stabilzed wood, how is it on the lungs?

hardheart

hardheart

Joined
Sep 19, 2001
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I ordered up a couple power hacksaw blades to fart around with, and was thinking of putting handle scales on instead of a cord wrap. Is stabilized wood safer than micarta? I'd rather not have to dig up my old respirator just for a small project, and I also don't know if non-stabilized handles down here in the humid south would be a good idea. The blades are full hard M2, so I won't be drilling any holes for pins. Gonna have to rely on epoxy, and maybe a little decorative wrap over the wood, I really like the look of that style.
 
better safe than sorry. A new respirator is 30 bucks at lowes ore home depot, with a pair of new cartridges. Were I you, I'd pick up another, and hang it on the wall in whatever shop I have, so I wouldnt have to dig it out the next time I might need it.
 
Not wearing a respirator for any project that requires grinding or sanding is just plain DUMB! Get that old respirator out and put it where you can get it.
As I have said before. "A condom can't protect against anything if it is still in your wallet."

Stabilized wood is not particularly dangerous ( no more than unstabilized exotic woods).Any good filter that is rated for fine dust will work. Micarta requires an organic cartridge on your respirator that is rated for formaldehyde.

Be safe and live long - Stacy
 
Justin, well said! Bravo! :thumbup: The only way to answer this question.

A lot of woods are carcinogenic. Dust damage is cumulative. Do yourself a favor and dig out the mask. Emphysema sucks, I promise you.

Stacy, I had no idea you were the one who said that! Thanks, man, I owe ya! :D
 
Any other tips on what to look for in a respirator? I think Santa's bringing me a grinder for Xmas :)
 
Get one that fits the face properly. One that has a good supply of filter types available (they don't last forever). And, one that you will use .
The local Home Depot or Lowe's is a good place to look.Economy is not the prime feature.
A good two cartridge ,1/2 face mask is about $30. Add an extra set of P100 cartridges and a set of organic vapor cartridges and it will run about $50 total.
Stacy
 
I wore a respirator on a regular basis at a previous job. Different cartridges, but I think we're talking about the same thing. Yeah, my face sweated under it, but I was damn glad to have it when galloning-off formaldehyde, for instance. I didn't realize they were that affordable.
 
I just don't like those masks strapped to my face. They are hot, and fog my glasses.

I use a Resp-O-Rator with the HEPA filters. It fits under my welding helmet and works great with a full face shield and ear plugs for grinding. Draws the air in from behind you. Filters are back there too where the air is cleaner.

Costs about $50.00 and new filters are about $8.00.

Hartville Tool has them on sale. I think $45.00 with a face shield.

It is for particulates though --- not paint fumes.

www.duxterity.com
 
Mr. Duxbury, would you answer a couple questions about your device, please?

I noticed in the 2002 Fine Woodworking review that it said you were seeking NIOSH approval. Did that happen? If not, may I ask why?

When one exhales, how much of the exhaled air gets back into the tubing and onto the filters versus what leaves through the check valve?

Thanks for any answers. Pending your response I may order one today!
 
if you have to ask, wear a mask. those fuzzy ones with the yellow elastic should be just fine. i wore them in the cabinet shop and did fine. any dust is unhealthy if you inhale too much.
 
for the pins, you might try using a dremel with a cutoff wheel, make a slot instead of a hole. thats what i had to do with my file knife
 
I've using a Resp-O-Rator for several months now. On the whole I like it a lot. It does drool though -- the outtake is straight down from your mouth and I find that condensation forms in it and drips down.

It works fine with a beard (obviously!) and is by far the most comfortable respirator I've ever worn. Since it's particulate only, it doesn't provide much protection against fumes -- fortunately I like wood much better than micarta :-) The reason I say "not much protection" instead of none is that it does pull the air from behind you instead of in front.
 
fitzo said:
Mr. Duxbury, would you answer a couple questions about your device, please?

I noticed in the 2002 Fine Woodworking review that it said you were seeking NIOSH approval. Did that happen? If not, may I ask why?

When one exhales, how much of the exhaled air gets back into the tubing and onto the filters versus what leaves through the check valve?

Thanks for any answers. Pending your response I may order one today!
Click to expand...

Mike,

Drooling---There are no bite ears on the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece flange goes in front of your teeth. (Not Between Them) So your teeth can close all the way together. You can't swallow completely or control saliva with your mouth open. If you have any kind of drool problem it is because of this. Close your mouth completely, swallow, and for get about it. Some people never have a problem and some it takes a couple of weeks to get over. Thinking about saliva makes saliva.

Don't ever hesitate to ask questions. I have been through the mill with this Resp-O-Rator. It is the best. I made it for myself and use it almost every day. With a face shield. I don't even have a beard. Just can't stand those things straped to my face. Plus with glasses they obstruct your close up vision.

