What wood do you avoid

[Lou Jacobs]

I recently came into a neighborhood hickory tree being cut down, and was able to get about ten bowl blanks out of it. Aside from the fact that wood was killer on my gouge edge, I learned after the fact that shavings and dust from it is toxic to garden plants, containing a natural herbicide, so I have to bag it up and throw it away, rather than using it in the compost bin. I’ve cut back on turning walnut as I seem to be allergic to the dust, and I also just looked into black locust as a tree came down in the neighborhood, but just read that locust has toxic properties, though I’ve turned it in the past and not suffered any ill effects (I avoid eating the leaves and bark!).
I wonder if there are woods you avoid from a health or safety perspective? I use a PAPR when sanding most woods, and have pretty effective dust collection, but I’m at a point where I want to mitigate any risk when possible.

 

[robo hippy]

I don't turn walnut any more, it makes me sneeze and itch. Same with the Mimosa/Silk tree. Thus far, the rosewoods don't bother me, but I hardly ever turn it.... Have a friend who avoids black locust when it is green, but when dry, no problem. Generally the more it smells, particularly in the sweet/spicy types of smells, the worse it is for you. I have heard of a lot of people that react to cedar and redwood. I know there is a data base for wood toxicity, some where....

robo hippy

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Allergies can develop to anything. I once had a patient who was allergic to plastic. Continued exposure increases the chance of an allergy. For example you may use a product or be exposed for 100 years and then in year 101 become seriously ill.
Here is a site for more info on wood toxicity , there are several more like this.

Wood Allergies and Toxicity | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

 

[Daniel Henry]

Allergies can develop to anything. I once had a patient who was allergic to plastic. Continued exposure increases the chance of an allergy. For example you may use a product or be exposed for 100 years and then in year 101 become seriously ill.
Here is a site for more info on wood toxicity , there are several more like this.

Wood Allergies and Toxicity | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

Gerald, Thank you. Most enlightening.

 

[hockenbery]

Like @Gerald Lawrence two friends developed allergies to woods after having turned them many times over many years.
One to mulberry and one to walnut.

I have no severe allergies. But Red cedar and mahogany will give me itchy eyes and a stuffed up head.
I try to be extra protective of their dusts. Still turn them once in a while but

 

[Mike Johnson]

I try to avoid Pine if other wood is available, especially when it is freshly cut and still green.
However, it is most likely one of the most unappreciated woods out there for wood turners.
Scientists at University of California at Davis have sequenced what they report is the largest genome sequenced to date—that of the loblolly pine tree, or Pinus taeda , a common sight throughout the southern United Sates. Its genome clocks in at a whopping 22 billion base pairs. That’s seven times the human genome’s 3 billion base pairs. It’s not quite as large as the Japanese flower Paris japonica , which though it hasn’t been sequenced is estimated at 149 billion base pairs.

Who would have thought a tree is more complex than the human body?

 

[GRJensen]

An instructor at the college I teach at turned black walnut for years with no problems. Then, suddenly, one day he couldn't stand to be near the stuff. If any of his students even touches a tool to a walnut blank, he tears up and starts sneezing.

 

[Dean Center]

The lists of woods that MAY bother people is lengthy. The list of woods that can cause serious problems is modest. The list of woods that are LIKELY to cause serious problems is small. A lot of the 'toxicity' is not any more dangerous than, or really any different than, hay fever. Some people might get a more serious, asthma like reaction.

Rosewoods are very commonly sensitizing. Cedar, juniper, and redwood also commonly cause problems. From what I read above, walnut may be more commonly troublesome than other woods. I don't think I'd turn sumac as it's in the poison ivy family.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Here in Hawaii, many people, woodworkers, and turners are allergic to Silky Oak. One maintenance guy had to cut one tree that fell over the access road where he works. The owner found him unconscious. Had he not arrived home and called the ambulance, only God knows what the end would have been. Then we have a lot of people allergic to Mango; they develop mainly a bad skin rash. I gave a fellow club member some Earpod. He called me and told me he thought he was going to die! He had a massive allergic reaction while showering and felt like he could not breathe.
I detest the smell of Camphor, and it makes me dizzy is so strong. Cedar was also super smelly, to the point of not being fun.
I have been turning for almost 3 decades. A few years ago, I had a 100 % sinus blockage. The Dr asked me, what do you do for a living? LOL That prompted me to buy my 3M Versaflow helmet.
Some people, including me a little, sneeze when we turn Milo.
Those are the ones that I know about.

 

[hughie]

Luckily for me I have minimal allergies, although having turned a lot of Camphor Laurel I find the smell annoying and turn it less often.

 

[odie]

I once had an unpleasant reaction to Katalox, so I've been avoiding it...

Allergies/Toxicity: Katalox has been reported to cause respiratory irritation in some individuals. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Katalox | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

www.wood-database.com

-----odie-----

 

[hockenbery]

I detest the smell of Camphor, and it makes me dizzy is so strong.

There are several in our club who won’t turn camphor.
More for me!

