New Respirator.....I'm thinking this is the one!

EdCaffreyMS

EdCaffreyMS

"The Montana Bladesmith"
Morning everyone!

With what's happened to me, lung protection has become a big priority. When I got home from the surgery and was able, I started researching new respirators for shop use.

After a about a weeks worth of digging around, I settled on the 3M 7500 series half face masks. I found a good deal on them and ordered three last week. They arrived in yesterday's mail, and I started testing them. These respirators actually seal as good or better than my military gas masks did! I think I might just have found the mask for me.

When I was researching, I found several instances where 3M stated that these masks were 60% more efficient than anything they had produced in the past.
These masks take various filters that 3M produces, but I decided to go with this one: 3M 2097 Particulate P100 Respirator Filter its a particulate filter with nuisance level vapor/gas protection. The only down side is that now I have about 75 sets of filters for my old 3M 7200 series masks..... guess there is always ebay! :)

Once I get back to working, I'll let everyone know more about these masks and how well they work.
 
I like the looks and write up on that respirator Ed. Where did you find the best deal on them?
 
I wore a resperator with similiar filters when I welded galvanized steel for 10 hours a day. Before you throw an old filter away cut it in half and take a look at the inside. The ones I wore welding were completely brown on the inside after only two days. Some guys didnt even wear them.:eek:

The ones I use now at home are the hard plastic filters by 3m. Not sure of the model but they are more for vapors . It works good enough to block the fumes of super glue but my eyes still get hit by the fumes.

Good luck with it Ed.
 
You guys are gona shoot me, but after looking everywhere I could online, I resorted to Ebay. I actually found an auction that had ended with a winning bid of $13.00! I was bummed because I had missed the auction, but as I read the entire description, the individual stated that they had "a number" of these masks, all brand new, and would be willing to sell more at the winning price for the auction.....I sent a message through ebay asking about them, and got a response right back. I purchased 4 of them for $13 each plus shipping. I went back today to try to find the listing, and can't seem to....wish I would have kept the contact information for the seller.

Just do what I did.... searched for either "3M 7500" or "3M respirator" on Ebay, and then picked through each item that came up until I found what I was looking for. My wife calls me an "Ebay-aholic", but when I can get the same thing for half the price...you bet! I also found several of the 7500 respirators on Ebay for around $20 on the "Buy it Now" auctions.
 
After reading about your adventures, Ed, I'm askeered to go near anything that will generate particles unless I'm wearing this:

MasterReplica_DarthVaderHelmet.jpg


All joking aside, if I'm hand sanding and/or filing wood and steel (I don't do micarta or other phenolics), what type of air filtration should I be looking for? Or will I not generate enough airborne particulates for it to matter?
 
There was a time when I would have scoffed at someone if they had told me that I should wear a respirator to do any hand finishing....but after my adventure, my thoughts now are that if there is even a chance that you MIGHT need to protect your lungs...then you DO IT!
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
There was a time when I would have scoffed at someone if they had told me that I should wear a respirator to do any hand finishing....but after my adventure, my thoughts now are that if there is even a chance that you MIGHT need to protect your lungs...then you DO IT!
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I agree Ed.

For myself, when I'm hand sanding I feel like I am closer to the work, even if things are moving at a slower pace.

I do some of my knifework at home and some at work but only have one decent respirator so have been using some cheap disposable respirators at work rather than bringing the good one back and forth. Based on your recommendation I have put a bid in for a 7500 over here so I can have two. I already have a 3M that's very similar and I'm very happy with it.
 
I've placed these on my Christmas list and called Santa with an update.
 
John T Wylie Jr. said:
What size did you go with Ed ? Large ? Wondering how their sizing runs.
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I am going to go this question one better as I don't know you personally. I would describe myself as 6'/ 257. A preetty good sized fellar.

So does that mean if a large fits you it will fit me? Plus I wear a beard (that helps me to hide some of that ugly) :D

How does the beard play into these particular masks?

Damn, its good to get on here and hear from you and see that you must be feeling better. 2thumbs to you Ed!!!!!!!!
 
Keep in mind that when dealing with a respirator the size will be determined by the dimensions of your head and face. If you are a guy with a beard, you will not get the full protection of the respirator due to the inability of the respirator to form a seal around your face. Even with a beard, the protection provided will be much higher than other options available (ie. paper/cloth masks).
 
I actually purchased 2 mediums, and 2 larges, simply because I did not know which would fit me best. Upon trying them, I found that the large worked BEST for me. Most of the other respirators I've owned have been one respirator called a Med/Lrg size. If you really want the respirator to work...your either going to have to loose the beard, or at least trim it very close just under the chin where the bottom seals, and again where the mask contacts your cheeks.
The wearing of a gas mask is the biggest reason that beards are not allowed in most military organizations. It was always said that in a chemical environment, a beard would get you dead.

SOMETIMES with masks you can get a ROUGH idea of your size by the size hat you wear. I'm right on the border line between a medium and a large mask, based on my hat size of 7 3/8.

The only real way to ensure you have the right size is to try it, and see which works for you.
 
I cannot agree enough with you Ed. I would strongly suggest to anyone to at a minimum have a good particulate respirator, the rubber face fitting kind, the white disposable ones WILL NOT give you the protection you think you are getting!!! Another suggestion is an air source blowing across your grinder to the outside, or a dust evac system. They are not that hard to put together, and can be scrounged fairly cheap.

As I was told by a Dr., ANY foreign material that is deposited in the lungs has the potential to cause great harm! When you consider some of the exotic materials we use, not to mention grinding materials that have been stabilized, or glued, it can be pretty scary what we are exposing our bodies to!!

Ed hope you continue with your recovery! God Speed my friend.

God Bless
Mike
 
I've tried full face respirators, but only two different ones. The main issue with them was being able to see what I was doing, especially when I was at the grinder.
 
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