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Thread: Losing Skin

  1. #1
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    Default Losing Skin

    I was turning a junk piece of timber the other day to make a base for a crystal decanter to sit in. The timber had a few major cracks in it and it had started to rot.
    I was using an overhand grip on the roughing gouge and ended up geting a very fine greyish-brown powder on the palm of my hand that was a bugger to get off.
    The following day the skin on my palm looked like I had laid a couple of thousand bricks.
    There was no discomfort or itching, just the skin coming off. There's nothing particularly special about the wood. It was found at one of the log dumps near Port.
    Anyone else had this sort of thing happen?

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  3. #2
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    My son in law was cutting some timber a few years ago and was blinded for a few months by some chemical in the sawdust.
    Regards, Bob Thomas

    www.wombatsawmill.com

  4. #3
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    Radio Active ?
    p.t.c

  5. #4
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    Dunno but he's very happy to have his sight return to normal.
    Guess who ALWAYS wears goggles now when he's sanding or woodworking.
    Regards, Bob Thomas

    www.wombatsawmill.com

  6. #5
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    Default Badwood

    I'm assuming people are still aware of www.ubeaut.com.au/badwood.htm? Might provide some clues.
    "Clear, Ease Springs"
    www.Stu's Shed.com


  7. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by adrian
    The following day the skin on my palm looked like I had laid a couple of thousand bricks.
    Like nothing had happened??

    Al

  8. #7
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    it had started to rot.
    Maybe an allergic reaction to fungus spores in the wood?
    Need to be extra carefull with fungus stained wood, especially breathing the dust. You dont want the top layer of your lungs peeling of :eek:

    Ian

  9. #8
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    Mate of mine is an arborist. Tells me there's a tree they call "tar wood" (don't know the latin name). The sap burns the skin and causes it to peel off :eek: I'm sure there's plenty of nasties out there.

    Mick
    "If you need a machine today and don't buy it,

    tomorrow you will have paid for it and not have it."

    - Henry Ford 1938

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by adrian
    I was turning a junk piece of timber the other day to make a base for a crystal decanter to sit in. The timber had a few major cracks in it and it had started to rot.
    I was using an overhand grip on the roughing gouge and ended up geting a very fine greyish-brown powder on the palm of my hand that was a bugger to get off.
    The following day the skin on my palm looked like I had laid a couple of thousand bricks.
    There was no discomfort or itching, just the skin coming off. There's nothing particularly special about the wood. It was found at one of the log dumps near Port.
    Anyone else had this sort of thing happen?
    It could be a contact dermatitis, a delayed hypersensitivity reaction, or heaps of other stuff including fungal infection (although much less likely). Either way you should see your GP and obviously avoid reexposure to the offending wood (re-exposure could mean a more severe reaction in the future).

    Obviously gloves are the go as is some sort of eye/airway protection, I find the triton respirator very good.
    You can never have enough planes, that is why Mr Stanley invented the 1/2s

  11. #10
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    Skip the GP, he's gunna tell ya the same thing, avoid it or use protection.
    Cliff.
    If you find a post of mine that is missing a pic that you'd like to see, let me know & I'll see if I can find a copy.

  12. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by ozwinner
    Like nothing had happened??

    Al
    When you have worked in IT all your life, believe me , when you lay a brick driveway and you don't wear gloves your hands do look like they have done something.

  13. #12
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    Wood could've been treated with a preservative or somesuch. There were a lot of ratsh*t chemicals used in the past.
    Cheers, Ern

  14. #13
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    The dust came from a grey area of the blank that looked like it was starting to rot.
    And I've cleaned up enough baby vomit to say that the wood had more than a passing similarity to it's smell. It was in a log dump so I'd say that it wasn't brought in so an exotic or any chemical treatment can be discounted.
    I haven't touched it for a couple of days but when I looked this morning it just looks like an old piece of blackbutt which I think, along with what they call red mahogany, is the most common type of timber harvested here.

  15. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers
    Skip the GP, he's gunna tell ya the same thing, avoid it or use protection.
    Cliff, this is a woodturning forum, not a sex ed. class
    Cheers, Ern

  16. #15
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    Cliff, I don't see how wearing a condom will help whilst turning.
    Cheers
    Barry

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