Iroko advice

Graham Orm · 6 Sep 2013

I have a chance of some Iroko and I've never used it before. What's it like to work, is it tough on tools?

marcus · 6 Sep 2013

Has some dulling effect on tools, not as bad as teak. The dust is horrible, makes you choke and wheeze, you'll want a good mask. The splinters easily go septic. Apart from that it's great!

CHJ · 6 Sep 2013

marcus":2cytdx1p said:
... The dust is horrible, makes you choke and wheeze, ..

If you are lucky, or you could find that you are like some of us who are violently allergic to the stuff.

Take great care with skin exposure as well as breathing.

Reggie · 7 Sep 2013

I was about to say be very careful with the dust, cover up properly as well as an appropriate mask, do some googling!!

Graham Orm · 7 Sep 2013

Thanks guys, I think I'll give it a miss. I'm asthmatic and have a tendency to skin problems. A google search produced this thread on this forum from 2009 https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/iroko-dust-health-problems-t36709.html Very off putting.

The thread also mentions padauk as being particularly nasty. I turned a couple of bowls in padauk a few years ago with no health consequences that I noticed. Had I known about the risk, again i would have given it a swerve.

Thanks again for the prompt and as usual informative replies :wink:

ColeyS1 · 7 Sep 2013

I tend to not use it now and have switched to utile or sapele if its to be painted. If there is a request to use iroko I wear gloves for as long as possible as well as using the air filter mounted over my bench. The doc never did find out the cause, but since stopping using iroko the rashs have become controlable - 1 antihistamine a day keeps all well. As the reactions haven't completely subsided I do wonder if the iroko was the one that started it, then any dust now irrates it. Given the choice id be happy to never use the stuff ever again

Sent from my GT-I9300

Reggie · 7 Sep 2013

If you have any kind of inflammatory or immune system disease then I would steer well clear of iroko too, it's apparently a sensitizing wood, so it can trigger sensitivity to iroko AND it can also make you sensitive to other woods that you've previously been ok with. I have an inflammatory stomach condition, so it just wasn't worth the risk at all for me.