how do you know your respirator is working?

General Discussion
1

I didn’t really know how to search this- but I figured that it is worth my health to ask

so, how do you know? I can still smell resin, but its not the smell im keeping out, right? just fumes?

thanks for the help

2

depends on how good your respirator is. If you have one with back up air, it’ll smell like your air tank or neutral.

if you have a charcoal one, nothing. if you use the doctor / dust / or hand kerchief type, you will smell resin.

if you use RR, it won’t matter because you have to literally snort it to smell it.

oR you can use a machine to test it or the filters it uses.

3
Quote:
... you have to literally snort it to smell it.

You can snort it?

Whoo hoo! Its Saturday night! I know what I’m gonna do! :slight_smile:

4

all the hardcore guys shoot it

i like to shoot resin into one arm, and hardener in the other…let it mix together when they hit the heart…oh yeah!

5

Smell is not a real good solution. I was using a WWII surplus respirator back in 1984 – so that was a 40 year old respirator and it cut the smell pretty good-- obviously doing little to stop VOCs. Used it mostly for dust and it also protected eyes. Not sure what the life is but you can extend it by keeping it in a ziplock bag. Respirators will react with the shop’s air 24x7 and cut effectiveness. Keep it in air tight storage is smart. I know when I get a good dose of acetone, I can taste a bad taste in my mouth for several hours afterwards. My family was in the chemical business when I was a growing up and I worked plenty of hours in the plant. A subtle chemical taste in your mouth is a sure-fire sign you have had too much exposure and its time to get with the program and right safety equipment.

6

I’m with Shine on this one. If I smell anything at all then the filter is done, get a new one.

You may be getting some fumes because of a bad fitting mask also. Any sort of beard growth does not help at all, and some brands of mask fit better than others.

When I was doing a lot of poly glassing I would wear a mask all day, but riding home at the end of the day I still felt a bit spaced out. Glad I don’t do it any more, and now I hate the smell totally. Get into epoxy.

7

The respirator that I use keeps most all the fumes and smell out. But, when you take it off the fumes hit you like a ton of bricks. After so many years the smell almost seems non-existant, but I still use one as everyone should.

8

Ahmm- the smell is the fumes, so if you’re noticing 'em it’s time to change filters or masks.

As has been mentioned, beards and similar make the things leak, the only real good solution to that ( if you plan on keeping the beard ) is an air-supplied mask that puts in a slight over-pressure and any airflow is gonna be out of the mask.

hope that’s of use

doc…

9
Quote:

I didn’t really know how to search this- but I figured that it is worth my health to ask

so, how do you know? I can still smell resin, but its not the smell im keeping out, right? just fumes?

thanks for the help

DEFINITELY check the exhaust port (where the air goes when you exhale). I did this when cleaning mine not long ago and found a little splinter propping part of it open. Caca malo!

da birdman

10

when you get fitted for a mask they use a smoke that smells so nasty you can’t fake that your not smelling it if it is getting throught the mask… you might be abel to do a self test with smelling salt? you have to be clean shaven to get a real seal…