Wood Dust

[George Pagliarulo]

I guess this is a PSA. New turners and woodworkers always ask about techniques and tools and problem solving but there is an aspect of turning and any woodworking that isn’t addressed enough, especially for the newbies. Wood dust is insidious. It’s not just the dust from certain toxic woods. All wood dust can be a carcinogenic. I always use a 3M half face piece respirator because I don’t want to worry about it and a regular face mask does not protect against the really small particles.

Wood dust hazards

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I got serious about turning early this year. This is something I was aware of, but early on I wasn't taking it seriously enough. I didn't have any symptoms, but I became aware that if I was going to do this long term, I needed to deal with the dust. I have a canister dust collector and a ceiling mount Rikon air filter (still sitting on the bench until I can hang it). I am also sure to wear PPE when sanding and grinding.

 

[Russ Braun]

I am guilty of making a few cuts w/o my mask on. Because of my heightened awareness of the challenges of dust, I can feel the impact of that laziness later in the evening. Put your PPE on every cut; your lungs will thank you one day!

 

[George Pagliarulo]

I got serious about turning early this year. This is something I was aware of, but early on I wasn't taking it seriously enough. I didn't have any symptoms, but I became aware that if I was going to do this long term, I needed to deal with the dust. I have a canister dust collector and a ceiling mount Rikon air filter (still sitting on the bench until I can hang it). I am also sure to wear PPE when sanding and grinding.

Kent, it’s not just sanding and grinding. Turning creates fine dust too. I don’t think any dust collection system, at least any in my price range, can remove all the dust that is created.
When out and about, I see too many people towing oxygen tanks behind them to take any risk.
Of course, smoking that big cigar may make dust a non-issue.

 

[Rick Urban]

I always use a 3M half face piece respirator

Good advice @George Pagliarulo. Who is that in your avatar not wearing a mask at the band saw?

 

[hughie]

Where I live, all wood dust is deemed toxic, so that simplifies things for many. As will starting to set up the new shop in the New Year . I will have the DC on wheels and move to where its needed, and the atmospheric workshop cleaner will be suspended above the lathe. I am toying with the idea of in stalling shower type curtains around the lathe to minimise the throw of chips

 

[George Pagliarulo]

Good advice @George Pagliarulo. Who is that in your avatar not wearing a mask at the band saw?

That's before I got religion.

 

[Darryn Achall]

The worst issue I've had from dust came from sweeping up chips and cleaning the shop. Now I tend to put on a Versaflo respirator first thing upon entering the shop and take it off after cleanup.

 

[Doug Freeman]

DC’s, at least most of what we home hobbyists use, should be called CC’s for chip collectors. Typically not enough velocity and the collecter is not close enough to the point of dust origin to grab enough. I wear dust PPE even with wet wood - I see enough stuff floating in the air with wet wood to wear my Versaflo.

The difference for my sinuses, how irritated they got and the amount of “stuff” blown out the nose, changed dramatically with proper ppe.

 

[Matthew Ferriter]

I got serious about turning early this year. This is something I was aware of, but early on I wasn't taking it seriously enough. I didn't have any symptoms, but I became aware that if I was going to do this long term, I needed to deal with the dust. I have a canister dust collector and a ceiling mount Rikon air filter (still sitting on the bench until I can hang it). I am also sure to wear PPE when sanding and grinding.

Wood dust isn't quite as problematic as smoking, which is a nearly perfect delivery systems for getting very small particles deep into your lungs.