Low budget full face glasses integrated dust mask

[BartW]

Hello;

 

Well; after the 15th person in my shop told me something along these lines : "Well that is a great idea, mind if I do that too in my shop?" I figured maybe it's time to make some pics and share it with the world.

You all (probably) know those cheap full face snorkeling masks, I noticed that these almost never fogged up, and have a reasonably thick polycarbonate "window" with verrrrrry large silicone seals. They cost about 20€, you can find them from various sellers; but I've seen them first at Decathlon. They are scratch and blow resistant as the CE safety mark requires this in the European union.

With 2 verry small cuts in the silicone; you can add prescription glasses to them, I've yet to find any other full face mask that accommodates glasses for a reasonable price. The snorkel on top of your head can be covered with cloth like socs (washed and without holes ), this one has a nylon stretch thing and 2 layers of cotton soc.

This WILL not protect you against toxic vapours like paint; chemicals, burning zinc ... but it will protect you against dust.

And since I do a lot of grinding on knives and handles; I've been sick from grinding cocobolo once, not a pleasant experience. I've been looking out for something to protect my lungs and face, but be compatible with my glasses. Best I found so far was the combination of a respirator and safety glasses. But the safety glasses either protected well and fogged up in minutes; or didn't protect enough against sparks. 

So I tried to install an old pair of shop glasses in this snorkeling mask; and that worked really well; comfortable and all; and doesn't fog up. Then I added a couple of layers of cloth over the air intake; and lo and behold; not even the finest dust irritates any more. Other people have tried too; and almost everybody is really fond of these.  Granted, it makes you look like an alien

However; it protects VERY well against things trying to hit your face (even a belt breaking). You can even add a industrial filter cartridge on the snorkel with some creative duc-tape. I also thing because you're getting air 10 inch above your head; you're having less dust anyway. And you can add as many layers of various filtering/cloth as you like. It costs only 20 €; so when the face shield is too pitted from sparks; I'll simply buy a new one. I've also found that this thing is better when looking down; because there are no filtering cartridges in the way.

I store it in a bag to keep it dust free above my grinder.  

 

Pictures :

 

Give it a try I'd say; but keep in mind this is a snorkeling mask; NOT a professional respirator. 

 

[BartW]

If there is a moderator for this thread; I just saw there's a seperate section for personalprotection equipement, maybe this thread is better suited there ?

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Any time you need to get a mod's attention, click on the Report Post in the upper right of the post. Put in a note about the problem of the post.

[Frosty]

Thank you Bart, I'm in for $20. I was thinking I'd wished you'd given us a name but the description searched out enough examples. I don't need most of the features but I'd love a full face shield that'll go over my trifocals. I'm going to make a couple calls locally and see if there are any on the shelf but I'll do online if not. Heck, I think there's a dive shop in Wasilla. 

Thanks again.

Frosty The Lucky.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Maybe add some tear-offs like the motocross riders use. When it gets too pitted, tear the top layer off and be clear again.

 

[Buzzkill]

With Halloween around the corner in the worst case you've got yourself a good start on a costume.    I'm imagining the conversations when people drive by if I'm grinding in the garage/shop with the main door open and I'm wearing one of these.

Thanks for the suggestion.  It is hard to find something that works comfortably with prescription glasses that doesn't fog up.

[Frosty]

We could trick or treat as Imperial Storm Grinders! Buzz and Frosty, sounds like a winning candy gang to me and heck we should be used to folk giving us THOSE LOOKS after all these years. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[BartW]

I've got three of these, and a bunch of 3M, dräger, deltaplus respirators and various safety glasses for courses. Everybody always starts with just safety glasses, for the forging. when the grinding starts; people add a respirator. by the time they are done - grinding wood for the handles mostly - the three diving masks are in a waiting queue... as in; people having used them; will wait untill one becomes free to finish grinding their knife handle. 

Adding those peel off things might actually be a good idea; I'll probably try that given that the front of this snorkling mask is almost completely flat.

[Chris C]

BartW, I can't clap hard enough.  This is something that will make grinding a whole lot more pleasant.  I've got respirators and I've got a face shield, but I'd rather have a positive air mask and I think I can accomplish that with one of these...........and at a fraction of the cost of a commercial positive air respirator.  Not hard to put something together to solve a serious problem.  Thanks for sharing this.

[JHCC]

BartW, here's an idea: if you cut the mounting fixtures out of a standard mask, I'm sure you could figure out a way to mount them on the top end of the snorkel. Take a look at this video, which shows the process of making an adaptor to fit a standard 3M P100 filter onto a Resp-O-Rator:

One BIG advantage of this is that you can mount any kind of filter you like on the end, including ones for paint, chemicals, welding fumes, etc.

 

[M.J.Lampert]

On 9/16/2019 at 10:50 PM, Frosty said:

Thank you Bart, I'm in for $20. I was thinking I'd wished you'd given us a name but the description searched out enough examples. 

Thanks again.

Frosty The Lucky.

frosty please note BartW's location (Belgium) that is euro where 20= 25ish USD or 30ish CAD still a deal but a little bit more.

M.J.Lampert

[Frosty]

Thanks M.J., good to know. It's not a deal breaker but I should pay attention to exchange rates. I'm not used to thinking about them at all. Now if I'll remember to see about ordering one of the things. My eyes are getting pretty sensitive to dust.

Frosty The Lucky.