Workers Of Wood

Fine Woodworking has an article in the last issue about hazardous woods, toxic woods, and benign woods and its worth a review. One of my uncles had his logging career end early due to cedar lung poisoning. For several years he had no wind and therefore no endurance. Not everyone is going to be affected and no people are the same in that regard. Toxicity can also build up over time. It's worth being proactive about it because if you do become sensitive it may well end your shop time, at least for a few years and maybe forever.

The woods that have high toxicity are:
Camphor, Canarywood
Ceylon ebony, Cocobolo
Lacewood, Redwood
Rosewood, Sassafras
Zebrawood,

Woods that are Allergic Sensitizers are:
Aromosia, Black Limba, Black Walnut
Bloodwood, Bubinga, Cedars
Dark cumaru, Ebonies, Ipe
Iroko, Jatoba, Leopard wood
Mahoganies, Makore, Osage Orange
Padauk, Purpleheart, Rubberwood
Santos mahogany, Sapele
Shedua , Spanish cedar, Teak
Tigerwood, Wenge, Yellowheart


Woods that are benign and safe to use are:
Apple, Ash, Alders except Black Alder
Aspens, Basswoods, Birches
Beeches, Cherry, Chestnut
Maples, Firs (like Balsam fir- Douglas fir is actually a hemlock)
Pear, Poplars, Red and White Oaks

Thanks Chuck....
here's an expansion in PDF format...
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