powered faceshield/resperator?

Will52100

Will52100

Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
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My mother makes gord baskets and such and is looking for a reasonably priced respirator/faceshield. I remember seeing something like that but can't remember where. Wouldn't mind something like that myself, at least untill I get my dust collector up and running.

Thanks
 
hey stacy
are the batteries on the airsheild rechargeable it doesn't say on the website thanks chris :)
 
Great products, looks like. Stacy, I assume these are only suitable for particulate filtering? Still need the good old respirator with appropriate cartridges for organics and vapors?

--nathan
 
Fitzo here uses a 3M BreatheEasy unit, I believe. It's not exactly inexpensive, but it's a very nice unit and her lungs are worth the money. After using that unit, I can't look at canister respirators the same way.
 
The Airshield is rechargable.
The Aircap has a battery pack that fits on your belt or back pocket. You can use rechargable batteries in it.
Since I got an Aircap, I have hardly used the Airshield. Much lighter and more comfortable.
As far as the filters go, the filtration is excellent for particulate matter. Organics and other fumes are not really a big issue with most knife materials. If that is an issue, you should be looking at an excellent air exchange system for the entire shop,too. It is the steel,wood, and G-10 that will cause the most lung damage to the average knife maker.
If you blow you nose after working in the shop, and get black crud....you need some sort of respirator.

I have an external air delivery hood that I hate ( clumsy, bulky, and the fan noise), but it is the best thing when using toxic vapors. No need to filter them, when you get the good fresh air from outside. Working with cyanide is about the only time I use it.
Stacy
 
Stacy, how about when working with phenolics like micarta? Would the Aircap be enough, or would you still need a more robust filtering system to be safe. That's really the only time I can think of that I need the premo cartridges. I do work with ironwood, but most of the problems there that I'm aware of come from particulate matter.

Between the excellent air circulation I have in the shop with the overhead door open and the dust collector I have for handle materials, I'd love to get by with wearing a light supplied air system as opposed to that claustrophobic and suffocating respirator.

--nathan
 
This is a newb question but why do you need a resperatior for handel material (ie iron wood, micarta, ect.) i can understand for grinding metal. also do i need a resperator for forging?

PS: i know i can't spell lol
 
A lot of handle material contains some nasty stuff you don't want in your lungs. First off, when grinding anything, you will create fine dusts that can cause trouble. G10 for instance creates tiny little glass fibers when ground. They work their way deep into the lungs and cause scarring (i.e. silicosis). Same thing with ironwood. It contains a good amount of silica in the wood itself that is turned into fine dust when grinding. Pretty much any fine dust can cause scarring in the lungs over time. Desert ironwood and other woods can also contain fungi and other organics that can set up a nasty and potentially fatal infection in your lungs. Most exotic, and even most common woods used in handles can cause you to develop sensitivities, and the exotics can have other unknown and nasty effects. Other synthetic materials like micarta can release phenol vapors and formaldehyde when worked.

Definitely wear filtration when grinding pretty much anything. Keep in mind that the finer dust will hang in the air for hours. Hand sanding and filing isn't as bad, and a simple dust mask is sufficient.

As for forging, the biggest trouble is vapors/gasses. If your forging area is well ventilated or outside, you should be ok. It would be a good idea to get a good set of forging goggles (they filter UV and IR rays that are emitted from the forge and can damage your eyes over time).

--nathan
 
Nathan,
The problem with materials like micarta is the odor more than the vapor. The amount of free formaldehyde released is small. You would have more worry with many other formaldehyde sources ,like insulation, adhesives, and particle board.

Desert ironwood, sucupira, micarta, and some other woods smell terrible when grinding. An organic vapor filter will greatly reduce that, but it is the particulate, not the odor, that is the danger. Good ventilation, air exchange, and particle filtration/removal are the way to deal with 99% of the materials we use.

The Aircap2 was sold by woodcraft (and others) and was somewhere around $180. I did a search and it says they don't carry it anymore. I know I have seen it ,or a similar cap, on the shelves, so they probably carry a next generation model or a similar product.

A few general notes on particulate matter:

Just keeping it out of your nose while grinding won't be sufficient protection. You need to get it out of the air, and off the surfaces in the shop. That means a dust removal system of some sort....and regular vacuuming of the work areas.
Harmful particles, like G-10, should be carefully blown off your clothing outside, and cleaned up around the grinder before you take the respirator off. Your pets, children, spouse, and anyone else who visits your shop are at risk from the airborne particles drifting around for hours.

Try this - When done for the day next time you are working in the shop, place a clean piece of glass on the bench near the grinder. Close up and go have dinner. Come back tomorrow morning and wipe a finger across the glass. That is what fell from the air overnight. If you work in the shop and only wear the respirator when the grinder is on, that is what you are breathing the times you aren't wearing it. Removing the dust from the air and grinder as it is created is the best way to deal with this.

Ignoring the risks of particulate matter with the "I've done it and it didn't make me sick ...." line is just dodging the bullet. Particulate damage to the lungs is slow and sneaky. It waits until you are older and may not even make knives anymore to ruin your life. Lung transplants are possible, but expensive. Best to avoid the need for one.
Stacy
 
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