Can you wear a respirator with a beard?

[Jesse Cloud]

Hi all. The old lungs don't snap back so quickly these days after using routers, miter saws, and other tools that seem to evade my dust control system. The disposable masks don't seem to do the job either. I was thinking about getting a respirator, but I have a beard. Anyone out there with a beard use one effectively?

Thanks in advance,
Jess

[Donald B]

Unless you can get a good seal between your face and the mask it doesn't work. The air will take the path of least resistance, through your beard, nevertheless, you will filter some of the big particles in your beard.:D

donald

[Rick Gibson]

About the only way they will work effectively with a beard is to smear the beard with something like vaseline that will provide a good seal. That's what we had to do in the nuclear power plants to get a seal around the face. There are full face masks that use pressurized clean air such as the triton respirator. There is a review here.
http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/tritonrespirator.htm

They aren't cheap but they will work with a beard.

[Cecil Arnold]

Jessie, for what you want, you might look at the Trend air shield. It uses forced, filtered air and would give you some degree of protection. To answer your question though, no, you can't have a beard and get protection from a respirator. Somewhere there is a Fed. Court ruling about firefighters that stated that they couldn't have beards because of the problem with getting a seal with their SCBA equipment. For woodworking, however, I think the Trend would fit your needs.

[tod evans]

jesse, i`ve never found a mask that works well with a beard, a positive pressure hood will be your best option if you can stand wearing one....02 tod

[Mark Rios]

Donald's exactly right Jesse.a full face, air-fed shield "might" work better for you, depending on where the seal is located under your chin but, for the most part, beards and respirators just don't mix. Sorry.

BTW Donald, the TOS says that we need to use real and full first and last names here. You can PM Jackie Outten and have her fix it for you. (Just trying to help Ken out since he hard such a time over in that DC thread :D ) Welcome to the Creek Donald.

[Steve Clardy]

Seen a system just the other day for beards.
Its been around for some time.
I don't have one, but looks like it would be the ticket for old beardies like me and others.
It has a mouth piece, nose clips, and wraps around your face, with the filters behind your head.
The only problem I would have with it, is the nose pinchers:eek: :)

[Jeremy Chisholm]

That system (tubes, nose pincher) is in the latest Hartville tool catalog that arrived on my doorstep yesterday. No idea how it works, doesn't look comfortable though... my2c

[Mark Rios]

Seen a system just the other day for beards.
Its been around for some time.
I don't have one, but looks like it would be the ticket for old beardies like me and others.
It has a mouth piece, nose clips, and wraps around your face, with the filters behind your head.
The only problem I would have with it, is the nose pinchers:eek: :)


I stand corrected. Thanks for the clarification Steve.

I may just have to grow a beard now so I can try it. :D :D :D

[Bill Grumbine]

Jesse, I have been wearing a positive pressure air helmet of one sort or another for years now, since about 1993. I have a full beard, and as has already been mentioned, beards only filter out larger chips. My wife hates it when I run out the door of the shop to town with a beard full of shavings! :eek:

I ran into the same problem when I started spraying finishes, so I bought a Breathe Easy from 3M. Neither is very cheap, although I was able to get the Breathe Easy used from Airware America. It sure beats hacking and coughing though!

Bill

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

That's a lot of bother what with wearing a bubble over your head hauling a air hose around and trying to play in the shop at the same time.

Why not up grade the final stage of your Filter system??

[Jamie Buxton]

I wear a respirator with a beard. I understand the argument that it can't possibly seal well, but my experience is different. With the respirator and a simple particle filter, I can't smell the sawdust. With the respirator and an organic vapor filter, I can't smell finishes. Yet when I take the respirator off, I can clearly smell the sawdust or the solvent. My nose may not be the best test device, but clearly the respirator is doing some good.

My respirator of choice is a 3M 6000 series. It comes in three sizes, so you get to pick the one which fits your face best.

[Howard Acheson]

Seen a system just the other day for beards.
Its been around for some time.
I don't have one, but looks like it would be the ticket for old beardies like me and others.
It has a mouth piece, nose clips, and wraps around your face, with the filters behind your head.
The only problem I would have with it, is the nose pinchers:eek: :)

I didn't know that was still around. The maker has been unsucessfully trying to get NIOSH approval for years. It is not considered an effective, foolproof system.

