Health Hazards related to cuemaking

cuenut

cuenut

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Having just read the sad new of Kevin Varney's passing, and having spoken to a few cuemakers who apparently have allergy problems, I thought it prudent to discuss this subject. I have mentioned it in almost every conversation about allergies with cuemakers I know. But, it applies to ANYONE IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE when it comes to dealing with chemicals and other potentially hazardous materials.

In addition to exposure to the known chemicals (finishes, adhesives, etc.), cuemakers generate dust that can be inhaled or inadvertently injested. Prior to using any chemical, get a copy of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) from the manufacturer and read it. It includes recommended personal protective equipment that should be worn when working around it. Take a look at the information on the website included at the bottom of this note. Not to discredit Chris' (Tate) note about a specific type of respirator he uses, as it may be the appropriate one for his application, but in many cases, persons are unduly exposed because they utilize the wrong type of respirator for their specific application/chemical. Also, some wood dusts may be carcinogenic (cause cancer). I have seen a few posts in the past stating that a cuemaker was "allergic" to this or that. It is quite possible that they were simply failing to utilize the proper personal protective equipment. In many cases it can be attributed to lack of knowledge about what they are dealing with.

I hope this helps. Also, chemical manufacturers in most countries are regulatorially required to generate an MSDS or similar document for their products. They should be free of charge upon request. Shortened versions of them are commonly attached to the product (first to come to mind are pesticides and herbicides).

http://wiki.bme.com/index.php?title=Wood_Hazards
 
cuenut said:
Having just read the sad new of Kevin Varney's passing, and having spoken to a few cuemakers who apparently have allergy problems, I thought it prudent to discuss this subject. I have mentioned it in almost every conversation about allergies with cuemakers I know. But, it applies to ANYONE IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE when it comes to dealing with chemicals and other potentially hazardous materials.

In addition to exposure to the known chemicals (finishes, adhesives, etc.), cuemakers generate dust that can be inhaled or inadvertently injested. Prior to using any chemical, get a copy of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) from the manufacturer and read it. It includes recommended personal protective equipment that should be worn when working around it. Take a look at the information on the website included at the bottom of this note. Not to discredit Chris' (Tate) note about a specific type of respirator he uses, as it may be the appropriate one for his application, but in many cases, persons are unduly exposed because they utilize the wrong type of respirator for their specific application/chemical. Also, some wood dusts may be carcinogenic (cause cancer). I have seen a few posts in the past stating that a cuemaker was "allergic" to this or that. It is quite possible that they were simply failing to utilize the proper personal protective equipment. In many cases it can be attributed to lack of knowledge about what they are dealing with.

I hope this helps. Also, chemical manufacturers in most countries are regulatorially required to generate an MSDS or similar document for their products. They should be free of charge upon request. Shortened versions of them are commonly attached to the product (first to come to mind are pesticides and herbicides).

http://wiki.bme.com/index.php?title=Wood_Hazards
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Nicely done sir!

I love my cues but not at the expense of the cue makers life!!!

I would be using cuetec or some synthetic cue if this issue can't be contained. My cue buying days may be over to not add to the problem. Just use what I got or buy used. Enough wood already out there.

The cue makers I know have ALL been awesome people. Some of the best actually! Doing what they love in my opinion makes them happier then the rest of the world!!!

KD
 
woodworking

I do a lot of woodworking as a part of my business. I've had a lot of lung problems the last few years. I found out the hard way even cutting your basic pine on a table saw etc you need to wear a dust mask. Sanding ANYTHING its also a must to get the proper mask. In the past i always thought i was "allergic" to cutting cedar. With a proper dust mask not anymore and my lung problems are a lot better now. As a old school kind of guy I always thought dust masks gloves were for lightweights. Not any more. I always wear a dust mask and hearing protection in my wood shop now. Good dust masks are cheap on eBay too!
 
Cuemakers year ago do nothing to protect them selves from Wood Dust, and many of the wood's dust are toxic.

Desert Ironwood is real bad. Friend makes lovely Bowls out of turned Desert Ironwood, he wear a very expensive mask, and is trying not to die of lung related problems.
 
Cocobolo dust is highly allergenic. Some of the guys can't work with it any longer. They say that it isn't whether or not you will get a reaction to it, its a matter of when.

Blood wood is apparently another dangerous one. I don't have any and don't plan on it.

If you're like me, working on the lathe without a shirt on one day. Leaned over the head stock to trim a tip and gave my left nipple a nice little zinger with the jaw.

Me not do dat again.

