I need a good respirator

[Lex Boegen]

I would like a respirator with replaceable cartridges, both for organic vapors (painting, etc.) and dust protection while woodworking. I have tried the disposable paper masks, and don't like the poor fit to my face. I also have two different respirators with replaceable cartridges that I got at HD and Lowe's, but the thing I don't like about them is the narrow elastic straps that hold it to my face. They stretch out from the weight of the mask and I frequently have to re-tighten them. Is there any respirator out there that doesn't use the cheap & flimsy elastic straps? What do you pros use that have to wear respirators hour after hour?

[Matt Meiser]

3M 7500 should meet all your criteria. I haven't seen problems with stretching. I actually have 2 now, one with the OV cartridges and one with P100 cartridges. They make them in different sizes, but you might have a hard time finding anything but medium in a big box store.

I found a safety supply store that stocks all the components so you can buy a mask that fits right, then the cartridges you need. I think they might even have replacement straps. They are pretty inexpensive too.

[Jerome Stanek]

Check out the R Z mask there was a good review from a member that does a lot of carving and engraving that said it was the best she ever used.

[Gary Herrmann]

What's your budget? I've seen some respirators go for $1000.

[Carl Beckett]

Good that you are considering the fit Lex. It is my understanding that the biggest determinant of functionality for respirators is a close fit to the face (along with whether it gets used to begin with)

I like the hearing protection motto: The best hearing protection device is the one that gets used.

Same with the respirator - make sure its comfortable and easy to use. Also make sure you dont have a beard, stranged shaped face, etc... .all which can allow leakage/bypass of the respirator itself. (have seen some data on beards that show it renders a respirator mostly useless. One of the places I worked didnt allow facial hair for just this reason). Make sure it is a good fit against the face to seal against bypass (some are better than others for this, and your face shape may vary)

If the straps are stretched out then likely not creating a close fit. But I dont know of any that dont use straps. Even the full face I use has elastic straps to pull it snug.

[John Coloccia]

I wear a Trend Airshield Pro for machine work, and an air supplied hood for spraying. Since I have a beard, or scruff, most of the time, there really is no other solution other than positive pressure keeping the nasties out. None of it is cheap, but then again it's not ridiculously expensive and it's pretty comfortable.

[Van Huskey]

+1 on the 3M 7500, and the cartridges have wide availability, although they can be cheaper online it is nice to know you almost certainly can pick them up locally.

[Alan Lightstone]

+2 on the 7500. Fits well and works well. Easy to find cartridges.

[Lex Boegen]

I don't know if the medium or large would fit me better, but they're inexpensive enough that it won't break the bank if I guess wrong. Thanks!

[Lex Boegen]

What's your budget? I've seen some respirators go for $1000.

That's a little more than I was planning on spending!

[Matt Meiser]

On size--with the medium I felt like I needed the straps tight for a good seal. Not true with the large. I almost wonder if that's not what you are describing?

[Lex Boegen]

Good that you are considering the fit Lex. It is my understanding that the biggest determinant of functionality for respirators is a close fit to the face (along with whether it gets used to begin with)

I like the hearing protection motto: The best hearing protection device is the one that gets used.

Same with the respirator - make sure its comfortable and easy to use. Also make sure you dont have a beard, stranged shaped face, etc... .all which can allow leakage/bypass of the respirator itself. (have seen some data on beards that show it renders a respirator mostly useless. One of the places I worked didnt allow facial hair for just this reason). Make sure it is a good fit against the face to seal against bypass (some are better than others for this, and your face shape may vary)

If the straps are stretched out then likely not creating a close fit. But I dont know of any that dont use straps. Even the full face I use has elastic straps to pull it snug.

I'm not opposed to straps, just cheap ones that stretch easily and won't stand up to the weight of the mask. An inexpensive dive mask seals well and keeps water out under pressure, so why can't someone make a respirator with heavier-duty straps, instead of the cheesey 1/4-inch elastic straps? One of life's little agravations.

