Respirator / face shield input sought.

[Michael Dean]

Greetings -

Before I start learning to use an inherited and newly refurbished lathe, I need to invest in PPE suitable for woodturning, and for other woodworking. I know I will need protection against wood dust, especially during sanding. I know I will need head/face impact protection.

Early on, I decided to restore my grandfather's Rockwell lathe verses buying a newer used one for about the same money. I'm happy I did so, and it's running great, but my fun-money is low at the moment. I'm also thinking I need a live center for the tailstock, and maybe a chuck, as I have only the dead center and four spur drive supplied by Rockwell in the 60's. Besides the increased utility of the chuck, I would welcome knowing the wood was firmly held to the lathe. PPE comes first, but I'd like to leave a buck or two for at least the live center.

While I have a good dust collection system, and use it, I know I need more protection re dust. I note many here use a PAPR of one brand or another. I'm not adverse to these systems, but they are pricy. I'm never a fan of rechargeable batteries and on some of the ones I looked at, the replacement cartridges were expensive. I've been looking at the 3M 6503QL (https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...pirators/3M-6503QL-Half-Face-Respirator-Large) as I like the quick latch system, and it should be a durable unit. P100 rated dust filters are about $2 each and last a good while. I'm in a basement shop, which has HVAC btw, so getting overheated in a respirator will take longer.

So, is a PAPR a must-do, a do-later, or just a good alternate answer?

As far as impact protection goes, is a face shield without a frame enough, or is a sturdier frame/neck protection model needed if one is also using a 1/2 face respirator? See (https://www.uline.com/BL_893/Uvex-Bionic-Face-Shield?keywords=Face+Shields) for one example of a framed one, if you've not seen these before.

I'm thinking of adding a face shield to my hardhat / hearing protection I use with the chainsaw. The "ears" snap to, and away, from the head as needed as does the face shield. The hardhat itself adds some protection, especially if my head was turned when the wood chunk happened to break free. See (https://www.uline.com/BL_3455/Hard-Hat-Face-Shield) for one example.

Input on face shields?

And from a newbie, thanks....

 

[Dave Landers]

The Uvex Bionic is sorta the go-to face shield for most turners.
The headgear that comes with the Peke Safety CleanAir is the Bionic (they call it the CA3 helmet) with added airflow thingy.
Good unit, HEPA filter, comfortable to wear, belt-pack unit so it doesn't stress your neck. And since it's a Bionic face shield, replacement visors are readily available.
Pricy? Yes, but less so than some other PAPRs out there. (Probably less than co-pays at the respiratory clinic)
I've had mine for almost 3 years - no issues. I which I'd have got something like it decades ago.
And the gentle air blowing over your face is really nice in the summer. Doesn't get hot here like it probably does in GA, but a passive respirator can be hot and sweaty, which may lead you to skip putting it on (did for me). Airflow also means your face shield (and glasses) don't fog up.
I blow out the air filter about every other battery recharge ("back-wash" with compressed air into the dust collector), and change the pre-filters when they seem to need it (not often for me). I don't wear it all the time, basically just when I'd normally wear my face shield, so I normally have to recharge every 3 days, give or take. It'll certainly go all day if I have a long day in the shop with it on full-time.

Just my $0.02

 

[Pat Wisniewski]

Buying a PAPR is a large investment but definitely worthwhile. It gets quite humid here in the summers and that cool breeze washing over your face is great. Although I went with the Sündstrom and have been quite happy with it, a second battery was quite pricey (I like having a spare ready for long days or when I forget to recharge at the end of the day) . I met the folks from Peke Safety while volunteering at Louisville during vendor setup. Their products are great and they are very pleasant to work with, too.