Was sanding an ebony sneaky one day. I don't have an air scrubber in the shop and wasn't wearing a respirator. Ebony dust over everything in the shop.
The walls were coated.

I was blowing black snot out of my nose like a Kentucky coal miner for 3 days. I won't get back to that sneaky until I get a scrubber.

I had a Purple Heart sneaky at the same time, no problems.

This May will be one year of not smoking. My lungs are at 80% capacity so can't afford to take chances. My blood oxygen levels test out between 96 and 98 so ok that way.
 
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Cue making has hazards like anything else. It's up to the builder to acknowledge the threat & take appropriate preventive action. It's not difficult to filter the air & keep a circulation of fresh air. It's also not too tough to collect the vast majority of dust. By keeping dust down and air fresh, there's no more danger from woods than the pollen you breathe in spring. I actually have more allergy issues from blooming flowers than I do dust in my shop. Good thing is that the chemicals in dust are natural and exactly the same as what is emitted via pollen. It's not so much the chemicals that get you as it is the concentration of chemicals(though some are rather poisonous). Even water will kill you if you inhale enough of it. Dust issues are completely avoidable, IMO.

What's not so easy to avoid are the airborne chemicals from solvent based finishes & sealers, especially when atomized through a spray gun. There's a reason body shop guys dress in a sealed suit with forced air supply, and spray inside an air tight room with aggressive ventilation and filtration. If proper safety measures are taken, the dangers can be all but eliminated. Unfortunately, not everybody is careful. Granted, we're all going to die of something at some point. There's just no reason to rush it over something as petty as pool cues.
 
different woods different people

all of us react different to different allergenics. i am just getting over or near the end of a 2 year bought with brazilian rosewood. it makes me itch like posin ivy, but no over the counter will cure it. i know i am alergic to it, but i cut an old titlist that we thought was a different wood, just as i finished cutting, i hit it with some sandpaper, then the smell hit me, i stopped but was covered with the dust. flip flops, short sleeve shirt coverted with sweat. i was screwed. now i use lab coat, with full face mask. rubber gloves.
i also at one time got a lung full of super glue fumes, i won't do that again.

there is a lot of dangerous chemicals involved in cue building, BE CAREFUL
 
Nice write up Scott, although I would change "ingest" to include "inhale".

I think Ernie "Ginacue" has that best setup in the world for dust collection!

Hope you are well my friend.

Russ...
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
Cocobolo dust is highly allergenic.
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For some folks. It's the same chemical as what is found in poison ivy. Some people are incredibly allergic while others have no allergy at all. For me, it makes my nose run a little & I sneeze some, but it's nothing irritating or lasting. West African ebonies on the other hand are very dangerous for me. My throat will close up & begin itching, and I begin wheezing & dry coughing. I have to be very careful with ebony. Madagascar ebony doesn't bother me, only Gabon. Birch & some maples do the same thing to me. Asian rosewoods get me, too, but in a different way. I go into uncontrollable sneezing & my nostrils burn. No more, though. Learned the hard way & now am much safer about how I do things. I also quit spraying finish years ago, and will only use oil based sealers. I don't want solvent based chemicals anywhere near. Even for clean-up/thinning I use either denatured alcohol or acetone. Neither have heavy metals like other solvents, so at worst there is danger of dry skin if contacted. Certainly no airborne threat, though, so long as ventilation is adequate.
 
I've never used CA as a finish but was thinking of trying it in the past.

Once in a while, I will get a cheaper cue in to work on. If the tenon is on the small side, I will use the thin CA to get a better build on the tenon so the ferrule will fit tighter.

Even that small a job will give you a hint of what its like.

With the thin CA, once in a while, you can actually see the fumes coming off whatever you're using it on.

Even water will kill you if you inhale enough of it.
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Yes definitely. I heard at one time that if you're in the water and stop swimming, that can present a serious problem.
Another thing I don't do much of as I prefer to be on the top side of water.
 
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I never used a respirator in 45 years and seem to have no problems related to toxic finishes. I think I am an exception. Auto finishes are killers.

In my case it was my eyes that were damaged.

At the end of my cue making career I just couldn't use enough power to see what I was doing. Just simple things seemed impossible. After several failed cues, I quit.

Now after numerous eye operations I can see again. I didn't think it would ever be possible. I feel very lucky.

Bill S.
 
bstroud said:
I never used a respirator in 45 years and seem to have no problems related to toxic finishes. I think I am an exception. Auto finishes are killers.

In my case it was my eyes that were damaged.

