Thread: think I've developed a silky oak allergy.

Originally Posted by DJ's Timber

Have a small amount of Banksia here if you want to see if that gets any reaction from turning but I'll say it most likely will, as it is a Grevillea as Glen says.

Have a few small slabs of Sheoak as shown here that you can have a pick at if you like, still pretty much have all of it still, also have another Causurina log sitting here that has spilt pretty badly but you'll be able to get a few decent turning bits out of it, but you'll have to make the drive up here to pick through it and select what you want.

Could be a good school holiday outing. (Banksia isn't gravilia is it! I do have a little bit. Will try and see! )

Tea Lady,

I have not read all the above, so this may have been covered.

Try a barrier cream on hands and arms. Cold cream may do it. Close fitting long sleeves also.

I have a box fan blowing out in the doorway of my shed 6 feet from the headstock and a little to the left. This makes a breeze coming from the right and behind me and takes the dust and light chips away. I also use a doubled big red cowboy type handkerchief tied over my nose and mouth, bandit style.

This has almost eliminated the "turners cough" for me.

You might could cobble up a supplied air mask using a hair dryer that blows cold, and a light plastic hose blowing under a face shield.

If money is of no concern, there are wonderous supplied air and power filter systems available.

I have a box fan blowing out in the doorway of my shed 6 feet from the headstock and a little to the left. This makes a breeze coming from the right and behind me and takes the dust and light chips away. I also use a doubled big red cowboy type handkerchief tied over my nose and mouth, bandit style.
This has almost eliminated the "turners cough" for me.

Like wise I have the poor mans dust extraction of a box fan blowing over the headstock and out the door. Will building a ducted set up later.

Sad news Tea Lady. I've found I'm sensitive to western red cedar - headache, itchy skin, nauseous. Even though I've an air filtration unit in my shed, I find I end up wearing a mask close to 80% of the time I'm in the shed, just because I make that much sawdust.

I hope by now the symptons have eased.

cheers
Wendy

Be careful if you have developed an allergy.
A Student at Sturt a couple of years ago had to give up the course because she developed severe allergy to ANY fine wood particled.She got very ill, and a bit of research by a couple of us yielded the info that some people can develop such severe reactions that they are life threatening.
I believe that you are doing a course in a "multi-person" workshop where there will be a lot of suspended particulate matter--sanding, sawing etc-where the "perpetrator" is probably masked up a la OH&S , but those around him are not.
Be aware also , that once youi are "sensitised" to an allergen, the subsequent reactions can be much worse.
On that very cheerful note, in the way of our Septic friends, I wish you "A nice day".

Hi Tea Lady,
We are all sorry to hear of you submitting to silky oak reaction. Could I suggest that you get a non drowsy antihistamine and take that (say) 1/2 hr or so before you start working with it. I use a respirator and gloves with tops cut off and find that way I can avoid problems. It is really important to use these OH&S solutions - especially when sanding s/oak because a respiratory infection can be nasty (particularly with Winter closing in). Hope you get better soon and turn things round. Good luck, John M.

Originally Posted by Drillit

Hi Tea Lady,
We are all sorry to hear of you submitting to silky oak reaction. Could I suggest that you get a non drowsy antihistamine and take that (say) 1/2 hr or so before you start working with it. I use a respirator and gloves with tops cut off and find that way I can avoid problems. It is really important to use these OH&S solutions - especially when sanding s/oak because a respiratory infection can be nasty (particularly with Winter closing in). Hope you get better soon and turn things round. Good luck, John M.

gloves with tops cut off? I use gloves to protect the BACK of my hand from fast flying chips. what do you mean "the tops cut off.
Turn things round. Will do! Just in other woods.

I think the anti hystamine is a good idea if working with it is unavoidable. It doesn't just mask the symptoms, it stops the reaction. But I will have to be a bit more vigalent in using a dust mask. For sanding everything.

I've take to turning using a dust mask all the time. Had similar reaction to TL's with silky oak, and red gum seems to produce a thick dark dust that finds it's way up my nose. I used to use disposable paper dust masks, but found they always tended to fog glasses, so invested in an "expensive" Dust be Gone, but find it far superior to any of the paper masks I tried, so tend to wear it all the time.

As for using gloves, just cut off the tips of the fingers (gloves that is, not the hand), so the back of your hand is protected, but you still get tactile response from the end of your fingers.

Originally Posted by nalmo

so invested in an "expensive" Dust be Gone, but find it far superior to any of the paper masks I tried, so tend to wear it all the time.

So far I've only been using "free wood" and I have had some problems with sanding red gum even though I have a box fan blowing the dust away and a dust collector catching it when sanding.

So we've just ordered those dust masks as well.


Peter.

I bought a Dust Bee Gone from Jim Carroll an it's the only one that works for me and my fat head.

WW, I'm sure your head is merely big, and deservedly so given your woodworking achievements ;-}

My challenge is a beard, as you can see, so a filtered visor is the only option, short of slicking the beard down with Vaseline - not something I fancy.

Originally Posted by rsser

My challenge is a beard, as you can see, so a filtered visor is the only option, short of slicking the beard down with Vaseline - not something I fancy.

The dust be gone thingy is supposed to be developed with beards in mind... I think, anyway!

Cheers,
Dave

No fraid not Dave. Have tried one. Any face mask depends on a good seal around the skin.

My face fungus is a little on the springy side.

Anne-maria, any drug has its costs, and some of the side-effects of anti-histamines are not nice: clicky

Full protection is your best bet, or, er, abstinence.

Originally Posted by rsser

No fraid not Dave. Have tried one. Any face mask depends on a good seal around the skin.

Bummer. I thought that was the selling point of the things

Originally Posted by rsser

Anne-maria, any drug has its costs, and some of the side-effects of anti-histamines are not nice: clicky

Full protection is your best bet, or, er, abstinence.

These things get worse over time. You don't want to make it worse by tempting fate. I only use medication now when I accidentally get exposed to it, as happened at last years working with wood show - walked through a cloud of dust near where someone was sanding a bowl on a lathe. My wife knew the species the instant I walked in the door

Cheers,
Dave