[wade clark]

Hi,
My lungs say I need to do better than the occasional paper mask I use for dust protection.
Has anyone used:
the TREND Airshield
the TRITON PRC 001
the AIRCAP 2
and what do you think of them? Do you use them or just own them? Any other good options out there? I like using hand tools best but regularly use chainsaws, grinders, rotary carvers, table saw, band saw, router... and you know the clouds they kick up! I had a shear pin go out under my bandsaw a few days ago, climbed under and got Buried in fine dust, filled my face, eyes, nose, mouth, lungs...still coughing! Whew! Avalanche! I'll be fine, but Seriously thinking about dust safety now!
Wade

[Randy48]

I've got a fancy resperator with filters for painting and use it sometimes if I'm creating alot of dust, but if it's just a small job I use a piece of old T-shirt doubled over and tied around my head.

[Ashbys]

Wade

There are almost as many different masks as there are countries. I will give you some information on some of the simple things often over looked. The first a simple dust mask is not really a protection against heavy dust. These are called nuisance mask. They are for areas where the dust is not thick in the air. They are good for light protection in a non hazard environment, like cutting the lawn. They are often misused.

The next mask above this is a simple cup mask, they have a pliable metal bridge across the nose which can pull the mask tight around the air passages. Durable and yet disposable. These would be used in a slightly more aggressive environment where the particles in the air are larger but still considered a nuisance.

The masks beyond here are the real work horses, these are respirators. These although efficient can also cause fatigue and can result in breathing difficulties , due to the required pressures to make the work.



The next level is a first line respirator this is a metal bridge for sealing and a one way valve for air intake. They are heaver let light weight ( usually paper )and work well in most very dust areas. They are still disposable and offer a reusable cheap mask.

Then you enter the world of disposable or replaceable cartridges.



No mater which you chose , one make sure it forms a complete seal around your face , if it is too large or too small, it will not perform the function needed.

Second : If you have a beard they will not function. As it is impossible to maintain an air seal as particles will move through the beard and under the mask.

Third: Keep them clean ! As they are often used and then set aside for months bacteria will collect in the filters and on the sealing area, which has been know to cause colds and other ailments. Rubbing alcohol will work fine for this.

Fourth: Be cautious when using them as the filters clog the pressures on your lungs can increase, causing light headedness, and can result in a lack of oxygen causing fainting, and even stoke.

Oh So you know , This is a part of the OSHA required training for respirators in industrial enviroments .

Ash

[decoycarve]

Ashby is right. Dustmasks are worthless. The dust that you can see in the air isn't as harmfull as what you cant see. The particles less than 10 microns is what will irritate the respitory sytem and is harder for the lungs to expel. A respitrator is much better than a dust mask. I use the the 3M respirator from Home Depot with the particulate filter and prefilter. If you are doing any amount of power carving or cutting on band saws you should invest in some sort of dust collection equipment. I have a big filter system in the ceiling and a 2500cfm dust collector in my shop I ran 4" pvc pipe to all the machinery in the shop with blast gates. I had custom sheetmetal work done for the duplicator. I really didn't want to spend the $$$$$ but the man who started me into wood carving died of lung cancer.
Goody
PS. I HATE SAW DUST!

[squbrigg]

I use a two canister respirator, from an industrial supply company that sells Safety Supplies. They aren't expensive ($24) and the canisters last well. Mask makes a good seal, much better effeciency than a paper disposable and you can change filters when they get too full. Sounds like you need a good dust collection system though, Goody suggested a good system, I am struggling with a similar problem, can't use my big bandsaw to it's fullest till I hook up a system, can't afford a good system. Some day!

Bob

[Ashbys]

Squbrigg,

Actually there is a very efficent dust collector, that is very inexpensive that is portable and cheap. Most people don't think about it in that usage but it works very well.
Most dust collectors are little more than a blower motor with a bag attached.

A simple wet/dry shop vac will work extreamly well and is movable from job to job. Although not effective for a complete dust system like Decoy uses. They can be move from band saw to sander and with a couple simple atachments to locate the hose , they will effectively become a good dust collector for most jobs.
Will also help with shop cleanups when desired.

They also make it easy for cleaning, pop the top and empty the container. Being found in most stores including Walmart and other discount stores gives a great advantage over breakdown of a full system . So for roughly 50 - 100.00 you can have a really good portable system.

Ash

Oh and Bob , they make one that attaches to a 55 gallon drum, with a seperator, that runs about 185.00 been a while since I purchased any of them but they are 5400 cfm and 1-3 hp. they use a 4 inch hose to connect. Be happy to give you the information for them when your ready.

[decoycarve]

To add to the vacume cleaners look at the pic in my post above. The cyclone trash can lid works well. They even make them to fit a 5 gallon plastic bucket. It will drop the larger stuff into the can and let the vacuume take care of the dust. Vacuumes move air at a high velocity and a low cfm so they are good for a single machine. Invest in a good pleated filter for the vacuume. They can be blown out and even washed out. They filter down to much smaller micron than the paper filters. I Paid a lot for my dust collector thru PSI. I have looked at the Harbor Freight that is the same size as mine and it goes for around $150. I found that setting up a dust collector system that every thing you need for it adds up to a pretty good expence also. I probably have $500 in hoses fittings and adapters to get to each piece of equipment. I will try to get a shot of my hand carving setup today and post it this evening.
Goody

[wade clark]

I have a JET dust collector that sits on top of a 35? gallon trash can. I'm very happy with it, but I've got to plumb in lines throughout my shop area to really use it to its' potential. The collector I bought through Woodcraft; I believe it cost around $200 if my memory serves me. Then I spent maybe $100 on fittings etc. The problem is, I need to move my wood supply and wire in an outlet, to put it where it needs to go! And then buy pipe, fittings ...and time!
I use my shop vac on my table saw. NOISE is an issue! My shop vac is deaffening--maybe 140 to 160 db. My Dust Collector isn't quiet, but it's more like 90db. Pleasant in comparison! If I move my dust collector and my compressor where my wood storage is now, the sound will be far less noticable, really not in my shop area at all.
Back to Masks/Respirators. I'm going to town today to see what I can find. I'll probably have to order one. I think I'll go with the TREND or the TRITON. I'd sure love to hear feedback on them! They're not cheap either so I'd like to get the right one the first time!


We have our property here in Florida on the market and plan on buying a small farm in possibly Tennessee when we sell here. I hope to plan my next shop to have giant fans in the walls so that I'm working almost in a wind tunnel during the warmer months, with the dust blowing toward my garden...Have any of you designed or built an ultimate self-cleaning shop...? Maybe just pull a handle and flush?
Wade

[Ashbys]

Wade,

If you want a quick way to reduce the noise from your vac and saw. Try a full face shield while running the saw. You will be amazed. We operate sanders which are some of the loudest machines in the plant. Often peaking 130 db. To reduce the noise level we boxed them and placed exted plexi-glass shields where the operators look through them to operate the sander. The db level under the shield 110 , at operator ear 70 db. Wearing a full face mask the mask extends around enough to cover your ears and reduces the db level to amazing levels.

And if you come up with a flush and serve let me know , you will be the riches man I know .

[wade clark]

I've seen an automatic flushing Auction Hall! It was a livestock Auction, done in the round, and water ran like waterfalls off the bleacher seating, to a drain in the center of the arena, overhead sprayers going too...incredible! And spotlessly clean like a high tech dairy barn before the cows come in! Of course, there was nothing that could rust or absorb moisture. My tools would be the prettiest, no ugliest, red, by the second flush.
Wade