I use a Dremmel for some detail carving/sanding. I wear a surgeon mask MOST of the time. I mostly carve basswood and cedarwood. Lately, I have been doing some cottonwood and my chest is feeling a little weird.
Any suggestions for a good mask? Do I really need protection using these woods? I do not want to develop lung cancer 20 years form now. That is very scary. Let me know
Doel

Yes, you should wear dust protection and would also help to have some kind of dust equipment or at least a fan blowing the dust away from you! Wood dust depending on the kind can cause some problems! I had problems with basswood while using a burner...

[Kenny_S]

I am glad you posted that HI Ho. I found that I had a little problem burning in basswood also. I was wearing a heavy duty mask but it may have been the smoke from the burning. I made several relief carvings of the Firemans emblem and perseted them to our local Fire Department. I am wondering id a resporator(SP) would be better. I found I was trying to blow the smoke away with the mask on. Can't be done while wearing it. Now, I use a fan to blow it away from me. But some protection is in order.

Safety first,
Kenny S

I know only what I was told by a man that has been carving for years. He said that some woods, when they become spalted, ( begining to decay ) are toxic in dust form. Sorry I didn't listen better. I don't sand anything so, I didn't listen realm close.

[Callynne]

WHAT? Are you serious, should you wear a mask while woodburning?? I'd hate that, I do wear one when I sand (and hate it) because I did notice a 'feeling' in my chest and my 'allergies' were worse the day after I sanded something but woodburning....I love the smell, yeah I know, I'm weird!! I only work with basswood so I didn't think there really would be a problem with it, you know, because it's not like 'found wood' or something that's been exposed to the elements, so to speak.
Oh, and is just the little white paper masks good enough to wear when I do wear one or should I have something else? Thanks, Callynne

[AlArchie]

I wear a respirator; not a mask, when power carving, or sanding. A lot of the volatile oils in wood are, if not toxic, irriatating. I don't wear one while burning, but that is very little, and I do have a vent fan on than.

I find those paper masks are not secure enough around my face; not only for inhaling dust, but when I exhale, it goes up and fogs my glasses!!!!!

Al

[mdallensr]

We usually have at least one carver in our group of ten who is wood burning, and no one has ever noted a problem other than an occasional whiff in the wrong driection. Most of our burning is on basswood, for birds and furry animals. I've done a little burning on butternut, mahogany and cherry and never noticed any irritation. I have been bothered by dust from those woods, and I'm careful now to wear a good dust mask any time I'm band sawing, scroll sawing or sanding. One caution we need to make is burning wood that has been glued with Superglue. We harden bird beaks and feather tips with superglue, after we carve and burn them. If you have to go back and burn again, the fumes can contain cyanide that a dust maks won't catch.

[Colin_Partridge]

Hi Gang,
I remember reading an article last year in Chip Chats (Dare I mention that name here). It was an article written by a gentleman that power carved for years and did not wear a mask. The article was written while he was still alive and published after he had passed away. He warns everyone about carving without a mask he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and they had determined that the cause was from the wood particles. I will look through my magazines and see if I can find the article and publish it. I remember it sure changed my mind about carving without a mask. He didnt mention anything about burning but I would not think it would be that bad if you were well ventilated. My take on this is that a ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Why tept fate there is so much carving I want to do and you are a long time dead. :'(
Colin

[mdallensr]

Our carving group all saw that article and talked about it in our class. Out take on it was that he was carving spalted wood, and the spores from the mold or fungus started an infection that was untreatable. I wondered how it could be that only one woodworker has died (that we know of) from doing something that millions of people have done for centuries. But, I'm careful to wear a mask at home for cutting and sanding, after feeling my lungs tighten up after band sawing some mahogany without a mask. I coughed for a couple of days and learned that lesson well.

i always wear a mask whenever i may be exposed to wood dust. i wear what is called a 'NORTH' halfmask. it is designed to be used with asbestes removal, and is also good for paint and dust. It has removable cartridges for both but i use the ones for asbestes. the dust from these woods may never hurt me.....but i would rather be safe than sorry!

PAPA