Dust masks

[Mr.C]

Guys,
Have just had a nasty health scare, so I'm looking for suggestions for dust masks.

Have tried the disposables, but if they sit over my specs, they don't work, if they sit under my specs, they fog up said specs.

Any one got a recommendation?

I'm hoping to make the Sydney show, come next Sunday, but don't have a clue!

Help gratefully accepted!

[TreeClimberNick]

I saw this at the store a few weeks ago. I liked it.

http://dustbeegone.com/


love
nick

[crowie]

G'Day & Welcome to a top forum "MrC",
If you search the "dust collection/control" section you will find a heap of info.
You'll find a heap of helpful & knowledgeable blokes & ladies on the forum and for most very willing to assist.
Make sure you show off your handiwork as everyone loves a photo, especially WIP photos with build notes.
Enjoy the forum.
Enjoy your woodwork.
See you at the Sydney wood show.
I have a silicone half face mask with filters similar to the one on the link [about $40] plus I have a Triton Full Protection Hood. I have a home made mini-cyclone connected to a 2000w cyclonic vacuum cleaner but of recent times have been seriously investigating a 2HP Dust Collector for the safety of my own health.

Klenall Industrial Suppliers

Cheers, crowie

[Uncle Al]

I'm hoping to make the Sydney show, come next Sunday, but don't have a clue!

Help gratefully accepted!

The Sydney WWWS is on 26th to 28th July at Homebush, you have a month to wait.

[crowie]

The Sydney WWWS is on 26th to 28th July at Homebush, you have a month to wait.

Good pickup Uncle Al..... well done!!!

[Cliff Rogers]

I use a 3M mask that has 2 filters, it works well.

The mask is around the $100 mark & the filters around $20.

It isn't so good if you have a beard.

I also have a Triton helmet (not sure if they make them any longer) & it works well.

Only problem I have with the Triton helmet is the plastic visor distorts your vision slightly & that can be annoying.

[BobL]

Guys,
Have just had a nasty health scare, so I'm looking for suggestions for dust masks.

Was this health scare directly related to wood dust?

If so then just using a dust mask will be an ineffective solution.
Fine dust stays suspended in a shed for days after the last dust making activity so dust masks have to be worn all the time you are in your shed.
As soon as one part of your body is affected by dust the probability that others will be affected increases significantly. Masks that just cover the mouth and nose don't cover your eyes or skin which can lead to allergic reactions.
Full face respirators help with eyes but not skin and do not stop your clothes being covered in dust. The mask/respirator has to be worn until the clothes are removed because your body acts like a chimney heating the dust and creating warm air currents that rise straight upwards to wards you mouth and nose.
Few people realize it only takes a pinch of fine dust to contaminate a 6 x 4 x 2.7 m shed above recommended OHS levels.
The only effective solution for people with dust issues is to remove the dust at source (ie as soon as it is being made)
After you have implemented other dust control measures masks are useful to help ensure that you are protected from "that last wisp of dust that gets away"
As Crowie says, browse the Dust forum and take it from there.

[Mr.C]

The Sydney WWWS is on 26th to 28th July at Homebush, you have a month to wait.

Ouch, thanks for that....I'm out by a month......Could have been dicey explaining that one to the wife!!!!

[Mr.C]

Was this health scare directly related to wood dust?

If so then just using a dust mask will be an ineffective solution.
Fine dust stays suspended in a shed for days after the last dust making activity so dust masks have to be worn all the time you are in your shed.
As soon as one part of your body is affected by dust the probability that others will be affected increases significantly. Masks that just cover the mouth and nose don't cover your eyes or skin which can lead to allergic reactions.
Full face respirators help with eyes but not skin and do not stop your clothes being covered in dust. The mask/respirator has to be worn until the clothes are removed because your body acts like a chimney heating the dust and creating warm air currents that rise straight upwards to wards you mouth and nose.
Few people realize it only takes a pinch of fine dust to contaminate a 6 x 4 x 2.7 m shed above recommended OHS levels.
The only effective solution for people with dust issues is to remove the dust at source (ie as soon as it is being made)
After you have implemented other dust control measures masks are useful to help ensure that you are protected from "that last wisp of dust that gets away"
As Crowie says, browse the Dust forum and take it from there.

Not wood dust, but an anaethetist scared this needle phobic into a mental meltdown and I've had shooting pains in my chest since Thursday. I've had a lot of time to think about things. Started with a shop vac that I can set up for my lathe, drop-saw, sanders ect, but want to take it further than that. Mask or respirator is next on the list, followed by something close to what the Industrial Arts boys have just hung in each of the Woodwork rooms. I didn't quite smoking, 10yrs ago, to turn around and still die of that sort of thing!

