MDF saw dust.. how dangerous is it?

[RedSquirrel]

Okay, serious question..

Ive practically completed my cab, but for about 60% of making it I didnt use a mouth mask. I didnt really know that it could cause cancer etc. I made sure to use one after I found out though.

Is this really going to affect me? or since it wasnt for a huge of time, maybe Ill be okay. Just a little worried  

[rampy]

I can't find the post that answered this for the life of me (methinks search items less than 4 chars like MDF are ignored or something)

Somebody linked to a Google Answers... (EDIT: FOUND IT)  IIRC MDF contains formaldahyde...  and precautions should be taken... but unless you are already prone to lung ailments I doubt a small bit of exposure, once would have a sever long term effect... But I am not a doctor nor have I studied the long term health effects of MDF dust exposure... YMMV...

*Shrug*

rampy

[Tailgunner]

I wouldn't sweat it, the dust isn't that toxic. I wouldn't make a habit of cutting MDF without a dust mask though.

[RedSquirrel]

I can't find the post that answered this for the life of me (methinks search items less than 4 chars like MDF are ignored or something)

Somebody linked to a Google Answers... (EDIT: FOUND IT)  IIRC MDF contains formaldahyde...  and precautions should be taken... but unless you are already prone to lung ailments I doubt a small bit of exposure, once would have a sever long term effect... But I am not a doctor nor have I studied the long term health effects of MDF dust exposure... YMMV...

*Shrug*

rampy

Thanks for that. I was searching google too. Doesnt mention anything about cancer (thankfully) but mainly that if you are sensitive to formaldahyde you could have a reaction.. blah blah.

Hopefully ill be fine..

[shmokes]

Hmmm....this is just sugar coating.  Unfortunately you are going to die, now.  Sorry.

[RedSquirrel]

Hmmm....this is just sugar coating.  Unfortunately you are going to die, now.  Sorry.

crap! oh well least i made my own mame cab in the process.  

[Ovalblue]

I recently was cutting MDF without using a mask also.  It was my first my wood working project and I wasnt aware that you needed to wear a mask.  This was about 3 months ago.  Since then, my lungs have not been the same.  I experience excessive coughing, shortness of breath and even now use a inhaler.  I did see a doctor and basically he didnt give me a gawd damn thing that has helped!  I am switching doctors so I can find out what the hell is wrong with me.  Just wanted to give you my input so hopefully people who do cut MDF take proper precautions.

[Wienerdog]

I recently was cutting MDF without using a mask also.  It was my first my wood working project and I wasnt aware that you needed to wear a mask.  This was about 3 months ago.  Since then, my lungs have not been the same.  I experience excessive coughing, shortness of breath and even now use a inhaler.  I did see a doctor and basically he didnt give me a gawd damn thing that has helped!  I am switching doctors so I can find out what the hell is wrong with me.  Just wanted to give you my input so hopefully people who do cut MDF take proper precautions.

Buring red eyes, sleepiness during the day, insomnia at night.  Along with increasing galaga scores, these are all symptoms of _having_ a mame cab, not building one...

Seriously, sorry to hear about this.

[spidermonkey]

I wouldn't worry. You would have to take in an awfull lot of it to cause any significant amount of permanent  respiratory complications. You might feel like you smoked a whole pack of cigarettes at once for maybe a day or so but it shouldn't last. Now pressure treated (woolmanized) lumber is a different story. It is very toxic as it is impregnated with arsenic (very poisonous). A mask should ALWAYS be worn when cutting this. Most lumberyards won't even cut it indoors for lack of ventilation. Anyways, I don't think anyone will be building there cab out of pressure treated lumber but if anyone is planning to build a deck in the back of there house then this definitely applies to them.

[saint]

I was under the impression that arsenic treated lumber was banned sometime in the last 12 months....

[Wienerdog]

I was under the impression that arsenic treated lumber was banned sometime in the last 12 months....

I think you might be right, at least in some areas.  There is a new treated lumber at my locals stores.  It's a good thing I got in before the lock, I built my deck and fence a couple years ago.  That gave me the opportunity to cut all that wood without a mask because I was/am a foolish dog.