 

[J. Paul Fennell]

From the Phoenix, AZ "urban forest" green Mesquite can cause sinus irritation to some.
Turning green Silky Oak (Gravellia Robusta), a common landscape tree in Phoenix is nasty, like poison ivy. Beautiful wood, but depending on how sensitive you are, it could send you to the hospital, as it did to a friend.

 

[robo hippy]

I tend to think of wood allergies like I do with poison ivy or poison oak. "I am not allergic to it!" "You are not allergic to it YET!" Continued exposure weakens your resistance.

robo hippy

 

[Randy Anderson]

I had some skin rash and itch after working through some green hackberry a couple years ago. Not 100% sure it was the cause but I don't go out of my way to gather it. I don't come across it often so easy to avoid.

 

[Dennis Weiner]

Believe it or not, I can turn Cocobolo, but I can't handle white oak dry lumber. My hands itch and swell up.

 

[hughie]

Thinking about this and what I avoid is expensive wood.

 

[hockenbery]

Thinking about this and what I avoid is expensive wood.

Like the mistletoe burl.
We are fortunate here to have some of your free wood in red gum and camphor

 

[robo hippy]

I was watching a guitar making channel on You Tube the other day, lovely young woman in London by the name of Daisy, and she commented that Wenge can shut down your immune system. It hasn't bothered me yet, but I don't use it very often because of the extra nasty splinters....

robo hippy

 

[Tim Starliper]

I (thankfully) have not yet encountered a wood I have a reaction to. Doesn't mean I won't, I just haven't yet. I have worked with a lot of walnut, which is listed as an irritant and sensitizer and having effects on the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. So far, so good - I also have the dust collector running while turning, and wear a mask when sanding. Sometimes I wear a mask for all stages of work with the wood. Cocobolo is one of my favorites, and is reported to be seriously allergenic. I have had no issues with it. I did not realize it is a CITES II listed wood (the entire genus is listed, which includes 'true' rosewoods) until I double-checked my information at the wood database. Bubinga is another CITES II wood. Didn't realize that, either. Generally at the hobbyist level we are good (it's just harder to get) in terms of regulation - as long as we don't send it internationally I think 10kg is where the rules start to be problematic.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Thinking about this and what I avoid is expensive wood.

Of course, your local wood is exotic to me.

 

[Colby Scidmore]

Padauk, had a pretty nasty reaction to it because I was being stupid and not using a respirator. Within an hour I came down with a nasty sore throat and then a fever. Lasted for like three days.

 

[Mike Szabo]

I was turning some black? locust the other day and either it just smells awful, Can't figure out if that's normal, or the log I got just happened to come from a dog park and was situated just above ground level. Either way next time the club has a giveaway from our local Arboretum I'm picking something else.

 

[Monty Ivy]

I get a bad sinus headache and a sore throat after sanding Water Oak. Walnut has left me with a rash in the past. It doesn't stop me from using these woods. I just protect myself, PAPR, turning smock, and gloves. Wood dust is an irritant.

As a group exposed to wood dust frequently it makes a lot of sense to take precautions. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

I don't like Camphor at all. The smell is really strong and is hard to get out of the shop.

 

[Brian Gustin]

I have not noticed any troubles with woods, but the smell of Lacquer, on the other hand, along with Lacquer Thinner will instantly throw me into a fit of coughing as if I'd inhaled a lungful of wood smoke from a campfire. Even with a automotive painting respirator... so I use it exceedingly rarely, if ever.

 

[Steven Eber]

I've never been allergic to anything but the first time I worked padauk I became very ill.

 

[Gerry Patton]

Paduak was not a good experience for me either. Neither was Blue Gum.

 

[R Henrickson]

Walnut, and cedar/juniper even more so. Given my reaction to these, I simply avoid all exotics. Since I live in Kentucky, I have a great selection of native hardwoods available. Luckily walnut doesn't much appeal to me visually, so I don't miss it. I can't even be in the same room as cedar/juniper when it is turned, let alone sanded.

I also have found that I cannot tolerate the materials used for cast pen blanks (resin? acrylic?). Like walnut and cedar/juniper, I was fortunate to discover the problem when watching demos at a store.

This brings up a point for demonstrations -- in the interest of your audience, avoid using woods which are known to affect appreciable numbers of people. Walnut is one such wood. There are many common woods which are both great for turning and less likely to cause reactions -- e.g., maple and cherry.

 

[Sarah S Elkind]

I try to avoid Pine if other wood is available, especially when it is freshly cut and still green.
However, it is most likely one of the most unappreciated woods out there for wood turners.
Scientists at University of California at Davis have sequenced what they report is the largest genome sequenced to date—that of the loblolly pine tree, or Pinus taeda , a common sight throughout the southern United Sates. Its genome clocks in at a whopping 22 billion base pairs. That’s seven times the human genome’s 3 billion base pairs. It’s not quite as large as the Japanese flower Paris japonica , which though it hasn’t been sequenced is estimated at 149 billion base pairs.

Who would have thought a tree is more complex than the human body?

Wow, this is so cool.

