Need facemask/respirator help

[jleiwig]

Ok. I normally wear a disposable dust mask and a full face visor when I'm turning something.

The problem I have is being a fat guy I sweat with all this gear on, and last night while turning a small bowl I fogged up my visor so much I could hardly see, to the point of having condensation dripping down the visor. Not being able to see is as much or more of a danger than not wearing the visor at all, so I took it off which isn't good!

I would love to get a triton or trend powered air mask, but I don't have the kind of coinage to drop right now, so I'm looking for other suggestions?

I notice that Brian Simmons just wears safety glasses, so that may be an option.

Also, does anyone have the small power mask that Woodcraft and Rockler sell for around $65?

I have also thought about ghetto rigging a setup similar to the trend where a box with filters and computer fan hangs on a belt and attaches to the Uvex bionic face mask. I've looked at pictures of the inside of the trend airshield and it's nothing more than a battery, a prefilter, and two cartridge filters, so it would be simple to duplicate.

 

[SonOfMartin]

You've already touched on a DIY idea - I'll steal one from my sons. Back when they played a lot of paintball, they had me rig up small computer fans in their helmets. I found this thread that describes what we did. Should work in a full-face shield with a little "engineering".

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/...stions/16085-vforce-mask-fans.html#post150087

 

[GregHight]

Harbour Feight has some affordable choices. I bought some safety/reading glases (rockler $6) that I like to wear when turning and just use a $12 high power fan on the wall above my lathe to blow the dust away. I'm nat a skinny fella either and get hot easy and my texas garage is not air conditioned so there is no way I'm doing a face shield.

 

[dalemcginnis]

While goggles will protect your eyes they don't do anything for the rest of your head if the bowl should come apart. Prior to my getting a Triton I wore the cartridge style respirator and never had a problem with the face mask fogging up though I will admit the the respirator had to be drained occasionally.

 

[CSue]

There are some eye glasses places that carry a paste kind of something you can put on your glasses so they will never fog up. I think I've seen it at Bed, Bath & Beyond as well. It works on the inside of my visor as well as the safety glasses I use.