# Respirators: what do u use?



## Mhvisser

Lately we have been doing lots of new construction and spraying lots of trim. Just wondering what people think is the best respirator/cartridge/and prefilter for those enclosed spaces


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## Andyman

3m masks. Change the prefilter often. Keep them clean and store them in a ziplock once dry.


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## journeymanPainter

Black filters (carbon I think) for spaying latex/acrylics they'll last a long time....epoxy, pink filters (usually manufacturer will tell you what to use) usually a use once and destroy


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## Gough

journeymanPainter said:


> Black filters (carbon I think) for spaying latex/acrylics they'll last a long time....epoxy, pink filters (usually manufacturer will tell you what to use) usually a use once and destroy


Pink for epoxy? Really? In the states, pink ( magenta ) is for P100 (formerly HEPA) particulates, not organic vapors. Black is the standard organic vapor cartridge.


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## Mhvisser

I've always used the white r95 3m prefilters with the black organic vapor cartridge but am thinking about using the pink p100 with OV cartridge...I'm just wondering if it would make a noticeable difference in tight spaces (for latex and oil)


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## journeymanPainter

Gough said:


> Pink for epoxy? Really? In the states, pink ( magenta ) is for P100 (formerly HEPA) particulates, not organic vapors. Black is the standard organic vapor cartridge.


Is what tnemec recommended when we were using there stuff. Kept the smell out, and headaches away....they had specialty pre filters installed on them


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## Gough

journeymanPainter said:


> Is what tnemec recommended when we were using there stuff. Kept the smell out, and headaches away....they had specialty pre filters installed on them


I'm assuming they were pink/black, with the pink being the P100 pre-filters, piggybacked on a organic vapor cartridge (OV/P100). That's the combination that we use with electric paint removers ( heat plates) and lead paint. Pink alone isn't a chemical cartridge and doesn't filter our vapors/odors.

Here the 3M guide, with the standard colors used by all manufacturers.


http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSu7zK1fslxtUn829Mx_Zev7qe17zHvTSevTSeSSSSSS--


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## mattpaints82

I use the 3m cool flow with whatever cartridge came with it. Certain situations I'll use the pink particulate cartridge, makes the mask very light weight.


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## CApainter

Thanks for the link Gough.

I primarily use the combination Multi Gas/OV cartridge with a hard shelled P100 pre filter. The P100 is specifically for incidental lead or asbestos exposure I may encounter, and for the aspirated epoxy from spraying. 

However, as far as latex and acrylic droplets during spraying, I might be inclined to use the N95 pre filter rather then the P100. The N95 looks like it also provides a larger field for filtering, perhaps minimizing restricted air flow from use. What do you think?


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## Gough

CApainter said:


> Thanks for the link Gough.
> 
> I primarily use the combination Multi Gas/OV cartridge with a hard shelled P100 pre filter. The P100 is specifically for incidental lead or asbestos exposure I may encounter, and for the aspirated epoxy from spraying.
> 
> However, as far as latex and acrylic droplets during spraying, I might be inclined to use the N95 pre filter rather then the P100. The N95 looks like it also provides a larger field for filtering, perhaps minimizing restricted air flow from use. What do you think?


For spraying latexes and acrylics, we use the coarser per-filter as well. They do fill pretty quickly when we're spraying interiors, so cost comes into play. I think the P100 would be overkill for that application.

We're still working through some P100 filters that we bought a few years ago. An SW employee didn't understand that there is a substantial difference between a box and a case. "Sorry, the company policy is no returns on special orders." Fortunately, our company policy is to take our business elsewhere.


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## Mhvisser

Gough said:


> For spraying latexes and acrylics, we use the coarser per-filter as well. They do fill pretty quickly when we're spraying interiors, so cost comes into play. I think the P100 would be overkill for that application. We're still working through some P100 filters that we bought a few years ago. An SW employee didn't understand that there is a substantial difference between a box and a case. "Sorry, the company policy is no returns on special orders." Fortunately, our company policy is to take our business elsewhere.


Thanks for the link...it looks like the best combination of filters is Organic vapor cartridge with a p100 or r100 filter, I think the only difference between p100 and r100 is the life span of the mask. Of the p100 filters the best for painting is the 2097 or 2297.


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## Gough

Mhvisser said:


> Thanks for the link...it looks like the best combination of filters is Organic vapor cartridge with a p100 or r100 filter, I think the only difference between p100 and r100 is the life span of the mask. Of the p100 filters the best for painting is the 2097 or 2297.


I think the x100 is overkill for waterborne coatings, given the droplet size.


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## Mhvisser

Yeah u might be right...but It might depend less on droplet size and more on concentration of droplets in air...I am just looking for one type of cartridge and prefilter that I can use for everything


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## Gough

Mhvisser said:


> Yeah u might be right...but It might depend less on droplet size and more on concentration of droplets in air...I am just looking for one type of cartridge and prefilter that I can use for everything


The only we use the P100 is when we're dealing with lead-based paint with high levels of lead. I think the x95 prefilters are a more appropriate choice for painting.


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