Butternut

[Chuck White]

Does anyone here know if there is really a toxic danger to milling a butternut log.

Just a few days ago, a friend told me that inhaling a very small amount of the sawdust could be fatal.

Anyone know it this is true?

I did saw 2 butternut logs yesterday, but we waited until we had a good wind, and it took the sawdust out ahead of the saw.
This was a situation where I started the mill on it's way through the log and just let it go on it's own.
Got the customer some nice lumber from it.
Mostly cut into 6 & 8 inch boards, but he wanted a couple of wide boards, so we left 2 of them 16 inches.

[beenthere]

Don't know what the "friend" is talking about.  : :

Did your first sentence have an "it" where there should be an "if" making it a question rather than a statement??  ??   ???

[SwampDonkey]

I've never heard of it being toxic. I've worked with a bit of it in the wood working shop over the years and never had a reaction to it. Doesn't mean someone else won't get sick or have a reaction though. I suspect the fine dust, like from any other wood, is a respiratory irritant.

[Dodgy Loner]

Butternut sawdust is no more dangerous than any other sawdust you can find.  Your friend may be confusing toxicity with an allergy.  An allergy is an overreaction (sometimes very serious) to substances that are not inherently dangerous.  I have no doubt that there are some people out there who are allergic to butternut sawdust, just as there are people who are allergic to rosewood.  Doesn't mean that all people will react the same way, though.  Calling butternut "really toxic" just people a small percentage of people are allergic to it is like calling peanuts or shellfish really toxic, just because some people are allergic to those things.

[Tom]

Did you ask him for Hazardous duty pay for sawing his log.  :D

[Toolman]

I have learned that butternut is in the walnut tree family. I know some people and livestock have allergic reactions to walnut dust. Actually, I get a little light headed if I inhale walnut for an extended period of time. However, I don't get any reaction when I cut butternut. I think it comes down to individual. I cut cedar for a guy a while back and he stayed back while his son pulled boards off mill. This guy would get short of breath after inhaling small amount of cedar aroma. The boards were for his son who could'nt get enough the smell.

[Chuck White]

beenthere;    Yup, the it is an if.   Good catch.
sometimes my urge to keep on typing overrides my spelling.

Thanks fellas;
I guess your inputs pretty well sums things up.
Like I told my friend, you can get a headache by getting a strong whiff of almost any fine sawdust.

Thanks for the inputs.

[SwampDonkey]

Sitting here by my butternut desk enjoying the aroma.  Then it's my night stand at night , which is also butternut.

[mike_van]

The only problem I've had with butternut is not being able to find enough of it!  Nice wood, saws well, works well when dry.  8)

[raycon]

What I remember of butternut besides it being light weight is it was used a dye and as a part of a laxative concoction or something similar. A division of the confederate army obtained the color of their uniform from a butternut dye. 

[thecfarm]

I sawed one into fire wood a couple years ago.That was a nice looking tree,but in the way to see the field.I have 2 more to cut down.They are dying.

[Dave Shepard]

I sawed a couple of butternut logs a while back, didn't notice anything bad about the dust.

Black locust on the other hand gives me heartburn and leaves a taste in my mouth that reminds me of a combination of pepperoncini peppers and green olives.  :


Dave

[SwampDonkey]

Your not suppose to eat the stuff Dave.  :D :D

[WH_Conley]

Gives the term "fiber in your diet" a whole new meaning. ;D

[Toolman]

Sprinkle some of that on your pizza :D

[Dave Shepard]

I knew someone was gonna say that. ;)  :D


Dave