Please recommend respirators

[Ray Schafer]

I think that I buried this request in a longer post last week. ... but I would like recommendations on a very good respirator.

I need one for general woodworking ... and if it can work for painting and finishing, that would be great.

Please let me know what you recommend.

Ray

[Judy Kingery]

Ray, I prefer the half face one by 3M 6006. Has both particulate and chemical barriars/filter. Does fine for me and comfortable and I can wear safety glasses easily with it, reasonable cost. I should be able to find a link for you or you could probably just look up 3M respirators. See what you think and hopefully others will chime in and give you additional ideas. Jude

[Mike Cutler]

Half mask, negative pressure, respirator with removable cartridges. Select the proper cartridge for the application based on the NIOSH Rating. ( Particulate, Chemical, Gas, etc.)
Graingers has a pretty good selection, and believe it or not, so does our local Home Depot. 3M is probably the most widely known and available brand.
Buy a good one. It's a one time purchase.

[Stan Welborn]

Though I didn't get it from the river...

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Respirator-...9140415&sr=1-1

[Jason Roehl]

3M 7500 series half-mask respirator--much more comfortable than the 6000 series (uses the same cartridges).

[John Newell]

3M 7500 series half-mask respirator--much more comfortable than the 6000 series (uses the same cartridges).

Bought one recently and strongly concur.

Wish the various vendors or the mfr would post some useful sizing info, though! I ordered a large and it fits great, but it was a guess (I saw websites suggesting most males should use a medium).

[Bruce Benjamin]

I can't help you with the paint fumes but for general woodworking it think it's hard to beat the Resp-O-Rator Jr. http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10997 or the regular version of the Resp-O-Rator http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10834 . I have a beard and use the Jr. version. It works better for me than any other kind of mask that I've tried that has to seal over the face. It's pretty hard to beat .3 microns, especially for the price.

Bruce

[Joe Vincent]

Concerning the 3M 7500:
Does anyone know which cartridges are ideal for (1) woodworking and (2) painting or finishing?
Thanks!

[Josiah Bartlett]

Anything with a particulate filter is good for general sanding (the pleated ones tend to not load up as fast). You need a mask rated for VOC use for finishing, and often the MSDS or data sheet for the finish recommends which one to use.

[jason lambert]

You need the organic ones for paint they are bigger I do not have a part number but they come in a sealed package that is how you can tell. The thing to remember is they have activated charcole in them so once you open them they are only good for about two weeks, you can prolong it a bit if you put them in a zip lock bag when not in use.

[Scott Vigder]

[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/HP_ADM%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-4.jpg[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/HP_ADM%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-5.jpg[/IMG]

I bought this last month and find it very comfortable. I wear protective glasses and hearing protection, and this does not interfere with those so I can wear all three at once. It is a substantial unit with a good seal.

It is an AO brand model #95190 on Amazon for about $15.

[Mike Monroe]

3M 7500; comfortable, good fit, many cartridge options... solid, simple protection.

[Danny Thompson]

I second the AO Safety 95190 "pig snout" respirator.

[Dick Heifner]

Very good light respirator, flip it off and it hangs around your neck, pull it up and your good to go.Check it out on the wood whisper site, it can be used for paint according to one of the reviews.
Dick

[Tom Henderson2]

Hello Ray-

Masks can be a very personal thing; the mask that one person loves you may find uncomfortable, and vice versa.

I have a 3M 6000 series and it seems to be fine. I can wear it for long periods without any difficulty or discomfort.

I'm an eyeglass wearer, and find that the eyeglasses have to be set up on the mask a bit (in the nose area) but it isn't too bad. For the first couple of minutes it feels awkard but that feeling goes away after a few minutes.

As others have said, "Particulate" is the magic word for sawdust, and "Volitile organic compounds" or "VOC" is the magic word for paint.

They aren't very expensive and after a few years when the rubber starts getting hard you can replace it. Your lungs will thank you.

Filter cartridges are widely available. Buy a couple replacements when you buy the mask itself so you will hae replacements available when you need them.

Hope this helps.

-Tom H.