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Location: Rochester, MN
What are you guys using for a mask when spraying solvent based finishes? I have an old cheap one that I think I bought at Menards many years ago when I was young and foolish and thought I would live forever. Now that I am older and more cautious I am noticing that I can still smell the finish when spraying which seems to me means that the mask is not completely doing it’s job? What would you recommend?
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Most important thing to do is get a fit test. Should be able to find a place local that can do it. And if you pick an occupational safety place that sells respirators they will typically have some there you can try before deciding which to purchase.
The typical test consists of having you put on a mask, then they spray your face with some smokish stuff that will make you cough. If you cough, it's a bad fit ?
Personally I have two respirators from North, one half and one full. Still going strong after years.
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(06-21-2025, 04:23 PM)BrentDH Wrote: What are you guys using for a mask when spraying solvent based finishes? I have an old cheap one that I think I bought at Menards many years ago when I was young and foolish and thought I would live forever. Now that I am older and more cautious I am noticing that I can still smell the finish when spraying which seems to me means that the mask is not completely doing it’s job? What would you recommend?
Decades of Hazmat work (including some around "human pesticides") taught me some things. First, you cannot get a good fit with a beard or even thick moustache. Second, use cartridges designed for the specific chemical and change them quite often.
