Full Face Respirator Power or not.

[William C Rogers]

This was a good link to read https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....-Airshield-Pro.
It was posted in 2016. I want to upgrade my dust protection and there a lot of options. The first is a power respirator such as Trend or Power Cap. 3M Versa flow is another, but unsure if the added $ provides more. I don’t believe Axminister can ship theirs to the US anymore. For non power there is the Rasp-O-Rator, but think snorkeling with a nose clip. The 3M Ultimate FX Full Facepiece seems to be a good choice also and looks more comfortable.

What are you using and recommend?

[Dwight Rutherford]

I have been using the Trend AirShield Pro for 10+ years. Did a simple modification and moved the battery to my belt which makes the unit more comfortable to use for long periods. I believe the new models come with a “smart charger” which greatly improves battery life. Customer service is excellent!

[ChrisA Edwards]

I bought a Trend Airshield Pro a couple of months ago and am happy with it.


I looked at the PowerCap, sold by Axeminsiter in the UK, and found this is available here https://pekesafety.com/products/powe...rticulate-papr I saw one of these at a recent wood turning symposium, and although it's about $100 more expensive than the Trend, I may have opted for this instead. It's quite a bit lighter on the head.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

I’ve been using the Trend Air Shield Pro for nearly 10 years and use it often. Upgraded the batteries and charger about 6 years ago and it still works fine. Some have said they’re bothered by the weight, but it hasn’t been a problem for me. Customer service has been great. At the Portland symposium I struck up a conversation with the rep while I was buying some replacement filters (they hadn’t been replaced since
i bought it) and asked about replacing the face plate and strap system - he gave me the email address for them and said to reference our conversation. A week later a package arrived that allowed me to replace the straps, face shield and the fabric face seal. Its like new again and only cost me the time to figure out how to disassemble and put it all back together.

[Dick Mahany]

Another Trend Airshield Pro user here and very happy. I've also had mine for 10 years+ and it had the original non-smart charger which I believe they have long since replaced. I had to rebuild my battery packs after only a few years but after I did that and purchased a smart charger, all has been fine.

I originally bought an extra set of filters and the thin film face shields and they were worth the extra cost. Last year I went to use it and found that the headband had snapped. I attributed it to living in the desert heat and a replacement was around $50 from Craft Supplies. I do have dust sensitivity and the Trend Pro keeps me breathing easy.

[William C Rogers]

Another Trend Airshield Pro user here and very happy. I've also had mine for 10 years+ and it had the original non-smart charger which I believe they have long since replaced. I had to rebuild my battery packs after only a few years but after I did that and purchased a smart charger, all has been fine.

I originally bought an extra set of filters and the thin film face shields and they were worth the extra cost. Last year I went to use it and found that the headband had snapped. I attributed it to living in the desert heat and a replacement was around $50 from Craft Supplies. I do have dust sensitivity and the Trend Pro keeps me breathing easy.

Dick, are the thin film shield from Trend or another supplier?

[Dick Mahany]

Dick, are the thin film shield from Trend or another supplier?

The thin film protectors are from Trend. They are called visor overlays and cost around $35 plus shipping for a pack of ten. Readily available from a number of suppliers on line.

[William C Rogers]

Thanks Dick. I have looked at the Powercap and it is not rated as good as the Trend for inward leakage and cost more. I was also worried about the battery of the Trend not being lithium, but really haven’t seen anyone posting any problem about life. The last thing is weight and have seen where some just don’t like the weight. I have seen where some have moved the battery to reduce weight. The only other system I have seen that is good as the trend is the 3M Versaflo, but at triple the cost of the trend. klingspor seems to have the best price and the have the film protectors, but haven’t checked shipping.

[Dave Bunge]

I use a Norton 7700 half face silicone respirator with P-100 cartridges. It's non-powered, but works well for me. It fits easily under a bionic face shield. The breathing exit valve points down, so you don't fog up the face shield. It's very light weight and no need to worry about batteries running out. But it's no good if you have a beard or facial hair (our work rule was you had to have shaved within 24 hours to use it.) Cost is about $35 for the respirator and $8 per pair for the cartridges which last for 3 months or more. Here's a link to a supplier on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/North-Medium-...65&sr=1-2&th=1

3M also seems to have some good half face masks that are available at the big box stores. I use the Norton because I was fit tested on it at work and since there is a local supplier I can buy from.

Dave

[Randy Heinemann]

I have used the Airshield for many years. I haven’t had any problems with battery life but don’t spend more than about 4 hours at a time in the shop. I also bought an extra battery so that I could switch if I did run out. It’s great protection from the residual dust not collected by my dust collector. I don’t find it uncomfortable to wear for long periods even with the battery inside the helmet. It appeared to me, after research, that it is the least expensive high quality powered helmet on the market.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I just added the Trend ear protectors to my Trend Airshield Pro yesterday.

They were a bit of a bugger to fit the clips on, but I eventually managed it. After the mounting clips are in place, the ear defenders slip on and off the helmet very easily.

I found, wearing the AirShield, my regular ear protectors would not fit, which is why I figured I'd try the AiirShield Pro units.

I tried them this morning, just doing some table sawing, they worked reasonably well, not as much noise reduction as my 33DbNR units, but still much better than not wearing any.