On 5 Mar 2005 21:14:59 GMT, Ed Clarke wrote:

On 2005-03-05, Silvan wrote:

Yup. Nothing really works. I feel like a dust mask actually forces me to
inhale *more* dust, because it concentrates it at the interface between
beard and mask. The alternative looks unwieldy, but more importantly,
those hood things are frickin EXPENSIVE. It's a problem I wish I could
solve, but it's kind of a question of weighing the risk of occasional dust
inhalation against having SWMBO perpetually ****ed off at me for shaving
the beard. She *likes* the beard.

Use a 3M AirMate. As you mention, it's very expensive ($800) but still quite
a bit cheaper than a new set of lungs, or any surgery on your eyes. Mine
has the full face shield, a hard hat and a positive pressure to keep dust
and gas out of my lungs. I also have a beard which is NEVER EVER coming off.

I'm in that place with the beard. It's been there for 20 years and
isn't going anywhere. I have been looking at various face shield
setups with remote filtration. There is the AirMate and something else
which is only about $350 IIRC. It has a belt pack with the filters
etc. I sure could have used something the other day - I was fine
sanding on maple and didn't realize how thick the dust was until I
stopped. What really made me think was when I looked at the little
electric heater in my workroom and saw that thick layer of dust all
over the heating elements and stuff.

The cost thing is a big part of it for me. My annual tool budget won't
run to *one* $800 purchase. If I were to buy an $800 AirMate I
wouldn't have any reason to ever wear it because there would be no
wood in the shop to make dust. So for now I wear the cheap dust masks
(when I remember) and rely on the sweat and condensation on my beard
to make a sort of filter around the edges.

--
"We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com