I use a 3M disposable mask part number 7187. But don't take my word for it, let Eric post the particulars. THIS IS NOT A DUST MASK! It costs about $20.00. The ONLY reason I use the disposable one is that it fits under my welding helmet.

But I have to tell you, there is MORE to this than sticking a respirator on your face. First off, be sure it fits you well. Be sure you have NO FACIAL HAIR that could effect the seal. I have a small mustache that fits FULLY under the mask. If you can see any hair coming out from under your mask you are NOT getting a good seal and might as well not even be wearing it.


More cautions:

Wear a welding helmet when using the MIG. Don't let some fool tell you a pair of glasses is good enough. I work with a number of idiots who weld with sun glasses!!!!! Wear a WELDING HELMET with a number 10 shade at the very least. Check with the welding supply for the proper shade for you.

For sanding DO NOT use those old single strap dust masks, use the newer twin strap 07048 and 07185.

Get a number of pairs of ear muffs like 3M 07063. At the very least use the foam plugs in your ears. I personally have a number of pairs of the big ear muffs, they are very easy to put on even with gloves on. If you have to stop to remove gloves or tear open a little bag to put the foam ones on you will find yourself "cheating" for little jobs, this is a killer. All those little jobs add up! If you have a few pairs (or just one of course if that is all you need) you are less temped to do that "little job" without it. Wear these ear muffs when useing ANY air tool or blower! The high frequency sound of the air is very damaging to your upper end hearing. Huh? What was that? Yep, at 46 I have lost a lot of that hearing. And I started wearing ear muffs religously 20 years ago. I still have some pretty serious hearing loss. Believe me, when my wife wakes me up in the middle of the night and asks "What is that sound"? and I don't hear a thing, it isn't nice.

Get a number of pairs of goggles. At the very least the cheapie ones that are only a buck or two. If you have a number of pairs, aw, you know.

Don't ever, EVER think "I don't need my ear muffs, respirator, goggles it is only a small job". If you hear your self saying that, YOU KNOW YOU ARE WRONG. The next time any of you guys are doing a job and that thought goes thru your head, think of Eric, hear him saying YOU KNOW YOU ARE WRONG!

Eric, I hope you don't mind, I have printed out that photo along with your story and I will be showing it to the crew at work in todays production meeting. I then will post it by the time clock. Your words and that photo speak a thousand volumes more than my *****ing.

I would take a friggin ax to my car if I knew it could bring back my hearing and any other damage I have done to my body. Eric I'll bet would take an ax to a parking lot of cars down at Walmart and take the resposiblity with the law to boot if his health was returned to the way it was.

There is no paint job, weld, bondo job, car, truck or plane worth damaging your body over.

Brian

At one shop that I worked at they, had a guy come around with a test hood that you put over your head with your respirator. then they sprayed some stuff that was supposed to smell like citrus.

If you smelled anything ,your mask or mask fit was not acceptible.
I use a Binks charcoal respirator with new charcoal filters and those waffled prefilters. I have used this particular style for years. I do have a serious 'stash, so fit is an issue with mine

I get a new one every couple of months and change the pre filters every couple of days and the charcoal ones every other week or so depending on how much painting I am doing.

Mask is kept in an air tight ziplock when not in use.

I wish I had this advise when I was younger.

My lungs are fine but my hearing is shot. can't hear small high pitched sounds and hearing someone talking to me in a room full of people with normal conversation sounds is impossible!

I do wear earmuffs now, (Too soon old,too late smart!!!)

I want to be able to hear my grandchildren :gi:

Just my .02

:gmc:CCDually

guys I hope you don't mind that I made this a sticky.. I think everyone should read this, we all get lax and if this can make someone think twice....

hey eric, since its a stickey can you link the teamchevelle thread about respirators to this one??? i read that a year and a half ago and i am anal about masks and protection since.

I posted this on a couple forums... Good to hear you are OK now, and wow, I am going to think twice about painting stuff in the garage. To think, not too long ago I cleared a whole car in a garage with the older IMRON clear (stuff that is now off the market), and I can't say we had good ventilation. I had a pretty good mask on, but still...

DO IT!!!

Should be required reading.

Just my .02

:gmc:CCDually

Don't forget skin protection solvent gloves and spray suits. Your skin will absorbs the solvent in the air when you are spraying. I used to work with this old man when ever he would get a cut he would pour lacquer thinner on it. He said it helps it heal :confused:

I used to work at a lawnmower/small engine repair show last summer. I used ALOT of varsol and other powerfull parts cleaning agents, and carb boils and didn't think anything of it and got it on my hands. Within in two months I have become sesitive to the point that if someone takes a rag and soaks it in varsol, lets it dry out for couple days, and I pick it up, my hands will brake out in a rash and it will itch like crazy. I have been using the blue nitril(SP?) gloves that you can get in a box from Harbor Frieght, and I know Summit carries them as well. Now I use thoes gloves, and a long sleeve shirt when ever I do anything so I get as little grease or anything else on me as posible. You can never have to much safety stuff on. Thanks for all the warnings, I will start wearing eye, ear protection and a reperator all the time now.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/show...friggin+health

When I get more time Ill post up some 3M part numbers for the masks that I wear that were suggested to me from the National 3M safety rep

When I was in the Navy I did a lot of painting inside of ships with out any type of masks. Several time I felt like I was 2000 feet in the air, now suffering minor problems from it. When I paint now I use my sons air system. We all seem to learn the hard way.


Art

Here's a question for you, I bought a pretty good mask for use when painting, I don't smell anything when I'm wearing it.

If you don't smell anything are you safe?

Ron

It is often the chemicals that you DO NOT smell that do the most damage. For instance, Isocyanates and vaporized poisons like cyanide are relatively odorless.

