Get rid of odor

[scotia carver]

Hi All
I now have a big problem my darling wife does't like the odor of eastern white cedar dust in my clothing,in my hair, in my shed, where ever I have been using cedar to carve with,she says it smell musty. I say it smells like cedar. What can I do beside set the shed on fire and rebuild after the ashes cool. If I sprayed deorderizers on the wood before it was cut or sanded would that help. She never had this problem in warmer weather when the windows were open, a/c running etc. I am so ticked right now I almost want to say a lot of bad words and sell off all the tools. shed, wood. car, house ,snowblower. cheap
Bruce

[Spiritwolfe]

Just don't use white cedar?

[Spiritwolfe]

People can be sensitive to any type of wood and if it's bothering her and she still needs to function well for work then I can see her concern. We have that problem here. My significant other isn't affected by any amount of saw dust no matter what type of wood but I was. This went unresolved until we started working with boccotti wood and his face swelled up so much he could barely see.
He is more open minded now let's say.

[scotia carver]

Hi SW
I guess I could burn all the carvings, I have made with it and the rest of the planks I have in the shop, seems dammed funny it never bothered her last year. I likely have enough white cedar to make about $2000 worth of carvings. I think I will just quit carving and take wine sampling ,or better yet a whisky taster LOL
Bruce

[Spiritwolfe]

Haha. Yeah I get what you are saying. It's usually the oils that people can become allergic to and to be fair here, it makes perfect sense that she would build up an intolerance to it if she's been exposed to it often. That's exactly how intolerances and sensitivities work which are different than flat out allergies.
Being older our immune systems aren't as healthy as they once were and many of us build up intolerances to things we never used to be due to auto immunity kicking in. She probably has other intolerances also with food, certain smells, tastes etc. It's actually the most common over looked general illness we get once we age. Making the body tolerate things it doesn't want to is basically shutting down your very immune system which isn't a good idea. Her body will just create auto immune illnesses to try and compensate.
I am sure you are as frustrated as ever but this really is serious stuff so unless you're ready to 'live IN' that cutest cozy adorable workshop of yours, I'd buckle up and listen to her.
Just tryin' to help you out buddy.
Dont shoot the messager

[Brian T]

Any chance of switching woods for the winter? She might have reached some threshold for exposure and the smell/oils finally got to her.

Don't know the truth to them but I hear stories about reaction to western red cedar smell in PacNW sawmills.
I'm sure there's a difference between carving chips and milling sawdust. I like the smell of WRC.
With home heating in winter, I do my best to leave whatever sanding needs doing until I can do that outside.

[scotia carver]

Hi Sw
I think
I will just give it up for the foreseeable future, shut the heat in the shed down to 50 F, lock the door and go visit some of my kin folk in Georgia for the winter LOL
Bruce

[scotia carver]

Hi Rv
I guess I will switch to oak whisky barrel wood for the winter,maybe if I squeeze it hard enough I might get enough for a good drink LOL, wont worry about he odor of the saw dust.
Bruce

[Nomad]

Bruce, this is easy. Find a new wife. LOL!

JUST KIDDING.

[Brian T]

Rinsing out a rum barrel with a brown sugar/hot water mix makes for interesting results.

That barrel wood will be white oak and fit for power carving, not much else!

Have met most carvers who like the smell of fresh cut Yellow Cedar from the PacNW.
I'm paying 6.99/bdft and I think that half of that is for the stink. PeeeYEEEW!

[Spiritwolfe]

Bruce, this is easy. Find a new wife. LOL!

JUST KIDDING.

LOL! Ouch!

[scotia carver]

Hi Terry and SW. I been through the new wife thing once, ,I think I will keep this one,it will.be 36 years tomorrow
Bruce

[sappy]

What type of dust pick up do you use when you are sawing? Is there some place you can go to sand that is outdoors? Could you wear coveralls over your clothes just for wood working, then leave them in your shop? Do you clean up your wood working area often to eliminate excess sawdust? Would coating your carvings with something like poly stop the order? I guess I am asking, have you looked at all options?

[scotia carver]

Hi Rv
I have rolled the oak barrels a few times,had 11 barrels rolling at the same time.never used the wood for anything but some planters in the garden ' I get some yellow cedar from the local wood preserver here. I used to work there,so I still have a connection for free wood, I have a couple big pieces of red cedar about 5 ft long and smaller pieces of yellow cedar, likely go get some local pine,it works well for me
Bruce

[Nomad]

Hi Terry and SW. I been through the new wife thing once, ,I think I will keep this one,it will.be 36 years tomorrow
Bruce

LOL! Ok. How about deoderant then?

Ok, I'm done...