DWFII's post and the replies captured my attention. I see an immediate need for a face respirator as I work on a dust system. Need recommendations for best half face type please.
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Half Face respirator
- Thread starter RADawson
- Start date
3M works well, isn't too expensive, and is easy to find replacement felts and cartridges for. Fairly comfortable too.
Dietrich
Dietrich
Dave,
Believe it or not...and as hokey as it may look...the Resp-O-Rator works really well for keeping dist out of your nose and lungs. They claim the filters are rated down to .03 microns. I can't vouch for that but personally if I didn't have a dust colloector I'd wear...and trust...the Resp-O-Rator. I have one and used it all the time before I got my dust collector and I sometimes still use it when I'm sanding really toxic stuff like maybe spalted wood or others that may cause an allergic reaction.
My only problem with it is that it makes my throat dry. You have to breath through your mouth with it--just like you would with a snorkle. I live in a really dry climate and that can make a difference.
Otherwise I think it is a great alternative to the $200.00+ powered respirators...costs less than $50.00 as I recall. You can buy them through CSUSA or Packard, etc..
I don't work for the company, I'm just a believer.
DWFII
Believe it or not...and as hokey as it may look...the Resp-O-Rator works really well for keeping dist out of your nose and lungs. They claim the filters are rated down to .03 microns. I can't vouch for that but personally if I didn't have a dust colloector I'd wear...and trust...the Resp-O-Rator. I have one and used it all the time before I got my dust collector and I sometimes still use it when I'm sanding really toxic stuff like maybe spalted wood or others that may cause an allergic reaction.
My only problem with it is that it makes my throat dry. You have to breath through your mouth with it--just like you would with a snorkle. I live in a really dry climate and that can make a difference.
Otherwise I think it is a great alternative to the $200.00+ powered respirators...costs less than $50.00 as I recall. You can buy them through CSUSA or Packard, etc..
I don't work for the company, I'm just a believer.
DWFII
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Dietrich;
Could you please post a link to the 3-M which you refer to. So far I am just using a very efficient dust mask along with my DC and air cleaners. I have not invested in a face shield yet and I'm kinda holding off until I decide which system I am going to go with. So far I have not had a piece fly off into my prescription glasses or other vulnerable parts of my anatomy. But it is in the back of my mind when I am turning and I know I should have some "just in case" protection
W.Y.
Could you please post a link to the 3-M which you refer to. So far I am just using a very efficient dust mask along with my DC and air cleaners. I have not invested in a face shield yet and I'm kinda holding off until I decide which system I am going to go with. So far I have not had a piece fly off into my prescription glasses or other vulnerable parts of my anatomy. But it is in the back of my mind when I am turning and I know I should have some "just in case" protection
W.Y.
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Face shields & respirators
William - first thing you do is get a face shield, I've gone through two and the present one has a nasty swish from a flying piece. Even with glasses, small chips can enter your eyes very fast - You know what Norm says!!
I use the Triton full face respirator, around $450 Canadian, it has been great with dust, you should see the filter after an hour of power sanding. The ear muffs also block the vacuum noise. I think it is a lot cheaper than the 3M gear.
William - first thing you do is get a face shield, I've gone through two and the present one has a nasty swish from a flying piece. Even with glasses, small chips can enter your eyes very fast - You know what Norm says!!
I use the Triton full face respirator, around $450 Canadian, it has been great with dust, you should see the filter after an hour of power sanding. The ear muffs also block the vacuum noise. I think it is a lot cheaper than the 3M gear.
William,
I don't have a link. I'm talking about the half mask you can get at Home Despot in the paint department. It has a head and neck strap and two twist on trapezoidal activated charcoal cartridges that are then covered by felt pads and a plastic holder. It's designed for fine dust and organic vapors such as you get when paint spraying, dry walling, or spraying chemicals. Costs about $30, is comfortable, and give a good seal.
Do the face shield first. Glasses are one step above useless when a hunk of wood heads for your face. Don't wait and don't turn without one. Heck, I don't even sand without one.
dietrich
I don't have a link. I'm talking about the half mask you can get at Home Despot in the paint department. It has a head and neck strap and two twist on trapezoidal activated charcoal cartridges that are then covered by felt pads and a plastic holder. It's designed for fine dust and organic vapors such as you get when paint spraying, dry walling, or spraying chemicals. Costs about $30, is comfortable, and give a good seal.
Do the face shield first. Glasses are one step above useless when a hunk of wood heads for your face. Don't wait and don't turn without one. Heck, I don't even sand without one.
dietrich
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Thanks Dietrich;
There is a new HD store opening only an hour drive away on the 20th of this month and I was going there anyway. I will certainly check into the 3M one . I cant quite picture the difference in a half mask and a full mask but I will know when I see it because I am aware of what a full mask looks like.
I wear a highly efficient dust mask most of the time in my shop even though I have overkill on size of DC, and air filters. I wear it out of necessity because my lungs are not all that good around dust. Any of you young'ns reading this take heed about wearing dust protection in the shop. You dont think it's harming you now but it will surely catch up with you . Wish I had listened years ago and wore a dust mask more often. It's no picnic waking up with sore lungs.
W.Y.
