Downside to a swinger (Poisen oak..)

Nate Surveyor · May 14, 2007, 09:21:29 AM

When you are pull the mill through the log, the blade is vertical. The wood chips fly towards you. When you hid poisen oak, it HITS your body just a little. And hard hitting chips perforate the skin, just slightly. And this makes an entry point for the awfull stuff! :-[

I have a flap, to catch the chips, but a few make it by.

Now, my mom used to really have a BAD case of poisen oak. She made a tea from oleander leaves. And applied it to the skin. Cured in just a couple of treatments. Note, Oleander is POISEN. It if you take internally, it is BADD stuff. :'(

Anyway, I suggest that you remove the poisen oak/ivy from the logs, BEFORE milling with a swinger! I even have some on the face, where the fine dust collected on my cheeks.

Happy Milling to all.

Nate

submarinesailor · May 14, 2007, 10:03:38 AM

Nate,

All I can say about this subject, "TECNU". It falls into the good stuff category. I buy it by the quarts from Gremplers.

TECNU website

Bruce

brdmkr · May 14, 2007, 12:29:05 PM

If I remember correctly, mineral spirits (or is it mineral oil ???) is the active ingredient in Technu.

It does work!

metalspinner · May 14, 2007, 12:51:42 PM

Get a shot.

I had poison sumac bad for two weeks once and tryed everything over the counter. Finally went to the doc and got the shot. Cleared it right up.

The log was a 20" cherry so it was worth it. :D

Part_Timer · May 14, 2007, 09:48:00 PM

I get poison oak bad, but this year I got a case of poison sumac. OH HAVE MERCY was that bad. I ended up at the docs getting a steroid pac. I was just going to tuff it out but when it spread to my belt line I thought I was going to die. The wonders of modern meds.

metalspinner · May 14, 2007, 10:05:29 PM

Yeah, I was wondering what I had gotten into, because I had never had P.I. I went to look at the log again and looked up the funny vine growing on it. Sumac for sure. Down right nasty stuff. I got laid up that time just from bucking the log with the vines on it. :(

Part_Timer · May 14, 2007, 10:18:10 PM

did your sumac run in long streaks across you? I looked like my back and arms where tiger striped. I know I got it on the farm down south but I don't remember being in anything but green briar and I thought it was bad enough.

I think I'm going to spray all the vines down there with brush killer. I'm not taking anymore chances.

metalspinner · May 14, 2007, 10:22:51 PM

Quotedid your sumac run in long streaks across you?

Can't remember. I was to busy itchin' and scratchin' to notice.

Dan_Shade · May 14, 2007, 10:30:10 PM

anything that dissolves pine sap will cut the urishoil that's in poison ivy, oak, and sumac.

i read once that 1 ounce of urishoil is enough to poison the entire human population on earth!

thecfarm · May 15, 2007, 04:52:13 AM

I hate to tell you,but us bandsaw guys would of been itching and scratching too.Once that juice gets in the air,you don't want to be around it.Ever heard of anyone around a grass fire and that stuff burns?It will get into the smoke and infest anyone down wind with it.Poison ivy is the one that gets me.

SPIKER · May 15, 2007, 03:52:21 PM

sumac is nasty stuff but is a bush not a vine. P.I. is vine and clings/grows up trees lots of small harry roots from the vine into/on the tree bark. P.Oak is also vine but does not vine nearly as bad as P.I. does it tends to stay bushy/low has oak like leaves and small briar like thorns on leave edges & stalks. I can pull P.I. off bare handed rarely makes a show on my old weathered thick skin. the P.Oak however with the poakies can get me pretty good.

at least that is what I know how to look for them. might do every one some good to post some pics/ photos of the offending bushes as they do change growth for different areas. I'm in area where P.Oak is rare so getting a pic is darn near impossible but pics of P.I is simple and I can post pics of standard ornamental sumac (think it is stag horn sumac at my place.)

mark M

flip · May 15, 2007, 04:40:33 PM

It's funny, well really not, but my mom and grandfather we alergic as heck to poison ivy. I can darn near roll around in the stuff and I don't get a rash, ahhhh to be on the right side of the gene pool for once 8)

treebucker · May 15, 2007, 05:05:17 PM

A few links are in order:
The Skin Rash Hall of Fame
What Poison Ivy Looks Like
Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Information Center
California Poison Control System Poison Oak

I'm one of the lucky ones. We don't even bother removing the vines before sawing. Gives the visitors the creeps.

beenthere · May 15, 2007, 05:46:03 PM

flip and treebucker

I uster be able to roll around in it too.........then suddenly it all changed. So look out der :

:

SPIKER
I thought the same about poison sumac, that it was only a bush. But when I looked it up, appears that somewheres the poison sumac can be a vine as well.
I think that PS and PI and PO are quite variable in their looks and growth characteristics, from what I read.

jack · May 15, 2007, 08:03:49 PM

Oh P.O. is so nasty,
The oils are very durable, so i use bleach to cut it... it breaks the oils down.
I havent gotten it in years..worse case...........cutting firewood....drinkin lots of water.........then...........ah the relief of a full bladder....couple hours later.nassssty itch.... the one time the DOC in the box was Dr. Heather.....

nuff sed, bleach kills it....It also sticks to the Steering wheel of the wood truck...just ask my wife......doh.....

take care of the stuff....its a small price to pay to open up a lovely log....
JAck

treebucker · May 15, 2007, 08:55:57 PM

As much as I can feel for those who suffer from it the only way I can compare any similar first hand experience was last summer we were surveying a powerline cut looking at the logs. They had cattle in the woods. I got more chigger bites than I could count. I counted over 75 (and I missed many) from my knee to my toes on one leg. But they sure seemed particularly fond of the crotch area.

:D :D :D smiley_blush smiley_blush smiley_blush