Is working with cocobolo dangerous?

Flex

Flex

Banger
Silver Member
Specifically, I've heard cocobolo sawdust can be a severe skin irritant, like poison ivy. Is it, and if so, how much exposure to it, under what conditions and so on, is a problem?

If I were to remove enough wood from the butt of a cocobolo cue to cut a groove to install a stack leather wrap, would that dust be problematic? If so, what should I do to protect myself?

Thanks!

Flex
 
Some people are allergic to cocbolo dust. I think it mostly harmfull to the lungs. When making any kind of dust, precautions should be taken. Pull some negative air, a shop vac nozzle buy your work peice should do the trick if this is a small project. A real respirator not a dust mask is also a good idea. Get pink filters for it. Better safe than sorry.

Andy
Former asbestos stripper 7 yrs (found a better way to make a buck)
 
Flex said:
Appreciate the advice. Thanks...
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Almost any woods that grow in rainforests have a bug killer in it and can affect people. That's the reason they can grow in such wet climate and not rot from bacteria. Some woods are more of an irritant than others. I have never been irritated by toxic plants like most others. I've never had poison ivy or oak or any thing else similar to that. Sometimes when sanding Cocobolo or Bocota I used to sneeze once in awhile. The last two or three years however I have started getting a rash when sanding or cutting Cocobolo. It occurs on my wrist, under my watch and will itch like crazy for two or three weeks.

I used to go with a girl who had Asthma pretty bad and she stood in the doorway to my shop one day, talking for about five minutes while I was ripping some Cocobolo. Later that night an ambulance had to take her to the hospital for four days over an attack. I can't say for positive that the Cocobolo dust caused the attack but it is fairly certain.

Dick
 
Always were a good expensive mask with cocobolo and have a dust collection system. Cut pockets in cocobolo for inlays --- the dust doesn't always come out --- sometimes you need to scrap it out with an exacto knife so you can imagine what it can do to your lungs.
 
Jack Madden said:
Always were a good expensive mask with cocobolo and have a dust collection system. Cut pockets in cocobolo for inlays --- the dust doesn't always come out --- sometimes you need to scrap it out with an exacto knife so you can imagine what it can do to your lungs.
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I have heard that cocobola dust doesn't leave the lungs once it gets in. Always lean heavy on the safe side so we get to talk with each other again another day....:)
Dave
 
I also am not effected by plants such as poison Ivy and Oak, so not too many woods cause Me skin iritations. That may Be genetic, because neither My father or My brother have been effected by those either, but when It comes to the lungs It's a different story. There are many things used in shop that can cause me issues there, and I get ill quite a few times a year from breathing in toxins. Matter of fact I'm dealing with that again right now. This is the third time this year. I am proof that good filtration is a must, and would recomend to anyone starting out to plan their filtration first, before adding any other equipment.

I have heard the same things about Coco, and altough I don't have skin reactions to it, I do believe that some people would.

Also from what I've heard some woods can also cause eye iritations.

Greg
 
Flex said:
Specifically, I've heard cocobolo sawdust can be a severe skin irritant, like poison ivy. Is it, and if so, how much exposure to it, under what conditions and so on, is a problem?

If I were to remove enough wood from the butt of a cocobolo cue to cut a groove to install a stack leather wrap, would that dust be problematic? If so, what should I do to protect myself?

Thanks!

Flex
Click to expand...

I found Cocobolo to the only wood that gives me a skin rash when working with it. Mine came up more like a heat rash and only lasted a couple days. I am now very careful when working with any wood. I wear a mask when changing a ferrule.
 
encyclopedia of wood

Any time before I start working with a new wood I check it out in the encyclopedia of wood. Cocobolo creates toxix dust. I found this out the hard way. Made me sick fro 2 days couldn't breathe. Makore does the same. What I have found is if it makes a real fine dust take precautions. Find a dust mask that has replaceable filters and buy the ones that stop the smallest micron. Buy a box of them.. Cocobolo, Makore, Ebony, Teak, anything stabilized, Ziricote, Bubinga, Basically anything hard and especially stuff that feels oily.
 
i got a bad rash on my arms and legs the other day from some coco
had shorts on while sanding it
lesson learned, no shorts, wear long sleeves & wear mask
it was very hot that day too
maybe it's worse when sweating and pores open
 
RocketQ said:
Any time before I start working with a new wood I check it out in the encyclopedia of wood. Cocobolo creates toxix dust. I found this out the hard way. Made me sick fro 2 days couldn't breathe. Makore does the same. What I have found is if it makes a real fine dust take precautions. Find a dust mask that has replaceable filters and buy the ones that stop the smallest micron. Buy a box of them.. Cocobolo, Makore, Ebony, Teak, anything stabilized, Ziricote, Bubinga, Basically anything hard and especially stuff that feels oily.
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Dust mask and resperator aren't interchangable terms. Spend 10 bucks on a 3m with a couple of pink filters and you should be set up. http://www.professionalequipment.com/3m respirator/related.html

Andy
 
Yup that will work. 6000 series or 5000 series I used both. The nice thing is you can change filters and use the same resperator for vapors too.

Andy
 
before i built a 'house' for my cnc machine i would get rash around my neck and inside my elbows anytime i took a cut on more than about 10 shafts. cocobolo only seems to affect my sinuses. the 'house' cured this problem and also cut way down on noise and shop dust / chips. i still have these same problems while ripping lots of wood so i wear a respirator, faceshield and long sleeved collared shirt. i believe that anything in the air is probably not good and best avoided or controlled in some way.

mark smith
mark smith custom cues and beezers billiards
russellville, arkansas
479-970-0056
 
DawgAndy said:
Yup that will work. 6000 series or 5000 series I used both. The nice thing is you can change filters and use the same resperator for vapors too.

Andy
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How easy is this one if you wear glasses? Most of them I can't wear my glasses, which creates a bigger saftey hazard for me. I am thinking of getting the faceshield type, battery operated resperator from Woodcraft. Has anyone tried that type yet?
 
You can get a full face ( face sheild type) resperator (6000 series) and order a lens mount for the inside. Also you may just need to try other brands, each one fits a little different. Also industrial supply cataogs will generally have better prices than a retailer. I bought everything from a company called Airgas. My experience is with 3m products but there are other companies that have just as good products.
Dave I think you're talking about a PAPR, which would require the lens kit as well. I'd try a full face before you lay out that kind of cash, just to make sure that style will work out for you,because they use the same masks. One is fitted with a pump and the other has an insert for the filter to attache to.

Andy
 
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No problem

Dave38 said:
How easy is this one if you wear glasses? Most of them I can't wear my glasses, which creates a bigger saftey hazard for me. I am thinking of getting the faceshield type, battery operated resperator from Woodcraft. Has anyone tried that type yet?
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I've got the 3M 6200 half mask respirator and I wear glasses. It works great even with my safety glasses over my regular glasses!
 
Thanks for the info, I'll give that 3M one a try. It'd be nice to see my work not breathe it.
Dave
 
respirators and eyeglasses

I seem to have problems with my eyeglasses fogging in cool weather while wearing any respirator. I also wonder if there ar any recommended air supply systems, possibly with a pump? The exhaust of my breath is what is fogging the lenses, then I have a hard time seeing what I am doing.
 
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