Short of using a properly set up and fitted fresh air system, 3-M makes the next best thing. For priming and painting BC/CC, I wear the full face mask w/ the apropriate filter and pre filter. IT IS GREAT!!!!!

I will post my actual part numbers at a later time.

Here is what I use:

mask 3M 6900/07140
filter 3M 6001
pre-filter 3M 5N11

Needed to buy the pre-filter holder in addition to the filters.

When I am not using the mask, I keep EVERYTHING double bagged in zip-lock bags seperately (each filter in its own double bag) and store it all inside the house. I have found that the filters last much longer when stored apart from each other.

I believe that the whole set-up w/ extra filters & pre-filters was less than $200.00.

I used to work on a military base spraying (carc) Chemical Agent Resistance Coating and we had fresh air for big paints and 3m resperator for small touch ups. For those who don't know the old carc paint used to be leaded heavily for durability and it could kill you if you were exposed to to much of it. Now they have gotten away from the lead but the paint is still toxic. We have been shut down by OSHA once because our booth wasn't up to standards. Point is USE RESPERATON don't let your hobby or job shorten your life.

The air supplied masks work great. I've been painting for a little over a year now and at times paints have gotten to me. I'll paint a car with a respirator on and the next day I have a horrible head ache that won't go away no matter what I take. Safety is a major issue that I think a lot of people neglect, even people I work and go to school with. We are required to wear our respirators any time we're in contact with potentially hazardous materials or in the spray booths. Just always think about your safety.

Great thread!! We need to pass this one around!

Welding is also very harmful for your lungs if you are not careful. I would definately suggest welding as little as possible with flux core and other very smoky welding such as galvanized....I worry every time i pick up a torch or a welder as i have already gone through 2 lung surgeries. (unrelated to chemicals) but i know what kind of pain it can cause and lungs are too valuable to mess up for any reason.

P.S.- If you smoke....dont!!! I can tell you first hand what it feels like to have suction tubes hangin out of your body for a week....

Please everyone take care of your lungs... they are important

While we are on the topic of airborne danger don't forget to mention sand.
If you are using it as a blasting media at home use a suitable respirator !
Silica dust is bad news.

Hey there Slammed66 i just noticed that you are only an hours drive away from me. I forgot all about scottssupertrucks, i just bought a 72 gmc and will be restoring it this winter. Are the parts that you sell salvaged or manufactured? I'm going to need a lot of parts.

Matt

I hate to burst you guys bubble but there is isocyanates in EVERY THING THAT HAS A HARDNER OR CATALIYST TO MAKE IT CURE. That means you should were a supplied air system even when mixing fillers or fibreglass resin. They told me in autobody school that the most iso's are present when you are mixing paint or filler but you should always were a supplied air mask when spraying not a charcol filter like some people think because WILL NOT FILTER OUT THE ISO'S. On another note they also said prolonged exposer to the fumes from welding galvanized metal can cause alzheimers disease.So you should use the pink 3M resperator cartriges on your mask when welding.

Thanks trixter. looks like im screwed!!


I think Im gonna take up bingo now!

Saying that ANYTHING that has a hardner or catalyst in it ALSO has isocynates is incorrect. This is just like saying that every aerosol can has cloro-flourocarbons (cfc) that damage the ozone layer........UNTRUE, but the general public believes it because they are too lazy to get actual FACTS. For example, the epoxy primer that I use does not have isocyanates, but it does have other products that may be equally as dangerous.

I do not want to pick on trixter99...BUT his statement is NOT accurate.

Also, while it is true that a PROPERLY FITTED supplied air mask/system is best, a proper filter/CHARCOAL filter combo will protect you as well. Most of the members here will not get a fresh air system because of the cost...the 3M setup that I listed in a prior post is strongly recommended.


AND..there has been NO more of a proven link between galv. fumes and Alzheimers then there has been between eating too much cheese and Alzheimers. While it is true that ALL fumes emmitted while welding are harmful to your health, there is no need to add to the confusion. Whomever told you that is also misinformed.

Arm yourself with actual facts and do not be confused by rumor....BUT by all means PROTECT YOURSELF as best you can.

After working in shops for 30 plus years, I've paid a high price for my carelessness and stupidity. I've had carbon monoxide poisioning, zinc poisioning from welding galvanized steel, breathed a ton of asbestoes and chemical fumes, absorbed who knows how much solvent and other toxic chemicals through my skin, and lost the ability to hear certain frequencies. I'll probably die before I ever get the chance to retire someday.
You younger guys, PLEASE pay attention and work safely. You only have one life. Don't waste it.

A charcol mask will not protect you as well if it did there would be no need for fresh air systems ask your paint rep if you don't believe me or phone the paint companies tech line they'll set it straight for you.

a few websites that will help keep you informed I was a HAZMAT technician with FD for 14 years and chemicals are nothing to be sneezed at.

respirators: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topic.../respfact.html

reapirator cleaning:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/respcln.html

chemical name lookup also tells what is recommended as safety gear:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0000.html

eye safety:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/eyesafe.html

hearung:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nois...rotection.html
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nois...undadvice.html
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/faq/faq.html

isocyanates:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/asthma.html
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/90101_53.html
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/isocyanates/index.html
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/HESIS/iso.htm

metalworking fluids:
http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/metalworkingfluids/

organic solvents:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/organsolv/

silica:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/02-129A.html
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/92-102.html

take home toxins dont be fooled we do take stuff home with us:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/thttext.html

this is a small list of stuff that I hope everyone reads and does some research on the more we know the better protected we are

Doc

Is this the Respirator that you use for welding Sevt_????

http://www.autotoolmart.com/cgi-bin/...456&p_catid=58

and it fits under a regular welding helmet? - I have a Miller Elite Auto Helmet...it is pretty big but I just want to make sure that this will fit under it