I just splurged and bought a Festool dust collector and sander. For those of you who use dust collection systems when sanding wood or epoxy, do you also continue to use respirators as well?
Thanks!
Sure! Why not, when the hazards of particulate inhalation or effects of chemicals foreign to our mucous membranes is both a nuisance as well as well-documented?
Those puppies are nice, way outside my income level. Not that I am jealous or anything…. During my build one day, I forgot to put my mask on. I was just doing a little bit of hand sanding, I just spaced the mask. I felt like I had a cold for several days after. I would say, even with your very nice tool, use the mask.
I wish I had found this before I built my boat, not after. http://www.duckworksbbs.com/product-p/resp-parent.htm . I had a lot of trouble with my mask and my reading glasses. This would have solved that little problem. Oh well, if I am ever graced with the opportunity to build another boat. I’ll get one.
Many thanks!
That respierator is an excelent idea for those of us with beards. The only thing I might want to change is to make it compatible with the uniquitous 3M filters.
Thanks for sharing that, Mikeflys!
Laurie,
I have a short beard but this 3M resperator still does a good job for me:
Like Mikeflys, I've forgotten to use it briefly & really noticed a difference. I have mild seasonal allergies & use it while mowing my couple of acres & it has helped me there, too.
Its pretty comfortable so I really don't see a reason not to use it even with a really good dust collection system in place. I use it when I'm sanding even when the tool is connected to my Dust Devil. I switch to organic vapor filters & use it with epoxy, as well.
Frank