Toxic Wood - Who Knew?

In this video, Toxic Wood! - Who Knew?, Mike explores some of the hazards in turning toxic wood, many you would not have thought might be considered toxic.
Click here to see the video on Cracked Wood- Beware the Turning Hazards! • Cracked Wood - Beware ...
00:00 Introduction
00:07 Respiratory problems
01:20 NIOSH warning
01:50 Dermatitis
03:14 risks from spalted wood
03:38 wood related allergies including poison ivy
06:30 Other dermatitis from exotic woods
06:50 sensitizing woods and the Wood Database
08:45 Anaphylaxis
09:08 safety measures
Watch this related video, Cracked Wood - Beware the Turning Hazards! • Cracked Wood - Beware ...
The Wood Database www.wood-database.com/wood-ar...
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from my Amazon shop www.amazon.com/shop/mikepeace...
Great book on spalted wood amzn.to/47kIcWS
You can download demonstration handouts, downloadable copies of articles I have published, and other useful woodturning information available on my website www.mikepeacewoodturning.com/

[@LewisKauffman]

Mike, thanks for the reminder and the links for more research. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into these presentations.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

My pleasure! Thanks for your continuous support, Lewis.

[@casperscuts2627]

Great information Mike, always a pleasure to watch your videos!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I appreciate that!

[@davidmorgan7522]

Thanks for putting that info out there Mike! Good reminder for those of us that at times get complacent with our safety gear. Take care, Dave

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Well said!

[@victorprimack2070]

Thanks Mike. I’ve gone to using a Trend Pro when turning and I still turn in my suction when sanding. I agree with you it’s important that we be aware of the very real danger.

[@jeanlong5965]

Thanks for the great information. Was aware there was danger to breathing the dust but didn't realize it could cause dermatitis.

[@DeansWoodworking]

Mike Great topic, This is a real danger and one that we all need to pay a little closer attention to. Thank you for sharing!!!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

You are welcome. Safe turning.

[@kenharper616]

Mike, thanks for sharing. I have learned so much from you over the past few years. Thanks again.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad to hear it

[@Fred-ci1ps]

Thanks Mike, I'm closing in on retirement and want woodturning to continue to a be a big part of my life. Safety has been a big concern of mine lately so watching videos and following advice from others has been a top priority lately. I recently purchased a Trend STEALTH/ML Stealth Air APF10 respirator that works very well for me.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Fantastic! Not familiar with that model but will check it out.

[@johnjlong]

Good video. As someone who has experienced anaphylaxis three times (low blood pressure, rapid shallow breathing, increased heart rate and loss of consciousness) this is a topic that doesn't get nearly enough attention. It may be "rare" but to ignore it could be lethal.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing, John. Absolutely right.

[@davidfriedman3962]

Mike: Thank you. I have only been turning a few years in our garage. Have noticed a very fine coating of particles travel back into house (much of the time garage door is closed restricting airflow into house). Both my wife and I have been having allergic reactions, watery eyes, excessive sneezing and other upper respiratory symptoms all year long and our physician has warned us about allergic reactions from wood dust. I wear a JSP mask when at lathe turning/sanding, dust collector at lathe, two overhead filters etc., however the particles can stay suspended for long periods and easily transported. It is a health concern. Thank you for listing various woods that are problematic.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Most welcome. Stay safe, David.

[@donaldtrabeaux5235]

Absolutely serious always have my PPE and Thanks for sharing take care stay safe god bless

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

May God keep you safe as well.

[@edmorse3529]

Great video Mike!! Wenge is really bad for me, causing respiratory issues, so I definitely wear a respirator

[@kengunnell6398]

Great detail much appreciated. I had a large in shop vacuum system that still left a dust film, I converted this to a vacuum exhaust system and added a large Jet room filter and started using a Trend helmet. I was still left with some room dust and a dirty nose. I have now finally moved my lathe to my garage door and open it when O turn and put a fan behind me when I sand. That solved all problems for me and would have saved $$. Might I add that Mango trees and wood has chemicals same or similar to poison ivy. It is also just under the skin of a mango. I trimmed a tree in HI and later canned a lot of mangos before I learned that info.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Not much mango in Georgia! Sounds like you have your safety protection in hand.

[@denverlewis5087]

Thank You, for all the info.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Any time!

[@hfbowerndesigns810]

Thanks for putting this information out there on this video. I believe my father in law and his brother in law suffered from the effects of dust as they did not wear dust masks while turning. Keep your lungs protected is not an optional choice, it is a must. Take care my friend Cheers Mike Harold

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Sorry to hear of their experience. Stay safe.

[@crocuscreekwoodworks]

Hi Mike. I enjoyed this information. I personally use a WEN Air Filtration System in my shop with a 5 Micron & 1 Micron filter. I also use a Trend Airshield Pro Respirator. Of course a vacum system at the tool is always a good idea. I have seen a major reduction in dust collection in and around the shop after using these items consistently. Less dust is better. I look forward to your next video.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing.

