[modeleng] Re: Tanalising

When I was at college, nearly 40 years ago, I went on a trip around the 
factory where the process was first invented. The tanalsing process involves 
pressure treating the wood with a variety of chemicals, including copper 
sulphate, which used to be called Bordeux Mixture when gardeners were 
allowed to use it as a fungicide, so it is obviously there in the tanalised 
wood for the same purpose. You should be aware that it also includes some 
other VERY nasty chemicals, including arsenic, and it is therefore 
recommended by the RSPB that it is not used for such as bird tables or 
nesting boxes, as these chemicals can leach out onto the surface, poisoning 
the birds in the process.

It is also adviseable that you thoroughly wash your hands after handling any 
of it as you do not know how long it has been stood, having the chemcials 
leached out, before you buy it, and definitely do NOT turn any of it on a 
lathe, as the resultant dust will not only be toxic, but will hang in the 
air for several days afterwards, just waiting for you to breathe it in. MDF 
dust is generally accepted as carcogenic, but is nothing compared to 
tanalised dust!

Tony Wells.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger Mason" <roger.g3tdm@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Model Engineering List" <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 9:19 AM
Subject: [modeleng] Tanalising


> Hi All,
>
>    I recently bought some tanalised wood.   I screwed and glued (PVA
> glue) a couple of pieces together.   Of course some of the glue oozed
> out of the join.   I scraped this up using a steel bladed scraper.   The
> scraper became nicely copper plated!
>
>    The only time I have seen steel become copper plated like this is
> when it comes into contact with copper sulphate.   Is that what
> tanalising is - just soaking the wood in copper sulphate?
>
>    I am sure someone here on this list will know.
>
>    The wood was being used on the workshop - model engineering content!
>
>
>       Cheers,
>
>
>          Roger Mason,  in St. Agnes.
>
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