Giving up one of my favorite hobbies, maybe...

[MartyZ 692]

NO, not shooting... what am I crazy?

It appears however, that I might need to give up woodworking. Found out the other day that problems I have been experiencing with my eyes over the last few years where all due to severe allergies to saw dust. I am trying to find solutions, a full face mask does not help. But I might end up having to sell all my woodworking tools, such as band saw, planer, contractor saw, sliding miter saw, routers, sanders, hand planes, circular saws, clamps, etc.... If anyone is interested let me know, and if I do end up selling, I will post a WTS thread. The tools I have are only 3 to 4 years old and some of them were not cheap. 

[raz-0 1,259]

If a papr aint doing it, it may not be able to be done. The only step after that is a papr with external air supply from fresh air. 

[eyeinstine 241]

Post em' up...

Im a remodeling contractor and have a pretty large circle of contractor and wood working friends i can spread the word too...

 

 

 

[MartyZ 692]

15 hours ago, raz-0 said:

If a papr aint doing it, it may not be able to be done. The only step after that is a papr with external air supply from fresh air. 

Unfortunately I don't think even that would work. It appears that even the saw dust covering everything in my garage (my workshop) causes me issue.

I actually just proved my theory. 4 hours sanding with a 3M 6800 on, next morning I could barely keep my eyes open. Went to the optometrist and got rx allergy drops, all better after 3 days.

Looks like I have no choice

[MartyZ 692]

8 hours ago, eyeinstine said:

Post em' up...

Im a remodeling contractor and have a pretty large circle of contractor and wood working friends i can spread the word too...

 

 

 

Great, thanks. I will put up a WTS thread just as soon as I can figure out how much everything is worth. I figured I'd offer it to this community before I post on lumberjocks

[Scorpio64 5,154]

13 minutes ago, MartyZ said:

4 hours sanding with a 3M 6800 on, next morning I could barely keep my eyes open.

That makes no sense at all.  Is it just your eyes that react, or are you getting contact dermatitis on exposed skin too?  It could also be environmental.  Have you done any work outside the shop and still had the same result?

[MartyZ 692]

28 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said:

That makes no sense at all.  Is it just your eyes that react, or are you getting contact dermatitis on exposed skin too?  It could also be environmental.  Have you done any work outside the shop and still had the same result?

I did have a rash all over my hands a few years ago after cutting up 10 sheets of ply when I was building my closet. But I didn't think much of it and just started wearing gloves and it went away.

The issue with my eyes, I think, is fine dust in general. With my workshop being in my garage, I walk thru it multiple times a day even when I'm not woodworking. And every time I open the garage door all the settled sawdust goes airborne and gets into my eyes. That is the theory anyway. But I do know that this problem started around the same time I started woodworking. 

 

Edit: I think what actually happened this last time is when I took the mask off, all the dust that was settled on the mask went into my eyes.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

39 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said:

That makes no sense at all.  Is it just your eyes that react, or are you getting contact dermatitis on exposed skin too?  It could also be environmental.  Have you done any work outside the shop and still had the same result?

It's makes pretty good sense. 

Most people with air based allergies will be effected in the eyes nose and throat well before anything else. 

These "dry" based allergens rarely effect skin to the same degree, such as pollen. Primarily due to the fact they have a difficult time getting past tissue layers where the immune system can react. 

If he is wearing a respirator, that covers his respiratory system, but it's hard to completely isolate your eyes even with sealed goggles due to fogging issues. 

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Have you thought of going with a full face respirator?  I've been watching a lot of forging videos and Alec Steele goes with a full on powered air purifying respirator (PAPR)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PB4C38/

[silverado427 10,717]

You should have exhaust fan running when working indoors. 

Retired Commercial carpenter , The only time i have seen anyone get a rash or reaction to cutting wood is I was on a job replacing decking after Sandy on the  Ortley beach boardwalk. The cut man had a rash from his wrist to his elbows. The decking was some expensive  brazilian hardwood.   

[raz-0 1,259]

I’d see an actual allergist and actual dust control if you don’t already have it. 

[MartyZ 692]

30 minutes ago, Krdshrk said:

Have you thought of going with a full face respirator?  I've been watching a lot of forging videos and Alec Steele goes with a full on powered air purifying respirator (PAPR)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PB4C38/

I'm not willing to spend $1,700 on something that might help me when I'm woodworking but won't help me when I'm in the garage for something else. I can't wear this thing every time I walk into the garage.  i'm not going to turn myself into a bubble boy for a hobby, lol.

28 minutes ago, silverado427 said:

You should have exhaust fan running when working indoors. 

Retired Commercial carpenter , The only time i have seen anyone get a rash or reaction to cutting wood is I was on a job replacing decking after Sandy on the  Ortley beach boardwalk. The cut man had a rash from his wrist to his elbows. The decking was some expensive  brazilian hardwood.   

 

27 minutes ago, raz-0 said:

I’d see an actual allergist and actual dust control if you don’t already have it. 

I have and exhaust, I have adequate dust collection, nothing is working 100%. Optometrist gave me RX drops which helped, but they are for temporary relief only, can't use them all the time.

To be honest, this is just a hobby, not a job, it doesn't put food on the table. And now that I know that this has been the cause of all my issues, it's not worth pursuing, at least not for me.

 

Maybe now I'll have more time and money for my favorite hobbies, guns and archery