Best Respirators for the $?

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Yes, those are the ones.


I watch the sales threads here and eBay and pick the parts up when they are cheap. A brand new Breathe Easy pump can be bought for $100 or less. A battery can be had for $250, but with luck you can snag a new or almost new one for $100-150 ( Be sure to check the date). A full system with battery and helmet occasionally comes along at $200. A helmet runs between $50 and $150, depending on the type and condition. I have several systems, so visitors can breath good air, too.

I bought a box of ten full torso spray booth hoods for $30. They are the disposable type made from plastic, but if I cut away most of the drape, they are good for tasks with lots of fine dust. The white ones from pharmaceutical use are readily available very cheap. I think the meth lab guys sell them to make extra money :)

I bought a case of ten Breathe Easy filters for $50 with free shipping.


NOTE:
Getting the stick-on Mylar/acrylic lens protectors to keep the face shield from getting scratched up in use is a really good idea.

If you have a large shop with dedicated stations for grinding and such, you can plumb the shop with 2" PVC and have plug-in ports at the equipment (you don't even have to glue the pipe together). That allows just a hood/helmet and six feet of flex hose to hook up wherever you are. Hook the hose to the back of your belt with a clip and plug the helmet hose into it. this will help to keep neck strain down. The air duct can be powered by a single blower and filter system drawing air from a clean air area or outside. A "key fob" remote power switch can turn the blower on and off.
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Stacy, what's the difference between the different 3m respiratory faceshields (m-100, m-300, and m-400 series)? Which would you recommend?
 
The best respirator for the money is the one you will wear. I really like the resp-orator as it hangs around my neck and anytime I go to grind I just pop it in my mouth.
 
razor-edge-knives said:
Stacy, what's the difference between the different 3m respiratory faceshields (m-100, m-300, and m-400 series)? Which would you recommend?
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The M series ranges from a basic non-protective rated cap with a simple visor ( M-100 series), to an ANSI rated hardhat with a full face shield (M-300 series), to spray-booth full shroud units ( M-400 series).

The M-100 series is suitable for respirator use only. It is the lightest weight of the units, but has no face or head protection rating. The standard M-105 or the premium M-107 would be usable in the shop and have the lowest cost. They will also last the shortest time.

The M-305 is a better grade unit for working in the metal shop. The M-307 is the premium version of the same setup. These are ANSI rated and more robust, and provide considerably more protection against flying objects. I think these two are the best for our purposes. As in most things, getting the premium unit is often money well spent . If buying used, the choice may be in which one is the best price. Either will work fine.

Here is the 3M page with specs:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...=7577427+8690968+3294134742+3294529207&rt=rud
 
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Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The M series ranges from a basic non-protective rated cap with a simple visor ( M-100 series), to an ANSI rated hardhat with a full face shield (M-300 series), to spray-booth full shroud units ( M-400 series).

The M-100 series is suitable for respirator use only. It is the lightest weight of the units, but has no face or head protection rating. The standard M-105 or the premium M-107 would be usable in the shop and have the lowest cost. They will also last the shortest time.

The M-305 is a better grade unit for working in the metal shop. The M-307 is the premium version of the same setup. These are ANSI rated and more robust, and provide considerably more protection against flying objects. I think these two are the best for our purposes. As in most things, getting the premium unit is often money well spent . If buying used, the choice may be in which one is the best price. Either will work fine.

Here is the 3M page with specs:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...=7577427+8690968+3294134742+3294529207&rt=rud
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Thanks Stacy, that helps clear up things a lot!
 
I was just talking to the occupational health and safety rep at work. I'm getting fitted for a FX series full face with prescription Lens. I'll post
Pics for those interested for all the others who wear
Prescription glasses.
 
Ok I've got the breathe easy ordered! Does anyone have any input about whether the "backpack" or belt is best or more comfortable?
 
I have used both. The belt is simpler to put on and take off, and usually comes for free with the unit. The back pack is more expensive (about $90) and is a bit more trouble to mount the blower on and put on and take off. If just grinding in a small shop, I would stick with the belt. If working all day long in a hazardous and dusty environment, maybe that back pack is better.
 
Thanks Stacy, that's what I needed is some real world feedback :) I am in and out of the shop all day, always taking my mask off and on so the belt is probably the best option.
 
A trick is putting a "belt hook" or carabineer on the back of the helmet that can be hooked on the belt. When you take the hood off, clip it on the respirator belt. That way you can walk around without the hood on, but don't have to remove the belt and set down the hood.
 
Wanted to say I got my 3M breathe easy turbo stuff in the other day! Love this set up. It was about $550 total, but that was with a new hard hat and new battery. Thanks for your help Stacy :thumbup:
 
Do the battery's on the 3m breath easy go bad if old. Say it's new but old stock. Looking at picking up this setup as I'm sick and tired of safty glasses that fog up and I have a beard so I still get crap in my nose. One set says new old stock battery dead no charger and the cartarges Have a 1990 date.
 
