Poplar dust

[Ron]

I've heard about all the exotic woods and the irritations their dust can cause but has anyone had a problem with poplar dust? I was working in the shop all weekend long (all day for 3 days straight). I was making some prototypes out of poplar and now I seem to be developing a bad cough, chest irritations and a sore throat. I may have to go to the Dr. soon to get it checked out. At first I thought it was just irritation fromt he dust but I've used it before and haven't had a problem.

[Charlie Self]

Ron Short asks:

Almost any wood can cause throat and nose lining and eye irritations, given enough exposure. You say you've used it before: have you used it this extensively before? What other conditions in your shop may have changed? In your health--are you taking medication and if so what kind? Have you had a recent bee sting or insect bite?

You've just run up on the real reason for either using a dust collector or wearing a dust mask when working with even the mildest woods.

But, then, you may also just be coming down with a cold.

Good luck in clearing up whatever it is.

Charlie Self "Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened." Sir Winston Churchill

[Leon]

I have used Poplar for years and the only thing bad about it to me is the yucky sweet smell. You may simply be getting sick and the dust is being an irritant.

[TeamCasa]

Ron, I have worked with poplar quite a bit lately and have found that when machining or sanding, I need to wear a dust mask. I am not a doctor, medical advice from me would be like asking for Charlie Self's advice on building an airport. Dave

[Rumpty]

No one should work in the wood shop without at least a nuisance dust mask on. If you are into heavy sanding operations a two strap mask is suggested.

[patrick conroy]

What precautions do you have in place? What do you have for a DC, Air Cleaner and Dust Mask?

[Swingman]

I am now heartily subscribing to the theory that you eventually reach an age where you become much more susceptible to airborne dust particles of any type.

I had a similar experience last year, which I was ready to attribute to walnut dust. While you may never know the exact reason, it is probably safest to assume that "dust", regardless of source, is the reason for your symptoms and you should take some type of appropriate action, starting with a trip to the doctor before it gets worse.

I cleaned out the shop last Saturday with a leaf blower and, although I wore a mask (my goatee makes a good seal impossible), shortly afterwards I begin to notice the same feeling in my lungs that I got last year.

... needless to say that twice warned, I am now on a dust collection/reduction crusade before I begin any new projects. You might want to consider the same.

[Australopithecus scobis]

Others have handled the dust mask angle. Just a warning--there have been lots of nasty upper respiratory bugs running around my area, maybe yours too. Last month I spent a couple of days in the hospital with pneumonia. It got so bad because I thought the early stages were "just sawdust".

[Puff Griffis]

Same thing happens to me with poplar so I just started using a dust mask = when I work with it. Solved the problem. Puff

[Charlie Self]

TeamCasa responds:

Planes at one end, tower in the middle, ambulances at the other end.

Charlie Self "Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened." Sir Winston Churchill

[Jay Pique]

I've got a buddy that designs or builds airports for a living, and believe me - based on Charlie's writing ability I'd *much* rather him than he be designing the airports of tomorrow.

JP

**************** It needs to be STRAIGHT?!

[RonB]

I have never heard of or experinced a problem with poplar. You could be coming down with the crud, or you might have a specific allergy to the dust.

If it is allergy, it might be cause for concern - some folks can have severe reactions.

If it is the crud, try whisky and chili.

[Ron]

To answer some questions and give more info.

I've used poplar quite a bit, that's why I was surprised to be irritated like this. I have a 16x20 basement shop with one window a dust collector and a Jet air filter system. The problem is that I had the window closed and the air filter wasn't running. No mask either. In retrospect I guess I should run the air filter whenever I'm inthe shop and I think in the future I will. Before I finished the shop off I didn't have enough power to run all the tools at once so I just ran the filter when it got real dusty. I guess I'll have to change that habbit.

And my wife reminded me that the kids had a bad cough a few weeks ago and maybe I'm just getting that. Of course the dust hasn't helped but I haven't been in the shop in a few days and it hasn't gotten better so probably not related.

[patrick conroy]

Notsofast! I'm writing this down!!

Planes at one end. Tower in the middle...

[patrick conroy]

Mine is that it is a cumulative effect. Arithmetic, geometric or exponential curve, I have no idea. But I'm betting it is additive.

So I've made a committment to wear my 3M half-mask respiratory ALL of the time. Like braces or single-malt scotch, it takes awhile to get used to, but the payoff in the end is worth it.

[Swingman]

I agree ... I just got another real-world example of the lack of youthful lungs when I was fairly close to a big tanker explosion on the freeway a couple of days ago. My initial instinct to rush to the aid of someone close to the inferno was quickly squelched by the fact that I could no longer breath from the smoke and fumes by the time I got halfway there ... rather than being the subject of a rescue, instead of a rescuer, I backed off when I saw there were other's obviously faring better in the smoke than I was.

Another humbling lesson in the mind aging slower than the body ....

[patrick conroy]

That - and ear hair... I hate ear hair...