: Hi All;

: Well, I think I pretty well confirmed that I have a true sensitivity to cedar
: dust. Whenever I work with the wood, I get rashes & itch like the
: dickens. When I switch to a glassing phase, it all goes away in a day or
: two. I started on the interior scraping and sanding of the hull and deck a
: few days ago, and it's back. I take frequent breaks when sanding, and wash
: off exposed parts of my body when I do. It doesn't seem to help. My arms
: and my eyelids (of all things) seem worst affected. I've been showering
: twice a day to no avail, and I do wear my respirator.

: I've GOT to find a source of cypress down here for the next boat . . . ;-)

: Forewarned is forearmed, Spidey

Spidey, are you taking a warm shower or a cool one? A warm shower opens your pores and the stuff gets into the skin. A cool shower however, may rinse it off without opening the pores. Just a thought. The eyes ??? Maybe a pair of sealed goggles ( no ventilation holes )??? Another medium would certainly be an idea. How about pine or redwood? Although, if you are sensitive to cedar, then Redwood may be just as irritating. Do you folks have Alder out there? It's what we use as a Birch substitute on cabinets in California. Looks about the same, but a little lighter and easier to work. ???

Rehd