Good thing about Corona virus

[tvrgeek]

Took some digging, but I found a good thing.
We can get inexpensive disposable face shields. Seems my traditional ones last about two uses in my shop before it is splattered with solvents or scratched up. So, frequently I don't have one on and I know I should. $3.50 each sure beats $15 each.

 

[Gotcha6]

I think I may have commented on this issue when this all started, but this whole thing has given me cause to reflect on my air filtration and dust collection deficiencies. A good mask is a start, but unless you put it on before you enter the shop and take it after you leave (I don't, too old school, I guess) you expose yourself to some respiratory compromises.
At least I never smoked...............

 

[NOTW]

I agree Dennis, I have started bringing my respirator inside and donning and doffing it in the house as opposed to leaving it in the shop. I am also in the process of upgrading my dust collection to have a Wynn filter as opposed to the bag type, thanks to @FredP

 

[tvrgeek]

Yup, CV cyclone on order, Wynn filters. Pluss MERV 13 based old furnace fan ambient cleaner and MERV13 filters on the HVAC. Only time I need the respirator is if doing MDF or hand sanding. Proof is no dust on top of my coffee.

We are able to buy real 3M vented N-100 masks again, so I stocked up. New design 3M respirators don't fit like the old ones, so bought an Eclipse. Much better. Still won't fit under my welding helmet so I have to use the disposable. Not as good as I have a full beard. When I paint, I grease the beard and it does seal. I do need to start wearing them mowing the yard. Allergies are getting to me.

For those too old school, I bought my drill press from an estate sale. Long time woodworker. No DC. Died from emphysema. Was not a smoker. I am sure I did more damage when young. We used to blow the dust out of break drums. Acetone to glue models together, Muriatic and phosphoric acid for rust removal and of course Benzine was used in everything.

 

[SteveColes]

.... We are able to buy real 3M vented N-100 masks again ...

Where please???

 

[tvrgeek]

Amazon, where else? Also got some KN95's that we wear for virus protection.

 

[Hmerkle]

I bought some 3-M N95 masks on Amazon and waited, and waited, and waited and was finally told they must have been lost in shipping... cancelled the order and did get my money back but was told that all stock of N-95 masks were reserved for health care workers...

I just went on and can get them $8-$10 cheaper than the ones I originally ordered...

I will not order KN95 masks, simply because I don't trust the KN95 standard

 

[tvrgeek]

N95 WITHOUT the vent are for medical and may be reserved.
N95 WITH the vent are not suitable for healthcare
KN95 are "procedure" masks, Chinese certified, great for personal use, but not permissible for medical in the US. They are fine. Most of the world accepts them.

Months ago, you could not order them. I got mine last month.

 

[Volksdad]

I use kn95s. These are considered “respirators” not “masks”...

3M studied the efficacy of both. Link here: (info from CDC website).

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1791500O/comparison-ffp2-kn95-n95-filtering-facepiece-respirator-classes-tb.pdf

I buy mine locally- princess nail supply in raleigh next to harbor freight on capital. Although you need a license to buy all the beauty supplies in there, PPE is open for anyone. The owner has never up charged for PPE. kn95s go for 1.25 each. I also get the hand sanitizer there, comes in a pump bottle and I’m on my second bottle since March of last year. He has a website too if you are not local.

HTH.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Volksdad]

Of special note in the study- second page at the top-

“Based on this comparison, it is reasonable to consider China KN95...as “similar” to US NIOSH N95 ... for filtering ... bioaerosols (e.g. viruses).”

HTH.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Michael Mathews]

As a note of interest, the company I work for makes surgical and N95 masks right here in Durham! Unfortunately the N95 have not yet received NIOSH approval so we can't sell them quite yet. But we are making them for our sister plants as they have passed all the testing that was done at NC State, they just don't have the official stamp on them. We expect NIOSH approval any day! But, the surgical masks are available on amazon under the name Collectex brand. In case you're wondering, the company is Freudenberg Performance Materials and we've been a textile mfg for a long time. With the Pandemic we already had an empty building so we loaded it with mask making production lines. I'll check with our sales person and see if we can sell the N95 to woodworkers without the NIOSH stamp and I'll find out a price.

 

[tvrgeek]

Well, when all this is over, maybe Western culture will not be afraid of masks for flu season and maybe more workers in dusty environments will protect themselves better.
I know, just mowing the lawn they make a difference, so I expect future sales. Probably not like today, but expanded from before.
Great someone is giving 3M a bit of competition!

 

[Berta]

Well, when all this is over, maybe Western culture will not be afraid of masks for flu season and maybe more workers in dusty environments will protect themselves better.
I know, just mowing the lawn they make a difference, so I expect future sales. Probably not like today, but expanded from before.
Great someone is giving 3M a bit of competition!

I agree with that. It is a rare occurrence when I don’t get at least one chest cold in the winter. I do believe the mask helped with that.

 

[NOTW]

With all this conversation on cleaner air it got me thinking about my air filtration unit. It is a powertec unit but at 400CFM it is sized right for my garage. How often does everyone change their filters in those? I have been taking them and using compressed air outside with a respirator on to clean them out occasionally and then when they get really dirty i replace them. Is this a bad or normal practice?

 

[tvrgeek]

The empirical way would be to hook up a monometer and see the drop across them. Then pick some number, like a 20% increase in drop. To me, 400 sounds low. I run an old furnace blower. About 1500.

 

[NOTW]

Everything I have read depends on how many times you want the air recycled an hour. I have read 6 times an hour for a one man shop and 10 times for a shop doing heavy sanding. With this is mind the calculation would be shop cubic foot (L x W x H) divided by cycles per hour = CFM

my shop is 20’ x 20’ x 9.5’ ceilings = 3,800 cubic feet divided by 10 cycles = 380CFM

Choosing an Air Cleaner for your Shop

To figure the airflow needed for your shop, multiply the length x width x ceiling height. The result is the cubic foot of your shop. Then divide this number by ten. This is the cubic feet per minute needed for your shop.

www.woodcraft.com

Of course more filtration is always better. I wanted a furnace filter but gave up looking for one and bought an air filtration unit instead many years ago