Clear vision - or dust?

[Sawyer]

As a spectacles wearer, I am often confonted with a choice between breathing dust, or seeing what I'm doing.
The problem I've always had is, wearing a dust mask always makes my glasses or safety specs. steam up. So it's always a choice between mask or glasses. Is it just me, or does everybody have this problem? :x

Just been routing some plywood and ingesting some dust in the process: one of those jobs where the power tool extractor was ineffective/impractical.

I already have machine extraction and a vacuum cleaner for power tool extraction, but these measures are not effective in every case.

I know there's the super-duper Trend air filter face shields and similar - but they're expensive. Are there any other solutions, or do I just need to bite the bullet and fork out £200 or so for a Trend?

 

[marcros]

Have a look here http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... p=16648926 there are also some threads on this forum if you search.

 

[cambournepete]

I got a JSP Powercap Lite IP because I found it much more comfortable than the Trend. It fits over my glasses.

 

[JakeS]

wearing a dust mask always makes my glasses or safety specs. steam up.

What kind of dust mask are you using? I wear a nose-and-mouth twin-filter respirator and don't have any problem with my glasses (other than it being a bit uncomfortable if I catch the arms under the respirator's strap), are you talking about a full-face job, or does your mask vent directly upwards or something?

 

[Sawyer]

Jake, I normally use the disposable ones - I've tried every type I've seen, but no matter how I adjust them, breath always comes upwards around the nose and steams up my glasses.

I have also used a rubber mask with removable filter in the past, which worked better, but was quite uncomfortable to wear.

Marcros, maybe I'll try the washing up liquid idea.

 

[cmwatt]

Perhaps you do this already: if the elastic band of the disposable dust mask is too loose, you can always tie a wee knot in it to effectively make it shorter and tighter. Might help reduce the steam build up.

 

[deserter]

I wear zeckler 30 at work and home they have an anti fog coating which really works, mine arn't for wearing with regular glasses but they do make a rang designed to be worn over spectacles.

 

[JakeS]

Jake, I normally use the disposable ones - I've tried every type I've seen, but no matter how I adjust them, breath always comes upwards around the nose and steams up my glasses.

Hmm... I've generally found the disposable ones completely useless due to the lack of anything remotely like a seal between mask and face, but maybe it's all down to the shapes of our heads?

 

[fuster]

I tried the washing up liquid and,to my surprise, it worked perfectly!
So thanks for the link.
I use disposable masks and while they're certainly not perfect they're not useless either. Some dust gets in but most doesn't .

 

[Charlie Woody]

As I have a beard I have found it difficult to get a good seal with most masks.

 

[AndyT]

As I have a beard I have found it difficult to get a good seal with most masks.

Same here - beard and glasses not a good combination for dust protection. It's one reason why I mostly use hand tools, but I would like to know if any disposable masks are noticeably better. I know that the cloth-like ones that fold out over the chin are better than the moulded nose pieces, but they are still not much good.

 

[Cegidfa]

Like cambourne pete, I too use the JSP Powercap Lite IP. It's far lighter than the others, due to the fact that the battery is separate and fits in a handy pocket.
It is half the weight of the competition, which means that it is less fatiguing to wear, but a bit more expensive than others. Ideal if you have a beard and glasses like me.
In fact, worryingly, the chap in the photograph could be me - I do hope that he is a pillar of the community, or I could be in trouble. :shock:

Regards...Dick.

 

[jack55]

I use these prescription safety glasses nice close fit keeps the dust out /

http://www.infield-safety.de/show_produ ... 3&pkat=137

 

[Jensmith]

I have a half mask 3M 7500 mask and it doesn't steam up your glasses as it has a cool flow valve that directs your breath downwards. I've not had my safety glasses steam up at all and I've had the mask for a year at least.

 

[feswood]

i have the full face trend i like it, if you look around you could get it cheaper than the £200, i dont wear glasses but do have to wear gogles for work (building trade) and they steam up with a mask, dont think of the money more your health cant put a price on that

 

[Lord Kitchener]

I wear glasses all the time, and a mask quite alot, and what you need is the Trend Airace. I've been using them for years and they are very effective. They have a very large filter surface area, so are much easier to breath through than other masks, although the downside of that is that they obstruct the view of your feet, so you have to be more careful about where you are waliking.

Cost is less than £40, filter last for ages and are about £3 each. They don't steam your specs because they are fitted with valves and the air exhausts downward.

 

[Benchwayze]

Sam.
The tiniest spot of Fairy Liquid rubbed in small circles on your lenses stops the misting. But you have to have the patience to keep 'polishing' until the soap is invisible. It leaves a coating, but you can't see the finger marks. Much like spit and polishing boots, without the spit!
HTH


To save all that trouble, I bought one of these and it still works ok after two years.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/3m-maintenanc ... ator/13038

It has a good seal around the nose and cheeks, so no steaming.

John

 

[Jonzjob]

Threes up for the JSP Powercap Lite IP. Easy to use and cool in the hot summers we have here, when it arrives!!

The battery lasts for ages and when you charge it it switches off when done.. I too have a beard and glasses, no problems and comfortable 8)

 

[Jensmith]

Just bear in mind that the Trend Airace is only a P2 rated mask so if you're dealing with lots of fine dust it won't protect you as well as a P3 rated mask.

 

[Rob Bacon]

I suffered the same problem when I started wearing glasses, I have not found any disposable masks that do a good job but I have had good results with the Drager reusable respiratory mask it exhausts below, near the chin so that it does not steam your specs the strap is a bit strange but you can get different filters depending on what work you are doing. It is available from Screwfix £ 29.99.

Rob