Wood Questions

[stinkbelly]

I am brand new at attempting to make a bow and I had two questions about wood.

I read that some exotic woods are poisionous when the dust is inhaled.  Where can I find a list of poisionous woods?

Also, what types of wood are goods for tip overlays?  What wood should be avoided for tip overlays?

I guess that was three questions.

[gringol]

I'm not sure which woods are poisonous, but it's a good idea to wear a good respirator when you are generating dust regardless of wood type.

[Eric Krewson]

Do a goggle search on wood dust toxicity, you will come up with a bunch of lists  rating the more hazardous woods.

Each person reacts differently to a toxic dust. Ipe might not bother some folk but a friend had such an allergic reaction to the dust that he went into anaphylactic shock.

Micky Lotz had to quit making bows because of an increased sensitivity to osage dust that made him very sick.

Osage dust gives me hay fever, same with walnut dust but a little worse.

According to the toxicity charts Ipe, yew, walnut and to a lesser degree osage can cause people problems.

More exotic woods from south America are much more toxic than our local woods.

[RomeoWhiskey]

I read about the potential Ipe toxicity after working with it.  Some c/o that just getting dust on their hands causes them problems.  I personally have experience no issues with Ipe, walnut or osage.

Bubinga and purple heart wood on the other hand do bother me a great deal.  Port Orford Cedar and Bamboo make me congested.

From what I read Bamboo is particularly harmful to the lungs.  Not quite as bad as fiberglass, but not too far off.

Basically, use some sort of dust collection system (from as simple as a box fan with a filter taped to it and a shop vac to as complicated as you want to make it)and a mask.  If your working with fiberglass multiply that imperative by 4.

RW