Dust mask advice please

[Joe1975]

Hi all, I’m new to woodworking and have just set up temporarily in a 6x8ft shed. There is little ventilation so I’m concerned about breathing in too much dust. I’m just using hand tools mostly but occasionally get out a circular saw to make a couple of rip cuts. Just working on small projects at the moment so not generating a huge amount of dust.

What mask do you recommend. It needs to be comfortable if I’m going to wear it for 2-3 hrs cutting dovetails. I’m using a fine toothed saw so the dust is very fine.

PS I’ve got a big nose!

 

[Sideways]

I wouldn't want to wear a dust mask for hand tool woodwork, certainly not for a job like cutting dovetails. Caveat being some woods are problematic, some processes like sanding too, mdf is nasty, and I don't know what sensitivities you may have.

My own inclination would be to get an extraction hose onto your circ saw, and other power tools, use the mirka hand sanding blocks with a skinny extraction hose, and get one of the ambient air filters to pull the fine dust out of the air when needed. In a small space, you could have all the air filtered every few minutes.

GVS eclipse and trend stealth masks are both made from flexy silicon and about as good as they get.
Sundstrom half mask is more comfortable but has the weight of the big filter stuck on the front.
They're all OK for 30 minutes and all hurt when you've been wearing them for 2 hours which is why I would do my best not to need them.

If you do have sensitivities, get some PR88 barrier cream for your hands too.

 

[Joe1975]

I wouldn't want to wear a dust mask for hand tool woodwork, certainly not for a job like cutting dovetails. Caveat being some woods are problematic, some processes like sanding too, mdf is nasty, and I don't know what sensitivities you may have.

My own inclination would be to get an extraction hose onto your circ saw, and other power tools, use the mirka hand sanding blocks with a skinny extraction hose, and get one of the ambient air filters to pull the fine dust out of the air when needed. In a small space, you could have all the air filtered every few minutes.

GVS eclipse and trend stealth masks are both made from flexy silicon and about as good as they get.
Sundstrom half mask is more comfortable but has the weight of the big filter stuck on the front.
They're all OK for 30 minutes and all hurt when you've been wearing them for 2 hours which is why I would do my best not to need them.

If you do have sensitivities, get some PR88 barrier cream for your hands too.

That sounds like very good advice and information too, thank you for taking the time.

 

[Jamesc]

If you are going for a mask - a must in my opinion if you do things like power sanding then I can highly recomend a powered respirator. I have two of these AXMINSTER APF 10 Certainly not a cheap option but both my wife and I do woodwork and we have never regretted buying them. You can get filter protector pads to prolong their life. It is scary how much is collected after a couple of hours sanding - even with good extraction.

 

[supertom44]

If you are going for a mask - a must in my opinion if you do things like power sanding then I can highly recomend a powered respirator. I have two of these AXMINSTER APF 10 Certainly not a cheap option but both my wife and I do woodwork and we have never regretted buying them. You can get filter protector pads to prolong their life. It is scary how much is collected after a couple of hours sanding - even with good extraction.

I bought one of these when I got a lathe and it's been one of my best purcahses.
I find dust masks to be a little suffocating, especially for longer peroids.
No such issue with this.

It's definately overkill for hand tool work though, I don't wear any dust mask for the majority of my hand tool work, the exception being sanding.

 

[Max Power]

I've only ever worn a mask when doing dust generating operations like sanding, routing etc and have survived 46 years at it. You wont want or need to wear one with hand tools

 

[Jamesc]

Hi Max, without wishing to get into a heated argument, I had a similar attitude to my hearing, 5 minutes on a machnie can't do much harm.

I now have to wear hearing aids and whilst they have improved things I will never get it back.

Just my 2p worth is that we only get one set of lungs, ears etc. Whilst it may not be strictly necessary all the time, it is better to err on the side of caution and protect them as much as we can. My horse has well and truely bolted on my hearing but I wear my powered mask whenever I do any kind of sanding or jobs that generate dust. I also keep it on long after I have finished, that dust hangs around a long time.

 

[Adam Hodges]

I use one of the 3m half face masks which is really good.