This is an edit to my message here. I looked up the 3M half face one on a google search. The picture was small but it didn't seem to show any sheilding so perhaps I am getting sheild and mask mixed up.
Here is the mask I use
http://www.levitt-safety.com/WhatsNew/North/CFR1.htm
It is the most comfortable and most efficient one I have found after trying several over the years and it will not cause fogging of glasses.
Perhaps a good face sheild used over top of this would be an alternative to going for one of the expensive battery powered self filtered ones.
There is a new HD store opening only an hour drive away on the 20th of this month and I was going there anyway. I will certainly check into the 3M one . I cant quite picture the difference in a half mask and a full mask but I will know when I see it because I am aware of what a full mask looks like.
I wear a highly efficient dust mask most of the time in my shop even though I have overkill on size of DC, and air filters. I wear it out of necessity because my lungs are not all that good around dust. Any of you young'ns reading this take heed about wearing dust protection in the shop. You dont think it's harming you now but it will surely catch up with you . Wish I had listened years ago and wore a dust mask more often. It's no picnic waking up with sore lungs.
W.Y.
This is an edit to my message here. I looked up the 3M half face one on a google search. The picture was small but it didn't seem to show any sheilding so perhaps I am getting sheild and mask mixed up.
Here is the mask I use
http://www.levitt-safety.com/WhatsNew/North/CFR1.htm
It is the most comfortable and most efficient one I have found after trying several over the years and it will not cause fogging of glasses.
Perhaps a good face sheild used over top of this would be an alternative to going for one of the expensive battery powered self filtered ones.
Last edited:
Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
Here is a link to the respirators on the 3M website
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/_l/en_US/_s.155/8204/_s.155/100227
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/_l/en_US/_s.155/8204/_s.155/100227
William, when you said half face mask, I'm assuming you meant dust mask that covers the bottom half of the face. The 3M I use is your basic hardware store cartridge filter mask. I like it because I can change out the felt quickly and cheaply and the cartridge lasts basically forever since I don't use it for vapors much (just spraying bugs in spring).
For a face SHIELD, however, I just use the standard hardware store, 16.99 full face shield. Cheap, easy, not the most comfortable but not bad. Easy to put in new shields when I CA up the viewing area from being impatient (ps, CA solvent dissolves face shields too). I'd like to get a nice airstream at some point but not in my budget right now. I'm saving up for a dust collector and air filter (donations welcome).
Dietrich
For a face SHIELD, however, I just use the standard hardware store, 16.99 full face shield. Cheap, easy, not the most comfortable but not bad. Easy to put in new shields when I CA up the viewing area from being impatient (ps, CA solvent dissolves face shields too). I'd like to get a nice airstream at some point but not in my budget right now. I'm saving up for a dust collector and air filter (donations welcome).
Dietrich
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Yep... that pretty well sums it up. . I will get one of those sheilds very soon to go along with my dust mask. I have been lucky to not have a piece fly into my face over the years but have come close and avoided it due to quick reaction from TS kick backs etc. Now that I am into turning it becomes more apparent that I should use a sheild. Besides that, I'm getting ancient and my reactions may not be quick enough 
Like you , I would like to get a top line model but my requests for all donations are thankfully received go on deaf ears
W.Y
Like you , I would like to get a top line model but my requests for all donations are thankfully received go on deaf ears
W.Y
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Face Shield
William: it makes more cents then sense to follow what has been said about your face shield. If you want to delay to get a face shield, then go ahead, but it has been stated several times by just not me, but others, that the face shield is the best protection from flying bowls. You say you're just starting, but you also say you know about kick-back, a flying bowl just may put some cents into your head, and i mean metal. Your bowl gouge can get snapped by a flying wood piece and brain you, or even better.
If you really don't take seriously what we say here, then play on.. Its a pity you don't pay attention.
William: it makes more cents then sense to follow what has been said about your face shield. If you want to delay to get a face shield, then go ahead, but it has been stated several times by just not me, but others, that the face shield is the best protection from flying bowls. You say you're just starting, but you also say you know about kick-back, a flying bowl just may put some cents into your head, and i mean metal. Your bowl gouge can get snapped by a flying wood piece and brain you, or even better.
If you really don't take seriously what we say here, then play on.. Its a pity you don't pay attention.
William,
I too use the 3M half mask and actually use it with the 6001 charcoal cartridge filter as some finishes bother my allergies and I like to work with some exotics that have obnoxious odors. One of the main reasons I went with the 3M is that I could not get one that was comfortable - all I ever found at HD and the local stores were size medium (and they would not even talk about another size). They just were too tight on my face and would slide up. LOML knew of an industrial suppy store in city where my Dr. is so next trip in we went by and they ordered me a large, as cheap as big box.
Make sure you get one that fits!!
Wilford
I too use the 3M half mask and actually use it with the 6001 charcoal cartridge filter as some finishes bother my allergies and I like to work with some exotics that have obnoxious odors. One of the main reasons I went with the 3M is that I could not get one that was comfortable - all I ever found at HD and the local stores were size medium (and they would not even talk about another size). They just were too tight on my face and would slide up. LOML knew of an industrial suppy store in city where my Dr. is so next trip in we went by and they ordered me a large, as cheap as big box.
Make sure you get one that fits!!
Wilford