Masks

Zak Flaps

Hi.

A total newcomer to woodwork. I haven't even started yet.
Aiming to put together a few basic planter boxes and maybe a desk.
I have no room as such so will be mainly doing my work outside if the weather ever improves.
I have goggles and ear protection.
I saw online that wearing a mask is advisable to protect from dust and fumes etc.
Any recommended masks seem to be sold out online. I'd prefer to stay away from those that look like a full face gas mask!! It looks like overkill for the amount i'll be doing.
Can anyone point me in the right direction of something similar to this below (if you think it's not overkill). Thanks in advance.

brane.nikic87

I have this one

https://www.axminstertools.com/ie/jsp-force-8-reusable-half-mask-complete-medium-p3-104697"]https://www.axminstertools.com/ie/jsp-force-8-reusable-half-mask-complete-medium-p3-104697[/URL]

and it is fine mask. I just need to get P3 filters to use when working with mdf.

I see that axminister don't have it in the stock but look on amazon or ebay.

chillyspoon

Zak Flaps wrote: »

Hi.

A total newcomer to woodwork. I haven't even started yet.
Aiming to put together a few basic planter boxes and maybe a desk.
I have no room as such so will be mainly doing my work outside if the weather ever improves.
I have goggles and ear protection.
I saw online that wearing a mask is advisable to protect from dust and fumes etc.
Any recommended masks seem to be sold out online. I'd prefer to stay away from those that look like a full face gas mask!! It looks like overkill for the amount i'll be doing.
Can anyone point me in the right direction of something similar to this below (if you think it's not overkill). Thanks in advance.

That's pretty much the exact one I use - it strikes a nice balance between the convenience of replaceable filters while not being too heavy/bulky, doesn't fog up my glasses and is easy enough to take on and off. I'd have no hesitation in recommending them:

GVS Eclipse: https://www.screwfix.ie/p/gvs-elipse-half-mask-respirator-p3/6922g

Zak Flaps

Thanks for the input guys. They seem to be unavailable everywhere. I assume people started buying them when Covid-19 turned up.

chillyspoon

Unfortunately true - initially people panic buying followed by scumbags bulk buying to sell on at inflated prices, which is still visible on eBay and Amazon market sellers for some products, e.g. just look at the prices for Logitech C920 webcams have reached on Amazon.. some going for 300 euro - RRP about a third of that!

Tedious Bore

Would it be a good idea to just buy the respirator mask on something like Wish or Alibaba, and then fit it with filters bought here/UK?

.....seeing as there's probly less of a shortage of replacement filters than masks, but also just thinking maybe the filter is the part you shouldn't scrimp on from China, but the plastic mask that holds the all important filters in place should probly be fine so long as there's a good seal to your face?

chillyspoon

Not a bad idea - getting filters that fit properly afterwards might be the trickier part. banggood.com is another direct from China option: https://www.banggood.com/search/respirator-dust-mask.html

Looks like ScrewFix have the GVS mask above in stock but they are (very sensibly) limiting orders to 3 at a time, which is great to see:

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/gvs-elipse-half-mask-respirator-p3/6922g

Zak Flaps

chillyspoon wrote: »

Not a bad idea - getting filters that fit properly afterwards might be the trickier part. banggood.com is another direct from China option: https://www.banggood.com/search/respirator-dust-mask.html

Looks like ScrewFix have the GVS mask above in stock but they are (very sensibly) limiting orders to 3 at a time, which is great to see:

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/gvs-elipse-half-mask-respirator-p3/6922g

The GVS masks are not in stock unfortunately.

Tedious Bore

chillyspoon wrote: »

Not a bad idea - getting filters that fit properly afterwards might be the trickier part. banggood.com is another direct from China option: https://www.banggood.com/search/respirator-dust-mask.html

Looks like ScrewFix have the GVS mask above in stock but they are (very sensibly) limiting orders to 3 at a time, which is great to see:

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/gvs-elipse-half-mask-respirator-p3/6922g

Screwfix actually have none in stock in any the stores. Only tells you they've none left when you try to buy though. Same with lots their stuff at the moment , very frustrating they can't just say None in Stock in the item page.