 

[Steve Bonny]

I use a JSP Powercap. It has the fan and battery included in the back of the helmet, so no belt and hoses etc. I like it. It's well balanced and comfortable to use, easy to put on with one hand and can wear all day if needed. I think the filter is not quite as good as HEPA 99.9% at 0.3 micron), it has an EU spec to "EN 12941:1988 TH1P. Assigned Protection Factor 10 (UK classification) equivalent to an EN 149 FFP2" (0.3 microns at 94%. It seems to filter out the dust anyhow!
I used to have a Trend Airshield Pro. A similar product but I didn't like it at all. It has the battery on top and I found it to be way too top heavy and unbalanced, making it uncomfortable and unstable (falls off if you bend over). Mine came with built in ear muffs which were also useless to me and didn't fit no matter how you adjusted them.

 

[Steven Forrest]

There's another thread on here with details, but rather than a full PAPR, I use a Versaflow helmet, which is pretty light and very well balanced - it has a shroud and a proprietary hose, and is normally paired with the rest of the PAPR. Instead, I have it connected via cpap tubing and regular old PVC with an inline fan that pulls air from outside. So - no batteries, no filters, just clean air delivered over my well protected face with no fogging. The one drawback is I'm tethered. But with enough hose, I can move anywhere in my 12 x 20 shop. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

 

[John Walls]

I use a Trend Airshield Pro full faceshield. Inexpensive on amyzon or other online shop suppliers.

 

[Michael Dean]

There's another thread on here with details, but rather than a full PAPR, I use a Versaflow helmet, which is pretty light and very well balanced - it has a shroud and a proprietary hose, and is normally paired with the rest of the PAPR. Instead, I have it connected via cpap tubing and regular old PVC with an inline fan that pulls air from outside. So - no batteries, no filters, just clean air delivered over my well protected face with no fogging. The one drawback is I'm tethered. But with enough hose, I can move anywhere in my 12 x 20 shop. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

That's a great idea. Thanks, I may well do the same. I just need to think through where to best get air. I'm thinking I may go through the shop wall into my wife's sewing room as it has (as I do) HVAC. I could also tap into the HVAC supply ducting. Either would be the same air I'm breathing outside the PAPR hood, only without the dust of course. Outside air in Georgia is pretty humid and hot in the summer - HVAC would be great.

 

[Michael Dean]

THANKS!! To everyone who responded. Lots to consider!

 

[Steven Forrest]

That's a great idea. Thanks, I may well do the same. I just need to think through where to best get air. I'm thinking I may go through the shop wall into my wife's sewing room as it has (as I do) HVAC. I could also tap into the HVAC supply ducting. Either would be the same air I'm breathing outside the PAPR hood, only without the dust of course. Outside air in Georgia is pretty humid and hot in the summer - HVAC would be great.

Jerry Kermode (the friend who showed me how to rig it up) ran a pipe from his living room into the garage. He had a series of drops so he could plug in his hood/tube combo at any workstation. Wherever he's working, the air reaching him was the same as in his house, whether heated or cooled. Plus, as he used to tell me, it frequently smelled like cookies! I modified it to my own situation, but the basic principal is sound.

 

[Michael Dean]

Mmmm - cookie! I like the multiple drop arrangement. I think I'll do the same. Thanks.

 

[Rick Doganiero]

I've used a 3M Airshield for the last 10yrs. Great for dust remediation, however, not the most protective face mask. I'm in the process of fitting it with an ice hockey face shield. I'll post some pics when finished.

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

Be careful not all Uvex Bionic face shields are the same. I purchased one from Amazon, all the listings seem to be selling the same 2 products, and it's not good. I should have known since it was only 50 bucks. I don't think it will withstand a sneeze let alone a flying piece of wood. So it's going back in the morning and I'll spend a little more money, and more research, on a better one.

 

[Asher Langton]

I'm in a basement shop, which has HVAC btw, so getting overheated in a respirator will take longer.

I use a Trend Airshield Pro, and it helps a lot with overheating in my humid garage. I added a portable AC recently, but I overheat pretty quickly with a regular face shield on, and even more so if I wear a dust mask. But with the Airshield Pro blowing air across my face, the heat/humidity is a lot more tolerable. I also have dust protection all the time now, compared to with an ordinary mask where I only used it during sanding because of the heat/sweat/fogging issues.