Flutterby™! : Trend Airshield and positive pressure respirators 2009-07-28 03:43:39.833585+00

Trend Airshield and positive pressure respirators

2009-07-28 03:43:39.833585+00 by Dan Lyke 10 comments

Went up to Woodcraft in Santa Rosa this evening to look at a Trend Airshield. I was hoping for a better solution to the lenses of my goggles fogging while I was trying to install the insulation in the crawl space, and figured $300, although steep, was a reasonable thing to pay for ease of installation and clean lungs.

I decided against it. The one they had out for display didn't have the battery charged, but it seemed like it relied too much on a fan pulling through too little of a filter. Might be okay for dust and chips off the router table, but I wasn't confident that it could pull fiberglass fibers out of the air. And it would have required wearing ear plugs rather than muffs during general shop operations, maybe that's the primary difference between the Airshield and the Airshield Pro.

Seems like the next step up are the various 3M systems, but list on those is closer to a grand, and its also unclear what sort of impact protection the various options there offer.

I'm going to try calling the local paintball store tomorrow to see what they've got in terms of auxiliary fan cleared goggles that I could wear with the respirator I've got, but I'm interested in options that'd protect my vision and my lungs, and make it easier for me to see what I'm doing as I install the rest of the insulation, rather than working mostly by feel.

I use a Triton respirator, which I have not been happy with. Because I wear a beard, I have to use an head enclosure and a shroud. I do a fair amount of turning, so I need one that provides good face protection. In these areas the Triton scores well.

Having the filters, batteries and fan on a belt pack is convenient, and one of the main reasons that I decided on the Triton rather than the Trend. I didn't want the additional weight on my head/neck. I found the air hose on the Triton to be too stiff, and it sometimes worked itself loose. I understand the hose has been reworked since I bought mine.

The main problem I found with the Triton is an inadequate air flow. That seems to be a personal issue as I have less than optimal lung function, and overheat easily. Others don't find it an issue. The distribution system within the helmet is based on a semisoft plastic, and sometimes the output becomes bent thus limiting air flow. I have been thinking about using an AC blower with a long hose, but that would leave me tethered and getting kinked up. For long sessions at the lathe or belt sander, that might be worthwhile.

Meuon, I think the fogging goggles issue needs to be solved with air applied directly to the lenses, and it'd take one hell of a breeze for me to keep the crawlspace clear enough to keep the fiberglass particles to a safe level while I was doing the installing.

m, thanks, that's what I'd gathered about the Triton from the info I had, which is why I was looking at an entirely head mounted system (and why I insisted on trying one of these getups on before I bought it).

For general shop work, I don't have a belt sander (yet) or a lathe, so most of the dust I generate is chips and a respirator with safety glasses works fine. Unless I'm milling Ipé on the router table, but then I open up the front and back door to the garage and let the wind carry it out. However, we're thinking that with a small zoning variance we could replace a structure in the back yard with a real sized shop, and I'll have to think about better fixed dust collection and ventilation then...

Meuon, yeah, should have been clearer: Don't think that wrangling the hose for that while I'm crawling under the house is doable. Might be worth a try, though.

So, in light of Mike Rowe's video, maybe yah oughta just wrap a bandana around your face, squint, and get the job done?

I insulated under that house I lived in on Stringer's Ridge in 'Nooga. I used a pair of regular safety goggles and a paper mask. The googles fogged - but I couldn't see that well anyway - so you're working by the Braille method most of the time. It was uncomfortable but took only a few hours - and that house was bigger than yours.

In light of Mike Rowe's video, I'm thinkin' that since I'm both the crab boat captain and the crew member here, it's both my job to make me rich, and my job to keep myself alive.

I went down to the local paintball store today and for $45 got a set of goggles with an electric fan that blows through a filter. I can wear them with my regular respirator. I expect this'll be much better.

I'd say - crawling around under your house in the itchy heat makes you more the crab. Watch out for those pots!

Having worked in two different paintball stores I can say that the goggle fan systems are not very popular as an antifog solution. However, the level of exertion and sweat in paintball is quite high and the fans probably work better if you're not running around in the sun all day. I recommend a double pane lens and/or FogDoc antifog cream.

Skrubly, just having the higher quality goggles was half the battle, I only used the fan sometimes. But when I needed it it worked really well, so, yeah, big difference between crawling under the house and running around in the sun.