Respirators/masks, what do you use?

J

jackslap

Joined
Sep 8, 2007
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7
What kind of masks or respirators does everyone use? I noticed today (my first day of grinding a knife) that I have a lot of steel dust sitting on my workbench and I was concerned that I probably inhaled a bit of it. So I double layered an old t-shirt I had around and used that.

I see that someone had a thread earlier today about building a magnet for grinding, and that may cut down on some of the dust but I'd like to get masks anyway.

Regular old hardware store dust masks, or the anti-viral masks, or respirator masks? Are any of them necessary?
 
They are very necessary. Any sort of power grinding or sanding will throw very small particles of steel, wood, synthetics, etc. into the air. These will find their way deep into your lungs and in the long term can cause scarring and in the short term lung and bronchial irritation. Also, certain woods can and often do cause people to develop sensitivites that can cause allergic and other reactions when exposed to them.

You need at lease a quality 1/2 mask that takes cartridges.

I have used THIS 1/2 mask with good success for several years.

As for cartridges, I'd say the 75SCP100 cartridges on that page are the best as they cover anything you will see in knife making. At the least, you need a P100 filter and it doesn't hurt to have organic vapor protection as well (as in the N7581P100 cartridges on that page).

Look down a few pages for a thread I posted about the Breathe Easy system I'm getting. There's some good information and wisdom on that post. Save your lungs, you kinda need 'em to live. :)

--nathan
 
Im using a WILSON PREMIER 6000 SERIES with carbon filters rp 10 /rp14 assembly .I need new cartriages. now that i looked . I also use a 1200 cfm dust collector and will be getting the paper 10 micron filter. kellyw
 
I use a 3M 7500 with either a P100 cartridge for when I'm not worried about fumes and then I hook an Organic/Formaldehyde cartridge underneath the P100 when I grind Micarta or use paints and such. Is this sufficient?
 
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DrThunder, sounds like you have yourself covered. Keep in mind that the fine dusts will stay in the air for hours after grinding, so keep the mask on. I usually structure my shop time so that when I get there, I do any non-grinding work first like hand wet sanding or handle layout, etc. Then I do grinding and keep the mask on until I leave.

--nathan
 
i used one made my AO Safety, i got the upgraded one from the basic, it was like 38 dollars or something.
 
I read that article. It is actually the reason I am holding off on my basement workshop. That superfine dust scares the shit out of me.
 
DrThunder88 said:
I use a 3M 7500 with either a P100 cartridge for when I'm not worried about fumes and then I hook an Organic/Formaldehyde cartridge underneath the P100 when I grind Micarta or use paints and such. Is this sufficient?
Click to expand...


+1 for the 7500
 
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