Respirator for forging?

D

DrThunder88

Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
957
I had given my propane forge a workout today and afterward upon blowing my nose I noticed some black boogers. After snorting out as much of the sooty snot as I could, I decided to check to see what your guys use and see if my 3M 7500 half mask with P100 filters is suitable for forge work. My guess is that, since I wear it around grinder sparks, it should be okay, but better safe than sorry.
 
I wear a 7500 series at work... this is around a coke oven. We do have to change cartridges every 24 hours thought (nasty stuff).

Now that I write this I'm not sure if it will help, sorry.

Ski
 
Personally (feel free to call me a fool) it would drive me crazy wearing a respirator while forging. It's bad enough wearing one while grinding. I'm not aware of a large number of people who forge while using one either. Maybe I just hang out with dumb folks... but I bet those black boogers have more to do with non-forge related particulates in your shop.
 
Black Boogies is just a side effect to forging to me, wether I'm grinding or forging black boogies have become the norm for me . . .

Jason
 
Start saving them in a jar and add them to your flux next time you make some Damascus. Gotta be some extra carbon in them.
Or add them to your home-made MyCarta for speckles!
 
Well if you are having black "boogers" it is coming from somewhere, so wear the mask or find the source. I forge outside with propane so I am booger free. But if you are inside with coal/coke maybe a fan to blow the stuff away from you.
You are right it is a serious. It booger eaters are no loss to the gene poll I say, but hey everybody has their own comfort level.
Cheers Ron.
 
I've got my Tracy Mickley-style air cleaner blowing past my forge and out the open garage overhead door.

And it's not the stuff in the boogers that bother me so much as the stuff that's not!
 
I doubt its from your propane forge giving you your black boogers. I make quite a bit of damascus and have never had that problem with propane.

I do have the issue of my pants igniting while I'm forging though... :o
 
if you are getting soot from a propane forge your mixture is way off, I would be worried about monoxide more than the soot. Add some air to your flame.

-Page
 
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