Shopsmith Forums

I knew you'd look-thats too tempting a subject


So, I have a recurring problem.

I finally narrowed it down to post-woodworking sessions. As you can see, I end up with very irritated eyeballs.

BTW: I would categorize this a medium ugly result..I have had much worse-but I will spare you those images.

The annoying thing for me is, i wear a n95 mask and safety goggles while in the shop. Alot of annoying head gear to
keep me safe. This is not from being dinged by a woodchip or something, it develops overnite after a shop session- very predictable.

I have good dust collection on my tools as well as an overhead WEN dust filter/blower unit.

I'm just wondering what further I can do to minimize it.

I'm sure there are times when the tools aren't running where i take off the headgear to work at a table or something and I'm sure there are times when I don't don all the gear to make a bandsaw cut etc..but I'm fairly rigorous about headgear gear use for prolonged operations.

Anybody have this kind of problem?

Anybody else have some thoughts on how I can do better ?

The only thing i see is going to one of those full NIOSH battery ventilated Face Shield style things but they cost about as much as the SS itself :/

b

In my case the eye irritation also came several hours of a shop session either in my garage or the community shop. I think that mine was an allergy to some kind of wood I was using. I think that I may have narrowed mine down co cocobola but I am not sure. Maybe swimmers goggles would help.
Swimmers goggles fit tighter around the eyes.
Bill V

I haven't had a problem quite as severe as this, but I have had quite a bit of inhalation allergies as well as eye allergies. For your case, have you narrowed it down to whether it is sawdust related, or could it be VOC's, etc. from the finishing process? Not sure what you use for the finishing phase, but I wouldn't rule out VOC's causing this kind of allergy rather than sawdust. I have actually had VOC's from my oven during an auto-clean cycle that irritated my eyes similar to your pic here and sometimes polyurethane does similar for me as well. I highly recommend the product called "Pataday". It is an antihistamine in an eye drop form. I don't use it everyday, but when my eye allergies become severe, it is very helpful. This product used to be prescription only, but you can get it over the counter now. Check your coupon mailers because often times there is a $5 off coupon for Pataday. Good luck with it and hope you get better soon...

Of course if it doesn't resolve in a few days to a week you might want to see an eye doctor and get some prescription steroid eye drops for it.

Yes-its definitely dust related as I don't use finishing materials on the days i'm creating dust.

Im going to have to do a close inspection of my goggles..as they don't seem to be doing the job I thought they were.

Swimmers goggles is an interesting idea for better sealing, but Id have to figure out how to use my readers with them still.

b

After building with oak for most of my wood working career I have developed a sensitivity to oak. No problem with maple or cherry but get out oak and I start coughing, wheezing, and eyes get red. My solution stopped working with oak.

Some of the exotic hardwoods irritate me so I stay away from them. A splinter of some of the imported woods will get infected.

I really think my problem with oak is an exposure problem the more I am around oak wood the more likely it is to cause a problem