[Michael W. Clark]

+3 on the 3M respirators. Mine is not the 7500, but one thing I would get is one that will quickly disconnect and allow you to keep the respirator fastened around your neck. Mine does not and it can be a nuesaince at times. Lab Safety Supply has a large selection on-line. If you think you are in between a medium and large, get the smaller.

I got fit-tested for one when I did a dust collection survey in a chlorine plant. I thought medium would fit me, but I couldn't get it to seal during the fit test, so I had to use a small. Believe me, you know quickly when its leaking in a chlorine plant. All the employees there used full-face respirators, but they were wearing them all day, everyday.

Mike

[Lex Boegen]

I wear a Trend Airshield for machine work, and an air supplied hood for spraying. Since I have a beard, or scruff, most of the time, there really is no other solution other than positive pressure keeping the nasties out. None of it is cheap, but then again it's not ridiculously expensive and it's pretty comfortable.

Thanks John. I'm looking at powered respirators on Amazon now, and $400+ is a little more than I'd like to spend, but like you said, it's not ridiculously expensive either. I see from the reviews that some people like that they can wear glasses under the mask and they won't fog up, so that's another tick mark in the "plus column" for getting a powered respirator.

[Michael W. Clark]

Apparently Grainger bought Lab Safety Supply. Labsafety.com sends you to Grainger. They have half masks and powered respirators as well with a lot of different brands. I have the 6000 series 3M, but would get the 7500 if buying again. Like Matt referred to, if you have to get the straps really tight, it may be due to the mask size or construction of the sealing piece. I have a half mask from Woodcraft that i can't get it to seal at all, but the 3M mask seals pretty easily. A good half mask is a huge step-up from a paper filter both in terms of comfort, sealing, and filtration. I have the P100 dust filters and a set for VOCs and other gasses.

[Lex Boegen]

Thanks everyone for your input. I just ordered a 3M 7503 (large) respirator with a pair of 2091 P100 filters. One nice thing that I learned about this half-mask, is that I can add a 3M dual air hose accessory to convert it to a powered respirator. And of course, 3M filters and cartridges are readily available. It's nice to have choices.

[Carl Beckett]

A question for the group here on fogging of glasses - this is an issue for me.

I always assumed that if my glasses were fogging it was because there was a warm air leak up around my nostrils allowing my breath to divert up under my glasses.

That is - a poor seal.

If the respirator is properly sealed, would glasses still fog?? (in other words if you fog your glasses then its false security in that your respirator isnt working?)

It might not be this at all.... but just throwing the though process out there for the group to chime in on

[Lex Boegen]

Your exhaled breath contains a lot of moisture, so that could be the cause of the fogging. One of the reviews on Amazon for the 3M 7500 respirator specifically stated that this respirator has a downward-facing exhaust valve, and it prevents glasses from fogging up (and I am a glasses wearer, so that also helped sway me to order this respirator.)

[Harry Hagan]

+1 for the air-supplied hood

[Michael W. Clark]

A question for the group here on fogging of glasses - this is an issue for me.

I always assumed that if my glasses were fogging it was because there was a warm air leak up around my nostrils allowing my breath to divert up under my glasses.

That is - a poor seal.

If the respirator is properly sealed, would glasses still fog?? (in other words if you fog your glasses then its false security in that your respirator isnt working?)

It might not be this at all.... but just throwing the though process out there for the group to chime in on

Carl, I would suspect that it is a poor seal, but I have had my glasses fog at times when not wearing a respirator. However, that is one of the reasons I don't like the paper masks, is they always seem to fog my safety glasses, and I know they have a poor seal when I use them.

Try tightening the straps, if you have to tighten too much where it is uncomfortable, consider a different size.

Mike

[Mike Manning]

I have zero dust collection in my "shop" (read 3rd car garage). I'm going to start addressing that with a respirator. I found this thread from 2012 and think I'll get the 3M 7500 from Amazon and give that a shot. Quite a few of the commentors thought it was a good respirator. Just wondering if guys still feel that way about it? I also have zero clue whether to order a small, medium or large. I don't believe I have a particularly large head and also don't have a peanut head. I guess I'll shoot for the medium and hope that's the right size. What filters do you recommend to protect from sawdust? How often do you find it necessary to change filters?

