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Respriator Questions
Hello group,
Who here has worked with MEK and other wonderful solvents? Where did you get your respirator gear from, and what models? The filter ones available in the chain "hardware" stores have fairly vague specifications on the labels: usually suitable for aromatics, solvents, etc. This is not something I wish to leave up to chance. Do I need to fork over the big bucks on this one and pay for a forced air system? Thanks in advance. |
#2
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speculation: an organic vapor cartride should be adequate...
Comment based on professional experience: If you want to be assured of a respirator doing its job, you need to be fit tested. If you ask really nicely down at the local hospital's occupational health dept, or offer to buy them lunch, you might be able to get them to do a saccharin fit test for you. A HEPA filter is appropriate for the fit test session. If you want a good fit you need a clean shaven face for the test and during actual use (clean over the mask seal.. mustache is ok). For a non-IDLH (non-deadly) atmosphere this should suffice. My background on this was conducting testing for, and using equipment, in deadly atmospheres as both a firefighter and an industrial safety vendor. Dave Jim Carriere wrote: Hello group, Who here has worked with MEK and other wonderful solvents? Where did you get your respirator gear from, and what models? The filter ones available in the chain "hardware" stores have fairly vague specifications on the labels: usually suitable for aromatics, solvents, etc. This is not something I wish to leave up to chance. Do I need to fork over the big bucks on this one and pay for a forced air system? Thanks in advance. |
#3
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Dave S wrote: speculation: an organic vapor cartride should be adequate... This is one area where speculation can get you killed. Take the five minuets or so it will require and call someone like Lab Safety and get the correct answer and a proper recomendation for the exact chemicals you are going to use and the anticipated accumulative exposure time. It my require multiple cartridges for what you plan on doing. They can also tell you the cart. life after opening. Craig C. |
#4
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See..that was the nice part about supplied air and self contained air
units... didnt have to mess with cartrides.. thats the part thats NOT in my knowledge bank.. fit testing and mask seals, however.. are.. Thanks for the further info. Dave wrote: Dave S wrote: speculation: an organic vapor cartride should be adequate... This is one area where speculation can get you killed. Take the five minuets or so it will require and call someone like Lab Safety and get the correct answer and a proper recomendation for the exact chemicals you are going to use and the anticipated accumulative exposure time. It my require multiple cartridges for what you plan on doing. They can also tell you the cart. life after opening. Craig C. |
#5
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"Jim Carriere" wrote in message ... Hello group, Who here has worked with MEK and other wonderful solvents? Where did you get your respirator gear from, and what models? The filter ones available in the chain "hardware" stores have fairly vague specifications on the labels: usually suitable for aromatics, solvents, etc. This is not something I wish to leave up to chance. Do I need to fork over the big bucks on this one and pay for a forced air system? Thanks in advance. You need not pay a ton for a forced air system. I made my own, from stuff I had around the shop, for less than 20 bucks. I used a respirator, and took off the cartridge on one side, and duct taped a 1" PVC elbow onto it, and closed off the other cartridge with duct tape. I went down to the big box hardware store, and got 50 feet of 1 1/4" bilge hose (any light plastic pipe will do) and fastened it to a little squirrel cage blower I rescued from the trash, long ago. A substitute would be a large size muffin fan (like for computer cooling) enclosed in a small box so you could couple the bilge hose on the high pressure side. Other notes, on this. Don't use compressed air from a regular air compressor. Make sure the air flow is adequate to keep flowing out of the exhale valve, even when you are inhaling. With positive pressure, the leaking duct tape will not be an issue. I saw something along this line suggested on this group, some time ago. It worked very well for me when I sprayed my son's car with urethane enamel. I never smelled the least bit of the paint. I guess Rube would be proud! g -- Jim in NC |
#6
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Jim, you are a king. Thanks for posting this kind of inexpensive solution.
