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Powered respirator question

Rick Doganiero

Rick Doganiero

Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
14
Likes
4
Location
Wellsboro, PA
I am looking into replacing my old (15+ yrs) Racal Airlite dust mask. I was never very fond of it and found myself not using it.

3M as400 seems to be the gold standard, but pricey.

There are a lot of discussion about the Trend Airshield on this forum. The posts are at least 2yrs old. Did Trend come out with their updated model since then.... and if they did anyone care to comment on the new model's performance.

Also anyone switch from Trend Airshield to the 3M As400

Rick D
 
I just ordered the newer Trend Pro last week so I can't comment on the change but the biggest reason for me was a better filter system in the newer ones. Some say the older ones were more comfortable. THe motor was moved to the back and air flow is not on the face so much on the newer ones. This is a problem in the winter with cold air being blown on your face but the summer it's nice. You have to run the fan or it will fog up in a matter of minutes. Sears has them on sale for $270 which the cheapest I found. The shipping was $7.00 and the tax got it close to $295.
 
I'm also interested to hear feedback from owners of other types of dust helmets.

One thing that always made me wonder is why the battery packs need to be so expensive. I recently ordered a replacement battery for my Airstream, and paid $180 for it! I see the Airshield is a bit cheaper at $60, but still seems a bit expensive.

How come they can't be made to use standard rechargeable batteries.....?

ooc
 
I have had my AS400 Airstream for about three years and am very happy with it. It is light weight at 1.9 pounds and is comfortable to wear all day. The battery will last much more than a full day on a charge and I like the fact that it hangs on the belt rather than being on the helmet since it weighs more than a pound. The HEPA filter means that I don't breathe any dust -- it filters so well that I don't even smell the wood that I am turning (which can be a real bonus if turning sycamore). One of the really nice things about the Airstream is that it provides plenty of ventilation at 10 CFM so I stay comfortable wearing it even in warm weather and my glasses don't get fogged. The HEPA filter is a huge sock-like affair so it will last a very long time before it needs to be replaced.
 
experience

I just started using the Trend Airflow Pro this week. Works very well to keep face shield clear and dust out of lungs.

Issues I have so far:

1. A bit noisy on my ears. Better if I use ear plugs with it.
2. Face gets cold from the blowing cool air.

So far, the weight has not bothered me, nor the visability.
 
I've had a Triton for about 5 years. The batteries gave up last year while I was doing finish sanding on a single scull I was building. Finding parts took more time than I was willing to devote for the moment so I put the helmet on the shelf until I found myself doing more dust intensive stuff.

Lat month I bought a lathe and started looking longingly at the Triton again. A few searches and calls led me to HTC who have taken over Triton sales in North America.

Apparently Triton was having financial difficulty at home and has reorganized. During that time, parts and even the respirator were in short supply. HTC folks indicate that the respirator is a part of their product line and that helmets and parts (including batteries) are being shipped.

In my view, the only downside for the Triton is that the charger would easily fry the batteries if you left it charging for much more than the time it took to recharge (about 4 hours, if I recall correctly). The charger is not a "smart" charger that ramps down once the batteries are topped off. And the batteries are a hard wired lot that can't be easily replaced by aftermarket batteries (or so I am led to believe).

That quirk aside, the flow was more than adequate, protection from both fines and chunks was very good and it has integral hearing protection which you can either use or click out to lift off your ears.

Once my batteries arrive next week, I see myself using the Triton frequently on my lathe.
 
I have both a Triton and an Airshield, and I prefer the Triton simply because it covers the entire head and neck. (I get an allergic reaction, skin and lungs, to some of the oily wood dust) The only beef I have is it gets very uncomfortable in hot weather.

Bob, can you provids a link to HTC?

Thanks.
 
HTC is still getting the website up to date. The fellow I spoke to searched the site along with with me and was surprised that they didn't have the respirator up yet.
 
I switched from a Powervisor to the Airstream AS400 five years ago,with the only regret being not having done it sooner. I did look at the Trend and Triton, but opted for the Airstream for a number of reasons. The Trend is basically the same as the Powervisor and has all the same failings.

I liked the Triton, but the battery pack was not appealing, being a built in item and not seeing a way for a spare battery for those long turning sessions. The Trend I looked at was no better than the Powervisor, which was not adequate for dust that was killing my sinuses. Neither the Trend or Triton were rated for submicron particles. they only stop what you body will stop normally.