If dust is a serious health problem for an individual who has a beard, the choices are to shave the beard, get a forced fresh air type respirator or stay out of the shop.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I can't smell the sawdust. [...] I can't smell finishes. Yet when I take the respirator off, I can clearly smell the sawdust or the solvent. My nose may not be the best test device, but clearly the respirator is doing some good.

I believe that smell is the best test for fit and seal.
We used to use Banana oil fpor seal testing and fitting masks as the smell is strong and the molecule small.

[Steve Clardy]

I didn't know that was still around. The maker has be unsucessfully trying to get NIOSH approval for years. It is not considered an effective, foolproof system.

If dust is a serious health problem for an individual who has a beard, the choices are to shave the beard, get a forced fresh air type respirator or stay out of the shop.

Well. I'm not shaving, not planning on buying a zipper suit:eek: with a hose trailing behind me, and I am staying in the shop.:D
I have no health issues with dust.:D

[Erik Rudd]

Well. I'm not shaving, not planning on buying a zipper suit:eek: with a hose trailing behind me, and I am staying in the shop.:D
I have no health issues with dust.:D

Yet....according to some...

[Geoff Harris]

I have a beard and I wear a mask type respirator. It does a good job of reducing the dust I breathe. The fit is such that if I cover the filters and breathe in the mask sucks up against my face; there is still some leakage around my beard. It makes all the difference to my sinuses when I work in the shop. As for long term fine dust that may find it's way past the filters that's another issue all together and one I have yet to address.

BTW, I do have a good dust collection system and still use the mask every time I'm in the shop.

[Bill Grumbine]

That's a lot of bother what with wearing a bubble over your head hauling a air hose around and trying to play in the shop at the same time.

It's no bother at all, and it sure beats the heck out of reconstructive surgery, dentalwork, or emphysema.

Bill

[Bruce Wrenn]

Many of us with sleep apthnea (sp?) wear a mask at night. The machine furnishes air under slight pressure to keep airways open. The mask portion is similar to a fighter pilot's face mask. New the machines aren't cheap, but many people have trouble wearing the mask and return them to medical supply houses. Then they become "used " and are a lot cheaper. Get a new mask and a used machine. Locate the machine away from dust sources, or in a filter box. Run hose to face mask. I have used a CPAP for over three years and have a full beard.

[Bruce Page]

Jesse, I worked in a plutonium facility once and had to be fitted for a Scott Air-Pac. The first thing I had to do was lose the beard. Sorry, they need a tight seal to be effective.

[Bruce Benjamin]

As has already been mentioned, Hartville Tool sells the Resp-O-Rator and Resp-O-Rator Jr. I have the Jr. version and I'm very happy with it. The only drawback I have with it is the nose clip. Because it's made of wire it isn't the most comfortable but it's not too bad. It's easily bendable to fit your nose but after a while my nose still gets slightly sore. Most of the time I don't wear the nose clip and just concentrate on breathing through my mouth. Some people have already accused me of being a mouth breather anyway so...:rolleyes: Without the nose clip it's no problem at all but if I'm wearing it for extended periods I find I have to remember to not breath through my nose. I haven't tried one yet but I'll bet one of those swimming nose clips would be much more comfortable. Check them out at Hartville Tool here http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10834 and here http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10997 . I'm surprised these aren't more popular since they're so cheap and work so well.

Bruce

[James Duxbury]

Have to tell you---I invented the mouthpiece Resp-O-Rator. I don't have a beard but made it to fit under a full face shield. We have upgraded the filters from 99% to to the full HEPA type. That is a minimum efficiency of 99.97% at 0.3 microns.

It is perfect seal to your face even with a full beard and the best particulate filter made. At any cost!

The Resp-O-Rator $50.00, a face shield $20.00, and ear plugs $2.00 Total protection. Sure beats $275.00 plus no little batteries to charge, light weight, runs for more than 4 hours, you can get 5 sets of filters for what theirs cost on and on. I made it for myself. I am cheap and want the best.

Bend the stainless steel wire in the nose clip to just close your nose (it's not a glue joint) or better yet just breathe through your mouth. Swimmers snorkel tubs don't have nose clips.

Most of all, whatever kind of protection you use check the filter efficiency and micron size. Fine dust filter, final filter, etc. may help but actually mean nothing.

[walter stellwagen]

I have copd (mild) and am on oxygen at 8000 feet. Does anyone know of a face mask that one can attach a canulla to rather than a pump and filter?

Walt