I did a complete recovering job on my Challenger last year and really wished I could have had this system. Even with an ordinary respirator, it's a pain. Thanks a thousands Jean-Paul Qc. Canada "Morgans" wrote in message ... "Jim Carriere" wrote in message ... Hello group, Who here has worked with MEK and other wonderful solvents? Where did you get your respirator gear from, and what models? The filter ones available in the chain "hardware" stores have fairly vague specifications on the labels: usually suitable for aromatics, solvents, etc. This is not something I wish to leave up to chance. Do I need to fork over the big bucks on this one and pay for a forced air system? Thanks in advance. You need not pay a ton for a forced air system. I made my own, from stuff I had around the shop, for less than 20 bucks. I used a respirator, and took off the cartridge on one side, and duct taped a 1" PVC elbow onto it, and closed off the other cartridge with duct tape. I went down to the big box hardware store, and got 50 feet of 1 1/4" bilge hose (any light plastic pipe will do) and fastened it to a little squirrel cage blower I rescued from the trash, long ago. A substitute would be a large size muffin fan (like for computer cooling) enclosed in a small box so you could couple the bilge hose on the high pressure side. Other notes, on this. Don't use compressed air from a regular air compressor. Make sure the air flow is adequate to keep flowing out of the exhale valve, even when you are inhaling. With positive pressure, the leaking duct tape will not be an issue. I saw something along this line suggested on this group, some time ago. It worked very well for me when I sprayed my son's car with urethane enamel. I never smelled the least bit of the paint. I guess Rube would be proud! g -- Jim in NC |
#7
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Jim,
The suggestion of how to fabricate an inexpensive fresh air mask is a good one, but don't be afraid of single or twin cartridge respirator masks. An automotive paint store will have the organic type filters and well fitting masks that will work perfectly for these paint solvents. A whiff of MEK or acetone or any other paint thinner is not going to destroy your liver. If your mask shifts so that it is not sealing properly you will smell the solvent and correct the problem. The one disadvantage I find with the fresh air mask is having to deal with the hose following me around as I duck and bend to shoot paint on all the parts. I improved my home made system by using small tube from my compressor, 1/4", at 90 psi to an adjustable valve attached to my belt. The valve let me regulate the pressure and flow to the modified mask and only a small tube followed me around the fuselage as I painted. The only time I use the fresh air mask is when shooting two part urethane because it contains isocyanates. Epoxies an solvent based paints are completely filtered by the charcoal type organic filter cartridges. Jim Carriere wrote: Hello group, Who here has worked with MEK and other wonderful solvents? Where did you get your respirator gear from, and what models? The filter ones available in the chain "hardware" stores have fairly vague specifications on the labels: usually suitable for aromatics, solvents, etc. This is not something I wish to leave up to chance. Do I need to fork over the big bucks on this one and pay for a forced air system? Thanks in advance. Bruce A. Frank, Editor "Ford 3.8/4.2L Engine and V-6 STOL Homebuilt Aircraft Newsletter" | Publishing interesting material | on all aspects of alternative | engines and homebuilt aircraft. |
#8
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Bruce A. Frank wrote: ... The one disadvantage I find with the fresh air mask is having to deal with the hose following me around as I duck and bend to shoot paint on all the parts. I improved my home made system by using small tube from my compressor, 1/4", at 90 psi to an adjustable valve attached to my belt. Uh, how do you get 90 psi? Common air compressers contaminate the air with oil and are unsafe for breathing. Do you have something like the compressors used to fill scuba tanks? ... Epoxies an solvent based paints are completely filtered by the charcoal type organic filter cartridges. Activated carbon filters don't stop anything 100% But they typically stop organics quite well up until 'breakthrough' as it is called, occurs. Thereafter the concentration coming through rapidly rises until it is the same as in the incomming air. Long befor then you should begin to smell the contaminant, depending on what it is. One peculularity of activated carbon filters is that once breakthrough has occurred the filter will begin to contaminate clean air that passes through it. Also keep in mind that if you do not have an external air supply you must have adequate oxygen in the ambient air. Many fatalities have occurred when someone used a filter-type respirator in a confined area where the contaminants have displaced the oxygen in the air--for example underground gasoline tanks or coal bins using a nitrogen fire suppression system. That is probably NOT a consideration for spraypainting unless you're spraying in a closed room. -- FF |
#10
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On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 16:45:24 GMT, "Bruce A. Frank"
wrote: My compressor has an in-line filter system that removes any oil vapor...which is the only possible contaminate. The line filter is very There's one more. CO. for those who do not incorporate an activated charcoal filter into their system. Carbon monoxide is developed in oil type compressors although usually at very small quantities. Some where around here I have some literature that warms about it as well as the oil fumes. similar to the filter in the respirator and I did forget to add that the air going into my modified mask is going through the organic filter on the mask. Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
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