Adverse reactions to wood...

[drumpriest]

I cut a chunk of Bubinga for a small project I've got going, and now I've been sick for 2 days. Cocabolo also makes me instantly ill. I'm allergic to birch, but can cut up quite a bit of it prior to it being a problem.

Any thoughts on these reactions? Others out there have similar experiences??

I am really bummed about the Bubinga though, it's a beautiful wood that I apparently can't work.

[Tom Slick]

A coworker of mine is allergic to Cocabolo. he left his last job because of it.

what if you take some claritin before working with it?

[kwgeorge]

I like to work with exotic woods as much as possible and this is especially true when I am turning. Different woods do different things to different people. The guys up at Rockler for instance complain about reactions to Walnut. In my case I learned that I am totally allergic to any type of Rosewood. When I work with Cocobolo or the like I break out in a terrible rash that can last a week or so. There is a government web site that list most woods and there toxicity and how most people react to them but I am not at home now so I can’t get at the link to post.

In my case I just avoid working with the woods that I find I have a reaction too. It is just not worth ruining my favorite thing to do just to work with a particular wood. Even with that though you should still take measures to protect your skin and be careful of what you breathe as what may not affect you today can tomorrow due to becoming sensitized to it. I even like to take a full shower immediately after woodworking to make sure I get all the dust off my skin.

[drumpriest]

Thanks for the responses thus far guys. I actually was on my allergy med, and I've been suffereing for over 24 hours now. This isn't a topological reaction. It seems to be from breathing in the dust. No DC where I rough cut the block. I would worry about trying to Cut the Bubinga with my DC, as anything sub 2 micron will come through the filter into the air space.

Avoidance seems prudent. I have horrible allergies to a great many things, so much so that severe reactions have sent me to the hospital in anaphylactic shock. Also, allergies jacked up my esophogas to the point of not being able to eat properly for over 20 years. I tend to avoid rather than invite disaster, but it is depressing.

[Mrs. Wallnut]

Keith have you thought about trying one of those respirator type masks when wood working. There is a friend of my parents that has a problem and he uses his DC and wears a repirator. It doesn't solve the problem but it helps him to enjoy what he loves to do. Also he wears a long sleeve shirt in the shop also. I don't know if this will work for you but I am sure that wouldn't be fun to have a problem like that. I don't think it would be much fun.

[Tundra_Man]

I know quite a few people have allergic reactions to cocobolo. Some people can't even touch the stuff without a rash breaking out.

Walnut tends to make me sneeze a little, but not enough to keep me from working with it. The project I'm working with now is using bubinga, but thankfully I haven't had any reaction.

As others mentioned, aA respirator may be your only hope if you really want to use this stuff.

[wreckwriter]

Not really related but my wife has an odd wood issue; she cannot stand wood in her mouth. Can't eat a popsickle for example, even taken off the stick. She says she can taste the wood and it gags her. Oddly her father is exactly the same. Never seen it other than those two.

[drumpriest]

I do in fact have a respirator, and use it much of the time. When I got this little chunk there was no DC or respirator. As of this morning, I have a rather bad sinus infection, so I don't think that I'll be using this stuff at all. A small amount of exposure causing 3 days of illness, not cool. Oddly, I don't get skin irritation, just mucous membrane issues.

I've heard a lot of people have problems with walnut, apparently I don't. I've worked with it and have had no issues.

[crokett]

Only wood I've had bother me is black walnut. If I wear a mask when I am working with that stuff I am ok.

[dale]

Does simply handling the wood tend to bother you, or do you have to cut the stuff and make sawdust out of it before having problems?

[Tundra_Man]

Not really related but my wife has an odd wood issue; she cannot stand wood in her mouth. Can't eat a popsickle for example, even taken off the stick. She says she can taste the wood and it gags her. Oddly her father is exactly the same. Never seen it other than those two.

Actually, my wife has this issue as well. She can eat the popsicle if it's taken off the stick, but there's no way that she can lick it directly off the stick without gagging. When she goes to a ball game she brings her own spoon because the wooden spoons that come with the ice cream cups make her ill.

[wreckwriter]

Actually, my wife has this issue as well. She can eat the popsicle if it's taken off the stick, but there's no way that she can lick it directly off the stick without gagging. When she goes to a ball game she brings her own spoon because the wooden spoons that come with the ice cream cups make her ill.

Wow, maybe its more widespread than I thought; either that or our wives are related

[drumpriest]

Dale, if your question was to me, then no, I can handle it all day, no skin issues, as I stated, I have no detmititis from any of these woods. It's only mucous membrane irritation. (it's like having a bad flu, without the fever, though sometimes infected sinuses will also cause a fever).

As I said, I won't work with it even with a mask as that will blow fine (sub micron) particles throughout my shop, and that's a recipe for disaster, as I'd have to sell my house and move. lol

[gerti]

Bummer! I know I have to be careful around rose woods, especially Kingwood. But no strong reactions at all. Guess I am lucky. I fee for you, Bubinga is quite nice.

[gchapman]

It's walnut for me!

I react to walnut and I haven't tried to many exotics. Walnut makes me itch and sneeze and get congested. I am also slightly allergic to the nuts in food. Red swollen bumps on the tongue.

As a side note, I was joining some walnut and had sizeable amount in a wooden box that I use to catch the shaving when my dog came in and went right to it. Before I could stop him he wolfed down several mouthfuls of the shavings. I called the vet (an old timer) and then he told me not to worry, if it was a problem the dog would start vomitting. I then got a rehash on all things that he'd heard of dogs eating and being fine.

Glenn