Searching for a good respirator

[Chuck Tweedy]

The video is great Paul - thanks!

[Simon Magennis]

I have two different things I use.

One is a plain industrial 2 cartridge rubber type respirator. I have p3 cartridges in it at the moment. I find it quite effective and much more comfortable than I would have expected despite wearing a beard. My glasses fit OK with it too and don't fog up much as there is very little hot air escaping upwards from it. I can't smell the alcohol when I am doing fp if I wear it which surprised me quite a lot.

I bought a Trend airshield pro last year. I haven't used it a lot so far but my first impressions are good. It is a bit top heavy and can slip forward if bend forward. The powered airflow certain stops glasses fogging up. I need to get the scratch protects for the plastic visor and I reckon the anti-reflex ones are essential. It comes with a plain one fitted and there are a lot of reflections at least if you wear glasses. The noise is a bit annoying as it is directly on your head so some ear plugs are a good idea with it. Then again no harm in any case as a lot of the time you wear it you would be doing noisy work with a machine.

I haven't used the latter much mainly because I haven't done much woodwork since then. That in turn is partly because of (probably) dust inflicted lung issues.

[Simon Magennis]

An update on this.

I find myself mainly using the cartridge type respirator and only ocassionally use the Trend. The two reason for not using the Trend is the top heavy issue I mentioned above. At least for me it is pretty much impossible to adjust it so that it stays put. As soon as I bend forward, it slips. So for anything that is active and involves leaning forward, looking down a lot, it gets quite annoying. You get used to the noise. Convenient for some jobs and is a convincing argument for a powered respirator but if you are using a respirator seriously, then one of types with a belt mounted motor would be a far better choice despite being 3-4 times more expensive - you would simply use it more.

[Andrew Mowry]

I got the Resp-O-Rator when it came out, maybe 15 years ago, and I used it for a while, but it was inconvenient, and hurt my mouth after wearing it for a while. The mouthpiece also got really gross

For the past several years I've been using a 3M N95 with a valve (so it doesn't fog my glasses), but reading a lot about masks lately I've been hearing that it's not good to wear N95s all day because they can limit your oxygen intake. I'm not sure what the best solution is for dust (other than catching it at the source, which I also try to do).

[Barry Daniels]

If your mask has an exhaust valve then oxygen should not be minimized nearly as much as it is if you don't have an exhaust valve, like all surgical N95 masks.

Other that catching dust at the source, you can also install a full shop air cleaner.

The most protective solution is a PAPR (powered air purifying respirator) which feeds you a continuous stream of cool, filtered air. But they require wearing a full hood and they run $1500 and up. I gave mine to the local hospital.

[Andrew Mowry]

That's good to know about the exhaust valve helping with oxygen intake. I didn't realize that was the case.

[Barry Daniels]

The exhaust valve makes a big difference in comfort too. Without one, you re-breathe mostly hot, moist air from your exhalation. And the inside of your respirator's filter will get saturated, which reduces it's effectiveness. The only reason they don't put exhaust valves on surgical respirators is to prevent unfiltered exhalations from exposing patients and others around the person wearing the respirator. A valved respirator protects the wearer but not the adjacent.

[Matthew Lau]

Just bumping this thread.

With good American N95's in short supply, I've been resorting to Chinese KN95 from a trusted surgical supplier.
However, the quality isn't the same.

I'd appreciate tips on good respirators.

[Barry Daniels]

I bought a couple of these recently. They seem to be available again from Amazon. We used these at work for asbestos workers. They are called P-100 respirators and are much more complete protection than an N-95.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KS ... UTF8&psc=1

[Barry Daniels]

Here is the filter you use with the respirator. The nice thing about this is that there is very little resistance so they breathe real easy. The exhaust valve keeps it relatively cool and dry inside.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Respirator-Pr ... JSK5T8XDR8

[Peter Wilcox]

Barry, from your avatar it looks like you have a beard (or have you shaved it?) How can you get a good fit from a mask or respirator?

[Carl Dickinson]

I've loaded my beard up with vaseline, messy but it works to make a seal. Takes lots of shampoo to get it out. But lately when I've sprayed nitro, I trim it down to a goatee. I have to do that for the skin doctor anyway.

[Barry Daniels]

Peter, The 3M mask I bought is a large size and it extends under my chin a good distance, but you are correct with your concern. Facial hair under the seal will allow some leakage. I would not be doing asbestos work with this beard. But sawdust is nowhere near as toxic. The small amount of leakage is still better than no respirator at all. When I was in the envir. buisness I a hooded, powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) which did not depend upon a facial seal.

Carl, those are two good solutions.

[Peter Wilcox]

I've loaded my beard up with vaseline, messy but it works to make a seal. Takes lots of shampoo to get it out.

Yechh! I think I'd shave my beard before I did that. At my age I'll probably get sick or die from other causes before sawdust or nitro will do me in, though I suppose now without a seal covid is a good possibility (but mostly for spreading it.)

[Bob Hammond]

I've taken to using my old CPAP machine - the mask is very comfortable for working and the delivery of air at continuous positive pressure prevents entry of dust particles. I've connected the intake port of the machine to a box that I constructed, that has a room-sized HEPA filter, or I can draw air from outside the house with a 20 mm hose up to about 10-12ft long. It is not suitable for use with vapors, however. This particular machine has 30,000 hours on the clock and is still going strong.