Toxic woods

[robert baccus]

Just a heads up on bad woods. i recently roughed out some box elder closed forms and had a beach-party hangover for the duration--3 weeks. the wood was very green--no dust and i use an exhaust fan just behind the lathe as well as a dust mask. hot weather required short sleeve t-shirts and shorts and i am convinced the wet chips were getting me through my skin. i never suspected box elder, a maple, of being bad but it is listed as such on some toxic lists. i have had much trouble with some spalted woods and mimosa (an acacia) in the past. there are some horror stories on the web about some peoples experience's. everyone is apparently allergic to some woods. some actually fatal. take care!-----------old forester

[John Keeton]

Wow, who would have ever suspected box elder??!!??! I am working on a piece of BE burl at the moment. Apparently, I have little reaction to any woods, even poison ivy, but I understand that situation can change overnight. Hope you don't develop more extended reactions to other woods!

[Roger Chandler]

Reading this makes me think .........I really do need to purchase a turning smock with long sleeves and a high neck.......stupid vortex! :mad::D

[Gary Max]

Think about it--- you spin a block of wood on your lathe knowing full well it could knock you out if it comes off---- the dust can kill you----- you will never have all the tools and lathes you want---- checkers is looking better all the time-----:)

[Baxter Smith]

Have never turned boxelder though I do have a dry piece someone sent me. I suppose everyone is allergic to something, but most never happen to find out what that something is. Thanks for the info.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks for the info. I've been working through about 20 blanks of box elder I got from a friend's yard in Sept. Have not had an adverse reaction yet, but will take more precaution here on out.

My family hates the smell, though; like a barn!

[Rick Markham]

Think about it--- you spin a block of wood on your lathe knowing full well it could knock you out if it comes off---- the dust can kill you----- you will never have all the tools and lathes you want---- checkers is looking better all the time-----:)

Someone has to turn the checkers round :)

I managed to make one bowl from Cocobolo. A very nice small bowl that lives with a friend, a few weeks later I turned a tiny piece of it. I had contact dermatitis on my hands and arms for probably 4 weeks. That was after steroid shots from the doctor and oral steroids. Now there is no more Cocobolo for me. I'm afraid to turn a nice piece of Macassar Ebony that I have because of the stuff. Some people have a reaction to both. Not sure I want to find out if I am one of them.

[Gary Max]

Funny you should bring up Coco----- still one of my best selling woods----I have to wait till the temps drop down to the 20's so I can wear enough clothing to turn it or I also break out in a rash.

[Jesse Goodwin]

I have learned to have a positive ID of any wood I am going to turn and study the toxicitiy before I put it on the lathe. Silkoak (lacewood) grows here in SW Florida, it is first cousin to Poison Ivy, which I wasn't allergic to till later in life. I love how it looks and turns, but it does not get cold enough here to suit up well enough to turn it. Mimosa is also miserable on my lungs when I sand it, even with dust mask. There are many toxic woods here that are beautifully dangerous. I have been thinking of trying a tyvek hazard suit and air helmet, if it ever gets cold enough.


When I die, just bury me in my shavings.

[alex grams]

cocobolo gets me too.

when I made these end tables, the small butterfly dovetails from cocobolo absolutely killed my sinuses. Even a 1/8" router bit cutting 1/4" deep put off enough dust to mess with me significantly.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=153100&d=1276366082

[Dennis Ford]

Mimosa is the only wood that has been a serious problem for me so far but I had a mild reaction to some of the same box elder that affected Mr Baccus.

Alex; Great end tables!

[Roger Chandler]

I read somewhere that there are two kinds of woodworkers...........those who are allergic to cocobolo and those who WILL be!

[Ralph Lindberg]

I read somewhere that there are two kinds of woodworkers...........those who are allergic to cocobolo and those who WILL be!

I tend toward says "There are two kinds of woodworkers, those who react to sawdust, and those who WILL react.

The reason I say this is every wood dust has the potential to cause reaction in woodworkers. EVERY.

I have a friend that has to wear nearly a Level-3 HAZ suit to work in his shop, doesn't stop him though. While I am careful (multiple dust controls, careful with everything) have no reaction to any wood (at least yet)

[Curt Fuller]

Think about it--- you spin a block of wood on your lathe knowing full well it could knock you out if it comes off---- the dust can kill you-----

Turning is kind of a hit and miss thing. The wood that comes off the lathe and hits you is a real problem, the wood that misses is nothing to worry about. But you still take the precautions you feel are necessary after getting hit hard a few times. I suppose toxicity is about the same thing. You might turn for years without a problem but one good case of a month of the screaming heebie jeebies and you'll take the precautions you feel necessary after that.

[Rick Markham]

Wood reactions are interesting beasts, they are actually an immune system deficiency (something I didn't know until my experience) There is no way to predict which you will have a reaction too. Most of these are compounded by repeated exposure, essentially they do their damage by tricking your immune system into attacking your own body, since it can't figure out how to combat the allergen. Each time it gets worse and worse. If you put me in a hazmat suit and positive pressure mask I still probably wouldn't touch another piece of cocobolo. The possibility of running into remnants of it around still scares me. That stuff is bad JuJu! If your lucky enough to not be allergic to it enjoy it while it lasts. I firmly believe in the saying Roger posted ;)