Thread: Lathes

One thing to keep in mind is not just the "allergen" nature of wood dust but also its "particulate" aspect. Any particles breathed in must then be expelled through coughing; some particles are much harder to expel than others. My grandfather hand-cut leather for work gloves, welding aprons, and other protective clothing for decades. He also smoked like a maniac since he was 13 - up to 4 packs a day before he quit when he was 70. A couple years later he died of lung cancer, but it did not appear to be caused by smoking. He had a form of cancer very similar to the type caused by asbestos - the tiny leather fibers kicked up from cutting "hooked" into his lung tissue and could not be expelled, apperantly causing cancer in a manner similar to asbestos fibers. I do not know enough about different species of wood to comment on specific toxicities, but I would imagine that if it is a species with silica in it, it would be of concern.