Confession time

[Bill Boehme]

OK, it is time to confess my turning sins and seek forgiveness and wirebrushing from the brotherhood of woodturners. Some woodturners never use a face shield (I guess that they have fast reflexes), some other woodturners stick their fingers where they ought not be poked (I tried it once and didn't like it), there are probably some folks who use a spindle roughing gouge on bowls (heck there may even be someone who uses a skew to hollow the interior of bowls for all that I know), and there are the "wood snorters" (you know -- folks who don't use their dust masks because they don't want to get them dirty and perhaps they even like the smell of mesquite up their nostrils). My sin is the last one. Yes, I have been doing wood big time. Pulled the equivalent of a mesquite log from my nose yesterday. I could list all of my lame excuses, but maybe most woodturners have already heard them: causes glass to fog, too hot in the summer, don't like the restrictive feel, can't find the mask, a buck is too much to spend for lung protection, the dust doesn't bother me, I don't generate dust when I turn because I am so good, etc.

I have been considering several different PAPRs for a long time and was leaning very much towards the 3M Breathe Easy. After a long and very helpful discussion with the folks at Airware America today, I was talked into the less expensive 3M Airstream based on the type of usage that I planned. I believe that it will take care of the fogging and sweating problems and so now I will not have any "good" lame excuses to continue snorting mesquite. Maybe this will help to improve my respiratory problems a bit.

Bill

 

[Jeff Jilg]

I am so glad to hear it Bill !!! Now you'll be breathing easy like the rest of us. Anytime there is dust coming off my pieces I use the Trend Airshield.

One of the local elderly turners in my neighborhood told me to get dust protection as one of the first things I did. He had emphysema and didn't want me getting it too. I did the "sniff some dust" thing for a short period, then migrated to paper filters. But longterm, powered dust filters are a good way to go. YAY - another convert!

 

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Bill

I have both the Airstream and the Breathe Easy, since most of the hair left on my head is on my face. I think that the good folks at Airware America steered you right. The Breathe Easy is great for spraying finishes, but it is a lot more cumbersome than the Airstream, and I can speak from the sweaty guy point of view that it does a great job on keeping my glasses clear and me from overheating. It will take a bit of getting used to, but before you know it you will be more uncomfortable without it than with it. I can wear mine for hours at a time, although I do give my head and neck regular breaks. Wait, that doesn't sound right...

Bill

 

[dkulze]

If the Breatheasy is the one with the triangular (ok, technically they're trapezoidal) filters, that's the one I've got. Klunky and big but works really well and solved my sinusitis and coughing problems real quick. Use it mostly when sanding and when cleaning up the shop. I like it cause it takes care of the REALLY small stuff.

Alot of woodworkers don't wear a mask "because there's not THAT much dust". This may be fine for cabinetry but the rate, volume, and size of the dust produced with woodturning trumps all that, even for an amature.

Dietrich

 

[Bill Boehme]

If the Breatheasy is the one with the triangular (ok, technically they're trapezoidal) filters, that's the one I've got. Klunky and big but works really well and solved my sinusitis and coughing problems real quick.

The filters on the Breathe Easy are cylindrical -- the Breathe Easy looks a lot like the Airstream except that the turbine and battery are both worn on the waist and there are three filters on the turbine inlet. Various types of filters are available depending upon the use. The only filter that can be used on the Airstream is a dust filter.

I agree, there have been many times when I thought that there was "not that much dust" -- meaning, of course, that I didn't see the dust and therefore it was not there.

Bill

 

[DeanGThomas]

Caveat

A warning from a friend on another forum.

Seems that he, too, recognized the need for filtration protection from the dust. He, too, purchased a system with a pack on the belt. What he failed to take into consideration was the detrimental effect of baked beans on his turning! The filtration system did really well on particulate stuff, but he could not protect himself from his own flatulence!

 

[jmr2001]

Somebody get the hook, Dean tried to make a funny.

That was just bad.

 

[DeanGThomas]

Hook tool or not, it was a true story!!

 

[Steve Worcester]

A warning from a friend on another forum.

Seems that he, too, recognized the need for filtration protection from the dust. He, too, purchased a system with a pack on the belt. What he failed to take into consideration was the detrimental effect of baked beans on his turning! The filtration system did really well on particulate stuff, but he could not protect himself from his own flatulence!

I have the airmate 3, and this is true. It is not an organic vapor filter. Like for pesticides and spraying lacquer either (or baked means)

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have the airmate 3, and this is true. It is not an organic vapor filter. Like for pesticides and spraying lacquer either (or baked means)

The Breathe Easy does have a filter that will take care of "bad air" -- of course, the life of the filter is dependent upon how many beans it must handle. I too have heard this story and was considering patenting an air deflection device -- looks sort of like a pet door and strategically located.

Bill

 

[dkulze]

I had a great idea a while back and was crushed when I found out someone else was already making it. Underwear with activated charcoal.

Ah well.

Dietrich

 

[Mark Mandell]

Doors

The Breathe Easy does have a filter that will take care of "bad air" -- of course, the life of the filter is dependent upon how many beans it must handle. I too have heard this story and was considering patenting an air deflection device -- looks sort of like a pet door and strategically located.

Bill

Before someone lights a fire here, better check to see if the patents on 1-piece Long Johns have expired yet. 🙄

 

[john lucas]

You guys are cracking me up. My Dad apparently has a flatulence problem so one of his friends built him a fart muffler stool. It was a fold up stool that had a target painted on top and a hole in the center. Below the seat was a foam "muffler' I wish I had a photo to show you. I laughed for days when he opened that gift.

 

[woodwish]

Let's be sure to keep all this in proper safety perspective- never handle highly flammable liquids, or eat Tex-Mex foods with beans, around open flames. :cool2:

 

[Bill Boehme]

What Woodturners Need

Let's be sure to keep all this in proper safety perspective- never handle highly flammable liquids, or eat Tex-Mex foods with beans, around open flames. :cool2:

Woodturners who use belt mounted respirators need warning labels on some products.



Bill

 

[DeanGThomas]

What have I started???

I really did not mean to derail a perfectly good discussion on a perfectly good product by introducing someone's experience with really bad gas.

Honest! Is it possible to redeem this thread from the toilet humor bin???

 

[Mark Mandell]

I really did not mean to derail a perfectly good discussion on a perfectly good product by introducing someone's experience with really bad gas.

Honest! Is it possible to redeem this thread from the toilet humor bin???

Not to worry, Dean. It'll dissipate on its own.

m

 

[Bill Boehme]

I got the Airstream yesterday evening so I tried it out today, Friday. It is really nice. It is comfortable, it gets plenty of airflow over the face, and the air that I was breathing was clean -- I could not even smell a hint of the wood that I was turning. The weight of the headgear is around two pounds, but it was hardly noticeable because it is well balanced.

My wife says that it makes me look like an Imperial Storm Trooper (hint: do you remember the movie Star Wars? -- if not, then never mind.)

Bill