Having tried a few dustmasks when working with rubble, i can't find one yet that enables you to breathe easily and keep the dust away.
Has anyone come across any good ones? If so what make are they and where did you buy them from?
These work very well for me - perfect fit to the face (lots of soft rubber in the mask and both head and neck straps), and total isolation from dust, smells, organic vapours etc:
hi. thanks for the suggestion. having checked the website, the main protection is gas/vapour. How would they cope with dusty rubble conditions such as demolishing walls etc.
Very well indeed, I highly recommend them.
lavenders19:
Hi, lavenders19, please will you start to quote a little better?
That said, having just read your/JR's psot, you should just Google for "respirator dust" or similar. You'd do well to consider a respirator that takes various different cartridges, depending on what they're "filtering", rather than the ubiquitous "aluminium strip on nose and sock elastic" type. More expensive, but better.
Definitely.
I use a number of different kinds of masks and respiratory protection products for different purposes.
I gave up using the disposable masks ages ago because they are not that effective, don't seem to fit very well and quickly become uncomfortable.
I always use 3M products because although a bit more expensive, consumables (if you use them) are easy to obtain and the products are of good quality. I don't think that skimping on safety equipment is a smart move.
For a basic mask, you could look at the 3M 4251. This is a semi-disposable type that will fit well because it is well constructed. However, you eventually throw it away.
I think that the 3M 6000 series is a better buy because it is a better quality mask and you can buy disposable filters at quite low prices rather than throwing the whole thing away. You can select between particulate and chemical filters or combinations of them. Thus you don't clog up more expensive chemical and vapour filters when you are just working with dust. The 7000 and 7500 series are better still for not much more money.
Fine. Generally speaking if they can handle vapour they will make a very good job of any sort of dust.
I've been happy with these P2 masks from Screwfix:
Come to that, how about one that doesn't steam up my glasses?
I'm asthmatic and a spectacle wearer and do a lot of hardwood work (Hardwood dust can be both irritant and carcinogenic). I've found that the only really comfortable thing for me is a full-face powered respirator. I use a Trend, but I would expect that others are as good. I can work in it for four hours at a stretch without any discomfort, although you have to learn not to try and scratch and to allow extra clearance for the head!
R.
Silly solution, that I find works just fine. Hosepipe + short length of aquarium tubing. Put the hosepipe to a place with clean air, and learn to breath in through mouth, and out through nose.
Just like when escapees from the chain gang hide underwater! Except for the breathing out through the nose of course. I'm definitely going to give this method a try. My wife is so pleased and relieved after catching me looking at the impressive airshield respirator earlier. She's a great believer in simplicity (and economy). I wonder how easy it would be to adapt this hose method for use with a mask that allows mouth or nose breathing in both directions? The hosepipe will restrict mobility a little but that user can always strap on a lead weighted belt to discourage unnecessary wandering. Cheers for the tip.
Honestly, I only found it a problem for the first 20 min, afterwards, it became easy, even when doing other forgettable work.
That's just about getting the top sealed properly. Taking some time to mould the rigid part to your specific nose shape helps a lot. Failing that some of them have a little rubber flappy valve that opens on exhalation. This will let all your warm, wet outbreath leave via the low pressure outlet at the front of the mask rather than the slightly higher pressure gaps under your eyes.
Appologies if this is a grannies and eggs situation.
And above all ; .... learn not to sneeze!
As a glasses wearer with a narrow nose (not small, just narrow!), for general masks I've found Silverline fold-flat/valved no.282404 both very comfortable and misting free. Local hardware shop / Silverline stockist sells them individually if required. , about 80% down the page.
Toolstation seem to stock the same individually or boxes of 10, ,
12939 & 93297 about 1/2 way down the page.For organic vapours, Screwfix 14194 is fantastic.
With the semi disposable 4251, how long would it last with dusty conditions?
It's hard to gauge, but I would say roughly a third longer than those with disposable cartridges.
So, the semidisposables are good for occasional work. If you are working regularly with dust, they will become less economic since the disposable cartridges are about half the price of the semidisposable masks,
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