Dust masks, hearing protection, and glasses

[footprintsinconc]

slick geek - thanks for the info and tips. i am now going to look into the website that you have given.

i have some questions about a post that you did on dust collection, i will ask you later. too many things on my mind.

thanks once again.

[leehljp]

I seem to have a problem that is not really discussed here, or the recommended mask/respirators do not address. I am not big (5' 10") but apparrently I have big lungs. I have been on 14,000 ft mountains and never felt light headed. 12,000 ft Mt. Fuji seems like sea level to me.

My problem with face mask respirators pulled tight is that air escapes and fogs my glasses. I bought a double respirator recently and can go about 10 to 15 minutes before some moisture begins to escape and fog my glasses. When I take the respirator off, I see a teaspoon of moisture in there. I just assume that I have huge lungs that give off lots of moisture. Sure ain't sex causing me to get that steamed.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I have similar problems with mositure build up inside the mask. It physically drives me crazy.
I am thinking that I going to go with either the Trend Air Shield or the Triton Workshop System repsirator which also includes hearing protection.
I was recently fitted with a CPAP machine for severe sleep apnea. This tight fitting mask is no problem for me since it has fresh air being blown into it. Thats kind of my thought as to why a forced air system like the Trend or Triton could be beneficial.

[Ed62]

Someone asked about that problem not long ago. I suggested that they rub some shaving cream on the inside, then wipe it clean with a dry cloth. I'm not positive this will work, but I've heard of using it for safety glasses worn in high humidity areas where fogging is a problem. If you try it, please let us know if it works.

Ed

[jseklund]

Ed62 suggested the shaving cream trick to me- and I tried it. It actually did cut down on the fogging quite a bit. I have since found out toothpaste is supposed to do this also. It can be a bit tricky if you get shaving cream in small crevices of the mask, but give it time and then clean it all out. It works well.

As for the respirator- everyone seems to have their personal favorite. AOSafety seems to be popular because you can get them in big box stores. The North mask looks nice too. And depending on the money, if you get a full mask with forced air- you're doing well.

I have a mask made by 3M, found on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/3M-7502-Half-F...1?ie=UTF8&s=hi

The mask is about $20, and I use the 3M 2097 P100 filters found on amazon in two packs for $7-8. I have seen larger boxes which bring the price/filter down considerably- and the filters last 40 hours of use, although for woodworking I push them a little longer. The mask is VERY comfortable and soft I've worn it for hours without even hardly noticing it's there. I went with P100 filters because I go into rehab houses here and there, and wanted to be able to use them if I came across mold, etc.

This is a great thread. I was fortunate enough to see some comments on this board before I started woordworking about these safety items, and it got me to actually use them. I think the thing to note is how people who wear safety glasses talk about having to wipe them off constantly because of the dust. What we don't thnk about is that the dust on the glasses would have been going into our eyes if they did not create a barrier. If you have ever drywalled and sanded, you may know what a bad idea it is to not use a mask. I learned the hard way. First time I drywalled I had plaster up my nose for 2 weeks. It just keeps coming out, and you can't blow it out fast enough. (Not to be gross- but this may get someone to wear a mask). Woodworking isn't quite as bad as plaster, but you get a similar effect if you don't wear a mask. Hearing protection too- you won't notice how much less you get fatigued until you start using ear plugs. I just get the disposable roll up ear plugs. They knock down about 30 db, are easy, and like someone else said- you can still hear the things you need to.

[BigguyZ]

Well I know that for myself a dust mask is an important safety tool for me. I have a basement workshop, and I don't have the space/ $$ for a full sized DC. I use my shop vac whenever I can, and am planning on building a cyclone adaptor for it. Anyways, when I started working with "wood", it was actually with MDF. That stuff is harsh, so I always wore my AO Safety respirator whenever I made any cuts. But now that I'm mostly working with plywood and hardwoods, I'm trying to get something a little less extreme. The 3M/ North masks look like they might be good options.

For the AO CoolMax masks, how well do they seal against your face? I still use MDF a fair amount. Would they be acceptable for that too?

[Slik Geek]

I can't speak for MDF - never have used the stuff. But given my sensitivity to sawdust, the CoolMax must be working well, or my body would be complaining.

The CoolMax seems to seal quite well, better than any disposable mask that I have used. They seal better, I suspect, because they are not at all rigid - they don't try to maintain a certain shape, they form to your face. The only firmness in them is at the nose. A metallic strip is embedded at the nose bridge.

The first time you put a new mask on, you form the bridge against your nose (similar to other disposable masks). There are two straps, an upper and a lower one, and they hold the mask securely against your skin. The nose area is generally where leaks occur in disposable masks. The CoolMax works at least as good there as any disposable that I've tried. The key is forming that nose bridge carefully the first time.

A beard may reduce the effectiveness of the seal. Recently, I was going for the "three-day growth" look. I found the whiskers against the mask somewhat uncomfortable during long periods of use.