[@kenvasko2285]

Great topic Mike! Thanks. I used to grab skids to turn at a local car dealership. Some of the wood was very irritating. I discovered the international shipping skids are treated for insects. I don't turn skids anymore..

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Great point!

[@TaxTheChurches.]

I'm looking at this bowl a friend gave me--Ellinger's agatewood--and researching how they got this obviously not agate nor wood product to hold its shape. Answer: resin. That eventually brought me here. Long and short of it, anything that's organic or natural doesn't necessarily belong in your lungs.

[@EricRush]

Beginning turner. Alder is my problem. Sap causes itchy rash. Burning alder in the fireplace gave me asthma at age 77. I turn mostly alder with respirator for sanding. From now on, respirator whenever I'm making any kind or size of wood dust. Thank you.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Stay safe, Eric.

[@Rob-hw5wr]

Robo Hippy has a video on a dust hood made out of a white plastic 55 gallon drum. I made one and it works great. It attaches to my dust collector. I also have a ceiling mounted air purifier. I wear a Trend Helmet. I have pulmonary fibrosis so I have to be very careful. I was surprised that maple got a 3 star sensitivity rating

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I saw his video on his DC. Good solution for a bowl turner as I recall. His solution does not work for me with a sliding HS and turning lots of small stuff.

[@jackthompson5092]

Thanks a lot Mike. I have a large vacuum system that I run when sanding, an overhead dust collector that I run whenever my lathe is running, also I made a large stationary dust collector from a 20 inch fan and 4 MERV 13 furnace filters which. I recently bought a full face respirator that I also where when sanding. I still feel that I possibly could do better. I will keep trying to improve my dust collection. The exhaust from any dust collectors needs to be pointed away from you.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Sounds like you are in top percentile of taking all precautions.

[@mattd313]

Where do you point the fan? Away from the dust so it draws it in?

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

@@mattd313 I have it behind me and to the left so it blows the dust away from me. It is more convenient there in my particular setup. It is a rotating pedestal fan that was being discarded after a garage sale by a neighbor.

[@TimJohnsonBizNet3]

Yew is another toxic wood of varying nastiness. I made a pair of salt and pepper mills I was so proud of (nice design, symmetrical mills, even caught a piece of sapwood on one - stunning) and was trying to sell them on FB when one of my friends asked, "Isn't yew toxic?" Oops. I keep them as a reminder to double check and to replicate the design. Thanks for the clarification on spalting. I was under the impression that the molds in spalting were nasty, too, as they thrive in warm, wet and dark host environments (like lungs). I won't let my guard down working with it but I will be less anxious now.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

That is a common view on fungus spores but Seri Robinson is an expert on wood fungus and spalting as a PHd and woodturner.

[@nonickname6985]

Mike, super glue is super bad for me. I used to use all the time making pens. Now I cant even open a bottle.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

You and Dave Ellsworth.

[@johnjohnsonjr5324]

Thank you Mike for that

[@jerrycovert7892]

Thanks for the info mike I had a reaction to mesquite skin itching and breathing had to stop and get out of the shop for awhile

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I have turned little mewauite but have som on hand so will be alert. Thanks for sharing, Jerry.

[@charlesreicks648]

Mike Good video Thanks so much. Tim

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Very welcome

[@jarmstrong2843]

For me, Western Cedar would be deadly to turn since I am highly allergic to the wood. It put me in the hospital for 10 days two years ago and it was touch and go for me during for the first 3-4 days of that stay. Just touching the stuff will make me sick.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Wow!. Thanks for sharing.

[@normanbergeron80]

Thanks for the info

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

You bet

[@sethwarner2540]

Thanks, Mike, just a tiny but important word about Yew wood, used a lot for BOWS; it is very toxic as well. I make bows but limit myself to Hickory. Ive just found a osage orange tree next to an abandoned area, and Im going slow as far as sanding, or sawing it.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Yep, the British long bow of yore. I love Osage orange.

[@billy19461]

After sanding Eastern Red Cedar I developed pneumonia. I wore a really cheap dust mask. I now wear a very good respirator.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Some lessons we learn the hard way, don't we?

[@garyjohnson9297]

Ray Key in one of his box turning videos advocated using wet and dry sand paper , and use mineral oil , or paste wax , on the sand paper to reduce dust . I have watched videos where the turner clears hollow ware with air hose , that aerosolized the dust , most times , without dust eductors , or respiratory protection ....more good info from you , thank you

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I watched Ray Key in an all day demo and never seemed to pick up his wet sanding trick. Only started using it a few years ago. One of the best techniques for keeping the fine dust down.

[@JohnBrown-sb5wq]

Mike, thank you sir for the info, I have COPD and I will be 60 in a few days. I have been turning for about a year and never used a mask. So thanks to you, I will never sand or turn again without a Mask.😁😁

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing. Stay safe!

[@nortonknows]

Camphor knocks me out, even driving in the jeep bringing it home, I give it 5 stars. I only sand or cut with a high quality respirator, it just makes scents…. My dad ended up with a lung transplant and died three years ago from pulmonary fibrosis. He was a heavy woodworker and exposed to a lot of really bad stuff in the military. Thank you for doing this video.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I carried a piece back from a symposium in my car. Wow. What an aroma.