While the Airstream seems a bit pricie, it is still cheaper than a lung transplant. One of the requirements for the ratings it gets, is the CFM for the duty cycle. To get the rating, it has to have a minimum of 6 cfm for the entire time. A new battery will last 12 hours and it still puts out over 6+ cfm at the end of that time. The As400 starts out at around 10cfm, and stays there for most of the duty cycle. The Powervisor starts at 6 cfm and drops off within a few minutes. The higher the airflow the less time you have to breathe in any errant dust.

The balance on the Airstream is much better than the Powervisor/Trend. The motor is in the back, the filter in on top of your head, and the battery is on your waist. It takes all of a couple of minutes to get used to. These days I feel awkward turning without it, and there are some pieces I will not turn without it. I have to wear a respirator if I am turning dry wood for any period of time, due to allergies and sinus issues, and really hated wearing the Powervisor for long periods. The 4 hour duty cycle was probably about right. These days I am at the lathe 8-12 hours each day and am glad I have the Airstream.

I also look at the Airstream as a certain amount of body armor. There are some eccentric pieces that I turn which can explode if you are off a little. I really don't want stitches in my skull again. After turning wearing a helmet, I really can't imagine not wearing one. I had read the remarks in Raffan's books about a bad accident when turning without his Airstream. Later I was fortunate enough to hear it from him first hand, and it was much worse than the note in his book. I was in a class at Provo when someone asked him about the Airstream I had with me, and he gave us the details - 13 stitches, blood and all - along with the piece of wood that caused it. I believe in it enough to drive 1600 miles from Texas to Porvo, just so I could take my helmet - just try and get that on an airplane. I could not have made it through the class without it, my sinuses would have killed me after the first day. As it was, I was the only one that had no problems breathing at the end of the day.

Good luck with your quest,
Fog
 
Fog Tanner said:
I believe in it enough to drive 1600 miles from Texas to Porvo, just so I could take my helmet - just try and get that on an airplane.
Click to expand...

Ha ha, Fog, I have taken my on a plane a number of times now. Of course, with all my other tools, the TSA is always very interested in what is in my box. 😱

Rick, I haven't entered the discussion up to this point, since you already know what I think about this. But for the benefit of those reading at home, the AS 400 is the best one out there, period. And while it comes with a price that reflects that, what price do we put on being able to breathe, to see, and to chew food? I started out with an Airlite too, but as soon as I had the money, I moved up. My helmet is 12 years old this past November. I finally had to put a new fan/motor assembly in it just two weeks ago. I think that says a lot for the quality of the construction.

It is one thing to say, I don't need the bestest most expensive lathe out there. It is quite another to settle for second or third best when it comes to our general health.
 
Follow up on my switch to the Trend Pro from the standard Trend model.
The unit arrive but I noticed a very bad crack in the headband strap which is plastic. I will be returning but thought I would give it a try before that.

Pro's
Increased air flow in the new unit. This can be a problem if you shop is not heated.
The filtration is better from what I can tell in doing some sanding which is a plus. The unit has a more enclosed shroud attached to the helmet which controls outside dust from entering. With the increased air flow I'm not sure it's needed with should a postive air flow now inside the unit.

Con's
The weight is now off the front and is located more on top which I find a problem. If you tilt your head from side to side it feels like it's going to fall off which it won't I'm sure. Guess it takes getting use to.

The airflow can be a problem but it took me time to get use to the standard model and I'm sure will be nice in the summer.

It does take a little more time to get into to it compared to the standard model as the shroud must go under your chin and above your ears. Again it would get better in time I'm sure.

There is a little more noise from the fans due the increased air flow but not a big problem.

The old standard model is more comfortable and I find it easier to put on which I like as I'm not as good about using it and just thinking it will only take a minute to sand this or the bowl is round and has not bark so it will be ok. I already has a close call sharpening a gouge which now makes me use the Trend for face protection.
Bottom line is I'm not sold but wish there was better filtration for the standard model. Maybe I'll cut some N100 filters and duck tape them over the units filters.
 
Everyone thanks for all your input and help.

I don't know why I balked at the price..... I have never regreted purchasing a quality tool. I have often spent double or triple the amount of the "expensive" tool working my way through less efficient or poorly designed tools finally to arrive at the "expensive" tool I should have purchase originally.

Bill.... thanks for chiming in. The fact that you have had your Airstream for 10+ years (and it looks it) speaks volumes for how well the item is made. I knew from the begining what the outcome of my search would be. For my wife it was a no-brainer... she couldn't understand why I would skimp on a piece of safety equipment. You'd think I know better in my line of work.

Airstream goes on the christmas list.

Rick D
 
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