During "high-risk" dust operations, you may want to try what I do to help improve the body's natural filtering mechanism. I keep some saline nasal spray in the shop. I snort that before donning the mask to make sure the nasal filtering system is operating a peak efficiency. (Those of you with seasonal allergies and a chronic runny nose won't need to do this. I tend to dry out, so this helps me).

[Ed62]

I found the AO Safety CoolMax at Menard's this morning ($5.99 for a pack of 2). After using it for the first time, I'm very happy with it. It's easy to breathe through, it's comfortable, lightweight, and seems to do the job. And it does not interfere with my glasses. Thanks again to everyone for the suggestions.

Ed

[BigguyZ]

I think I'll try the Coolmax masks at Menards first. If I like 'em, I'll order from McMaster. I actually tried using a disposable "doctor type" mask, sound similar to the coolmax. Doesn't have a rigid form, metal nose piece. I bought a box of 25 or so from HF on sale. They don't work very well at all, and if I wear safety glasses instead of a shield, it fogs them up easily. If that doesn't work, I'll go for the North or 3M version....

[djkert]

I have a question regarding the dust masks. How often can you reuse them before throwing them out?

Also how often do you take them on and off during a hour or two of cutting and sanding. Seems to me that if you were to take them off and set them on a table and then put it back on again, you would just be inhaling all the dust that settled on the mask. So I guess if I were to take it off it would have to be in another room, correct?

[Slik Geek]

I have a question regarding the dust masks. How often can you reuse them before throwing them out?

I can't quantify how long the CoolMax masks can be reused, except that they last me quite a number of sessions. How long you reuse them before throwing them out primarily depends upon how much you sweat when using them. (Perspiration seems to be the primary mechanism of "soiling"). After awhile, they start stinking a bit, so your tolerance level generally determines the disposal point!

I generally have two or three masks in play at any time. If I plan on doing a greater level of physical activity (ie sweating), I'll grab the heavily used mask.

Note that I store the masks away from the shop, in a dust-free zone.

Also how often do you take them on and off during a hour or two of cutting and sanding. Seems to me that if you were to take them off and set them on a table and then put it back on again, you would just be inhaling all the dust that settled on the mask. So I guess if I were to take it off it would have to be in another room, correct?

I have my mask on as soon as I start sawdust generating activities, and it generally stays on the entire time I'm in the shop. When I leave the shop to get something, I take the mask off for a "face break". (Note that I'm recovering from an acute sawdust sensitivity, so I may be more "intense" in mask use than others).

If you have a room air dust cleaner and decent dust collection, you might be fine taking off the mask an hour or so after cessation of dust-making. It is difficult to say what amount of time is "safe". You need to allow time for the hazardous fine dust floating around to be captured by the room air filter. If you don't have one, I'd recommend wearing the mask continually, It may take a day for the dust to settle. (And I would recommend that you make room in your tool budget for a room air filtering system).

[Ed62]

I think you'll find that how long you leave it on will depend on how comfortable it is to wear. Since I tried the AO Safety CoolMax, I've been wearing it from the time I start making dust, till I'm done with my shop session unless I have a prolonged time where I'm not making dust.

Ed

[BigguyZ]

I tried the Coolmax last night, since I was doing cleanup, which I fend tends to kick up some dust (and, I was looking for an excuse). It's not terrible, and I have yet to check if it fogs the safety glasses, but I can't say it's very comfortable. I find the nose strip pinches a bit much if I try to get a decent seal. I'll keep playing with it, bu I may go to the 3M or North masks listed above....

[Curly Qsawn]

I have noticed a lot of new development in "tactical" and motorcycle prescription eyewear in the last few years. Has anyone tried something like the Wiley-x (www.wileyx.com) for shop glasses. While a bit expensive I'm wondering if they might be a more comfortable alternative to my everyday glasses. I can't see a thing without my glasses and don't want to have to change over between progressives and lined bi-focals so I'm looking for a good alternative.

[sacherjj]

I'm a little late to the party, but I thought I would share what I use. I also just purchased prescription safety glasses with the side guards. I feel like they will protect me find from projectiles, but not from dust. If I look over the biscuit joiner the wrong way, I'll shoot saw dust right in them. So for certain operations, I will put on my lathe full face shield. This keeps all dust off my face.

For a face mask, I love the AO Woodworkers Reusable Respirator. It seals well for me and is comfortable to use. I find that I do get quite a bit of moisture build up inside the mask and just fling out the moisture every hour or so, when I get a drink.

For hearing protection, I am using Work Tunes set to NPR or music. It makes some of the tedious shop tasks go by faster and I tend to wear them more that when I need hearing protection, which allows me to already have them on when I would have otherwise went to get hearing protection. Since I wouldn't always go get hearing protection for a "quick little cut", that is a good thing. I learn from my dad's loss of hearing after years with circular saws and routers as a contractor. BTW - Lowes or HD usually beat the Amazon price by $10.

I also have an AO Safety QuickLatch PRO Respirator that only gets use during really serious repiration needs. I prefer the other AO Woodworkers mask so much better.