Thanks as always!
Mike

[John K Jordan]

I have zero dust collection in my "shop" (read 3rd car garage). I'm going to start addressing that with a respirator. I found this thread from 2012 and think I'll get the 3M 7500 from Amazon and give that a shot. Quite a few of the commentors thought it was a good respirator. Just wondering if guys still feel that way about it? I also have zero clue whether to order a small, medium or large. I don't believe I have a particularly large head and also don't have a peanut head. I guess I'll shoot for the medium and hope that's the right size. What filters do you recommend to protect from sawdust? How often do you find it necessary to change filters?

Thanks as always!
Mike

Mike,

I haven't tried the 7500 (but I might now) but I have four or five 3M respirators in the 6200 and 6300 series and they are perfect for my use. They look similar. Light weight, comfortable, easy to put on/off quickly. I use the P100 filters. I have used one of these for about 20 years, so long the strap is wearing out! This is the type they used at the national Lab where I worked before retiring.

I worried about the size too. I bought some medium and one large. I can't really tell any difference when wearing them, both seal well. Perhaps try a medium. They are pretty cheap, but Amazon will probably let you return it if necessary. An extra one in a different size might be useful anyway for a shop visitor.

I also got a couple of the 3M full face respirators which I don't use as much but they are also comfortable. I use them more with the vapor cartridges when spraying chemicals.

BTW, I do have good dust collection but I use these when sanding. (I also use one when blowing the dust out of the coats and shearing the llamas and alpacas.)

JKJ

[Yonak Hawkins]

Lex, I use the Eclipse P100. It's small, lightweight and seems to fit well to my face. I don't care for how the straps worked so I removed the straps from my 3M and use those on the P100. I take the respirator off and on at least a dozen times a day and it's pretty easy.

[Bill Dufour]

Racal is the brand I know for supplied air. I bought mine used for about $50. hepa filter at the waist, hose to a hardhat with face shield, works with beard and glasses.
Bill

I remember years ago when a painter died at Gallo. He had a supplied air set up that plugged into the factory compressed air line. Problem was he connected to N2 and climbed into a huge tank and then he suffocated while breathing "air". It might not have been N2 but for sure it was not CO2 or he would have noticed.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Racal-Safety-Crusader-Full-Face-PAPR-Respirator-Mask-/162593996415?hash=item25db5b7e7f:g:~JAAAOSwDuJWzzl 2
(http://www.ebay.com/itm/Racal-Safety-Crusader-Full-Face-PAPR-Respirator-Mask-/162593996415?hash=item25db5b7e7f:g:~JAAAOSwDuJWzzl 2)

[Wayne Lomman]

If your glasses fog, it is a fit problem, discounting times when you are extremely hot from working. Nothing fixes it then.

I like the comment "make sure you don't have a strange shaped face..." Wait a minute, I'll just go change my face and then try fitting again! If you are like me and have a larger than recommended beak and a Michael Schumacher jawline, try a really good ventilation system and/or an air fed hood. Remember, personal protective equipment is the last resort in the hierarchy of safety controls. Cheers

[Ole Anderson]

I have used this 3M mask for spraying automotive finishes for years, haven't noticed the strap issue of which you speak (about $32 at HD):
http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/1000/d9/d9be28bb-1555-4a3b-b5cc-fd393d855858_1000.jpg
I am happy with this one for sanding and dust, but forget trying to use the thin paper ones. About $2 each at HD: http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-N95-Woodworking-and-Sanding-Painted-Surfaces-Respirator-Mask-10-Pack-8511PB2-A/202077815 But frankly, I don't like wearing a mask at all, so I only use the dust mask when cleaning the shop, emptying my dust bin, or doing sanding that can't be controlled by my dust collection system or ambient air cleaner.
http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400_compressed/a8/a8af3fc8-9da2-4bfc-92ca-680b55ec0cbf_400_compressed.jpg