# Turning treated lumber



## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I sometimes glue up scraps to practice turning. I use whatever is lying around. What’s lying around now is pressure treated yellow pine. It’s plenty dry at this point. Any reasons to avoid using treated lumber for practice?


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## Maylar (Sep 3, 2013)

Other than breathing the dust I guess it'd be OK, but we have to deal with that anyway. They stopped using arsenic in pressure treatment after 2003, so don't turn anything that might be that old.
Make a bowl from some 2-by and let's see how it looks.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

This is taken from the Tree Island Steel page:

When nails are exposed to ACQ, a chemical reaction occurs, which accelerates the corrosion rate of the fastener. In addition, the organic components of ACQ attract water, further increasing corrosion on the fastener. 

Instead of nails think metal parts on your lathe and what it may do to them if you don't clean it up well after turning treated wood.


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

Stop by any construction site and ask if you can have some 2X4s from the scrap pile. I see a lot of small pieces of wood piled up in front of the job site.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Pineknot_86 said:


> Stop by any construction site and ask if you can have some 2X4s from the scrap pile. I see a lot of small pieces of wood piled up in front of the job site.


Exactly, why use something that may harm you or your machinery when there are alternatives and free at that.

Pressure treated lumber is getting safer to use but do we always know which process was used to treat that scrap we pick up.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I think I would go buy some wood before turning treated. It's certainly a health hazzard so a chemical respirator should be worn. Then it would be like turning green lumber, except water you would be showered with alkaline copper quaternary. Then if you have some old treated wood laying around it could contain arsenic.


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