 

[robo hippy]

It is biological warfare. They fight off bugs, and other things that want to kill them. Black locust, Kentucky Coffee tree, mimosa or silk tree, and pretty much anything with seed pods can cause allergic reactions. Another indicator to me is smell. The stronger the smell, the worse it is for you.

robo hippy

 

[Michael Brown]

I am gifted with the intolerance to red gum and cambium. I rash up if I get the sawdust and shavings on my arms and neck... And need an eppy pen if I remove my PPE too soon.

 

[Roger Wiegand]

Being ever the pedant, toxicity and allergenicity are two different, almost completely unrelated, things. Allergy is an immune-mediated response to a foreign substance (most often a protein, but other molecules as well); toxicity results from a biochemical interaction of (usually) a small molecule that inhibits an enzyme, blocks a neurotransmitter, interferes with a receptor interaction, or otherwise mucks up your biochemical function.

You can become allergic to almost anything, it is an individual response, dictated by your personal immune system. Some things are more widely allergy inducing than others, eg ragweed pollen. Toxins are more universal their action, almost all individuals respond in the same way, with only some variation in people's ability to metabolize and detoxify molecules.

Treatment of the two is also completely different, which is why it is important to distinguish them. Allergies are treated by modulating the immune response-- the molecule causing the allergy is not generally inherently dangerous, you need instead to change how your body is responding to it. With toxins the foreign molecue itself is doing the damage and causing symptoms, you need to clear the toxic molecule and mitigate the damage that it's causing.

In both cases avoiding either the allergen or the toxin is the best and usually easiest choice.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Being ever the pedant, toxicity and allergenicity are two different, almost completely unrelated, things. Allergy is an immune-mediated response to a foreign substance (most often a protein, but other molecules as well); toxicity results from a biochemical interaction of (usually) a small molecule that inhibits an enzyme, blocks a neurotransmitter, interferes with a receptor interaction, or otherwise mucks up your biochemical function.

You can become allergic to almost anything, it is an individual response, dictated by your personal immune system. Some things are more widely allergy inducing than others, eg ragweed pollen. Toxins are more universal their action, almost all individuals respond in the same way, with only some variation in people's ability to metabolize and detoxify molecules.

Treatment of the two is also completely different, which is why it is important to distinguish them. Allergies are treated by modulating the immune response-- the molecule causing the allergy is not generally inherently dangerous, you need instead to change how your body is responding to it. With toxins the foreign molecue itself is doing the damage and causing symptoms, you need to clear the toxic molecule and mitigate the damage that it's causing.

In both cases avoiding either the allergen or the toxin is the best and usually easiest choice.

BUT allergens can result in death or extreme reactions resulting hospitalizations or even death. I usually ask what a patient's reaction was to a drug they say they are allergic to. Most of these reactions (allergies) are merely the result of side effects of the drug and not true allergies. However, with wood allergies there are no "side effects" and only the reaction each individual has to the allergen inducing "toxin". I know all this is splitting hairs to the non-medical here. Basically, in some people and allergen (dust) can induce a toxic reaction in the body and it usually runs its course but can be extreme also.

 

[Roger Wiegand]

Never meant to say or imply that severe allergic reactions were not a serious matter. They can certainly kill you in the right circumstances.

 

[hockenbery]

Never meant to say or imply that severe allergic reactions were not a serious matter. They can certainly kill you in the right circumstances.

Allergies with repeated exposure often get more severe occasionally they get less severe.
When I was kid I got poison ivy all the time but I haven’t gotten it the last 60 years with lots of exposure.

The worst case of increased sensitivity I know of was a high school kid who died from eating a peanut.
The kid was taking money from other kids to let them watch him puff up.
So tragic. He thought it would be the same as before…. But this time he had a most severe reaction.

 

[Kevin Jenness]

Allergies with repeated exposure often get more severe occasionally they get less severe.
When I was kid I got poison ivy all the time but I haven’t gotten it the last 60 years with lots of exposure.

I also used to get poison ivy all over as a kid, now if I get a small patch it disappears quickly without spreading. I once had an anaphylactic reaction to ground hornets, but after a course of injections I had a much reduced reaction and now, 50 years later, have no noticeable allergic response to bee and related venom. One of the few positive physical aspects of ageing.

 

[robo hippy]

Hmm, I have known a number of people who didn't used to get poison ivy or poison oak, and eventually they ended up getting it. I thought it was one of those things that if you don't get it now, with continued exposure, you will eventually get it. Resistance seems to go down. Your cases seem to contradict that.....

robo hippy

 

[Richard Morgan]

Hmm, I have known a number of people who didn't used to get poison ivy or poison oak, and eventually they ended up getting it. I thought it was one of those things that if you don't get it now, with continued exposure, you will eventually get it. Resistance seems to go down. Your cases seem to contradict that.....

robo hippy

For most of my life I could be expsed to poison oak or poison ivy and not have any reaction at all. In my dumb twenties I would cut poison ivy vines with a short sleeve shirt and never have a reaction. Sometime in my 50s or 60s all that changed. Now it seems like I have a reaction just from the sight of poison ivy. I think for a lot of people continued exposure does increase the likelyhood of a reaction at some point.
Richard

 

[Ken Vasko]

I recently suffered from earaches. When I went to the doctor, he found walnut dust in both ears. Coincidence, I think not.