Shop Aprons

[BobR]

I saw a video somewhere recently and it looked like the guy had a nice higher end shop apron (with nice shoulder straps) that you could just brush off the sawdust or whatever. The cotton ones I use obviously get dirty and I wait way to long to wash them. Anyone use something of a superior material that sawdust or other materials don't stick to.? If so, are they comfortable to wear?

Thanks!

[dogcatcher]

I use a light weight leather welder's apron because I use a Foredom for shaping. If I screw up and the burr hits the leather it won't bunch up in the leather like it does with cloth and bust the inner cable. I also wear a leather glove on my leather hand, if I touch the leather glove, I get that micro second warning to keep from tearing up my hide.

[baweaverpipes]

I wear clothing suitable for casual attire while making pipes. I don't start making pipes looking like a factory worker. Why? I have a great dust collection set-up. At the end of the day, I shoot myself off with the air compressor gun and am ready to go.
There's no need to be dirty in your shop. Hell, I could wear a tux and go party!
Just remember that the crap in the air, that isn't collected, ends up on your clothing and IN YOUR LUNGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best money spent is for dust collection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BAW

[LatakiaLover]

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[wdteipen]

I wear a leather shop apron, too. I love it. No washing required. I just blow it off with the air compressor at the end of the day.

[BobR]

Shaping is not the problem. I do have a vac but it's the hand sanding sitting at the bench where I get dirty... and I'm not saying horribly dirty. For me, it's nice not to have to change clothes when I work on my pipes. I guess the better you get the less hand sanding you do.

I did look at McMaster-Carr and saw the leather aprons but was unsure if they was uncomfortable.

[andrew]

I'll second Bruce's suggestion. I don't use an apron anymore, and my clothes stay clean. Just drop a shop rag over your lap, that'll keep most everything off your clothes.

andrew

[andrew]

Dust collection is your (and by extension your lungs) friend.

andrew

[Sasquatch]

I use an apron. Cut from baby seal belly-skin, probably took damn near thirty of those little fuckers to make it cover my belly. I like the apron because I can hold a pipe on my chest and tool it if I need to and nothing sticks to it - prevents stain accidents etc.

Dust collection is important, vital even, but wearing an apron has little to do with that in my shop - it's more a protective layer if something shot off the lathe, a place to stick a pencil, protection from various fluids etc than it is about not getting dusty.

[LatakiaLover]

I use an apron. Cut from baby seal belly-skin, probably took damn near thirty of those little fuckers to make it cover my belly.

As in... x30???

[Alden]

protection from various fluids etc

Yuck.

[pipedreamer]

I use a padded flak vest from motocrossing days , a glove and good dust protection.
I get so dirty when making stems I smell like a rubber tire.Rinse myself off with a hose, put on my tuxedo and drink beer.

[andrew]

Yup, those are the ones. Sas used the ones I had left over from making my buffing wheels

I'm just glad the extras didn't go to waste.

andrew

[andrew]

Kitten fur didn't last as long as baby seal.

andrew

[LatakiaLover]

Kitten fur didn't last as long as baby seal.

You pipe smokers are beasts. Beasts, I say!

[pipeguy]

I make my pipes "Buck wild" thanks to dust collection I would show a pic but I think this is a family program

[BobR]

So, I'm kind of impulsive on these things at times but I found a Hobart leather welding apron on Amazon for only $17.99 and free two day shipping so I ordered it.

The leather is about 34.5" long so I think It'll be nice medium length. Thanks for the inputs. I think I'm going to like the leather. Now I can wear my tux with continence ... oops, confidence (spell checkers ) while I work before the opera.

[smokindawg]

When I remember to put it on, I wear a good leather apron that I got from a place I used to work. The guy that ran the big metal shear wore one for safety so it's heavy with double shoulder straps. It's comfortable and cleans off easily.

I do a lot of metal work on the lathe and use a mill too so the apron works real good for that.

I do also have a dust collector set up and it's does help a lot when it comes too keeping the dust out of the shop.

[The Smoking Yeti]

I want a cool leather apron. People might take me seriously then. I guess I should buy dust collection first though. Any suggestions on units?

[BobR]

Harbor Freight sells a decent dust collector for 199 and you can always use a 20% off coupon. I replaced the bag with a super high efficiency filter based on other comments here and it works great. It's powerful and near clean room filtration for about a 350.00 investment.