I'm no expert but would be optimistic that official filters bought in this part of the world would fit a Chinese copy of something like this 3M "branded" mask. I'm sure if you skim through the reviews some people will have tried it...

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000055948961.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.495a6005eVL7cb&algo_pvid=481c6d74-813b-451a-ae3e-7d981f52bd82&algo_expid=481c6d74-813b-451a-ae3e-7d981f52bd82-7&btsid=0ab6fab215946463022081154e5607&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

Lumen

There's no way I'd risk my lungs with a Chinesium respirator.

A proper seal and exhalation valve is important or else the dust will get in, it's not all about the filters.

Tedious Bore

Lumen wrote: »

There's no way I'd risk my lungs with a Chinesium respirator.

A proper seal and exhalation valve is important or else the dust will get in, it's not all about the filters.

.....Maybe you're right!
I'd normally be very cautious, and looking at some the more detailed reviews where people have left photos, that mask seemed to be getting very positive feedback including mentions of seal and valve ...but I completely understand why anyone would prefer to just pay the extra when your health is on the line.


I wouldn't settle for any cheap copies when it comes to the filters.
As for the mask, I think the fit of the seal around your face is probably something that any novice can tell for themselves is good or not, but is the valve a more complicated thing to assess properly maybe?

* Also, buying on Amazon (for example, and particularly if it's a third party seller) doesn't always guarantee you're not just getting these same high quality fakes from China. Always worth skimming through recent reviews to see what people been saying.

Tedious Bore

couple good vids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x80cm9Dv9Qw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RMJ4T5BDHY

Lumen

Tedious Bore wrote: »

As for the mask, I think the fit of the seal around your face is probably something that any novice can tell for themselves is good or not, but is the valve a more complicated thing to assess properly maybe?

Yeah, if you have two filters and a valve it's probably a bit tricky to work out whether there's a gap or a busted filter or valve.

I have a Scott ProMask which is full face with a single large filter. To test the fit I cover the filter and breathe in. If it sucks the mask to my face, I know everything is good.

The Promask is fine unless the room is hot, although as a scuba diver and motorcyclist I'm probably quite used to some peripheral vision restrictions and a face full of rubber so it's just the sweatyness if doing several hours wood bothering in summer.

Before I had a full face I used a half mask, the 3M 4251. It seemed to clog up with wood dust pretty quickly, but worryingly the air flow didn't reduce, I could just taste wood and feel the effects. Didn't like that.

Before that I used disposable respirator masks which I hate, comfort-wise.

In hindsight maybe I went too large a leap from the cheapo half mask to the full face, and a high quality half mask would have done the job the best. But I bulk-bought 20 filters at the start of COVID so I'll work through a few more of those before changing.

So maybe do whatever Peter Millard recommends. Must watch that video. Love his work!

No way will I spend on anything not absolutely essential from China at the moment. The fake fueled profiteering on respirators and masks is disgusting, let alone recent civil rights abuses and political oppression in HK and so on. In good conscience I simply can’t do it any more. The cost is just too great for propping up that state and we only screw ourselves in the process.

If you’re a pro, 3M will ship direct to your business when ordered via an approved reseller/agent. For the rest of us, switch to hand tools where you can, use a card scraper where possible and give it another few months for western supply to catch up with the demand for non-medical PPE. It’ll get better in a few months.

But don’t buy knock-off counterfeits from scumbags in China who don’t give two craps about you or your health.

Macker

Amazon have this for 15 euro with code NASUMCOVER9

Probably today only and with Prime

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07RXTD8H8

Zak Flaps

At last!!

Good man. Where and how much?

First born child? Left kidney?

Zak Flaps

JayZeus wrote: »

Good man. Where and how much?

First born child? Left kidney?

Ha ha!!

€26 in Screwfix Swords.

Tedious Bore

Zak Flaps wrote: »

At last!!

Hi do you know would this mask work well for vapours/fumes/sprays as well, or just dust particles like sawdust?

Zak Flaps

Tedious Bore wrote: »

Hi do you know would this mask work well for vapours/fumes/sprays as well, or just dust particles like sawdust?

According to the GVS website, it protects from dust, metal fumes, oil and water mists and micro-organisms, i.e. bacteria and viruses.

Tedious Bore

Ok thanks very much for checking