[@bradbyers7505]

Padauk is my Kryptonite. I've heard several turners who have the same sensitivity. Wet sanding helps, but not 100%

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

We just have to do all we can do to stay safe.

[@radiationroom]

Thank you for posting this video. Great tutorial and a good warning to anybody doing any type of wood cutting. Just a footnote to add: about different people will reacting to different species of wood. For example: In my case I can take a bath in maple sawdust and nothing happens, but black walnut exposure might translate into a trip to the emergency room for a steroid shot. So each person needs to learn what they will and will not react to. Frankly, wearing a hazmat suit and respirator just might be what the doctor calls for, depending on the individual and the types of wood being cut. Just my $0.02 FWIW YMMV. Thanks again for posting this.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing, Peter.

[@glencrandall7051]

I have been lucky so far. I haven't had a reaction to any of the wood I have come in contact with. Thank you for sharing.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

That's great! I have had some nose warnings with some exotics.

[@mattd313]

@@MikePeaceWoodturning What do you mean by nose warnings?

[@hypnoraythompson5824]

I hope thats because you wear a respirator ?

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

@@mattd313 Your nostrils start tingling! You know something is going on that is nt good.

[@mattd313]

@@MikePeaceWoodturning Oh yikes. Good to know! ☺️

[@yvesmazny8493]

Hello from France. Many thanks for your video. We also have tp pay attention with wook attacked by mushrooms or fongus if we want to turn such wood. Regards.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing

[@alansimpson596]

Thank you Mike. I'm surprised that yew wasn't mentioned on your list of dangerous woods. Perhaps yew isn't so common as it is in Europe. In years gone by farmers didn't notice yew growing in their hedges and their cattle, horses etc ate the berries and died. Also, I live in a region where shipbuilding was once the main industry (we built the Titanic). Asbestos was an integral material used in this industry and many workmen didn't reach retirement age due to asbestosis. Sadly, many of their wives succumbed to this illness as they shook out the working clothes of their husbands before washing them. They too absorbed sufficient particles of asbestos to cause them serious illnesses.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Some things are nastier than they first appear, for sure. Never ran across a piece of Yew over here.

[@9857111]

@@MikePeaceWoodturning I have been turning Pacific Yew from the Olympic Peninsula. It makes beautiful orange toned bowls. I've been moderately careful around the dust but have had no bad response so far. A fellow turner is unable to work it due to strong allergic reaction. I worked as a carpenter for thirty years, often with no dust mask, breathing all kinds of dust, not just wood. At 76 my lungs are clear. I have found that avocado wood makes me sneeze like crazy so I avoid it.

[@discgolftrainnut]

The only tree I've found to be allergic to is camphor. I can be driving down the road and come across camphor trees and have to hold my breath. If I don't, my throat closes, my nose starts running and my eyes start watering. Nasty stuff!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Camphor certainly jas an aroma. My wife and I drove back from a symposium with a piec in the back of a van. Wew.

[@radarthewoodturner8912]

Thank you Mike I turn outside usually without a mask when the wind is blowing I think I'll start wearing a mask even if the wind is blowing stay safe👍👍👍👍

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Stay safe my friend.

[@DougMilleratWoodSpunRound]

I find that I am becoming more allergic to the dust from black walnut bark. The wood doesn’t bother me, but the bark will cause me to have some skin irritation and itching. The other one that bothers me is mimosa. If m not wearing my dust mask my nose and sinuses will let me know immediately. Love both of these woods so I’ll be using air cleaner, vac, and dust mask everything’s me I turn them.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I have never turned Mimosa but read that it was bad.

[@michaelkefauver8009]

Mike, For me walnut is a slight irritant but Ipe, it's time to get outta Dodge. I use to build homes and every night going home after using Ipe was bleeding nose and sore throat!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Lots of silica in IPe. At least you were probably outside.

[@harrykeel8557]

I always try to wear a dust mast when sanding, however, I sanded some pine boards out one day without it, big mistake. From now on I will wear my mask.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing. And pine is one of the least toxic.

[@ellisbloomfield1467]

My little dog just smelled som black walnut shavings and ended up paralyzed for nearly a day. I looked up and found that jugalone from black walnut is usually fatal for dogs and horses but not humans. In humans it can be a laxative and in my case this is true, even from wood burning my mark in bowls.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Scarey stuff. Worse for folks who are unaware of the hazards.

[@J-D248]

Thanks for the info, this can't be stressed enough. In fact I'm going on Amazon right now to find a better mask, one that I'll be more apt to wear %100 Of the time.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

If it is comfortable and convenient we are more apt to use.

[@MrGidupngo]

Yes, I've devloped an allergy to Australian Red Cedar. Swollen arms and extensive rash.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Sorry to hear that. It happens.

[@merlynfinley3718]

Is zebra wood toxic

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

JGI, Just Google it.

[@jimbalz3017]

I need to wear my mask more than I do.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Indeed. Stay safe.