Anyone use a Respirator?

[Trevj1]

Wore North, MSA, and 3M half and full face masks for work.

Found North the most comfortable, was wearing it 6-7 hours a day sometimes.

If you can source the OV cartridges cheap enough, chuck a particulate filter over the end and have at. If you are not made of money, a good particulate filter is going to be really decent filtration. Be aware that te OV cartridges have a finite life, whether in use or not.

Aside from comfort (because it's not really a motivator to wear it if it isn't comfortable) fit for leakage is pretty important. Not much point in spending on cartridges, when you end up sucking fumes around the edges.

Personally, I am a lot surprised that there are not a bunch of masks available with a mouthpiece like a snorkel for swimming has, to be able to breath filtered air whether the beard is stopping the seal or not.

Another option to look at is the low profile, remote filter units designed for use by welders. Made to fit under the welding headgear, usually battery equipped with forced air, with the battery and filters worn at the waist and behind the user.

 

[Marshy]

Wore North, MSA, and 3M half and full face masks for work.

Found North the most comfortable, was wearing it 6-7 hours a day sometimes.

If you can source the OV cartridges cheap enough, chuck a particulate filter over the end and have at. If you are not made of money, a good particulate filter is going to be really decent filtration. Be aware that te OV cartridges have a finite life, whether in use or not.

Aside from comfort (because it's not really a motivator to wear it if it isn't comfortable) fit for leakage is pretty important. Not much point in spending on cartridges, when you end up sucking fumes around the edges.

Personally, I am a lot surprised that there are not a bunch of masks available with a mouthpiece like a snorkel for swimming has, to be able to breath filtered air whether the beard is stopping the seal or not.

Another option to look at is the low profile, remote filter units designed for use by welders. Made to fit under the welding headgear, usually battery equipped with forced air, with the battery and filters worn at the waist and behind the user.

Very good advive, thanks for commenting. Not sure I'm going to go clean shave just to ensure a tight fit. Yep, I know it wont seal as good as it should but I figure it's a whole lot better than nothing or just a pos dust mask...

I didnt know about the shelf life of the OV canister. That should give me some motivation to get milling. I did notice hardly any fume smell when using the OV canister, much much better than just the particulate filter alone.

Btw, there are different size masks. Not everyone face is the same size. I wear a medium so if yours doesnt fit well keep I'm mind maybe you need a different size.

 

[Trevj1]

Very good advive, thanks for commenting. Not sure I'm going to go clean shave just to ensure a tight fit. Yep, I know it wont seal as good as it should but I figure it's a whole lot better than nothing or just a pos dust mask...

I didnt know about the shelf life of the OV canister. That should give me some motivation to get milling. I did notice hardly any fume smell when using the OV canister, much much better than just the particulate filter alone.

Btw, there are different size masks. Not everyone face is the same size. I wear a medium so if yours doesnt fit well keep I'm mind maybe you need a different size.

Yeah, we did fit tests and got certified on all the different masks we used, on an annual basis. All through work. No fit check, no work. No work in the booth, at least, which meant the boss found something even less pleasant to be doing in the meantime. Once in a long while, a fella would come along that needed other than the masks we had in stock, and they would moan a bit and buy the stuff anyways, but it was at the request of the fit test staff that that went down, not just because some dude wanted his favorite brand.

You should be able to seal well enough that with your mask comfortably snug, you can put the round of your palm on to the inhale valve, or otherwise plug the inlet of the mask, and suck it tight against your face and not have it leak down. If you have to cinch it down tight, life is gonna suck a couple hours in to a paint job or session in the booth working with composite parts, or the like.

For me, the Medium North half mask fit well enough that it didn't feel uncomfortable over the course of a full day wearing it. Guys who strapped their masks on tight usually ended up with bite lines in their faces and sore from it after none too long. Not a strong motivator to wear your safety equipment.