peculiar reaction to cypress fumes

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>Lutherie >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

peculiar reaction to cypress fumes

I've recently developed a very odd reaction to breathing the fumes of cypress during thickness sanding. I gives me slight vertigo and equilibrium problems for up to two or three days. I've always worn a standard dust mask and used a vacuum system in a well ventilated room but I guess I'm going to have to switch to a respirator. I don't get this reaction from any other wood. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this effect. It's rather disturbing since I work with cypress on pretty much a daily basis.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 11 2007 5:51:45

val

Posts: 800
Joined: Apr. 4 2007
From: London

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to jshelton5040)

........

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 11 2007 5:52:42

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to jshelton5040)

Hi John,

This must be a major worry for you I'm sure.
There is a theory around that these types of reactions are not caused by breathing in the ofending element but by smell. I don't know how practical this would be but it might be simple to mask the smell of cypress in some way. Might be you could try one time puting a fragrance you feel good with inside your mask and give it a go. I don't want to suggest you block your nose just disguise the scent.
Just a thought. Hope it works.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 11 2007 6:43:45

stephen hill

Posts: 300
Joined: Feb. 16 2004
From: La Herradura, Granada, Spain

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to jshelton5040)

when I started working with wood, I had some bad reactions to some timbers, I made up a mix of all the woods I used , as dust, and sent it off to a homeopathic pharmacy for them to potentise it and make a remedy. It seemed to work. still, a dust mask is most important. I drove from france to uk once, with a bout 50 sets of cypress in my car, ..phew.... intense still!

_____________________________

stephen hill - granada spain
http://www.spanishguitars.co.uk

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 11 2007 6:49:33

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to Jim Opfer)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim Opfer

Might be you could try one time puting a fragrance you feel good with inside your mask and give it a go. I don't want to suggest you block your nose just disguise the scent.

Interesting idea.

I actually like the smell of cypress and can't stand perfume. Maybe I'll try a slice of chorizo in the mask

. I suspect the repirator will do the trick it's just such a nuisance to put on.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 12 2007 2:05:55

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to stephen hill)

quote:

ORIGINAL: stephen hill

I made up a mix of all the woods I used , as dust, and sent it off to a homeopathic pharmacy for them to potentise it and make a remedy.

How does this work Stephen? Did they create a pill for you to take?

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 12 2007 2:12:32

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to jshelton5040)

quote:

How does this work Stephen? Did they create a pill for you to take?

John,

Stephen's ref to homoeopathy is where I was also coming from.
My wife is a medical doctor and homoeopath (Now generally spelt homeopath as Stephen). She had a theory about the vomeral neasal system that has been published as a paper. That's the thing about smell. Anyway, it fits that the thing you like causes the harm.
If you know it's cypress, you can send a shaving to a homoeopathic pharmacy and they will convert this into a remedy. Innexpensive to do. They can either create a pill or a powder.
Having said that, it's possible that a cypress remedy might already be available. To check this out, you could contact Freemans at www.freemans.uk.com They will happily send it to you or make one up for you if you have no joy state side.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 12 2007 7:45:08

stephen hill

Posts: 300
Joined: Feb. 16 2004
From: La Herradura, Granada, Spain

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to Jim Opfer)

~Hi Jim, thanks for answering! didnt know that your wife was a homoeopath!! we used to use it on our cows, to great effect. Powder of cypress may be more effective than shavings?? yes, they make a pill and you take it according to their instructions..

_____________________________

stephen hill - granada spain
http://www.spanishguitars.co.uk

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 12 2007 7:50:03

stephen hill

Posts: 300
Joined: Feb. 16 2004
From: La Herradura, Granada, Spain

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to Jim Opfer)

sorry about the spelling!! never could spell homeoepath...

_____________________________

stephen hill - granada spain
http://www.spanishguitars.co.uk

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 12 2007 7:53:33

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to stephen hill)

No Stephen,
I think a homoepath is someone who wants to murder gays
I'm sure Jim has no such intentions....but meant the medicine.

cheers,

Ron

_____________________________

A good guitar might be a good guitar
But it takes a woman to break your heart

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 12 2007 8:02:29

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to Ron.M)

quote:

I think a homoepath is someone who wants to murder gays
I'm sure Jim has no such intentions....but meant the medicine.

'Homoeopath' Ron not 'Homoepath' but a neat link. Got me scared now drinking those night caps lovingly prepared.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 13 2007 10:41:30

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to stephen hill)

quote:

we used to use it on our cows

That's it Stephen, folk go on about placibo (spelling?) and ignore the fact that homoeopathy also works on animals.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 13 2007 10:43:32

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to jshelton5040)

I hope it works on animals and also Scottish ones?. I will take my West Highland White terrier to a homoeopath in new year. He has devellopped a nasty skin allergy and I dont like to give him cortisone.

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 13 2007 19:42:15

Samarto

Posts: 160
Joined: Mar. 21 2008

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to jshelton5040)

John, Is Cypress dust the only thing that causes your inner ear malfunction? Does this always occur? What you describe sounds like Endolymphatic Hydrops, an inner ear condition caused by trauma or other disease with virus being common. The cypress dust is only a trigger in setting off this condition. You might consider contacting Dr. F. Owen Black a Neuro-otologist in Portland. This might be nothing, but could turn into a real disability as it did with me. I have been intending to visit you for years, but this hydrops thing limits my travel. Hopefully someday I will make it over to your shop. I am in Eastern Oregon. Best regards, Sam

p.s. The lasting for 2 or 3 days is distrubing news and very indicitive of hydrops.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2008 21:32:04

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to Ron.M)

quote:

No Stephen,
I think a homoepath is someone who wants to murder gays
I'm sure Jim has no such intentions....but meant the medicine.

cheers,

Ron

Good one Ron.

_____________________________

Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 7 2008 13:20:47

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to jshelton5040)

Hey John,

Are you sure it's a reaction to cypress? Perhaps you should visit your Doctor for a physical just to be sure. If it is a reaction to cypress, I think a respirator would help. Hopefully the smell of cypress is not a trigger. That would be shame. Cypress smells wonderful.

_____________________________

Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 7 2008 13:24:19

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: peculiar reaction to cypress fumes (in reply to TANúñez)

quote:

ORIGINAL: TANúñez
Are you sure it's a reaction to cypress? Perhaps you should visit your Doctor for a physical just to be sure. If it is a reaction to cypress, I think a respirator would help. Hopefully the smell of cypress is not a trigger. That would be shame. Cypress smells wonderful.

I've been using a respirator and haven't had a reaction since the original occurance. Perhaps it was something else and just coincidental to the Cypress smell. I agree it's a nice aroma in small doses much like Spanish Cedar. I suppose that's why it's the wood of choice for caskets.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 7 2008 14:47:52