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Today I turned two chisel handles from mackay cedar and now my lungs are burning a little.
I've not used it before and have had no trouble before with any other timbers.
Does anyone know if this is a common result of using this timber? I knew black bean is nasty but was unaware that mckay cedar was as well.
I helped the Brother in law make a bar out of it a couple of years ago, horrible stuff it was.
Made our noses run and throat sore, sore eyes. I dont care if I never use it again.
Yep, much the same as blackbean, pretty rough on nose and throat.
AKA Pencil Cedar
Contains carcinogens & irritants that affect most people in some way.
I've seen a bloke who was working on a cabinet with a profile router end up bleeding form his nose & eyes.
I've only used a bit, making panel gauges out of it, & it didn't affect me much :crutch:
yep,
it's the only timber that i've found that makes my nose really itchy!!!
It's like cutting onions, lots of air flow! dusty, and mask to boot!
I chucked a couple of slabs of it on the floor & left them there in the sawdust for a while.Quote:
Originally Posted by Caliban
Termites (Whiteants) came into my shed, ate there way through everything except the Mackay cedar, they used it like a hot tin roof... tunneled under it in the sawdust & preferred to stay next to the concrete rather than the Mackay cedar.
The moral of this story is.... Try turning some concrete without a good dust mask. :D
I have been turning some Australian Cedar, and have also found that this is quite irritating. I have a bit of Mackay as well, but haven't got around to turning it yet, so will feed back then.
One for TTIT, are the species related?
regards
I built a boat which had some western red cedar. The guy who cut it to size had worked with small bits of it, on and off, for years. About two years after building he realised that it was affecting him badly and he couldn't work with it anymore. It got to the stage that even entering the room with some, even in rough dressed form that had been sitting for years, he immediately started reacting to whatever it was putting into the air. The idea of actually cutting some up left him shaking. Same problem, I understand, with Australian red cedar. Answer - effective dust collection, room air filter or outside, and personal respirator. IMHO, if you haven't got all three, then leave cedar alone.
Rob
(who has 3 cube of it waiting for time and projects. Got the DC and respirator, but I'll probably work outside and away from the house when I get to cutting)
Not sure without hitting the books but I don't think they are related at all - 'cedar' gets thrown around pretty badly as a timber name. I read somewhere that Mackay Cedar (AKA Red Sirus - albizia toona) allegedly has the highest incidence of allergic reaction of any aussie timber.:o Cos' I've never reacted to any timber at all, I haven't tackled any Mackay (yet!) - no point ruining a flawless record :shrug: (but if somebody was to offer me some.....:B )Quote:
Originally Posted by Alastair
Mackay Cedar Albizia toona ARF
Mackay Cedar Paraserianthes toona QUT
Red Cedar Toona australis WIA
Also classified Toona Ciliata
Stopped being lazy, and went and did some Googling.
Would not seem to be related botanically, except for irritant nature, and similarity in name.
regards
So the bottom line is I'm going to die from yesterday's episode, but not for a few years and probably slowly and painfully.:-
Love to see a bloke with a positive attitude:2tsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Caliban
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcarthur
Just in case somebody gets confused..... western red cedar & Red Cedar Toona australis are not the same.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alastair
Yeah, Western red cedar and I don't get along at all, but I'm hoping Aussie red cedar will be different, I'm just still a tad shy of working with it yet :rolleyes:
Hi guys
A few years back I met an old chap who worked a saw mill that cut mostly Mackay Cedar.
The old bloke said he ran the mill with three of his brothers.
He told me that they are all dead of cancer and he had it too when I met him. We were waiting for our respective appointments with the doctor and it came out in the conversation.
If the burning like pepper does not tell you something maybe the above story might.
I refuse to have anything to do with it, and neither will many locals.
Grahame
It's a good thing you posted this Caliban. I'm sorry you had to experience it, but a Big Thank You for letting us know.
I've a small piece of this stuff in my shed and would have been cutting into it shortly. I won't now until I get some dust extraction set up in there.
How are you feeling now?
Wendy
Hi Grahame,Quote:
Originally Posted by Grahame Collins
do you happen to remember what type of cancer those old guys had ?
Mky Cedar, a beautiful timber & easy to work with if you take the normal precautions. Worked with it a lot of the years while I was in Mky but it certainly isn't the worst timber I ever used, Red Bean takes that prize! 100 times worse IMHO.
Thanks for making me sound like a redneck Shane.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shane Watson
Mate, I cleaned up my shed with the ducted outdoor dusty the next day and even that caused me a coughing fit and another day of irritated airways. I swept the floor on the other side of the shed a day later and even that wasn't pleasant. This stuff is insidious.
Today I had to empty the dusty bag, so I used a face mask with twin canisters and had no problems. (read very relieved)
But I know one thing. I'm never using it again. If I have to walk around like a spaceman just to use my shed 5 days afterwards, despite using dust extraction, I'm not interested. There are just too many other friendlier timbers to use to risk it.
Perhaps we need a thread of nasty timbers to avoid. We could put your red bean at the top of the list.
Such as the Badwoods list :) from our host. Mackay Cedar is not on the list, but as it says, flick 'em an email.
I have had one run in with the stuff and ain't going to play with it again, unless I get suited up with mask etc:((
Well I'm glad I saw this thread. I bought a lovely big slab of Mackay Cedar at the Sydney woodworking show a couple of years back and it's still sitting in the shed while I try to think up something to do with it that will do it justice - it has the most magnificent grain figure (like a red flame on the pale beige background), a really spectacular piece of wood.
But obviously one to treat with a great deal of caution, which I wasn't aware of.
Yes, have had this occur with Mackay Cedar. Has anyone ever had an allergic reaction to Spotted Gum? I have heard of a number of people who break out in hives when working it. Pretty nasty apparently!
Never had any trouble with Spotted Gum myself.
I've been turning a few small bits of Mackay Cedar lately, no problems as long as the cyclone is turned on and sucking all the dust away.
I got a few bits of Pennyleaf after the cylone earlier in the year. I noticed it gives the skin a burning sensation when you get covered in the dust.
Came across this revived thread, and thought I would update my naive comments at the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alastair
Did turn some of this.
beautiful timber.
Usual cowboy fashion, as I seldom react to stuff, so no dusty or mask.
OK until the sanding, then quite quickly itchy nose, sneezing, followed by headache and nausea.
next day, followed up with a sudden and copious nosebleed.
SO
Future use of this will be done under much more controlled conditions.
If I still have side-effects, will reclassify it as firewood.
regards
Lung cancer,Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironwood
The old fellow also said, if you have any Mackay Cedar, throw it in the tip which is exactly what I did.
cheers
Grahame
No worries Grahame, I have got a few trees on my property, I think they will stay put with their leaves and branches on, while I live here at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grahame Collins
I got Thyroid cancer about 6 years ago, all my Doctors assured me it wasn't from wood dust, so I'm gratefull my hobby didnt cause it.