I just got a boat load of Limba hardwood. My Aunt's grand daughters father in law bought it and died so they wanted to get rid of it. I have no idea what he was going to do with it but as I have studied the wood, it is for east Africa and normaly used to make musical instruments. I have as much 8/4 as 4/4 rough wood and wonder if anyone out there has ever worked with this wood. I haven't begun to think of what I will build with this wood but have heard that it has silica in it. Any reason that the sawdust could be bad to the lungs?

 

Thanks for any recommendations. 

 

Ron

All sawdust is bad for the lungs...it's the fines that you can't see that are the worst. If it does contain silica this is, also, an extreme health risk.

 

Just wear a good quality N95 dust mask and all will be fine.

 

As for what to use it for...I'm not familiar with the wood and can not offer any experience with its use.

Put your dust mask on and make what you want with it.  You can add it to the exotic woods you've used list.  Maybe some boxes could be made with it and one given to the Limba donator.  Be sure to post a picture of whatever you do make.

I've seen Limba at Woodworkers Source. They sell a lot of it for cabinets and furniture. The black Limba is especially pretty. 

As to the sawdust, the descriptions on their website have no cautions. Of course, different folks have allergies to different woods.

I would do just like schnewj recommends.  Get a good mask and have fun with the wood.   You might want to see if the family knew of any projects he might have planned and the idea of gift(s) seems fitting if there is enough of it.

 

When i was first clearing part of my property for a driveway, cutting through the ash trees always caused my chainsaw to spark; there was that much mineral in the bark and wood (no fencing or nails, thankfully).