That's getting pretty old in my opinion... But from the research I did niMH batteries can be stored in a discharged state with no damage... I found a new 2014 battery on eBay for around 125
 
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I recently bought some dust masks from PK Safety. 3M 8233 N-100. Very comfortable for Farmers Market sharpening, and $6.00. Disposable, and .3 micron protection.
 
razor-edge-knives said:
If you go with a 3m half mask I would recommend these filters, not the 3m p100 particulate filters as I don't trust them. I can smell g10 through my mask when using them. This set up will run you somewhere less than $50. Of course what the other guys mentioned above is better if you can afford it!
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Maybe bacause it is for particles only, not for smell. Use P95 particulate filters in combination with 3M 6001 organic vapour filters if You want to filter smell too.
 
To those of you planning or wanting to investigate the battery powered units, the battery packs can often be rebuilt by battery outfits in your area. The big retail level player that comes to mind is a franchise called 'Batteries Plus'
The actual battery packs are made overly complex by the mfgs. but the reality is that they are actually just 'packages' of batteries welded together. As an example I used to handle the Makita Power Tool account for SANYO-(the worlds largest rechargeable battery manufacturer) and we actually made their battery cells in Tiajuana and Popped the plastic in the states, and we sent the cells and the plastics to various locations to be assembled into the battery packs. The few folks who had the capability of disassembling these battery packs, could buy the needed replacement battery cells for around $2 a piece--the backs took anywhere from 6 to 10 batteries a piece, and then the could reweld (ULTRASONICALLY) the plastic cases for those packs, and make a handsome profit reselling said packs. If I had a system that needed a fresh battery pack--if I had an old pack, I'd do a local search for Battery VALUE ADDED RESELLER, or go to Batteries plus, and see what they could do for me.
 
I may have an option for the under $50 crowd, but I'd like other input if necessary.
In my job I occasionally deal with patients with TB and have to wear a mask, the 3M 1860 N95 Medical Grade Particulate Respirator and Surgical Mask. These have a metal piece that you pinch around your nose. I've seen these on e-bay @ $12 for 20. We do a fit test annually, that involves putting on one of these, putting a plastic hood over our head and having someone spray a mist into the hood while we talk, move our head, etc. for at least a minute or so, and shouldn't smell/taste anything. Only drawback I see, these only work when clean shaven.
I figure, if vapor can't get through, how could solid particles? Am I missing something?
 
weo said:
I may have an option for the under $50 crowd, but I'd like other input if necessary.
In my job I occasionally deal with patients with TB and have to wear a mask, the 3M 1860 N95 Medical Grade Particulate Respirator and Surgical Mask. These have a metal piece that you pinch around your nose. I've seen these on e-bay @ $12 for 20. We do a fit test annually, that involves putting on one of these, putting a plastic hood over our head and having someone spray a mist into the hood while we talk, move our head, etc. for at least a minute or so, and shouldn't smell/taste anything. Only drawback I see, these only work when clean shaven.
I figure, if vapor can't get through, how could solid particles? Am I missing something?
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I've used those in other applications.

P95 is not effective against the finest most harmful dust.
P99 is better.

The tiny little elastics arent enough to get a good fit for me

They just don't fit well.
At the end of the day in a dusty environment my face was covered with black marks where to dust stuck to the sweat on my face= where the air got by

I had black boogers = not effective.


I like the silicone half masks.
supplied air hood is on my to do llist
 
Just a follow up on the "Resp-O-Rator"....

I ended up puling the trigger on one after reading through this thread a few weeks back. Been using it here and there for some drywall jobs I happened to pick up. Haven't had much chance to break it out in the shop yet, as I haven't been grinding lately.

I'll say one thing first: I think for what it is, the a price of about $35 (instead of $55) would be much more reasonable. You don't exactly get a feeling of "durable" when you're putting it on or taking it off. In fact, I broke the cross bar that holds the filters apart on the back of the unit, just trying to pull tube open to put the thing on. It was a cold day and the tubing was kind of stiff. As I flexed it open, it cracked right on the corner where the filter attaches. Overall, it really doesn't hurt anything. I can either glue it back with some plastic cement or CA glue, and if all else fails, I'll just take the cross bar off completely and tie some paracord on the back to keep things together.

I like that you can keep it on, but still take a drink, or talk if need be. The mouth piece is adequate, although it could be a little more comfortable IMO. It'd be nice if you could adjust the angle very slightly, depending on if you're looking up or down. If you're getting showered with dust, you are gonna get some around your lips/mouth, obviously. That's one advantage of a well fitted face mask.

At the end of the day, the price is a little high for what you get, but still cheaper than lung cancer... ;) I would still recommend it, and I'm still going to use it, as I'm much more likely to sling this thing around my next than put on and take off the 3M style face mask over and over again. There are a handful of things I'd change design wise, but overall, it's not bad.
 
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