Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bambam on July 05, 2014, 07:33:46 pm
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I'm new here but my experience in wood carving has taught me some of the woods we use have dangers.Check this website. www.wood-database.com
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Most of us started out with little or none in the allergic reaction department to the woods we work with. Over time, most of us develop an increasing problem with various wood dusts. I don't know if I can stand to build another walnut gun stock, the dust gives me flu like symptoms.
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I have come to develop a bit of an allergic reaction to HHB over the last few years, a bit of a pain since I like working with it.
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Do you guys use any sort of mask to stop the dust? I tried one of those cheap ones but it was just annoying.
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I get pretty bad reactions to osage, my lungs feel like I just ran a marathon if it's green and my eyes get red. Ipe, cocabolo, and bocote do same.
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I have a dust collection system, wear a better than average dust mask and still get hay fever from almost any wood I work on. I have found that rinsing my sinuses out with saline mist(aerosol can) when I come in from the shop alleviates most of my hay fever problems from dust.
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If I do any bandsaw work I try to plan to do it all in one day, I wear a mask and have all the doors and windows open. Once finish I clean with an old hoover. Most of the other tools like a draw knife and scraper produce shavings rather than dust so its not too bad. Any final sanding work or belt sander I do outside and wear a mask.
Keeping a relatively clean shop and space helps. If you cant afford a proer dust extraction system like me then an old Dyson can be bought very cheap and adapted. Most Old "broken" dysons are just problems with seals which half the time you dont need anyway.
Cherry is my worst reaction so I am extra careful.
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I won't touch walnut anymore, I work with ipe less often for the allergic reasons. I am convinced that bloodwood would eventually kill me. Osage gives me sneezing attacks that last about 24 hours. Working mostly with hand tools alleviates a lot of these problems.
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I do have a small shop but chose to build outside.i try to sand up wind and hold my breath a bit and turn my head away to breath. Sometimes I wear a dust mask when I can find one!lol.i don't like the smell of cherry,but I like elm.canary wood is a killer for me!
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I won't touch walnut anymore, I work with ipe less often for the allergic reasons. I am convinced that bloodwood would eventually kill me. Osage gives me sneezing attacks that last about 24 hours. Working mostly with hand tools alleviates a lot of these problems.
Switching to hand tools, like Badger did, may do a lot to alleviate symptoms. From what I gather, fine particulate is the major problem. Sawing and sanding would be the worse offenders. I sand very little anymore since I got a high grade cabinet scraper. Never did saw much when I learned how fast I could ruin a good stave on a bandsaw!
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HHB dust really bothers my throat and lungs. I wear a mask and try to work on it outside with fans blowing.
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I dont get any flu like symptoms or difficulty breathing working with osage or the tropicals, but I get sneezing attacks and bad runny nose and itchy eyes. I wear a 3M double cartraige half face mask. Works very well and is quite comfortable. I wont remove wood without it on. Forget about those paper masks keeping anything but large particles out, your lungs deserve better than that!
-Cody
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I don't get any reactions, but the idea that a build up of toxic dust in my lungs is enough to make me wear a mask when sanding or using a fine file. Not worth getting some bad news later down the line just to avoid the annoyance of a mask! I work mainly with yew and ash, and the yew dust is nasty stuff in the long run.
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I work in small area so therefore I will not work with Exotics, to much dust in my area. Having said that I just use the locals like Oak, Maple, Cherry, Poplar, fir and others. Black walnut is a big time lung irritant.
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Walnut just plan stinks!
I am not aware of alurgic reactions that I have from wood dust but my lungs may be filling up with all the dust . Seams to be getting harder to breath but what do I expect over 25 yrs in a cabinet shop before that was asbestos before that fiberglass, and paint fumes all the way thru all them years.
The human body is an amazing creation!
life is good
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I saw a hazmat suit on craigslist a while back. I almost bought it.
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I thought I didn't have any problems, even having asthma. Ipe didn't do anything to me, I am in fact used to it, and don't mind it at all. Until I started bandsawing up ERC, I hate working that stuff now. It kills my asthma. The faint smell lingers for like a month all over my house it seems, or something. And I know it smells really good for the most part, but for some reason it just gets to me and seems to make me sick too.
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Black locust is slightly carcinogenic, and beyond that it gives me a sinus infection every time I skip the mask for prolonged sanding.
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I saw a hazmat suit on craigslist a while back. I almost bought it.
That would make a great picture... guy working a stave dressed in full suit :laugh:
maybe even a full space suit.
Hey we should put together a project plan to research zero gravity bow making in the International Space Station...
Make a flight bow... smash a few distance records.... 50# @ 28" estimated range 3 lightyears :laugh:
Del
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Cheap masks are a waste of time as Missilemaster said they only stop the big stuff which isn't much of a problem. a strong fan and good airflow are the keys. Also particle extractors are superb and not that expensive. I leave mine running at night to remove the superfine stuff that hangs in the air.
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Don't have much of a problem,but i work outside 99% of the time,fan running or wind blowing. ;) :)
Pappy
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A good P rated dust mask is inexpensive, and in the long run worth it. I am a certified Fit tester for Respirators. Good air flow is very important, but not protecting yourself is a bit foolhardy. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/wooddust/ I am not the safest guy, I do use chainsaws in shorts and slippers from time to time, I even cut some wood tonight with my circular saw in shorts and flip flops!
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Black Locust, yep that stuff gets to my lungs. >:(
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I used to work at a sawmill/woodshop manufacturing type place. We made window and door parts. They always told us any kind of saw dust could possibly cause cancer if enough exposure happens. I always wear a respirator, don't care what type of wood it is. Not only that, but common sense should tell you, any kind of dust in your lungs is probably not a good thing. ;) I also wear a face shield when working the table saw, or any other saw. I've been hit in the face too many times with random flying pieces of wood. I like my eyes in tact.
Tattoo Dave
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My wife says I sweat wood
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I get minor throat and eye irritation from hophornbeam dust. I get similar symptoms from cedar dust as well but I don't use that for bows. But I work it commonly for other projects so I thought I'd mention it.
I do nearly all of my bow work with hand tools so I don't create any fine dust until the final sanding. I have a good dust mask and it works very well. Its actually an ATV dusk mask but meets the same standards as other dust masks. Its an RZ mask, and you can buy them online. PM me if you want the website. It is far more comfortable than any other hardware store style dust mask and I highly recommend them. Also working with good ventilation is key.
Also, many irritants that start out mild will over time develop into serious reactions. So don't just shrug them off because they aren't that bad right now. Take the precautions now to prevent unnecessary irritation and that will help ensure that you don't develop more serious allergies at a later date.
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I get a bit clogged up with elm dust, but the native wood didn't seem to be too bad.
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i have a horrible reaction to osage, it makes my hands orange, then black for days.