what is the best respirator i can buy?

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swamp

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I'm looking for a respirator, so I don't die from metal and micarta dust. What do I need to look for?
 
WOW!!! I just went out in the garage grabbed my us divers snorkel, and smacked myself right in the face with it!!!! Why couldnt i have applied that experience with the need for respirator to overcome my beard efficiently...Its too damned hard to think of everything, so im gonna give up some dough for the duxterity, thanks Karl!!!! Gosh, just this morning i was cursing my 3m full face!! GHaile
 
I'll go with Karl. Been using a resp-o-rator for several years now. On my second (the plastic
eventually fatigues and breaks) but I wear it almost all the time, light, comfortable, no vision
impairment (and no restrictions on eye protection).
 
I am a fan of the AirCap II powered respirator. It is sort of a lighter weight version of the Trend respirator.
Super comfortable and easy to wear with glasses and beards. Positive air flow and the battery pack drops in your back pocket or clips on your belt. Four C-cells last a long time. I bought a set of rechargable C-cell batteries at HF and use them sometimes. but the Duracell bulk packs from CostCo are so cheap that I mainly use the disposable batteries.
I made a similar battery pack up for my Trend, and don't have to re-charge the helmet all the time now. I just plug in the pack and drop it in my left rear pocket.
Another nice feature is that the Aircap II is less "weird" looking to the neighbors. When I wear the Trend, I know some folks must think I'm cooking meth or something really dangerous out in those buildings. The AirCap just looks like a funny ball cap hat.

markb,
Have you used one of those units....I have. It sounds like a jet airplane is taking off in the hood. You will need good ear protection.
I only use it for handling toxic fume substances where breathing the ambient air, filtered or not, would be a really bad idea - working with Hydrochloric Acid, Cyanide, etc.

On the subject of ear protection,....... this is a badly ignored area by smiths. A good set of ear plugs at a minimum is nearly a necessity.
I recently bought a noise canceling head set with several modes of cancellation. Boy is it nice! I can also plug an Ipod into it to listen to tunes while not hearing the loud sounds made by tools in the shop. It works well for forging,too. It fits over my AircapII respirator just like I was wearing a ball cap.
 
swamp said:
I'm looking for a respirator, so I don't die from metal and micarta dust. What do I need to look for?
Click to expand...

If it's a filter respirator then a proper "Face fit test" to ensure you get a good seal around the face is THE most important thing. No point in spending money on filters down to 2 microns when you've got half a mil gap around various parts of the mask. A powered respirator (normally)eliminates the need for a face fit test, as the positive pressure will blow the dust away from any gaps. The proper face fit test involves wearing the mask with a specially adapted filter to monitor airflow/pressure. You do a number of tasks to simulate extreme working conditions and the mask is monitored for leaks. It takes about 1/2 hour to do the test.
The other thing to wartch out for is how the mask integrates with your other kit (safety specs, ear defenders etc.) Also if you have a full beard, you're pretty nuch limited to powered respirators, as no matter how fine your hair is, there's no way it filters in the micron range.

The other thing is, you might want to consider hooking up a dust extractor/ vacuum cleaner to your grinder, it'll reduce the amount of cleaning required as well as proitecting anyone else who comes into the workshop.
 
Stacy, I do own the hobby air unit. Bought it for painting cars. Had not noticed the noise and was using the hood. Ear plugs are a must for me.
Plan on getting the half mask in the near future. The hood keeps fumes from entering the body through your eyes, but i don't feel I need it for grinding.
 
You need one that fits properly! Most local companies that specialize in protective gear can perform a "fit test" using strong smelling (but safe) chemicals to make sure there is no leakage between the mask and your face. Once you have the right style/size facemask, they can give you cartridges that will filter out whatever is in your shop air.
 
Mark,
I took a second look at the unit you posted. Yours has just a face mask, so it may be quieter. Mine has a full hood, with the hose entering at the back of the neck. The noise generated by the squirrel cage blower is really high pitched and loud. I have a full face mask that i was thinking of connecting to the unit and seeing if it would be quieter. Good to know that yours seems so. I'll give it a try.
 
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