I'm looking to upgrade my disposable 3M dual cartridge respirator one takes interchangable cartridges. I will mainly be using it while doing ding repair. Any suggestions on which one I should get?
thanks!
Guys,
Write the date on the filters when installed, keep the mask and filters in a ziplock bag when not in use. The old smell trick is no good, there are plenty of VOC's that seep in and get you. Make sure the mask fits properly...change the filters regularly. If you don't....YOU WILL DIE, or worse.
Some of the companies that makes these kinds of products have many law suits they have for a wrong full death this, or wrong full mesothelonoma that...and it's 99.9999 operator error. Just do yourself a favor...get it right. Don't wear a particulate mask for vapors, and don't wear a vapor mask for dust work.
Just because you wear a mask doesn't mean that you are safe. You have to wear it properly, and keep it in really, really good shape.
Get it right and live..please.
This has been a public service announcement from Resinhead.
Thank you for your concern Resinhead, I wear a medium mask and it fits perfectly with my face, I have both types of filters on my respirator, the vapors ones and the particulate ones that snap on right over the vapor cartridges because I go from sanding to resin work back and forth on a few boards at a time. I just bought this mask on wednsday and have only used it 2 times before today. I plan on changing out the filters like clockwork, and if in doubt, I'll put some new filters on, no use risking my health.
thanks again.
another question, anyone with mustaches ever have irritation around their mustaches from the putting on and taking off of respirators? I seem to have some irritation around my mustache lately and I feel like my respirator has something to do with it.
Welding supply stores have a selection of mask options and their catalogs show even more options. The hier quality mask material is silicone instead of plastic, 3M has both plastic and silicone as an example. Check cartridge size, cost, availability, very important. Home Depot has 3M cartridges. I was on an upgrade mission, was close to going with 3M but wound up staying with my Wilson, now Survivair, because I could just keep buying fresh cartridges for the good quality mask I already owned. There are threads on sways about this question.
I use this one with the pink dust filters for sanding, and the organic vapor filters for resin work.
Hi Superfan,
The respirator that Ozzy posted is the industry standard and the best we’ve found. You defintely need the organic vapor cartridges if you are going to be glassing. This mask with the pink particulate filters is ideal for shaping and sanding surfboards. We have all this stuff in stock, you can find it online here .
Good luck.
Brad
The 2091 (Pinky) is a N100 mask it is rated for Asbestos use. It is a great mask for all dust and sanding work, it is perfect for our surfboard sanding work..it let's in a lot of air and is really comfortable to wear on hot days....but it is not for vapors of any kind, it is a Particulate Respirator.
What you need is something on the N95 line that is an organic vapor respirator...something that is rated for Paint Spray / organic Solvents (vapors). Something like the 3M R6211
Please make sure you use the right mask. I don't want anyone getting ill because of the wrong mask...or the wrong fit on the mask.
And always buy quality 3M products.
No seals were harmed in this advertisment.
On the 3M. The medium size fits me best. I would recommend you try one on to get correct sizing.
The older 3M with the round organic filter was even better fit in M/L. But the newer one in Medium is ok.
Right on, I picked up the exact one that Ozzy posted, It came with the organic vapors respirator and these particulate filters that have plastic holders that snap right onto the organic vapor cartridges. I couldn't find any of the pink filters at west marine anyways. Thanks for your help!
'zup SuperFan. Glad you got a good one. Something to keep in mind is those organic filters have a very limited life span. They prolly last longer just breathing clean air, but they also breath a little harder going through all that charcoal and stuff that scrubs the vapors out of your air. I only use mine while doing resin work. I keep two in use for me. One with the dust filters and one with the organic filters and switch back and forth. I also have an old cheesy third one for a backup.
The old school way of telling when your vapor filters need changing is when you can smell the resin in your air. Actually, by the time you can smell the resin, you are overdue. I don’t remember exactly, but I think I get about 20-30 hours, maybe 40 hours out of a pair of organic filters.
The pink dust filters last a long time, and breath real easy, so it’s worth it to buy a pair or two.
It’s also good to keep your exhaust valve in good shape. A little armor-all or lithium grease every once-in-a-blue-moon keeps it sealing good on the intake of air.
Hope that helps.
Awesome, I'll keep that in mind. I'm doing a lot of ding repair so the organic vapor/clip on particulate filters work great without having to constantly change my filters. I'll get some pink dust filters next time I see a pair, I'm hopefully going to be shaping a board soon.
Respirator tips, from someone peripherally in the asbestos "industry".
They're no good unless you wear them, with a proper cartridge. Purple banding generally denotes a HEPA cartridge, the highest rated for particulate filtering. BLack generally denotes a cartridge you should wear during resin work.
A respirator's no good unless it fits your face. The first one you pick up at the hardware store may not, you should try several.
You have to be clean shaven for a respirator to seal against your face. Superfan above is not getting protection if he's talking about skin irritation around his 'stache. Maybe he needs to change his shaving cream. Perform a positive and negative pressure test each time you put on your respirator. Clean 'em daily, soap and water.
Know this about negative pressure respirators: they have a protection factor of 10, I haven't seen any awareness of this elsewhere so a little discussion... The protection factor is the factor by which the air inside the respirator is cleaner than the air outside. Example, if there are 100 parts of (whatever) in the air outside, then there will be 100/10 = 10 parts of it remaining in the air inside the respirator.
Now if the air outside has 200 parts of whatever in it, and you use a common negative pressure respirator, you'll have 20 parts of whatever in your breathing air. What if the OSHA allowable exposure limit is 10? Then your negative pressure respirator, at best, is not giving enough protection by a factor of 10, and you need a better style of respirator. NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THIS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT, AS IN, CRITICAL. But hey, they're your lungs, kidneys, liver, brains, and so on. Seriously, a PAPR or ultimately a hood may be necessary.
Filters are rated by oil resisitance N (not oil resistant), R (resistant to oil), P (proof against oil). Also rated by effectiveness: 85, 90, 100. So a P100 cartridge is the best.
3M has a respirator selection guide that will be an eye opener for many of us here.http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSu7zK1fslxtUOxmG4x_Sev7qe17zHvTSevTSeSSSSSS--&fn=Current%20RespSelectGuide.pdf
I do the tests where i put my hand over the vents to see if I have a proper seal, which every time I did, I think my skin is just a bit dry and my mustache was irriating it, I do not beleive it had to do with the respirator.
Does anyone know whether its better to use the pinkies for sanding blanks and board repair (sanding resin and glass too), or the triangular ones?
with epoxy sensitivity I use forced air only
this one is bulky but cheaper than the 3M version
I also have a high sensitivity to sanded fiberglass
I’m thinking of replacing the forced air pump with a portable air conditioner to blow chilled air into my face plate and tyvek
there’s a hose that blows the air down you face and out tiny holes at the bottom of the hood
what ever doesn’t go through the holes shoots down the suit cooling my torsal and out my legs
feels great when the air is chilled
fogs up instantly once you disconnect
got the idea watching an epoxy glassing operation on maui.
and yah its over kill
better than needing an epipen
http://www.turbineproducts.com/breathecool-ii-supplied-air-respirator-system-w-tyvek-facepiece/
marshmellow man sanding fiberglass off some lomilomi sticks
here’s my personal safety rig
Damn forum notifications don’t come through. Thanks for this, wish I had seen it earlier. I have now got a 3m full face mask and air supply kit coming soon. Thanks for the reply, even if I didn’t see it until it was too late!