Off Topic

[Erv & Son]

After years of swallowing dust particles, I think I am finally getting the message that I need to wear a mask. I have tried the surgical type mask with lousy results. I need glasses to do my work, and these cheapies push the hot air up into my glasses and fog them up. Does anybody have a recommendation for a canister type mask that would work well with those of us who wear glasses, and yet no break the bank to purchase. Thanks, Jim

[MSWOODcraft]

Hey, Jim

As a guy who also wears glasses - and facial hair - I can wholeheartedly recommend THIS respirator.   It has an exceptionally good gasket around your nose and I don't get fogged glasses when wearing it.

Good stuff.  Inexpensive, and the replacement filters are low in price, too.

You'll want to use a dedicated charcoal respirator if you're filtering air while spraying a finish, as the LV one isn't rated for that.    But for general dust - it's great!

[Rrandy]

I bought a half face respirator for my wife at Lowes or Home Depot one. It was by North and inexpensive and it also has several different filters available. I used them at work is why we chose that one. Bothe stores have a selection and anything is better than nothing for dust. Take a look t them all and try them on if possible so you get the right size.....and something you won't mind wearing too much.

[71166]

 3M also make a line respirators in the lower priced range ($15-$30).    All of the brands mentioned have a exhale valve which will stop the fogging.   As mentioned get the correct size and follow the instructions for putting on and how to test for a seal.   If you plan on spraying, or other chemicals,  get the type that will accept cartridges for the chemicals.   Roly

[Allan Johanson]

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71166 wrote:

 3M also make a line respirators in the lower priced range ($15-$30).    All of the brands mentioned have a exhale valve which will stop the fogging.   As mentioned get the correct size and follow the instructions for putting on and how to test for a seal.   If you plan on spraying, or other chemicals,  get the type that will accept cartridges for the chemicals.   Roly

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...and keep the cartridges for fumes/VOC sealed in a zip lock bag when not in use.  Keep replacements in their original sealed packages too.  Otherwise the charcoal etc will absorb fumes in the air while it's sitting on the bench and won't do you any good by the time you want to use them.

I've also painted a couple cars and some finishes like specialty automotive finishes contain isocyanates which are extremely toxic and the only respirator that really helps is a powered fresh-air respirator.  If you use charcoal for isocyanates by the time you can just smell the paint it's too late.  You're already way over the safe exposure limit.

Cheers,

[RussBoyd]

Do you guys really wear respirators WHENEVER you are even using the table saw? I'm really interested in the response as I only wear one when working with MDF or spraying a finish. I have decent DC and don't even sweep up much dust and definitely don't feel like I'm breathing anything worse than normal. Am I way off base here, or are we talking respirators for the big stuff? I certainly don't want to shorten my life, but I also hate wearing those things.

[MSWOODcraft]

Generally I'll wear my charcoal respirator whenever I'm spraying anything.   The dust mask goes on whenever I'm routing MDF or when I'll be sanding a lot of parts at the same time with the ROS, or if I'll even touch the angle grinder.   

[RussBoyd]

Thanks Matt. That pretty well "clears the air" on what I was wondering. Lots of dust, wear a mask. ALWAYS wear a mask when spraying finishes.

[MSWOODcraft]

Yeah, that sounds about right.   Finishing = charcoal respirator.

I've really got to get better about using the mask when sanding at the lathe.   And  I haven't been reaching for it when using the dovetail jig, although I suspect that I really should be.   But I have gotten to the point that whenever there's a machining operation on MDF I need the mask.   I do a lot with MDF substrates below veneers and so I'm occasionally doing whacky things like routing ogee profiles into the stuff for edge work below the veneer.

Long and short for me, I've started paying attention to when it is that I'm blowing crud out of my system and what I've been doing to net the crud there in the first place.  Then I'm making a note that the next time I do that operation I need a mask.    Really scientific, huh?   Oh well - at least I'm working on the problem!   *grin*

[Allan Johanson]

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MSWOODcraft wrote:

Generally I'll wear my charcoal respirator whenever I'm spraying anything.   The dust mask goes on whenever I'm routing MDF or when I'll be sanding a lot of parts at the same time with the ROS, or if I'll even touch the angle grinder.   

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I do the same as Matt.    (with the added use of my charcoal respirator when I'm welding or grinding)

I've spent some time to make sure my cyclone is working well at my big tools and that I hook up my shop vac to the smaller tools (and my shop vac has a HEPA filter) so the vast majority of dust is collected at the source.  The router remains a big problem for me though.  The thing sends dust flying everywhere.

Cheers,