Being an asthmatic and having very limited space for extraction/filtering equipment (although I do have a basic vac powered system) I have been considering splashing out for an Airshield, but ...
o Do they work? o Are they worth the money? o Are there any other alternarives? Better? Cheaper or with cheaper filters?
I am concerned mainly about cutting, routing and sanding soft & hard woods & esp. /MDF/.
The Airshield (full face mask) idea was to filter out the the stuff that does not get collected (and later trapped) through dust ports etc and also for portable working.
Currently I have an Earlex vac and "triton dust bucket" with filter, not a proper cyclone, but the issue is what is not getting collected, not what is.
I have tried various masks from say £3 to £15 range and none really fit my (apparently non standard) face, hence the Airshield idea.
I tried one out some while ago and found that it was heavy for long term use - i.e. you wouldn't want to wear it all day. It would probably be OK for 30 mins to an hour at a time.
Bill Pentz's site is good, as Aidan says.
Another thing that you could do is to make a downdraught table either with a reasonable extractor with at least 100mm hose, or with a large fan and filter. There are numerous plans around for these.
There's the Powercap (Rutlands has these). I tried one of these for a short time and it was really uncomfortable because all the weight is at the front.
There are alternatives that can be run from an airline via a special filter at about the same price point. Have a look at
I have one: after suffering through attempts at wearing dust-masks and safety-specs cum goggles. IMHO - as a spectacles-wearer - all other systems caused my glasses to mist up and my overheating due to dust filters causing me to use rebreathe warmed air. The airshield eliminates all of thos problems. The device draws in and filters air which blows own across the face. One doesn't overheat -at all- and seem able to work for extended periods with much less fatigue. I can wear normal spectacles which don't mist up. I don't know whether it's a peculiar design fault of me -but I find that sweat running into my eyes cuases my eyes to bring floods of tears and I have to halt working until I've wiped my eyes... no such problem with the Airshield . No sweat, no tears. I've used it for woodwork and sinking chases in brick work with SDS drill.
Are they worth the money ... ? the _utility_ of mine is invaluable [IMHO] are there other altenatives ...? Triton have bought out a product aimed at the same market ... but as it came out after I'd purchased my Trend model I've not studied it.
Would I bw without mine ... ? No way.Jose!
I wouldn't like to wear one all day - but IMHO one doesn't work continuosly in that mode -there's always a setting up, measuring, mode before switching ON dust producing machinery ... and if you're feeling that the mask is getting heavy ... that's Nature's way of telling you to have a tea-break.
The bag /protector is useless , IMHO. When mine is not in use, it 'lives' in a TuffteeCrate(sp?) all by itself - filters, chargers, battery cleaning clothes.
You use either a wall mounted or belt mounted filter/regulator with carbon filter. Obviously you don't want to feed it with air that has gone through an additional lubricator.
I also have the same problem. On occasion, I have solved it rather differently.
Simply take a 10m bit of hosepipe. Site input of hosepipe in a clean place. Put a sock over the end. (clean) (spiders are bad). Insert other end into bit of 10mm copper tube bent round head, to form secure anchor. Add bit of silicone pipe at the end, and insert into mouth. Breath in through nose, out through mouth. Combined with a belt-clip to keep the hose in place, works for me.
You can upgrade this by using a blower at the other end.
Surely the point about the Airsheild - and it's cousins- is the portability of the device. One can wear it anywhere; in the graden, in the garage, workshop, in the attic; wherever he work is to be accomplished. AIUI, you're advocating a fixed - workstation- specific solution?
My point about the Trend one is that it is quite heavy with the weight over the front of the head. As I mentioned, for me it was uncomfortable after a while, starting to cause neck ache. Others mileage may vary.
There are others with a fan and battery pack on a belt such as the Triton which also has an ear defender
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tend to do sanding and cutting operations in or close to the workshop, and have compressed air available so thought along those lines, hence suggesting air fed products as alternatives.
The other advantage is that they are also useful for many types of chemical vapour applications, which the more portable products are not.
I'll parse that as 'Yes'; you are advocating a workstation/location specific solution1 :)
Actually, experience indicate that the weight isn't a problem; it's very well balanced and IME the tendency is to wip it on and off the head during set up and measuring times. A Neck ache is simply Natures way of telling you to have a tea-break - this is D-I-Y, not a HSE employee-ergonomic eight-hour shift workstation set up [BTW, the Airsheild comes with an impresive set of documentation, log sheets and maintenance record paperwork along with a air-flow GO/NO Go guage for use in an employee situation].
I'd already acquired the Airshield prior to the debut of the Oz variant so hadn't studied it nor could I pass any comments. I acquired the Airshield when I re-modelled the Kitchen, I used it when sinking a phenomenal number of twin-gang electical outlets into the brick walls and machineing the raw sawn maple into cabinets . I drilled, chiselled, chased, sawed, planed, sanded, jigsawed and routed using every tool that I'd got. The airshield kept me cool, dust free and able to wear my glasses ... and more importantly enabled me to continue working for longer periods without pause - and even more importantly without consideration as to 'where' I was. I've since worn it in the roof space while the VELUX lights were installed. Having worn it, I wouldn't be without it ... it's a 'lot of money' ... but I don't mind looking like 'Dan Dare' ... if I could only dfind my old 'Eagle' badge ... : )
Regretably my sanding and cutting operations tend to occur on the lawn or patio ... and in the loft ... under the stairs ... wherever ... :0
Sounds like a strawman arguement ... nobody mentioned such usage ...
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