Experiencing Allergic Reactions While Woodworking?
Asked by CraftyGiraffe27
I've been into woodworking for quite a while now, and until recently, my only issue was with silky oak, which gave me a nasty bout of contact dermatitis. However, last weekend I was working with either lacewood or leopard wood—I'm not sure which one it was since I bought them a while back—and I had an unusual reaction again. I've worked with various woods before, including red and white oak, mahogany, steppe, padauk, ebony, zebrawood, and maple, without any problems. I did some research but couldn't find enough information about lacewood and leopard wood and their potential for causing reactions. Has anyone else experienced similar issues or noticed any commonalities with these or other woods?
Answers
Absolutely, lacewood is known to be a major allergen. The first time I used it, I was itching and rashy for about a month! I had to do a thorough cleanup of my shop to get rid of every trace of it.
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Yeah, many of the woods you mentioned can cause allergies, especially the more exotic ones. It's quite possible to develop sensitivities to certain woods after using them repeatedly. Just be careful!
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If lacewood is anything like orange oak, you're in for trouble. I've seen whole groups react to monkey pod wood! Fortunately, I made a table from monkey pod once and didn’t have any issues, but everyone's different.
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Silky oak and lacewood are often considered interchangeable; they're in the same family. If you're sensitive to one type, there might be a chance that similar woods could irritate you too. I once had a rough experience with Iroko—my sinuses were wrecked for over a year! Make sure to get good dust collection in your shop, and consider investing in a respirator; it's a game changer!
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