I seldom react to stuff, so no dusty or mask.

OK until the sanding, then quite quickly itchy nose, sneezing, followed by headache and nausea.

next day, followed up with a sudden and copious nosebleed.


SO

Future use of this will be done under much more controlled conditions.
If I still have side-effects, will reclassify it as firewood.

regards

Originally Posted by Ironwood

Hi Grahame,
do you happen to remember what type of cancer those old guys had ?

Lung cancer,

The old fellow also said, if you have any Mackay Cedar, throw it in the tip which is exactly what I did.
cheers
Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Lung cancer,

The old fellow also said, if you have any Mackay Cedar, throw it in the tip which is exactly what I did.
cheers
Grahame

No worries Grahame, I have got a few trees on my property, I think they will stay put with their leaves and branches on, while I live here at least.

I got Thyroid cancer about 6 years ago, all my Doctors assured me it wasn't from wood dust, so I'm gratefull my hobby didnt cause it.