Is kingwood toxic?

[Toller]

Several sources say that cocobolo is really toxic, but the other species in the genus (rosewood, kingwood, tulipwood) don't seem to have such warnings.

Anyone know for sure (not that anything like this is ever for sure...) if kingwood is or isn't hazardous? I just bored a 2.5" x 2.5" hole in a block. The dust came off in heavy cloud! Fortunately I had an air filter on, and it worked so well that almost nothing got on my dust mask. I am going to turn it next and wonder just how many precautions I have to take; I expect the turning to be even dustier.

[nailshooter41]

I think anything that comes from South America has to be treated like it was pressure treated deck material. It has to have a large amount of nasty in it to withstand all the industrial strength bugs they have, as well as having the ability to resist molds, fungus, and any other moisture related maladies that would come up with a lifetime of constant cyclical monsoons.

I actually talked to a guy that lived in S. America and he told me they use purpleheart, some poorer people use ipe, and there is another wood that escapes me that they use for decking, gazebos, etc. They don't paint or seal it the wood in any way, they just nail it up and go.

I would suit up appropriately.

Robert

[J. Clarke]

Unless you have an allergic reaction it's not likely to kill you as you stand there. Still, best not to breathe any more of it than you can avoid, and that is true of _any_ species.

[Mike Marlow]

Kingwood is well known for causing near instant sterility and brain damage. One small whif and a large man is endangered. The only thing proven to be more dangerous than drilling into Kingwood is turning Kingwood.

[Toller]

Well, I have all the children I want and thinking is greatly over rated, so nothing to worry about.

Seriously though, some of the stuff on the internet says that cocobolo is terrible.

[J. Clarke]

The information I've seen is that it's more or less like poison ivy. The thing about poison ivy is that there are people who can roll in the stuff all day long and don't even itch. Then one day they become sensitized and one touch puts them in the hospital. Sensitizers are annoying that way.