walnut bowls

[RobS.]

My mother told me the other day that someone told her that walnut was not good for bowls spoons, cutting boards, or anything that would come in contact with food. Is there any truth to that? I can see where there is potential for it to impart it's own taste to food (if you're a careless cook and leave a spoon simmering with your stew), but the indication was that it was potentially toxic. Is this true or just one of them ole hen's tales?

I've made a couple of spoons and a bowl from walnut and haven't gotten sick yet. I was thinking of using some walnut on a cutting board.

 

[Mike Davis]

Some people are allergic to walnut.

There is a list of toxic woods around here somewhere...

 

[PChristy]

Here is one
http://www.mimf.com/archives/toxic.htm

Here is another
http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/roche/rec.wood.misc/wood.toxic

 

[RobS.]

Hmmm, maybe I'll refrain from using it on cutting boards and salad bowls but I think spoons and decorative bowls will be ok. Thanks.

 

[PChristy]

Rob, take a look at this
http://ncwoodworker.net/forums/f29/what-ive-been-up-27848/
Michael uses BW and he keeps adding MO to the block until it will not take anymore - Shoot him a PM to see what his thoughts are on this

 

[cpowell]

Hmmm, maybe I'll refrain from using it on cutting boards and salad bowls but I think spoons and decorative bowls will be ok. Thanks.

I'd bet walnut has been used in the construction of hundreds of thousands of cutting boards. Google it (or use any favorite search engine)...AND salad bowls.

The offending agent is juglone...http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/HO/HO-193.pdf


Chuck

 

[CrealBilly]

I think I'm allergic to walnut, I didn't used to be. Utill I went hog wild cutting it on the sawmill. The last few times I cut any, I got real itchy all over, found it hard to concentrate and stay focused, Walnut makes me all spaced out, the stuff will mess you up man.

 

[Mike Davis]

Slow that saw down, you're not supposed to smoke the stuff. :rotflm:

 

[sawduster]

Slow that saw down, you're not supposed to smoke the stuff. :rotflm:

Or snort it :gar-La;

 

[Trent Mason]

I cut up a bunch of walnut this evening and I started feeling a little under the weather. :tongue2: It didn't irritate my skin or anything, just made me feel a little sick to my stomach. Might have to start wearing a respirator when I work with that stuff.

On second thought though, it might have been the crap I ate for lunch at that gas station. :eusa_thin

 

[Dragon]

Used to not bother wearing a respirator until I started sanding on some walnut. Made me feel like death warmed over for days afterwards. Now, I wear the PPE when doing serious work on walnut. Cutting one down though, I let the chainsaw eat and don't bother with the respirator. Haven't noticed any bad side effects. Guess it's the smaller sized particles that get to you.

 

[cpowell]

I cut up a bunch of walnut this evening and I started feeling a little under the weather. :tongue2: It didn't irritate my skin or anything, just made me feel a little sick to my stomach. Might have to start wearing a respirator when I work with that stuff.

On second thought though, it might have been the crap I ate for lunch at that gas station. :eusa_thin

After reading all of these posts about the dangers of working with walnut I'm ready to take one for the team. Will everyone please send me all of their walnut lumber. Even better, I'll pick up within 3 hours drive if you have over 200 bd ft. I would prefer veneer log flitches but in the interest of protecting my fellow WWers will accept 1 common or better. No steamed (hey, I have principles). :rotflm:

I know what you're thinking..."oh, that Chuck is such a nice guy, so thoughtful." very true. :gar-La;

(geesh, this is so much better than me begging for walnut stock in the classifieds. Just get Rob to post about his concerns with walnut then ask Jeff to follow up. Hmmmm...hey Trent...didn't you say you'd heard that cherry is very toxic? :dontknow

Chuck

 

[sawman101]

I think I'm allergic to walnut, I didn't used to be. Utill I went hog wild cutting it on the sawmill. The last few times I cut any, I got real itchy all over, found it hard to concentrate and stay focused, Walnut makes me all spaced out, the stuff will mess you up man.

Oh, thank you!!! I finally have something to blame for what I thought was just my natural state.:gar-La;

 

[CrealBilly]

After reading all of these posts about the dangers of working with walnut I'm ready to take one for the team. Will everyone please send me all of their walnut lumber. Even better, I'll pick up within 3 hours drive if you have over 200 bd ft. I would prefer veneer log flitches but in the interest of protecting my fellow WWers will accept 1 common or better. No steamed (hey, I have principles). :rotflm:

I know what you're thinking..."oh, that Chuck is such a nice guy, so thoughtful." very true. :gar-La;

(geesh, this is so much better than me begging for walnut stock in the classifieds. Just get Rob to post about his concerns with walnut then ask Jeff to follow up. Hmmmm...hey Trent...didn't you say you'd heard that cherry is very toxic? :dontknow

Chuck

That's our Chuck, always ready to help a fellow WWer, Yep Chuck is one heck of a guy :icon_thum

 

[PChristy]

After reading all of these posts about the dangers of working with walnut I'm ready to take one for the team. Will everyone please send me all of their walnut lumber. Even better, I'll pick up within 3 hours drive if you have over 200 bd ft. I would prefer veneer log flitches but in the interest of protecting my fellow WWers will accept 1 common or better. No steamed (hey, I have principles). :rotflm:

I know what you're thinking..."oh, that Chuck is such a nice guy, so thoughtful." very true. :gar-La;

(geesh, this is so much better than me begging for walnut stock in the classifieds. Just get Rob to post about his concerns with walnut then ask Jeff to follow up. Hmmmm...hey Trent...didn't you say you'd heard that cherry is very toxic? :dontknow

Chuck

You are a swell guy Chuck but if you get to much of the BW shoot some over to me - I love working with it and I do wear that respirator when I do work with it -

 

[Kyle]

If you saw walnut or sand it.. use a Hepa mask and/or a Neti pot to clean out your sinus's I didn't use to and felt horrible for days. Now with the Neti pot use a saline solution and its like giving your sinus's a nice warm bath.

I HIGHLY recommend it.