Finger trouble

[Random Orbital Bob]

I've been handling a lot of English Oak (green) in the last few days and all my finger ends, where the fingerprint is, have gone a bit sort of acky. Nothing to worry about, just that feeling like you've had glue on them...sort of overly dry.

I know oak dust is an irritant...it sure burns my throat when I turn it if Im not careful with masks etc. Wondered if merely handling it could cause a skin reaction maybe? Anyone had this happen to them?

 

[Peter Sefton]

That's a new one to me, but we can have different reactions to different timbers.

 

[Jelly]

I don't know exactly how much you've been handling, but I'd say it was fairly normal... When I was working in the mill every day my hands very quickly got to be rather dry and rough, I decided to go with it as you could work faster if you could feel the headsawn and resawn surfaces rather than having to look at every single board, plenty of people were sticklers for gloves though.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Right....I was chainsawing burrs off a down'd ancient oak and then bandsawing and turning them. For about three days Ive been in pretty much constant contact. The only thing its never happened before so I wasnt sure if it was common or not.