Glad you're doing OK Ed and sorry that you had to go through that! I can't count the number of times I've left off the respirator because I was "just going to grind for a few seconds" and that doesn't count the time spent in the shop with nasty dust hanging in the air or simply being stirred up while working on another project.

Thanks for the reminder! I for one appreciate it.

Rick

I have just been using the 3M 8210Plus Particulate Respirator N95 disposable masks. Do you think it would be better to use the 7500? I have looked at that on amazon quite a few times.

Travis,

My honest opinion is that a disposable "dust mask" only gives you the illusion of protection.

My advice is to research it a little and find what you think will work best for you. After my surgery, I had to sit in my recliner for 5 weeks recovering. That gave me a lot of time to reflect, and research respirators. Aside from getting a full face respirator, the 3M 7500 are the best in terms of protection that I have found. After getting the first one, and trying it out for a few days, I ordered a dozen of them, and two full cases of filters!

Don't mess around with this! Get yourself the best protection you can find.

Thanks for the reminder Ed. I recently went and bought me a new one and have been wearing it regularly. I must admit partly because you have made us more aware of the dangers. The fact is, I can tell that I feel, breath, and sleep much better lately. Thank you. Lin

Ed

Your ordeal has reminded me of the importance of protecting ourselves in the shop. I often start to grind w/o my respirator and your story prompts me to stop and put it on. Also am using it with glues now.

Keep it up guys! If my ordeal and "preaching" keeps one person from having to go through what I did, then it was worth the pain. God got me through that ordeal, and I can't help it was to allow me to help other not make the same mistakes that I did.

I now keep one of the 3m 7503 masks hanging from a hook, right in front of everyplace in the shop where I should be wearing a mask....I still catch myself thinking....I only need to touch this to the grinder....and the mask hanging in the way always makes me stop and put it on.

A timely warning Ed. I really hope you're feeling better now. Only a few weeks ago I myself got very ill after spending a day in the shop at school while there were students grinding everyting imaginable, rusted painted steel,bronze mold sprues, etc. I ended up with a bad lung infection and am still on anti-biotics. The dust particles from broken down abrasive belts are very bad; all kinds of silicates and hard crystaline materials the body cannot deal with. It might as well be asbestos. A word to the wise...

Due to reaching another age related milestone, I recently went to my doctor for a physical. My physician sent me for chest ex-rays and he believes that I am in the early stages of developing COPD. So, I am now scheduled for pulmonary testing. The doctor is very concerned about the amount of dust that I may be inhaling while working in my shop.

I am trying to do better about wearing a respirator while grinding, but once the grinding has been completed, there is always a lot of dust still floating around the air in the shop. I could just open the doors of the shop, but my shop is climate controlled (central heat and air) and I am not interested in opening it up to the fickle Kansas weather.

So, I am working on improving my dust collection system in an attempt to reduce the amount of dust that escapes into the air. I have had the most difficulty with designing a collection system that works well when grinding steel. The ducting on my system is PVC and it uses the typical cloth collection bags. While using it to grind steel, I have melted the PVC ducting and also set the collection bags on fire. NOT cool......

I would like to see what other knifemakers have used/built/found to be effective systems for collection of steel grinding particulates.

Ed, do you have any recommendation on the appropriate filter to use with the 3M 7503?

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Ed, do you have any recommendation on the appropriate filter to use with the 3M 7503?

The 3M P100 is the base line filter for these masks. During my recovery I spent a lot of time on the computer researching, and found that the P100 filter, model 2097 (pink colored filter) is the best for what we do. The 2097 is a particulate filter, with nuisance level organic vapor protection. Essentially the 2097 is what I would consider the baseline filter for knifemakers. Other model filters that 3M sells for these masks incorporate the same protections, but just add another.

I found a case of the 2097s on Ebay for a very reasonable price, and purchased those while I was still recovering from the surgery. Later, Steve Kelly and I went together and purchased 3 cases of 2076HF filters.....that filter has all the other protections, but also incorporates Hydrogen Fluoride....nothing we'll be into, but the filters have all the other protections, and now I have 2 1/2 cases of mask filters that wound up costing only about .30 cents a pair! If you go to any of the safety stores on the internet, your likely going to pay $6-$9 per pair for the 2097 filters, and up to $12 per pair for the 2076HF filters.

|quoted:

While using it to grind steel, I have melted the PVC ducting and also set the collection bags on fire. NOT cool......

I am planing a system for my shop using small diameter heating duct.

You have a lot of options because of the multitude of fitting.

have a look here My link

If you know any one in the heating or AC profession they can tell you the best place to find what you need in your area

good luck

Lyman

Hey Lyman,

Thanks for the suggestion and the link. I am planning to use steel ducting and had been looking at the Rockler parts already. I need to decide if I am going to modify my existing system, replace it, or add a second system just for steel grinding. I probably will opt for the exaust to be vented through the shop wall and just be blown outside. That will do away with the cloth collection bags and the risk of fire in them.

Ed,

Glad to hear you're on the mend, and thanks for the warnings. Having started in woodworking

some 50 years ago, I know the benefits of good dust collection. I have a large dust collector

attached to my table saw, jointer and drill press.

I also have an Oneida Gorilla which captures grinding dust from my KMG. It resides outside my shop

and I'm more than willing to loose some heat in the winter for a serious reduction in airborne

grinding dust. Just remember, if you grind any aluminum make sure your pipes are

clean before you grind more steel. Even little thermite burns are impressive! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmiths.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//ohmy.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' />

I also use a dust deputy on my shop vac for general clean-up. It saves a lot of

filter cleaning.

Both folks had breathing problems, so I'm takin' no chances.

Bill