Poison Ivy

[Dave Bunge]

I've come across some nice cherry wood, 12-14 inch diameter, just cut yesterday, so I'm hopeful that the bark will stick for NE forms. The only drawback is that it's got poison ivy vines stuck to it.
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Can anyone give me advice on how to remove it and if it's safe to use? I'm planning to gear up with rubber gloves, long sleeves, etc, and just pull it off. But I'm interested to hear if anyone has experience doing this, what you did, how it turned out.

Thanks in advance.

[Doug W Swanson]

If you deliver it to my house, I will pull the vines off as long as I get to keep some of the wood! I think rubber gloves and long sleeves should do the trick. Just make sure you remove the gloves and shirt carefully...

[David Gilbert]

Doug's advise is good. Heavy rubber gloves and heavy clothes make a lot of sense and a disposable dust mask might be useful too. The other thing that I would do is remove the vines in one session and then take a very soapy shower to be sure that all traces are off of you. Also wash all your clothes right away to be sure all the oils are gone.

I got a very nasty case of poison ivy a couple of years ago when I collected some wood and I don't think any wood is worth the pain and suffering.

Enjoy the wood and beware of the poison ivy.

David

[Tom Wilson66]

Read an article in one of the woodturning mags some time ago about a turner who used poison ivy for turning pens. His advise was to cut the vine to kill it, then letting it dry out for a year. The oils will dry out and it can be handled safely. If you seal the ends of the logs, they should be dry by then, also.

[robert baccus]

The stuff has eaten me alive for years. Go pull the stuff off and dispose of it with your bare hands. Wash well with a strong soap--you have an hour at least before the oils can affect you.

[curtis rosche]

pull it off, pull the bark off. then wash your hands and arms in kerosene.

[John Keeton]

I don't know how reactive you will be to the stuff - it doesn't seem to bother me much, but do be aware that you can get the oil in your eyes from turning the wood. Poison ivy in your conjunctiva would not be fun!!! Letting it dry out may prevent that, or reduce the risk, but it may not fit in with your ideas on turning the wood.

[John Lifer]

Pull off with gloves, and I would then give the wood a good bath itself. Let dry for a while and turn. Dry vines still have oil in them

[Dale Miner]

When it is pulled off, there will still remain the small hair roots. I would remove the bark completely from the logs. Turning through the hair roots could put airborne particles in play. An ivy reaction in your lungs might result.

[George Bokros]

I guess I am puzzled why anyone would want to risk getting poison ivy over some logs. To me it is not worth the risk. If for some reason you get it in your eyes or you inhale any and get it in your lungs it will be very painful.

Also do not burn it, the smoke can be toxic also.

[Mike Cruz]

First of all, Dave. Every part of poison ivy can cause the skin reaction that we all associate with poison ivy...not just the leaves. The reaction is caused by oils that the plant/vine secretes. If you get that oil on your skin, you have about 10 minutes to wash it off before your skin will react to it. Not saying you will react immediately...could take days. But you have 10 minutes to wash it off before it will be too late.

Secondly, even after the vine is "dead", the oils still are on the vine. Not until it is actually rotting could you assume that it is "safe" from transferring oils. By then, you wouldn't be using this wood for NE bowls because the bark would be separating.

IF, using gloves and protective clothing, you can peel the vines off, you'll be getting MOST of the oils off, but I doubt ALL of it. Now, a DNA bath MIGHT have some sort of neutralizing effect on whatever oils are still in/on the NE bark. But I have no idea.

Now, how allergic are you to PI? I, if in direct contact with it, might "get" it, but I am by no means allergic to it. If my mother SEES it, she'll break out all over her body...as will my brother. Everyone reacts differently. IF you are like my mother or brother, it isn't even worth fooling with any part of that tree that has vines on it. When you cut it up, the oils will get on your clothes. When you remove your clothes, if you tough the oils on your face or hands from passing them off your body, guess what?...

Personally, since I'm not allergic to PI, I'd cut it up as normal, and just not do NE turnings. I'd get rid of the bark... Otherwise, that is some really nice looking wood, and that big crotch piece will yield two really nice big bowls! Hope your lathe can handle that capacity...it would be a shame to cut those smaller!

[robert baccus]

It's like alligators and mother-in-laws, handled with skill daring and finess you will be safe. Worked in the woods with it for years and I am highly allergic--been in the hospital with it when a child and had it bad in the service.. Keep an eye open for it and learn how to recognize it. Like above be careful with your clothes and especially boot laces after walking in it. I kept a bottle of Windex in my truck and always washed my hands and arms--it needs no rinsing like many soaps. Chainsaws are famous for throwing sap/oil back at you--watch the backside of trees. What---Anything for some nice wood.

[Sid Matheny]

Poison ivy has never bothered me, yet. I can work in it for hours and not get any reaction. Yeah I know that can change any time.


Sid

[Dave Bunge]

Thanks everyone for the advice and precautions. I won't be able to work on the wood until Sunday. I'll give a (hopefully itch free) update sometime next week.

In the meantime, if anyone else has tips for me I'd love to hear them.

Dave

[Mike Cutler]

Dave

there is a product called Tecnu at the drugstore. It'll cost about $10.00 for a bottle. Apply it like a suntan lotion before you work with the poison ivy after you are done take a lukewarm shower using Tecnu as the soap. Basically Tecnu is a soap that breaks down the oil in poison ivy. I have a lot of poison ivy in the back yard, and there is no way I can avoid contact.
Strip the vine, and cut away the bark with something sharp, manually. A sharpened axe head and a mallet works very well.

PS. That vine will never get rid of it's oils, until it is dust. My dogs have given me poison ivy in Jan/Feb with 12" of snow on the ground. They brush up against the trees, with vines, to itch themselves. Then the little fur balls come and rub on me.