Respiratory masks

[harvey b davison]

As per title, which is the best respiratory masks to use ?

im in need of 2 different ones i think.

i need one for working in my joinery shop, which needs to deal with mdf dust etc. I am leaning towards an airshield pro, but the earmuffs seem to be problematic with them.

Also what do people use when milling, unsure of the classification for petrol fumes.

Any advice would be appreciated.

cheers

H.

[Woodworks]

For the workshop Mouldex masks are a brilliant fit for me and they have a downward firing vent so no problems with misted glasses or visor. No idea about petrol fumes 

 

[delabodge]

you can not underestimate the need for good dust masks,,i use ppf3 for everything,,,yes there more expensive but for a reason,, 

Ive bought two axminster full face masks with filters for £230 each,,,and worth every penny,,,when planning,sanding,milling,,,

How long do you want to live??

dust kills......

[gobbypunk]

Hi I have an Airshield Pro and the best £200 ever spent but yes the ear defenders are crap not worth buying I just use some small ballistic ones on a string , I use mine for workshop and milling .

[Mark2]

Any good on tear gas ? just asking for a friend !

[DuncanH]

Depending on what exactly you're after, whether you have a beard, how hot your work place gets, you could go for a simple mask which has replaceable filters such as https://www.arco.co.uk/products/126002/56580/3M+7500+Silicone+Half+Mask+Respirator?BV_SessionID=@@@@1295888363.1550758186@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceadhhmemdhklcflgcefkdfggdhhi.0
It can take P3 filters for particles (wood/mdf) as well as catridges for gas and vapour, plus a combined one I believe. I used for years back for dust and it worked well and later for gas (simple spraying finish in the shed) and again it worked well. The only problem is that if you have a beard then getting a decent seal is tricky/impossible. They can also get a bit hot. You can use separate ear defenders with them and they're relatively cheap.
The other option is a powered respirator. I have no experience of the Trend one but the 3m Versaflo is fantastic, although rather pricey. It does dust particles without a problem and apparently you can get a combined dust and fume filter cartridge (which should do petrol). I have the optional ear defenders on mine and they work very well. If you're patient you can get a bargain on ebay - mine was unused and I think it was around £150.

[Stephen Blair]

Screwfix, £30 including inserts