Cheers for the heads-up! I'm still fumbling my way around these forum things, so, appologies all 'round!

Steve

[BobL]

Not wood dust, but an anaethetist scared this needle phobic into a mental meltdown and I've had shooting pains in my chest since Thursday. I've had a lot of time to think about things. Started with a shop vac that I can set up for my lathe, drop-saw, sanders ect, but want to take it further than that. Mask or respirator is next on the list, followed by something close to what the Industrial Arts boys have just hung in each of the Woodwork rooms. I didn't quite smoking, 10yrs ago, to turn around and still die of that sort of thing!

Cheers for the heads-up! I'm still fumbling my way around these forum things, so, appologies all 'round!

Steve

Sorry to hear about the scare Steve. Hope it improves for you. Yeah I agree, read the forums and have a think about things.

[SAISAY]

I have started using the operating theatre masks, they don't fog up my glasses, stop the dust and are disposable.

[BobL]

I have started using the operating theatre masks, they don't fog up my glasses, stop the dust and are disposable.

I have tested several operating theatre masks and the material that is used in these masks is very efficient at blocking even fine dust.
HOWEVER
Their fit is not designed to keep dust out but to prevent water droplets from other people contaminating a patient.
Hence their fitting has not been optimised to prevent air (and fine dust) from getting in around the sides and top of the mask, so in practice they may be no better than even the near useless Nuisance type masks.
I would only recommend these masks if nothing else is available, or once every other precaution has been taken - and from my point of view the same applies to all masks.

[RicB]

I have been away from the shed for ages with a few health issues and last weekend was my first weekend of manufacturing dust for quite some time. I was using 18mm MDF to knock up two large 4 drawer cabinets. The design calls for 20 x 700mm dados to be cut, obviously 18mm wide to match the board. My TS won't accept dado blades so I had to use the trusty router (quick plug for the Pro Grip fence....brilliant bit of kit IMHO).

As you can imagine, this created a mountain of MDF dust in the shed. I don't have a vacuum system for the hand held router so there was a lot of dust airborne.

I tried using my Triton respirator but I just couldn't get comfortable in it. It got to the point where it was just annoying, the belt around the waist, the earmuffs pressing in the head (when you are over 50 you are allowed to whinge), just didn't do it for me.

I gave up and used a half face respirator with twin canisters. This seemed to keep the dust out of the lungs OK but my eyes are still dry and I must have got a bit up the snozz because my nasal passages feel dry as well.

So I started looking for something to replace the Triton and found the Trend PRO Lightweight jobbie. It looks a better put together option to the Triton but I will need to trial fit it to see how I go. It meets the standard EN 12941, which according to this

http://www.hseni.gov.uk/hsg53_respir...nt_at_work.pdf is effective for wood dust.

Any one have a Trend Mask? I would love some recommendations before I go and have a look.

[BobL]

. . . . .So I started looking for something to replace the Triton and found the Trend PRO Lightweight jobbie. It looks a better put together option to the Triton but I will need to trial fit it to see how I go. It meets the standard EN 12941, which according to this .

If the Triton bugs you then pretty well anything else will.
Given the price of the trend unit I would take that money and invest in a decent Dust extraction system.
If you wanted extra protection while using the router you could use a lightweight nose and mouth mask but then a couple of minutes afterwards you can take that mask off as a decent DE system will continue to clean your workspace.

MDF generates very fine dust that stays suspended in the air for many hours so if you just have the trend you will have to wear it for the rest of the day after your last dust making activity.

[RicB]

Given the price of the trend unit I would take that money and invest in a decent Dust extraction system.
If you wanted extra protection while using the router you could use a lightweight nose and mouth mask but then a couple of minutes afterwards you can take that mask off as a decent DE system will continue to clean your workspace.

I shudder at the thought of routing MDF with just a lightweight nose and mouth mask. The dust that is created by routing MDF is amazing. The money and time involved designing, purchasing and installing a Dust Extraction System capable of allowing me to work mask free minutes after a routing job, is a far greater price than that of the Trend PRO unit.

As for wearing a mask all the time in the shed, that is why I am after a comfortable one. If it was for the odd sanding or routing job, comfort would not be an issue.

I see your point and I do have a DC unit for my larger tools and eventually it will evolve into a cyclone system with remote collection outside the shed, but like everything in evolution, it takes time. For the short term I am after a better respirator.