Get A Respirator!

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:27 pm

Hey Folks,

I want to try and press home a point here about health/safety. Eleven years ago I was 14 and got a job working in an automotive bodyshop because I loved cars. During the year and a half I was there, I watched one of the painters, Charlie, die of complications from a tumor in his lungs. I watched another painter, George, wind up in and out of the hospital because he was prone to nose bleads and coughing fits where he would cough up blood and gunk. What they had in common was that they were both only in their 40's, neither wore a respirator and they constantly breathed lacquer fumes (yes, lacquer had been phased out by then, but it's taken a while for Urethane to catch on with the old guard). Anyway, this made an impression on me and I've gotten in a habit of wearing one whenever I'm inhaling anything potentially harmful.

Constant exposure to dust is extremely bad for your lungs. *Any* exposure to some types of sawdust (Bocote, Cocobolo, etc.) can be toxic and cause allergic reactions, coughing, trouble breathing. They're not that expensive, you only need to wear them while shaping, and they are relatively comfortable now days. Do yourself a favor and GET A RESPIRATOR IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE PIPES. Especially if you don't have a dust collection system, you need to put a filter between briar dust and your lungs.

Here are a couple of easy online stores from which to purchase a respirator. Don't think a "dustmask" style respirator is sufficient. It is not. Get a proper half-mask with replaceable filters.

www.northerntool.com
www.amazon.com
www.emedco.com

Okay, I promise not to try and be everyone's mother again for at least another 2 weeks. Happy carving.

Best,

Todd

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 1:04 pm

I'll second Todd's posting. I have a 3M half-mask with two dust *and* organic vapor filters. It's fairly comfortable, and I can breath extremely well with it on. The seal around your nose/mouth is positive, and absolutely nothing gets in. Cost me all of $45 at Lowes. It's a great investment in my health.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 1:59 pm

Here's another link. This is for a 3M, probably similar to Kurt's, but much less expensive. You can get the mask for around $10 and the filters for $3.50 a pair.

http://www.leonardsafety.com/leonardsafety.storefront/

Jeff

joshl · Post by **joshl** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 11:42 pm

I totally agree. I purchased a respirator about a month ago after I recieved a warning from my brother. In addition to wearing it when shaping, I also wear it when I use my sandblast cabinet. Even though it's enclosed there are plenty of ways for those miniscule glass beads to exit the cabinet. Then they're just floating there waiting for you to breath them in. Trust me, you don't want those in your lungs.

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:13 am

joshl wrote:I totally agree. I purchased a respirator about a month ago after I recieved a warning from my brother. In addition to wearing it when shaping, I also wear it when I use my sandblast cabinet. Even though it's enclosed there are plenty of ways for those miniscule glass beads to exit the cabinet. Then they're just floating there waiting for you to breath them in. Trust me, you don't want those in your lungs.

You're exactly right that a respirator should be worn during sandblasting. I think I probably assume that nobody here is doing any sandblasting, but that's just because everyone has a screen name that I don't know them by. Heck Josh, you could be Jess Chonowitsch for all I know.

FWIW the body can actually metabolize glass bead. You certaintly don't want it in your system, but it's not "toxic." Aluminium Oxide on the other hand is a scary material to think about breathing in its atomized form. Also, FWIW (hushed whisper tone on) give up on the glass bead and move to 220 grit Aluminium Oxide at 80PSI with a #2 porcelain tip (hushed whisper tone off).

Best,

Todd

JMB · Post by **JMB** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 8:31 am

" Also, FWIW (hushed whisper tone on) give up on the glass bead and move to 220 grit Aluminium Oxide at 80PSI with a #2 porcelain tip (hushed whisper tone off). "

I heard that. lol

joshl · Post by **joshl** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 8:57 am

Thanks Todd, that may give me the blast that I've been looking for.

whitebar · Post by **whitebar** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 12:13 pm

I agree completely with Todd on this. Respirator=good idea. One can never be too careful. I always wear mine when sanding and shaping with power tools.