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Thread: Wood/dust allergies questions and how to prevent/lessen them....

  1. #1
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    Unhappy Wood/dust allergies questions and how to prevent/lessen them....

    Hey all,

    Lately when I've gotten a little shop time, my allergies have been kicking up. I know I'm allergic to dust and when I do a little sanding on my lathe my allergies will kick in. The last couple of times I get a really bad cough, stuffed up and wheezing in my throat/chest. It has not been fun!

    Currently I use a mask with the 2 filters on each side and I'll turn on my dust collector if it's a bigger job. It sounds like I need more protection.

    Should I look at getting a Trend type airshield?

    I know they are expensive but I really love woodworking (turning especially) and I want to protect myself. I don't want to have to give it up!

    What have you done to help prevent allergies?

    Any advice is appreciated!
    Doug Swanson

    Where are John Keeton and Steve Schlumpf anyway?

  2. #2
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    It might be that your mask doesn't seal to your face. Do you have a beard? It is almost impossible to seal over a beard. Do you fog up your safety glasses when you exhale? If you do, there's a crack between the mask and your face around your nose or below your eyes. The solution to this one is to try different masks until you find one that fits your face. Masks are available in different sizes, and in different shapes, so some trial and error can find you a better one.

    You can do a test of your mask.... Remove the filters. Tape over the opening. Put on the mask. Inhale. If you can still draw air, the mask isn't sealing to your face.

  3. #3
    A good start is to check out Bill Pentz's site on dust collection. http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

    Airsheilds are fine but no better than a good half-face respirator with hepa filter (unless you have a beard).

    Also keep a pair of coveralls and hat in the shop that you wear only in the shop. That will keep you from bringing a lot of dust into your home on your clothes.

    A lot of people have good results using neti pots to do a nasal wash at the end of the day.

    And be extremely careful around woods that are known sensitizers like western red cedar, cocobolo, and pao ferro.

    Good luck.

  4. #4
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    Jamie,
    Thanks for the reply. My mask does seal pretty good to my face. I don't have any facial hair and my glasses do not fog up so that's why I kind of ruled that out as a culprit.

    One of the reasons that I thought about an air shield type mask was then it would also help prevent dust from getting in my eyes. I usually wear a flip down shield over my regular glasses and I thought the dust is getting into my system through my eyes.

    Thanks again,
    Doug Swanson

    Where are John Keeton and Steve Schlumpf anyway?

  5. #5
    if you are getting a proper seal around your face from the mask, what kind of filters are you using? I have bad allergies and use a 3m 7500 series half-face mask with the pink hepa equivalent filters and no dust gets through. Before I used this mask I felt like you did, from the sound of it either you are getting a poor seal around your face or the filters you bought are letting a good majority of the smallest particles through (which cause the most harm).

  6. #6
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    I'm currently using a Survivair Premier respirator with gray and pink filters. The cartridges are approved for organic vapors, ammonia, chlorine, etc and have a permanently attached P100 filter on them. From the little research I've done, these should be just fine.

    Thanks again!
    Doug Swanson

    Where are John Keeton and Steve Schlumpf anyway?

  7. #7
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    You never said what you had for DC. I had symptoms similar to yours and I was using a dust mast and shop vac and filters taped onto a couple of window fans. It got to the point that I either had to do more or quit wood working. I installed a DC that vents directly outside, ran 6" main line and 4" to equipment. On the lathe, where I spend way to much time, I installed two 4" pickup. Good to go now.
    Fred

  8. #8
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    After years of no issues I developed earaches/headaches; the kind that keep you home from work. After many tests at the doctors I ended up at an allergist. Diagnosis; non-allergic rhinitis. Essentially it is not an actual allergic reaction but things in the path are really ticked off.

    In addition to my cyclone, I have an after-market bag on my bag unit, I have two shop vacs that tend to smaller or higher velocity dust makers, I also wear a respirator. Sound like overkill? Not to me. My problems are gone and I am back to enjoying my woodworking. I cannot express enough to folks that a dust collection system about twice as good as what you think you need should be your first pwoer tool.

  9. #9
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    Excellent advice Glenn...............Regards, Rod.

  10. #10
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    The lower cost airshields like trend only have N95 filters. I wouldn't buy anything with less capability than P100. According to the info from Bill Pentz the smallest particles are the ones that cause the most problems. N95 filters allow too much of them through. I would look at the 3M Airstream if you want a powered system. It's filtration efficiency is higher than the others, but at a high price.

  11. #11
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    I have similar issues but as Glenn pointed out it is typically considered to be non-alergic. I do not see much difference but the alergist will probably tell you that you are not allergic to the wood dust but you are "sensitive" to it. Either way it can set your sinuses off pretty strongly and quick.

    As Kent pointed out above a good sinus rinse is very helpful. I actually have a machine that pumps water up into the sinus under low pressure. You just lean forward over the sink with your mount open and put the nozzle up to one nostril, the water goes into the sinus on one side and runs back out the other. Sounds horrible but it is actually not bad at all. You keep your mouth open and do not make any swallowing motions and the water runs out your other nostril. If you are completely plugged it will drain out your mouth.

    Neti pots are the cheapest way to go and have been in use around the world for several thousand years.

    Last night I was cleaning up my shop and reorganizing in prep for the new Grizzly band saw I should be getting on Monday. All the dust set my sinuses off pretty bad and I did a rinse and the problem went away. If I left it for any length of time it would set my sinuses off bad enough that it would take a week or two to get over it and get the swelling back down again but treated right away it does not get out of hand.

  12. #12
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    I would look at the 3M Airstream if you want a powered system.
    If you are having problems it may be time to get a professional solution like the 3M. The face mask is also impact resistant which is important for turning. They are quite spendy because the battery packs & components have to be rated for all sorts of conditions (exposure to acid vapor, etc.).

    Tip: If you can smell the wood then your filter is not working well.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Portland View Post
    Tip: If you can smell the wood then your filter is not working well.
    Not to hijack, but are their any other wood sniffers out there? I cannot walk by a pile of lumber without taking a deep whiff up close. Except for walnut and some tropical species which I find repulsive.

  14. #14
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    I am seriously allergic to wood dust. If I sand a piece on the lathe for two minutes without good breathing protection I'll be sick for a week.

    Here's what I use in my 30 x 30 foot shop to control the dust:
    1) A ceiling mounted Jet air cleaner that cycles the air about 6X per hour.
    2) A Delta dust collector with 1 micron bags.
    3) The most critical piece is the PAPR helment and air supply I wear. I have a 3M Airmate 3 (forerunner to the Airmate 5 Bill Brumbine uses) with a HEPA filter that removes the sub-micron particles - those that cause the most trouble. The rig is comfortable to wear for long turning sessions and the battery lasts 7-8 hours on a charge. The battery, filter, and motor fit in a belt pack behind me. An air hose runs up to the back of the helment and provides a positive pressure to my whole head area. I do not smell any wood odors until I take the rig off.

    Outfits like the Trend Airshield provide similiar benefits to the 3M units at a much lower cost. Their biggest drawbacks seem to be short battery life and a top heavy design that causes neck problems for some folks.

  15. #15
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    Doug, while wearing a resparator/mask is good... you might want to look into adding a port to your DC for the lathe so you can add a dust hood behind your work. Its amazing how much dust will get airborne when sanding on the lathe. Using / Adding an ambient filter is also a good idea.

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