Andy Dingley wrote:
On Wed, 15 Jun 2005 09:06:09 GMT, mike wrote:

Large plastic helmet (it's surprising how big this has to be to go over the
head). Where the heck can I get one of these?

Mine is an aircraft fire-fighter's helmet (eBay, naturally). It's
excellent for casting molten metal, great for amusing the kids, and
appears to be the same helmet worn by the aliens in UFO (Ed Bishop,
RIP)

You can even get a surplus rocket fuel handling suit
http://www.wolfhazmat.de/astrosuit/hazmat_wolf21.htm



However this is ridiculous for pollen - why cover your head ?

I don't even think you need to cover your eyes ?

So what you need is a lightweight, comfortable half-mask respirator. Get
yourself down to Arco - there's a big range. 3M do good ones, pay the
extra for silicone if you're going to wear it for a long time. Masks
with good exhale valves (i.e. not breathing through the filter both
ways) are comfortable. As for filters, then any half-decent particle
filter will do - a good mask has these interchangeable.

If you want motorised blowers, then Racal or Trend have sold these for
years - used by woodturners to pharmaceutical workers. They're expensive
though.
The Trend "Dan Dare" Airshield
http://www.peterchild.co.uk/tools/dusty/air.htm
or the Racal Airstream (expensive, heavy, but better balanced)
http://www.regency-uk.com/html/airstream.html


If you want half-head coverage, get a 3M mask

If you want robust half-head, get an Avon S10 mask
(any UK mil-surplus shop - cheap)
http://www.wolfhazmat.de/S10Mask/S10_01.htm

If you want full head coverage, get a Soviet "chipmunk" mask.
http://www.studiogum.com/Boris%20Page/Boris.055.htm
(better UK mil-surplus shops - still cheap)


Thats what I call extreme solutions! I had hay fever real bad one year,
what worked was to drape wet towels around a room and re-wet them when
needed. Dont let them dry out or they can let go of the dust. It
filtered the whole room, worked well.

NT