The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Air, Breathing, Lungs

I'm perusing the Eastwood Catalog with my coffee this morning.
On Page 8 there's a guy painting a fender. He's wearing a paper suit, is bare headed, and has on a paper mask covering his nose and mouth.
On Page 9, there's a guy suiting up in a full paper suit, with a hood covering his head and neck. Under the hood is a respirator. The back of the hood has a 40 foot hose leading to a fresh air system.

What do I need? Paper mask or $1000.00 air system.
PS, I don't want to die.

Most modern paints are catalyzed with isocyanates, which are harmful to the respiratory system.
Get an approved cartridge respirator which is available in either disposable or with reolacable filters, and keep it in a sealed container(I use Tupperware) when not in actual use.
The filters on these respirators have a usable life of appr. 8 hrs., so they need to be replaced frequently.
Air supplied or the hood type are definitely the best,but are expensive if you are only an occasional user.
The cartridge type are the next best thing.
Paper masks are only designed for dust.

I can assure you that the statement"If you can't breathe, nothing else matters" is Very True!

Get a very good respirator with the proper cartridges! A fresh air supply system would be great if you plan on doing much painting. Another thing- you should wear the proper mask when welding inside the garage. Welding fumes are bad too! Cheap paper masks are good for.... well nothing really.

Look at it this way- spend the money to protect yourself, or die of cancer at an early age.

I sprung for a fresh air system a couple of years ago.
I used the cartridge filter mask before, and I could still smell the paint, when painting. Which made me a little nervous.
Now I don't get any paint smells at all,just fresh air.
The fresh air system is a whole lot cheaper than lung transplants.

I have not found a cartridge that is good for protecting against isocyanates. All the ones that I have seen warn that it doesn't protect against them. Also, getting a good face seal with the off the shelf mask may not be possible. I was shocked to see a current TV show where the guy was painting a fender wearing a paper mask and using a two stage paint.

Yep,
Protect your Lungs folks!....My wifes Grandfather was a body man all his life and used what at the time was thought to be a good enough respirator...IT WASNT! ....He goes NO-WHERE with out a Oxy Generator attached to him..Poor Ol Bird is onna the nicest gents I have ever met ...an it Stinks to see him in this condition.
He comes up for picnics an such but is always drove indoors to the AC as he cant breath in the Humidity of summer.
So think on that when shoppin for a respirator, From what I have seen an read the only way is with a fresh air hood for acceptable long term protection.
Just my 2 pennies.
Tim

Remember when grinding rust or sand blasting use a good resperator to keep the Sicila out of your lungs among other things. I have a small deminished air problem that I can't get enough air in my blood stream because of not using protective equipment when younger.
62Blue
don

Its not just painting and sand blasting guys. I spent 35 years in the printing and finishing business which we also did our nickel, copper, and chrome plating. The years of fumes from those along with MEK's and other stuff I am having problems getting "enough air" these days. We didn't know any better back then but today there is no excuse for not using some decent lung protection.
Its YOUR life. Start protecting it now because 25 years down the road you will not be invincible like you think you are today!!