[grafixmonkey]

If it makes you feel any better, I have to plane 147 old-growth Cypress boards off a 100-year-old front porch, all of which were coated with four layers of lead-based paint.  (went and got an all-out respirator mask for that job)

But I still spent the past week and a half ripping the boards up and getting all that old dust all over my respiratory system, before we found out it was lead based.  

I'd say by my calculations, I have about three seconds left to liqwgrgqaq2342t
*SMACK*  <-- (head hitting keyboard)

[Tailgunner]

I can top it, I had to cut several asbestos panels on a job once. A regular circular saw blade wouldn't work, so I cut them with an abrasive blade. A few years later I see guys in hazmat suits doing asbestos abatement on a remodeling job, they're acting like the stuff will kill you.

[Lilwolf]

MDF dust is THE BOMB man!  

but its best if you smoke it... Really!

I tried the brownies a few times... but...well... We where smoking before that....  So its really hard to say just how cool it is.... But I CAN tell you this... They tasted like saw dust!

But snorting it?  Naa...  Not that much a buzz at all.  

oh yeah...

beware of the red teletubby... I'm pretty sure hes the devil!  If you listen to him backwards he says all sorts of messed up crap...  The purple one IS gay...  Has a good boyfriend in the village... But stop spreading the news.  He hasn't told the others yet... and he wants to do it in his own way.. Give him that at least...  

[RandyT]

I cut this stuff kaff all the choke time and it spew hasn't affected me wretch one little bit

Using a mask is important, but the thing that seems to bother me most is the fine dust that is created by my router.  Most of it get's sucked up by the dust collector, but some still makes it into the air.  This stuff goes everywhere, and in particular, in my eyes!  I won't even know it until the next morning when I wake up and find that they are sore and scratchy feeling.

So the short of this is that you should probably also consider wearing a set of those cheap vinyl goggles as well.

RandyT

[RedSquirrel]

I cut this stuff kaff all the choke time and it spew hasn't affected me wretch one little bit

Using a mask is important, but the thing that seems to bother me most is the fine dust that is created by my router.  Most of it get's sucked up by the dust collector, but some still makes it into the air.  This stuff goes everywhere, and in particular, in my eyes!  I won't even know it until the next morning when I wake up and find that they are sore and scratchy feeling.

So the short of this is that you should probably also consider wearing a set of those cheap vinyl goggles as well.

RandyT

yeah sounds like the stuff that was produced when i was sanding. In the day time, when the sun shines through the window you can see the whole garage is floating about with the dust.. and outside the sun shine view, its normal. Cutting the mdf wasnt too bad.. just sanding mainly..

[tiggertoo]

Found a link on google about woodcutting in general, with some info on mdf.

http://www.lhc.org.uk/members/pubs/factsht/46fact.htm

This pretty much restates what has been said about mdf, but has some other interesting facts. I already knew the bit about hardwoods. I believe that's where you heard about the possibility of cancer.

All I know is I started wearing masks and eye protection a few years ago whenever working with any kind of wood, especially when sanding. I got sick of sneezing out grey chunks of goo.

It makes me wonder about old time cabinet makers. I bet there's plenty of young and old ones that don't use any kind of protection. I wonder if they have support groups for cabinet makers with gaping holes in thier faces?

[Lilwolf]

Also, depending on what you are doing is the amount of crap in the air.

I don't cover my mouth when drilling wholes... big junks come out.

But man... route a section... And you can tell the difference...

[slicer_d]

Dude I drilled two holes yesterday and I could taste the stuff for hours untill a ate dinner any way.  I dont see how someone could just go and make an entire case and not use protection it would seem pretty obvious after the first couple min of cutting.

[ErikRuud]

It is a good idea to wear a mask ANYTIME you are dealing with fine airborne particles. Even regular wood can cause trouble. Walnut causes allergic reactions in some people. Many tropical hardwoods contain toxin and/or allergens.

A onetime exposure to MDF probably won't cause any long term health problems for most people.

A onetime exposure to asbestos can (not will) lead to long term health problems.

Arsenic treated lumber is being pulled from the market. I think the full ban starts next year.  MDF is not arsenic treated, but the glue does contain formaldehyde which is somewhat toxic.  Some people are very allergic to it.