[susieq]

This past weekend at our local club's annual show, I saw a carving friend that had been VERY VERY ILL!!! Life threatening ill. He does some power carving and had been using tropical woods and also spalted woods....and had developed a really serious fungal infection in his sinus's. He has had surgery for heaven's sake and is still very very ill. They are talking about more surgery for him. The problem has also affected his eyes.

He usually sets up at the show but could barely walk around as a visitor this time. The doctors had a hard time figuring out what was wrong with him and when they did, they pin pointed it to the spalted wood...which is after all, just fungus making patterns in the wood.

And yes, he says he did wear protection. He wore a mask. I don't know what kind of mask or how good it was, but I want everyone to know about this because some masks are not really rated for wood dust to beginwith. Even with a good mask, use a dust collector too. As cautionary tales go, this one is worth paying attention to....

[Kenny_S]

Thank you susieq. Never to late or to old to learn these safety lessons. Actually. If you power carve, wear a resperator no matter what kind of wood it is. I will add, wear it and have a filtering device bench or shop size also.

[BobD]

To add to what Kenny said...whenever you are making sawdust (cutting out a blank on the bandsaw or scroll saw, sanding, power carving, turning) wear a mask designed for wood dust! I know if I don't wear a mask, and I cut or sand walnut, I'm going to have a sinus infection! Different people react differently to different woods.

Now, if you are just a hand carver with knives, chisels, and gouges, you probably don't need to worry...but if you cut it at all...wear the proper mask!

Bob