toxicity of woods

[paul wiser]

want to make some cutting boards with yellowheart and lyptus, and padauk in them. anyone know of any posssoble toxicity from any of these woods?. know that john boos co. uses lyptus for countertops. any info appreciated. thanks

[David DeCristoforo]

Padauk is probably the "most toxic" of the three but none of those woods are in the same toxicity category as a wood like cocobolo. Nevertheless, all woods pose a threat simply from the inhalation of the dust so at least a dust mask should be used while working with any woods.

[John Terefenko]

Look here. http://www.awwg.org/awg_woodtoxicity.htm

[Jim Becker]

Most of the danger from wood toxicity is relative to when you are making the product, not when it is being used as a finished product.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Severe allergies aside - - - I don't think there is any wood I know of that is actually dangerous at any level.
I suppose Black Walnut would be poisonous if you ate enough of it but, the prohibition against using it in a cutting board is I think a bit over blown.

Now maybe a black walnut orange juice pitcher might pose a problem because the acid in the juice might leach out enough into the juice that over a period of time you might get enough to cause trouble. Maybe. I know this is said of leaded crystal and acid juices. Whether it's actually true or merely hyperbole is not a thing I can speak to.

[Jim King]

Paul:
I use yellowheart almost daily both fresh and kiln dried and neither myself nor any of my employees have ever experienced a problem.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=49617

[Jess Wetherhold]

David is right on about the padauk. I make cutting boards for my business and I try and stick to purpleheart, walnut, maple etc...
When both cutting and turning padauk I have gotten lung infections and reactions to the wood (and yes, I do wear face protection).

[paul wiser]

thanks to all who posted replies. it is greatly appreciated

[Dave MacArthur]

I've made a cutting board from purpleheart, having heard it was good for the job, and have never noticed any issues.

Very interesting links up above! Since this thread is about toxicity, I'll post this here, and hope I'm not detracting from your OP--I think it's correct to keep content in similar threads? If I should have started a diff thread, I apologize, and ask any mod reading to move it.

The one wood I was interested in, I didn't find. Perhaps it is now called something else? In 1998 I built a countertop out of a brilliant red/purple wood from central America called "Chakte Kok", bought from Woodworker's Supply. At the time I didn't know anything about wood toxicity and dust, and I sanded and breathed in a lot of this fine dust, working in my garage. Roughly about that time I began having slight respiratory allergies. I never connected the two, but recent reading about dust collection etc. has made a bit of a hypochondriac out of me Anyone know info about that wood also? I've got a lot left for other projects still...
Thanks for your post, Paul, I learned a lot of interesting info following those links up above!

[Morton Heller]

I have contact dermatitis to poplar. I get rashes and blisters from the stuff, but not from purpleheart. Purpleheart is fine.

[Jim Becker]

Dave, you may want to PM Jim King to see if he knows anything about the wood you are speaking of. Although he's in Peru, he may have knowledge.

[Dave MacArthur]

While researching "chakte kok" (turns out to be also known as "redheart"), I found these two papers, which are WELL WORTH the time to read them! These are fairly in-depth and objective analysis of the toxicity and hazards of various wood. But rather than just a list, this is a well written review with an eye towards various organic compounds.

I know that there are hundreds of threads on these forums about the hazards of wood dust, and also allergies etc. from contact such as this thread. I have read maybe several hundred pages worth of material here at SMC on this. These two links are so far the best info I've come across, from what might be called an "organic chemist" perspective.

Wood Hazards : A Guide to Potentially Dangerous Hardwoods for the Piercing Community
http://www.organicjewelry.com/woodhazards.html

Also, the link below is a very good review of the basic nature of wood--again, best I've seen so far! Don't discount it due to the source site in the link, the author did excellent research--as a woodworker, you'll be glad you read this one:
Basic Wood Anatomy and Behavior
by Erica Nicole Skadsen
April 2007
http://www.organicjewelry.com/woodanatomy.html

We may use wood with intelligence only if we understand it.
-Frank Lloyd Wright

Short answer: Padouk is listed in the source above as hazardous (chemicals are given), with footnotes to several dermatology studies on padouk as a dermatological allergen. Yellowheart and lyptus were not listed as such, but mostly the scientific names are used, and perhaps these were not referred to by these "common names". Anyways, great resource for folks thinking about making bracelets or pendents, or cutting boards etc.