Are there toxic chemicals in feather grinding?

[criveraville]

Are there toxic chemicals in feather grinding? I've been grinding some feathers down and thought I have read the powder sanded off was toxic.

Thanks,
Cipriano

[Pat B]

It might be more biological, Cipriano, than chemical but thats just a guess. You should wear at least a face mask and be in a ventilated area when grinding feathers.

[mullet]

With Chronic Wasting Desease expanding across the country, I'd wear a mask when grinding antlers, bone or any other parts. I also quit chewing  deer and elk sinew a few years ago, why take the chance when a warm bowl of water and hide glue on your fingers accomplishes the same thing.

[PatM]

I wouldn't be surprised if feathers contain trace amounts of insecticide or louse/mite powder if from commercial Turkeys.

[Cameroo]

I'm not sure if it's toxic, but I believe it can cause issues just because your lungs may not be able to get rid of the particles that accumulate  in the air sacs.  The same can occur with inhaling wood dust.  It can cause sarcoidosis, which is basically inflammation of any number of internal organs.

If I remember right, one of the forum members that frequently ground feathers came down with a bad case of sarcoidosis.  Not sure if it was necessarily caused by that, but I think it's likely.

[Dharma]

You should wear a dust mask when grinding anything. It doesn't have to be MSHA quality, but I'd certainly spring for the best for myself. And you MUST wear a dust mask if you grind or cut coral or any other seaborne type thing like seashells. Just thrown' that out there free of charge.

[stringstretcher]

Rest assured there are and it can be extremely severe.  I used to grind all the time commercially.  I started having some severe health issues, and later it was found that turkey feather dust gives off naphthalene, the same chemical that is in moth balls.  It took the Dr's, and several MRI'S to finally find that the dust and chemical had gotten into my blood, and had gone to the capillaries and clogged them in my brain on my left side.  Completely blocked and causing some severe issues.  Not only did I have to stop, and sold my business to Matt G on here, but it left me with some issues that will never be able to be corrected because it has no way out of my system.

If you think for one minute that this does not harm you, I will send you all my medical bills and you can pay them.  DO NOT GRIND WITHOUT PROPER VENTILATION AND RESPERATIORS.  PERIOD.

I am also the one with the extreme case of the sarcoidosis and having the battle of and for my life right now.  Although the sarcoidosis was found before I was grinding on a large scale, I am sure the feather dust had a lot to promote it.  I am on a chemo drug right now as we speak for the sarcoidosis and it is not fun, and not guarantee that the meds are going to put it back into remission.

And as of yesterday, it was found that the drug is not doing what they thought it would do, so I will only get that, by my choice, only two more weeks, and then it is all in God's hands as to what happens.

So grind away, and I promise you, it will shorten you life. 

[richardzane]

stringstretcher,
sober words for sure.... are you referring to power grinding?

[stringstretcher]

Yes.  Grinding with a jig and drum sander.  No matter how well you think you are protected, the micro molecules hang in the air for a long time, and you just keep breathing it.  Use lots of air flow, a double respirator at the least.

And it really does not matter what method of grinding, you are still getting the dust in the air...no way around that.

At the end, I had a fan blowing across my set up, a vaccum hooked to it and pulled into a collector, and wore a double respirator, and was warned not to continue doing it, because even with all that, when you stop and take all the equipment off, it is still in the air.  Just like glass dust in a non ventilated area....deadly.

[Slackbunny]

Most kinds of dust are harmful if you are exposed enough. Anytime you are doing anything that puts any kind of dust into the air you should be wearing a mask at the very least. Ventilation is also a good idea.

Even a lot of wood dust is known to cause respiratory problems and certain cancers. There a few things on your body that you just don't take chances with and the lungs are definitely on that list.

I've learned from experience not to cheap out on the safety equipment. Its not necessarily that a cheap pair of safety glasses or a dust mask won't work, its that they won't be comfortable and I won't want to wear them. The most common excuse for not using safety equipment is that it gets in the way or impedes your work. The more expensive stuff doesn't impeded you like the cheap crap, and you don't mind working with it.

[bhenders]

Please add bamboo dust to the list of dangerous things NOT to breathe.

It contains silicon and can give you silicosis if you get enough into your lungs.

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Yes.  Grinding with a jig and drum sander.  No matter how well you think you are protected, the micro molecules hang in the air for a long time, and you just keep breathing it.  Use lots of air flow, a double respirator at the least.

And it really does not matter what method of grinding, you are still getting the dust in the air...no way around that.

At the end, I had a fan blowing across my set up, a vaccum hooked to it and pulled into a collector, and wore a double respirator, and was warned not to continue doing it, because even with all that, when you stop and take all the equipment off, it is still in the air.  Just like glass dust in a non ventilated area....deadly.

What about using a hand plane and keeping it wet?
Bamboo is a little better, the silicon dust is heavier.
What about grinding dust from a 30 grit wheel spinning at several thousand RPM? I wear a face mask, but no breathing protection or anything. The stuff seems veeeerrrryyy heavy. Plus its all burning...

[Cameroo]

Squirrelly - it's the microscopic stuff that gets you.  Just because you don't see it doesn't mean its not there.  I try to do most of my sanding and grinding outdoors if possible, with a breeze in my face.  Why take the risk?  The symptoms don't always appear right away, and a lot of times by the time they do, the damage is already done.

[stringstretcher]

Go ahead and grind away.  Does not matter what you use.  Like me, when it builds up and does damage, for me it was my left side for some reason, and that was part of the cause for the infection that got into my inner ear, and last June, the went in and drilled all of my left inner ear out.  Gone.  Death in that ear.  Only my right side can read all my balance issues, and trust me that is not fun.  Now I can not be around moving water, in the woods with the leaves blowing all around, can not drive at night.  So go ahead if you think it is worth it and you are one of those that can beat all odds.  I was not, and paying for it every day of my life.

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Squirrelly - it's the microscopic stuff that gets you.  Just because you don't see it doesn't mean its not there.  I try to do most of my sanding and grinding outdoors if possible, with a breeze in my face.  Why take the risk?  The symptoms don't always appear right away, and a lot of times by the time they do, the damage is already done.

Well... I never grind with the garage door closed...

And I don't grind often. I am going to edit my setup. Does grinding steel create microscopic dust? I mean I know it does, but how much?
Can a mask prevent it or do I need to put a fan on one end?