Davor Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Does anyone get headaches after forging? I have a few specific health issues and I know that it causes this for me, sometimes. I have migraines and the top vertebrae (the Atlas) is always a bit dislocated so sometimes when I'm vigorously forging and my head is bobbing I will get a migraine. Does anyone else have similar problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 What type of fuel do you use? Is your shop well ventilated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 Charcoal, the forge is next to the door and I always have the top half of the doors opend. Chimney needs to be finished. You think it could be the fumes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gewoon ik Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 you drink enough during forging? If i don't drink enough, i get headaces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jeff Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 This is not specific to forging but when I working on something whether grinding or forging etc. I tend to clinch my teeth, actually I do it a lot driving, sleeping.... Any how my point is that causes me quite a few headaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 I always have something to drink, non alcoholic. I am going to finish that chimney as soon as possible, it is long overdue. Just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 what do you mean Chimney needs to be finished? do NOT use a solid fuel forge with out having a means of exhaust, you WILL get CO/CO2 poisoning, one of the signs of which is headache Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Ditto Steve! Either move outside with the forge or stop until you finish the chimney. Co (Carbon Monoxide) bonds with the red cells in your blood stream 80 times faster than oxygen and takes a long LONG time to flush out. You may only be getting a little bit when you forge but it accumulates and builds up till you are sick, even once a week will get you. You're getting headaches faster now aren't you? And yes, headaches are a first symptom, you may not notice the others until you've received a dose large enough to need the hospital. Hopefully they have a hyperbaric chamber it can speed up detoxing you down to maybe a week on pressurized oxygen. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 I agree with Steve. It may not be carbon monoxide but that is serious enough an issue that you should eliminate the possibility first. CO is caused by incomplete combustion. So, you need to make sure that your forge is getting enough air to completely burn your fuel. If your shop is too tight not enough air can get in to replace the O2 burned. If you have electricity in your shop I VERY strongly suggest that you invest in a CO detector. There also may be battery operated models around. Every indoor shop should have one. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 So, assuming it's not CO2 from the unfinished chimney (there hasn't been much time lapsed for you to have replied to that concern) - here's my experience with headaches: I forge outside in the open air, so ventilation isn't the issue. I always wear ear protection so it's not a noise issue. When I forged with charcoal, I got massive headaches - although I also get headaches after sitting around a fire pit for a few hours so I figure it's just allergies. I started wearing a mask and that helped immensely. I still got headaches even after switching to coal so now I just always wear the mask. Just a simple cloth mask although a better filtration would probably be better. I agree with the CO2 monitor even after you are fully ventilated. I moved my anvil inside the shed with the forge still outside, but sometimes a bit of smoke drifts its way in there. So I picked up a battery operated CO2 monitor. So far it's never set off the alarm but having it there gives me some peace of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 That is CO, Carbon MONOXIDE is the dangerous byproduct of combustion. CO2 is Carbon DIOXIDE and is NOT a cumulative toxin, every time you exhale you expel CO2 and water vapor, both combustion byproducts. Enough CO2 in your breathable to cause harm will simply put you to sleep from anoxia and you'd recover as soon as you were moved to fresh air. Heck, CO isn't actually toxic, it kills through anoxia but the mechanism actually blocks the hemoglobin in your red blood cells from bonding with oxygen and takes a lot longer to recover from, even breathing pure oxygen. I know I'm sounding nit picky here but it's important to have the two straight because if you call 911 and the operator takes CO2 as accurate EMTs aren't going to be in any rush to get there and when they do arrive will be prepared for the wrong thing. Some common medications used to treat unconscious victims actually generate CO in the blood stream and WILL make CO poisoning much worse. If you tell 911 it's CO2 poisoning which does happen RARELY they'll tell you to move the victim to fresh air and that is generally all the cure anyone needs. When EMS does arrive they'll be expecting to take some vitals and ask how you're feeling. NOT a full blown life and death emergency. Sometimes it's not just nit picking. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 My apologies. I do actually have a Carbon MONOXIDE detector - not a CO2. Dealing with migraine fuzzies today - kinda funny considering the topic, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Coal doesn't give you headaches? That makes me wonder where you're getting your charcoal or what you're making from. Are you forging mystery metal? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 Burning charcoal puts off fumes that may not be as noticeable as other fumes. Just because you may not see then, you should avoid breathing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 Maybe I'm confusing it with vigorously forging because I'm forging something bigger and running the forge hotter than usual. Definitely finishing the chimney and buying a simple fan for blowing the smoke away from me. I will point out that I do have migraines often and had them for 20 years, long before I started forging and even when I'm not forging for weeks. So having a headache isn't a red flag for me, it's just normal. Goes to show you should consult the experts just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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