Anybody have wood allergies?

[DavidV]

I started working with osage for the first time and I got some bad reactions to it. My nose starts running, I have terrible sneezing fits, and my eyes turn red and itch badly. It's worst when I'm debarking and going through sapwood. I also used to get reactions to walnut in shop class but the stuff my instructor gets now doesn't affect me.

Almost afraid to work with exotics now even though I'll be building a Hill bow next semester.

Seems like a curse for a bowyer and someone going into forestry... anybody else have this problem?

[Canadabowyer]

Wood allergys are very common. Western Red ceder chokes me up and bocote and cocobolo irritate me but not too badly.Wear a respirator and work as clean as possible. I also got into the habit of taking a shower right after each work session before I do anything else. The longer you are in contact with the dust the worse it will get. Also watch out for epoxy.You can become sensitized to epoxy if you aren't careful.Work clean and keep the dust under control and you may have to just aviod certain woods.  Bob

[Eric Krewson]

Mild hay feaver like reaction to osage and pretty severe with walnut.

[DVSHUNTER]

Yew makes my whole body hurt. Osage and exotic woods give me headaches.

[4runr]

I look at Ipe and start having reactions.
When I go through the exotic wood section at Keim lumber (Bowyers Heaven) I start itching and sneezing.

[Shaun]

Its not an allergy (unusual reaction to substance) many woods are just plain toxic! In increasing toxicity; Walnut, osage, yew. Many other "exotic" woods are also poisonous. These toxins can also be cumulative - your reaction will increase after continued exposure. Yew is so toxic that the bark was the original source for a cancer chemotherapy drug Taxol (yew is Taxus Latin name). As Micky the Ferret used to say, "Osage dust makes me feel like I have a cold, yew dust makes me feel like I'm going to die!"

The fine dust from sanding is particularly dangerous. Wear dust mask or respirator and avoid exposure to dust as much as possible. I try to do most of my cutting and shaping with sharp edge tools and limit sanding and sawing.

[DavidV]

I'm definately building a shavehorse in the near future, I'll do al my ring chasing outside rather than my cramped shop area.

That would describe it perfectly, osage makes me feel like I have a cold. I'm glad it doesn't last long.

[Roy from Pa]

IPE really tore me up, I had a very severe reaction to it. My immune system is still messed up from it. We had to switch to free and clear bath soap, laundry soap, and certain hand wipes still tear me up.

Wear all the best protection you can find !

[Troy D. Breeding]

Chittum makes my nose run like a river. Ipe makes me sneeze and gives me a slight nose run.

So far nothing else has bothered me.

Troy

[BrushWolf]

X2 4runr on Keim lumber. I could spend hours and my life savings in the store. As for woods Bocote tore me up one time. I might as well cut into a block of poison ivy. Now when I work with any wood its mask, gloves, and good hot shower when done.

[kennym]

Coco ,yew , walnut, nothing really severe, but keep the dust down as much as possible...

[Roy from Pa]

Yer just a dainty little flower, Kenny..  

[kennym]

This from a guy who has ta wash his tights in free n clear?  

[Roy from Pa]

LMAO.....  

[Jack Skinner]

Leopard wood sent me to the Doc's with a bad allergic reaction, I look like the elephant man. I have been working with yew, osage, black locust one of them is giving me cold like systems. Just not sure which. Seeing how I have made several osage it is either the yew or black locust. Unless as some have said above it is a cumlitive affect then it could be osage, crap that would suck. Think I will wear a mask the next few days and see if symptoms go away.

[Redonefive]

Ipe gave me a very bad rash... Macbow got to see this while helping me build .my bow last year.