Nose full of sawdust

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Andy in Raleigh

>Get a Dustfoe 88 ($30 most places) if you want to limit spending. I also use the AOSafety pleated folding disosable kind. They fit well. Thos preformed cheapies never seem to seal well.

Guys that do this a lot use powered respirator helments that cost a few hundred.

What I use

Barbara Gill, Remlik Virginia

>I have used a North face mask for about 18 years in the sawmill. I have one I also use in the shop. It is made from a soft rubber that gets cold but not stiff. It has replaceable dust filters as well as cartridges for all sorts of hazardous stuff. The best part for the wearer of glasses is that the exhalation port is at the bottom allowing the moisture and hot moist air to drain. This along with a tight fit, keeps your glasses free of moisture.

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.

>You should, of course wear a dust mask when sanding, but you should also be aware that you probably have an allergy to walnut. This is not uncommon. The problems you describe didn't come from just breathing a little dust. I turned walnut for years, but eventually had to stop turning it because it bothered my sinus's.

Wally

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Jeremy Osner

>Thanks Wally -- so would you get those same symptoms even when wearing a mask?

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Jeremy Osner

>Thanks Andy, I just ordered one.

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Scott Greaves, Blackfoot Idaho

>Hi Jeremy,

I'm with Barbara on this. I use a respirator now when I turn. I just started using it a few months ago, and it has saved my sinuses!

Scott.

Re: Nose full of sawdust

GeorgeBalock

>Jeremy,

I use an Airstream 200 air helmet from Airware America. Some sort of filtration is a requirement for me as I have asthma.

If you want an easy way to determine if you are allergic to walnut, would be to put some walnut dust under a Band-Aid for a day or two. If you get a red spot, you're allergic.

Good Luck with this.

George

Allergies

Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.

>The answer is yes. I also developed a serious allergy to cocobolo, which was once one of my favorite woods to turn. I'd turned a lot of it over a number of years, but eventually started to develop a small rash every time I turned some. I wore a painters mask, bundled myself up, wore rubber gloves, etc. Didn't help. The last time I turned it I developed a severe rash all over my neck. Looked like boils. You may have to turn something other than walnut in the future.

Wally

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Barbara Gill, Remlik Virginia

>I am not allergic to walnut however if I get the dust in a cut it will heal slowly and stay imflamed for

several days instead of the usual bleed a little and be healed in two days. I can only imagine the trouble it could cause caught in your lungs.

Re: Allergies

Barbara Gill, Remlik Virginia

>I have found that the paper painter's masks, even the very good ones, are useless for keeping dust out.

Re: Allergies

Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.

>Barbara, the mask I referred to is almost like a gas mask. Filters and all.

Wally

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Keith Tompkins

>HI Jeremy, I LOVE the smell of black walnut!It contains a compound called juglone, however, that is toxic; many plants won't grow near a walnut tree. If you spread walnut shavings in your garden...same result. It's part of the tree's defense system.

We should all be wearing a protective mask of some sort. I spent over ten years in a factory that produced 300 chairs a day. Pine seats, red oak legs and spindles. Even with a collection system , my sinuses are permanently damaged.( I can only breathe out of one side of my nose for the last 20 years) Surgery MIGHT correct the damage.

dI now use a respirator with two screw-on filters and a pair of dust collectors.

Re: Nose full of sawdust

JamieDonaldson

>This discussion points out the usefulness of a good dust collector-I have a collector hood right behind the cutting area on my lathes and it eliminates having dust in the entire shop as well as around the lathe.A dust mask is only going to filter the area aroung your face, allowing the rest of the shop to collect a layer of dust and shavings.

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Greg W in NC

>Jamie,

Absolutely correct! I used numerous respirators, but to no avail. It wasn't until I got a DC that my allergy-related problems stopped, and virtually overnight! With only a respirator, not only does the dust collect around your shop,but also on your clothes, and in your hair. Then you take it inside the house. I also use a smock which stays in the shop, too. Since I've been using the DC, I have stopped using the respirator, as I simply don't need it.

Re: Allergies

Barbara Gill, Remlik Virginia

>Ahhh, sounds like my North mask.

Resp-O-Rator *LINK*

Joe Pack

>I use a snorkel type breathing unit that puts the filters behind my head. The mouthpiece fits just like a diver's snorkel, with two tubes passing on each side of my neck. The unit, which is extremely light in weight, lays on my shoulders and is always ready. An advantage of this unit is that it works with my beard; no seal to worry about.

This unit looks really wierd, but check it out before you laugh. It really is a quality unit for dust (not for vapors!).


http://shop.woodcraft.com/Woodcraft/product_family.asp?family%5Fid=4387&gift=False&mscssid=73EB1A70E6794965B2DBEBA049DD7E94

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Tom Colligan, Peoria

>Greg, would you mind describing your dust collector arrangement? I have one but I'm not sure how I could adapt it to turning on a lathe.

Thanks,

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Greg W in NC

>Tom,

I tried to include a picture of my 'lathe hood' but I couldn't get the file size down small enough (not sure why not.) Anyway, I simply took two pieces of red oak for the 'feet', and mounted the hood to a cross piece. That way I can move it around. I made a little tabletop that sits on my ways for miscellaneous work, which is where I do most of my gluing. This way I can move the hood close by, and let it remove the CA fumes from my immediate area. I also attached my light to the cross piece also, so it is always available when I need it. Hope this helps!

Re: Nose full of sawdust *LINK*

Russ Fairfield

>This is the one that I use. Cheap, and it works.


Dust collector hood.

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Jeremy Osner

>Good idea -- I like how you attached it to your tool rest so it will move wherever you are working. Reckon I will make one of those myself. One question -- all I have got for dust collection is a vacuum with a 2 1/2" hose and 126 cfm -- is that going to move enough air to make a difference? Thanks,

Jeremy

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Ruth Niles

>Russ, I love the "custom hood" and am definitely going to use it.

In regards to the allergic reaction of cocobolo, I've been doing a run of 10 goblet stems from this wood and have developed a deep chest cough. I have never had a reaction to any wood but am wondering if this cough could be one. I did wear a mask but there were times when I found it was off and didn't remember when I had removed it (when I turn, I get totally involved!).

Thanks,

Ruth

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Robert Simmons, Atlanta

>Check out the Triton Respirator Helmet. This will give you both dust protection (fine particle) and full face protection. Trust me, you'll need both if you want to keep turning. The Triton runs around $270 and is a good buy. I use mine whenever I'm kdoing any task in the shop that raises much dust or has the potential for generating projectiles.

Robert

Re: Nose full of sawdust

Greg W in NC

>Jeremy,

personally, I don't think the vacuum will move enough air to really take care of your problem. However, it will remove the very small dust most likely, depending on what you're turning. (the smaller the item, probably the better luck you'll have.) Note the smaller the dust particle, the deeper into the lung it will go!

Ruth, I've heard of many, many stories of woodworkers (myself included) that develop a sensitivity to wood allergies over time. Note that some people develop contact allergies, so the dust doesn't even have to be inhaled. Do you have a dust collector? I know it's a pain, and not the cheapest option, but for me, it was cheaper than replacing a lung or two! Definitely try Russ's homemade dust hood, it looks like it would work perfectly! I wish I had seen that before I bought mine.

Filter Rating?

Bill Howatt

>Robert,

The Triton looks interesting and is reasonably priced. Do you have any info on the filters - minimum size particles they catch, obtainable from other sources?

Thanks,

Bill