I would rather answer questions on here so everyone can see them too but if it works better anyone can call me at 336-227-7168 or email cyberdux@bellsouth.net. Tag it Resp-O-Rator or something. I don't open the ones I don't know.

Jim Duxbury
 
Thank you, but my questions were different than the drooling comment.

Your device appeals to me for the same reasons as it does you. Comfort, lack of obstruction, and "remote" fresh air intake.

I'm trying to find out if NIOSH approved your device, and am also concerned with cleanliness regarding bacteria taking up residence in the tubing. What are the sanitation procedures? Proper procedure for a half face involves cleaning when finished. Does the valving stop any expired breath from entering the tubing? Any comments would be appreciated.
 
fitzo said:
Thank you, but my questions were different than the drooling comment.

Your device appeals to me for the same reasons as it does you. Comfort, lack of obstruction, and "remote" fresh air intake.

I'm trying to find out if NIOSH approved your device, and am also concerned with cleanliness regarding bacteria taking up residence in the tubing. What are the sanitation procedures? Proper procedure for a half face involves cleaning when finished. Does the valving stop any expired breath from entering the tubing? Any comments would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Mike,

The Resp-O-Rator is not NIOSH approved. NIOSH does not even have a category, criteria, or a test for a mouthpiece respirator. And they are not anxious to create one for my device.

We use HEPA Filters which are the best you can buy. They are a minimum of 99.97% efficient at 0.3 microns.

Only clean HEPA filtered air can go through the tubing. The tubing is clear so that you can visually see that the filters are working properly. There is a filter on one end of each tube and a valve on the other. No expired breath can enter this tubing.

The only place any condensation, saliva, or bacteria could ever build up is in the valve chamber. The yellow cylinder in front of your mouth. The exhaust is out of the bottom of this chamber so that nothing can collect inside it. Also there is a removable black rubber grommet that lets you wash this entire area.

Other than the filters themselves the entire Resp-O-Rator can be washed in mild dish water, rinsed, and left to dry or used right away. I bring the valve chamber and mouthpiece in at night, rinse them off, and let them dry for the next day. Mine is the original prototype and it is about 5 years old. Still works fine. I used it today.

Hope this helps
 
Thank you, James. That answered my questions. I will order one and give it a try. :)

PS...order placed through Hartville. I look forward to trying it. I wear a powered respirator for longer use but needed something for brief wear. I can't get a half-face seal with even a short beard. This should do the trick.
 
fitzo said:
Thank you, James. That answered my questions. I will order one and give it a try. :)

PS...order placed through Hartville. I look forward to trying it. I wear a powered respirator for longer use but needed something for brief wear. I can't get a half-face seal with even a short beard. This should do the trick.
Click to expand...


Mike

It is the best deal I have ever seen. A power face shield is $279.00. This is a better filter, no batteries, no little fans, and only $44.98. How can you go wrong? You could have 6 of these.

http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10834

Also a new set of HEPA filters for the Resp-O-Rator is about $8.00. Theirs are like $35.00

Glad to know you are getting one. I have had many people with the power helmets, the $600.00 units, say they will use the Resp-O-Rator for just the short, small job type occasions but they like the back pack and helmet for the all day uses. After a few months though they say the Resp-O-Rator is the only thing they use.

Let me know,
Jim
 
I am very interested in this product as well. I take it the face shield is detacheable or are there two separate models, one with a permanently attached face shield?
 
Guy, I think it's just a regular face shield "bundled" with the respirator. They are not attached. It's a very good price even without the face shield.

Jim, FYI, the Resp-O-Rator is backordered at Hartville. I ordered one Saturday night online. Yesterday (Monday) I received a BO notice. Hopefully it is only the one week wait they anticipate. I appreciate the fact they didn't go ahead and charge my CC like some places do; that's good business.

Hopefully the folks who abandon their powered respirators remember the filtration limitations of their Resp-O-Rator is constrained to particles and the reason they can't smell chemicals is because their nose is pinched. :)

Protection while grinding synthetic handle materials or handling chemicals are outside the intended scope of your device, so I caution those reading this to use it appropriately. A false feeling of safety can be very dangerous.

I look forward to evaluating your device. I'll post a report on it.
 
In addition to respirators, catching the dust at its source helps not only to keep the air healthy, but it keeps the shop cleaner and healthier too. All that dust which is not only dirty but unhealthy piles up on everything. I use a dust collection system that vaccums the air right at the grinder and the buffer. These two machines produce the most dirt. Catching the crap at the source really helps clear the air.

I also use a shop air filtering system, and those HEPA filters clean much of the fine dust from the air. In the wall I have an exhaust fan. I always have that fan on during buffing operations, and for handle sanding. Steel dust is heavy by nature and does not pose as big a problem as wood sanding and buffing operations.
 
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