I need some advice, Several other wooodworkers, & turners, have told me I should look into a powered respirator. I have heard good things about the Triton brand. I was wondering are there other brands out there to consider? And what if any certain features should I be looking for? My main use will be for woodturning, the ocassional wodworking such as building a bookcase or two. But mainly woodturning, I already have a dust collector, should be called a chip collector. Still get dust all over the garage. I dont know if it matter but I also do turn some acrylic and corian. Any suggestions / advice would eb appreciated.
I'm not sure how much those powered respirators cost, and I've not used one, but I'd suggest a regular cartridge filter mask. They're cheap, they work well, and they continue to work while you're finishing if you put the chemical cartridge in. I have looked at the powered masks, but it really seems to me that while they may be comfortable and a nice gimmick, they can't offer much real protection.
The downside to the good ol' rubber cartridge masks is that they are a little sweaty if your shop gets hot, and they can pinch a little until you get used to them- but they work great, even when the air is so full of fumes and dust you can hardly see (we use them for demolition jobs at work, and sometimes that happens)
Due to some recent price cuts the Triton is a good deal, however I don't need a hard-hat. So I went with the Trend (available from a number of sources in the US, I don't know about Canada). Since it is a British product, I guess it shouldn't be too hard to find. I really like it since I have a beard (also true for the Triton) and it allows that, which isn't true for the cartridge masks. They also don't have a face shield (almost a requirement for turners)
I have a Triton and I find the suggestion that these may be regarded as a gimmick rather foolish (unless the comment was not meant to include such items). From my experience, their operation is excellent (though they are on the heavier side since they also incorporate a hard hat, ear muffs and a strong shield). I find it far more comfortable than a cartridge filter mask as the fresh air keeps the face cooler, so no sweat building up inside and where the mask and face touch. The ear mufs are available to use but can be left off the ears for turning. I use them when Arborteching. The triton shield is much tougher then the other more compact respirators I have seen, but that is only going to help you if a large piece of wood heads towards your head! They redesigned the air hose and connection from the first model and it is an improvement. It uses dual filtration, an exterior coarse screen and two internals. The filters are not expensive and while I don't think they recommend it, it may be possible to insert chemical filters if you want to for finishing.
I have used both paper/fiber/fabric types of single one-time dust masks for years. I find that due to the negative pressure usage with the replaceable canister type dust mask respirators which have canisters available to filter out fumes, gases, very fine micron sizes of particulates/dust like poultry dust, wood flours and dusts, lacquers, chemicals etc.
In my later years I find that with having been found with lung diseases and still not willing to give up on my wood working, mostly woodturning that I have become very cautious (obsessively anal) about breathing in dusts. I went out and got a 1 HP Delta Dust Collector which I agree with you should be better known as a shavings collector. Right off I noticed that my 1 HP could not create enough suction to effectively power the surface opening provided by my new PSI's Big Gulp lathe dust fixture. If anything happens to get fed directly into the hose it gets readily picked up but an awful lot of big stuff makes it to the floor. At the same time I got a Jet Overhead Dust collector and this really dies a great job. I am disabled and no longer able to make it downstairs to my regular shop. For the past year or so my family has been helping me to move a small shop to a room off of my office. It was intended to basically meet my needs to do wood turning. It's a small 10' x 10' room with a 7' high ceiling. The Jet is intended to circulate the air in a room twice that size. My computer is located about 15' directly from my lathe and with the Jet Air Filter turned on it spews tons of fresh air right into my face that has a fresh clean small to it. My next step was to decide on a positive pressure battery operated respirator mask. After a long discussion with the folks at Packard Woodworks I was convinced that the Trend model was the way to go. Sure it is not rated for dangerous and carcinogenic gases but this mask works great. It keeps fresh cool air flowing across your head. I normally sweat like ink but with this Trend on you can't (I can't) even smell the wood's sawdust smell when turning. The positive air flow pressure style masks are great. I have read a lot about the 3M styles but at $900-$1100 I was not willing to spend that kind of money. The Triton seems to be a few dollars less but with the ear muffs, hard hat and battery pack hanging from your belt it jus seemed like too much. I already have oxygen tubing to contend with and I didn't need all of that too! I find that the respirator type masks were always getting filled within an hour or so. My Trend has been used over four or five three-four hour sessions and does not even show any signs of the filter clogging. Plus there is a pre-filter and a replaceable plastic film to protect the plastic face visor. The replacement filters don't seem to be all that expensive given the case of how long the last. One of the projects was to turn a baseball bat for my son's best friend and that produced a lot of waste. I ended up that session feeling just as refreshed and cool as when I started.
I do now plan to buy a Jet Dust Collector either a 1 1/2 HP or a 2 HP to replace the rather anemic 1 HP Delta. Any ideas from any of you who have finalized a well working and high performing lathe collection system would be appreciated. I would really like to know if any of you would recommend replacing the 1 HP Dust collector that I have with a 1
1/2 or 2 HP would be better. I have a small band saw hooked up to a 2
1/2" hose, a Shopsmith, a 1725 Delta Slow Speed Grinder with a White Norton wheel on one size and a Fine Brite Boy 1" x 8" Cratex-style wheel on the other side. I want to add a Chisel Sharpening System to this, any suggestions? I will be adding a Sanding Dust Collection Table shortly.