At the end of my cue making career I just couldn't use enough power to see what I was doing. Just simple things seemed impossible. After several failed cues, I quit.

Now after numerous eye operations I can see again. I didn't think it would ever be possible. I feel very lucky.

Bill S.
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Hey, Bill, nice to see you're alive & well. I recall your shop being very clean & organized, so it's no surprise you were able to stay safe through the years. Hope you're doing well & that your game is strong.
 
bstroud said:
I never used a respirator in 45 years and seem to have no problems related to toxic finishes. I think I am an exception. Auto finishes are killers.

In my case it was my eyes that were damaged.

At the end of my cue making career I just couldn't use enough power to see what I was doing. Just simple things seemed impossible. After several failed cues, I quit.

Now after numerous eye operations I can see again. I didn't think it would ever be possible. I feel very lucky.

Bill S.
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What finish did you use the majority of your cue building? I don't see how you could have been spraying auto finish, or would want to with, out proper protection.
 
bstroud said:
I never used a respirator in 45 years and seem to have no problems related to toxic finishes. I think I am an exception. Auto finishes are killers.

In my case it was my eyes that were damaged.

At the end of my cue making career I just couldn't use enough power to see what I was doing. Just simple things seemed impossible. After several failed cues, I quit.

Now after numerous eye operations I can see again. I didn't think it would ever be possible. I feel very lucky.

Bill S.
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Were you worried about health problems when you were making the DYD cue? Oh wait, never mind - bazinga.
 
Ted Harris' wife got sick and according to this article in Blue Book of cues says

"Ted, for the most part, is a one-man shop, except for the wonderful help he gets from Kathy. She now does most of the wet sanding and polishing and adding the finish."

http://bluebookofpoolcuevalues.com/...e_Manufacturer.aspx?id=TED_HARRIS_CUSTOM_CUES

I can't remember details about her illness??? But, they could have been industry related to his cue making business. Been trying to find more details on her illness. My memory is bad but I think she may have died??? Someone on here will have answers to this???

The Finish
Q: What kind of a finish do you use?
I use an automotive clear coat made by DuPont that is a two-part catalyzed urethane. Each cue is sprayed with up to 10 coats of clear coat. In between spraying's, the cue is wet sanded to assure a smooth finish, with the final product having a very smooth and durable high gloss finish.

From Ted Harris Q & A page!!!

KD
 
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Kid Dynomite said:
Ted Harris' wife got sick and according to this article in Blue Book of cues says

"Ted, for the most part, is a one-man shop, except for the wonderful help he gets from Kathy. She now does most of the wet sanding and polishing and adding the finish."

http://bluebookofpoolcuevalues.com/...e_Manufacturer.aspx?id=TED_HARRIS_CUSTOM_CUES

I can't remember details about her illness??? But, they could have been industry related to his cue making business. Been trying to find more details on her illness. My memory is bad but I think she may have died??? Someone on here will have answers to this???

The Finish
Q: What kind of a finish do you use?
I use an automotive clear coat made by DuPont that is a two-part catalyzed urethane. Each cue is sprayed with up to 10 coats of clear coat. In between spraying's, the cue is wet sanded to assure a smooth finish, with the final product having a very smooth and durable high gloss finish.

From Ted Harris Q & A page!!!

KD
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She did NOT die
 
I just started pen making and cue repair as a hobby. I read that the effects of saw dust are deadly. When the negative effects/symptoms show up in the lungs it is too late to deal with. I use a dust collector and wear a Trend AirPro face shield. Protect your health. When it's gone...it's gone.
 
I hope cuemakers take care to protect themselves with personal protective equipment. Allergies and other toxicities are best managed through prevention. Once symptoms are evident, a great deal of damage has likely taken place. Don’t put off setting up a safe workshop.

I was trained as a synthetic organic chemist where handling extremely hazardous chemicals is a necessary part of research. Universities and industry are diligent about avoiding unnecessary contact with toxic reagents. Proper ventilation (preferably fume hoods), gloves, and eye protection allow you to pursue your passion and live to tell about it.
 
I would expect cuemakers to take steps necessary to protect them selves from dangers in the work place, be it dust, sharp objects, bandsaws etc.
It`s a bit like shooting guns, you allways wear appropriate gear like glasses and hearing protection.
It was just recently i became aware of the allergy causing potential of some types of wood dust.
Being slightly asthmatic myself i can definitely sympathise with cuemakers having respiratory problems and rashes and i hope they seek professional help for their problems.
 
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