When you can't go to the shop--shop

[Fran1942]

Pulmonary doctor told me Monday-no more working in the shop. (just watch me). Don't know how many of you remember me getting very sick back in April, but finally it is all getting resolved. (I hope) It all started with forgetting to turn on the air filter, then sanding on a little bitty piece of yellowheart, which it seems I am allergic to. Breathed some dust and almost immediately felt the wrath of what an allergy can do. I have used yellow heart in the past, but with the air filter on, with no problems. My blood oxygen level dropped to 51%, couldn't breath, finally got to hospital. Kept telling the doctors what was causing it and they all kept saying nasty things like cancer and all that stuff. Well after over 6 months they finally do an extensive biopsy and no cancer, tumors, no infection, just inflammation of the lungs. Thank you God and all my chat friends prayers and encouragement. Now I am on large dosages of steroids and have been promised that my breathing will improve and may not have to lug the oxygen tank everywhere I go.
Anyway back to the title of this thread. Just ordered a bunch of coloring and activity books from Dover for my great, great nephew. Of course he isn't getting them until Auntie Fran looks at them. I did order a couple of royalty free books for me. Now my time will be spent watching the mail box.

Please, please, every one use air filters or masks or both, would hate to see anyone go through what I have the last 7 months.
Fran

[wood-n-things]

So happy you got some good news and it is not Cancer. Hope you get back to your old self real soon. Be sure to use the air filtration and a good mask when you are able to start cutting again.

[stephenD]

It's good you are doing better. congratulations on that.

[Catlyn]

I remember back when I was into woodcrafting pretty heavy I was doing alot of sneezing.
I give medications to patients on my job and I know I was allergic to metamucil. It has to be poured into water and stirred and I was giving alot of it, and I would go in sneezing fits of maybe 30 times before I would stop.
But now I'm wondering if the wood dust was also causing some of it, as I was pretty heavy into woodcrafting and making alot of dust.

[Fran1942]

Catlyn, sounds like it could have been the wood dust, but the sneezing should have helped clean it from your nose before it got to your lungs. The yellow heart is the only dust that I am allergic to that I know of. And yes, I do sneeze in the shop at times. I have fans and filters set up at every sanding station and the large jet air filter almost beside me on a rolling cart. Now that is a wonderful thing to have.
Fran

[fireglass]

Fran 1942, Hope you'll soon get back to what you love.Take care, Lance

[jim_mex]

Hey Fran - its great news to hear that you are on the mend after the trauma you've been through these past months. You just take care eh, and stop scaring the crap out of your pals here on the forum. Use your time and those Dover books to draw up some of your wonderful patterns for when you are fully recovered and able to get back into the shop.

PS - I never doubted you'd get over this problem. Keeping you away from your workshop is more difficult than trying to burn green wood!

[NC Scroller]

Great to see you back. I hope you have a small army to come in a blow out your shop before you start back in.

[rippersmom]

Hey Fran,

Good to see you posting! Ever since your yellowheart trouble, I have been a lot more consistant in using masks, fans and Dust Collection, believe me. Sawdust in the lungs is not a good thing, for sure.

I'm sure you will find some cool pictures, in those books you ordered, to make patterns for intarsia.

take care, rest, and get better

Nancy in AZ

[daveswoodworking]

Hi Fran
good to hear that you are doing alot better

I don't have air filter system in my shop or I don't wear a mask
I might get a air system sometime down the road after I get a new shed for my wood shop the garage I use I have no room to put a air filter system on the ceiling the ceiling in my garage is only 6'5" high and I'm 6'2" tall
I'm hoping to get a shed that has a 8' ceiling
I'm hoping
good to hear that you are doing better
Dave

[Fran1942]

Dave, I've worked with wood since 1983, back then almost everything I made was of pine and painted. Pine is so sappy it doesn't create the very small particle of dust like hardwoods and exotics do. Even back then I used a fan to clear the dust away from me.
Then in 2006 when I started playing with intarsia and different woods I bought the Jet air filter. I didn't have anyone to help hang it from the rafters so I put it on a cart with rollers. It sits a little behind and to the side of me. I use a Dremel and palm sander so I just turn around facing the air filter and sand away. Works great. I use the drill press with drum sanders to shape and have made a box that I clamp to the table with shop vac. hose stuck in the back. Disk and belt sander has a similar set up. All works great, IF YOU REMEMBER TO TURN THEM ON!
I have read some really good tips on here as to what other people do to help combat the dust problem.
So, I say, use something, the next piece of wood you pick up, you may be allergic to.
Fran

[Janette]

Glad you're getting back to your self. Steve Good did a blurb on the totobobo mask - I ordered one and it seems to work quite well - keeps a lot more dust out than the dust be gone too apparently. It IS comfortable as well so I've actually been using it - not all the time like I should, but mostly when I'm sanding.

[mtnman]

Fran -- All of your medical problems have created a lot of concern along with many thoughts & prayers. Sounds like the Docs are finally coming around to what you know all along. Please do take it easy and NO yellowheart.

[Hawaiilad]

You know, I just remembered I have a Air Filter setting covered up in the corner of my shop.....been setting there for 7 years. I brought it with me when we moved to Hawaii...had it up in my old shop so why isn't up now??????? I do have vac set ups on most of my tools, and I wear the Dustbegone mask and like it.

[Fran1942]

Larry, dig that air filter out, fire it up for extra protection.

M Jim, at first they were giving me steroids, my breathing got better to the point of me even getting in some shop time. Then doc. took me off them, and I had to have oxygen. All this time I have been hollering "It is the wood dust that I breathed in" I think I would be almost over this if they would have listened to me.

Janette, The mask looks good, wish they had a distributor here in the states. Thanks for the lead.
Fran