: I do now plan to buy a Jet Dust Collector either a 1 1/2 HP or a 2 HP : to replace the rather anemic 1 HP Delta. Any ideas from any of you who : have finalized a well working and high performing lathe collection : system would be appreciated. I would really like to know if any of you : would recommend replacing the 1 HP Dust collector that I have with a 1 : 1/2 or 2 HP would be better.
If I were you, I'd go with an Oneida dust collector, with one of their excellent cartridge filters. They recently came out with the Gorilla line (much like their standard systems, but with some imported parts), which have gotten great reviews and are priced competitively.
Obviously a different product that I saw in action! The system I saw was basically a little fan in a box that clips to your belt with a thin foam filter on it, and a bit of tubing that went up to the top of a regular-looking face sheild. Didn't seem like it was doing much for the guy using it (his face was covered in dust and he was sneezing as he told me how nice it was), which is where the gimmick comment came from- it looked like it was more a way to cool your face off than anything else. But I suppose if one of those has got all the bells & whistles and can do the job, I'll have to concede the point. What you're talking about sounds more like the heavy-duty industrial rigs I've seen welders using, but I figured that was way too expensive for most folks who are turning for a couple of hours a day in the garage, and the OP was referring to one of the little (knockoff?) ones.
Anyhow, I'll withdraw my gimmick comment, as I wasn't aware there was a different and better style of the things- from the way it sounded, the guy who showed me the one I saw made it sound like it was top of the line and state of the art.
But I'll stick with my assertion that the rubber cartidge mask does the best job, provided you've got modest facial hair.
I have a large full beard, wear glasses and I find that the Trend fits me fine. I did not mean to trash your idea of the use of an inexpensive fabric mask worn by welders. I assume that such a mask would be best suited to filtering out heavier particulates such as might be given off during grinding beads but I question that if you are wearing the mask to filter out carbon particulates from a carburized flame that you would be getting as safe fitration of the multiple filter positive pressure air filters. My main concern is that people will wake up while they still have healthy lungs to the fact that by spending a few dollars may well protect their health. I would hope that others might realize that the damage that I have done by wearing nothing at all to protect and keep my air clean over the thirty or so years that I have been an avid woodworker as an example. At the very least wearing the inexpensive dust masks are far superior to wearing nothing at all. Just find some mode tro protect your lungs and use it religiously. JimC
Sounds like the guy may have made the unit up from parts. The bright orange colour is a good indication it is a Triton. Ideal if you want someone to locate you...just look for the spaceman with the orange helmet! If correctly assembled and used the face cannot become covered with shavings (though you do need to remember to close the faceshield). The outside filter is merely to remove large contaminents, such as the fur from Banksia pods. Fines that get through that are caught by the two cartridge filters (the same ones used in cartridge masks). Having fresh, clean air moving through teh mask does make it more comfortable than a rubber mask (I have one I use sometimes as well).
One caution about the Triton if you had a curry for lunch and go out to continue turning. The air inlet attached to the belt should not be hanging at the base of your spine should you experience any flatulance....think about where it ends up! Safe turning, Alan
My post was to add some details about the Triton powered respirator and I didn't suggest a fabric mask as any alternative. There is no way the two are comparable in results and I certainly would never recommend any non-cartridge system as they just cannot be sufficient where fine dust arises.
I heartily agree that you need as much cleaning of the air you breathe as you can afford.
From the standpoint of blocking dust, cloth masks can be every bit as good as cloth filters in a cartridge. Non-woven masks the same. You don't have to be rich to stop dust, nor even stop all of it, merely careful to take best advantage of the gear you wear.
One thing not mentioned often is how much dust affects the eyes. I recommend a power based respirator (I am a full time wood sculptor). I have used an airstream for about 5 years now and would not do without it.
I don't know about that, George- I've used both, and the rubber cartridge mask blocks a lot more, IMO. But if all you've got is paper or cloth masks, they're better than nothing- and more comfortable as well.
Good point! Using the Triton, I'd forgot how cedar, among other timbers, affected my eyes (and not just for a brief time after turning, sometimes two days).
I am sure many turners use grinding wheel dressers and the grit that they produce certainly should be kept out of the eyes. Completely enclosed goggles are recommended for safety.
I have found that after the "adaptation period", one gets used to wearing whatever gear you have and that your work style/approach starts to adapt to the new headgear. It has been so long since I started using my Airstream that I can't remember how long it took to get used to it.
Thanks for all the great suggestions, and you own learning experiences. This past week I picked up the Triton, and couldnt be happier. I never realized that sawdust can be so troublesome. I have noticed a major improvement in the way I feel when I am done in the shop.
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