Do you wear a respirator when you airbrush?

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:55 pm

Do you? I've been considering getting one, because there have been a couple of airbrush sessions where I feel a little light-headed afterwards, even using a spraybooth. Do those little cloth/paper masks work OK, or does it have to be a full-blown respirator with filters and all?

haywire · Post by **haywire** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:40 pm

I wear a dust mask and that seems to be fine.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:48 pm

I do when I'm spraying rattle cans or laquers.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:59 pm

I've got a half-mask twin cartridge respirator, and I try and wear it as much as possible. I've also got a spraybooth, but really, these are the only lungs I plan on having. It's cheap insurance, and if you get a good mask, you'll forget you are wearing it after a few minutes.

Dan

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:00 pm

Are you using acrylics or mineral based paint? You don't really need a respirator if you use acrylics or paint outdoors.

TREKKRIFFIC · Post by **TREKKRIFFIC** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:38 pm

I probably should but I don't. My spraybooth is near the garage door though so I get pretty good ventilation with the door open.

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:41 pm

irishtrek wrote:Are you using acrylics or mineral based paint? You don't really need a respirator if you use acrylics or paint outdoors.

I generally use Tamiya acrylics, but I still have that "buzzed" feeling after airbrushing, and my nose sometimes burns a bit.

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:47 pm

Then I would say just use a dust mask

Styrofoam_Guy · Post by **Styrofoam_Guy** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:52 pm

Depends on the paint and how long I am airbrushing.

For Lacquers yes. For short acrylic paint jobs. No.

I try and avoid lacquers and enamels whenever I can

Alex
Styrofoam Guy

Mr. Badwrench · Post by **Mr. Badwrench** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:52 pm

Unlike Jonas Calhoun, I do plan on getting new cyborg lungs some day, (to go with my black mechanical heart). But until then, I use a dual cartrige respirator. I also airbrush lots of lacquers and enamels, always indoors. So a good mask is required.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:34 pm

And especially if you are getting buzzed...the thinners in acrylics still aren't good for you in vapor form...

Dan

modelnutz · Post by **modelnutz** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:37 am

Always! I figure it this way....anything that's designed to coat something else is NOT something I want in my lungs!

Just my 2 peso's

Carry on....

ignatz · Post by **ignatz** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:08 am

I've got a pretty good exhaust fan venting out over my painting area. I have a 2 cartridge respirator as well, but I often don't use it. Probably should though. Acrylic vapors will probably do as much damage to my lungs as any solvent.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:12 am

Bah! Sissies!

<cough>

Kenny

starmanmm · Post by **starmanmm** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:46 am

I do wear a half-mask twin cartridge respirator even tho the fan I use for my spray booth came from the exhaust fan from a commerical kitchen. The draw on that baby comes close to snuffing a lit match out! Best thing I got out of a junk yard!

CaptainHawk1 · Post by **CaptainHawk1** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:49 pm

Yeah, I've been geting worried lately a you hear the horror stories of the guy who had chuks of acrylic clogging his lungs.

Generally speaking I'm only usin acrylics now for painting and I only do it in my garage withthe garage door open. In the summer I use a fan as well (this is Vegas after all).

The only time I use laquer is when I seal my decals and dull coat my models.

I haven't been using a mask at all but I've got those masks that come like 10 to a pack.

WIll these suffice?

-Shawn

starmanmm · Post by **starmanmm** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:50 pm

If they are designed for paint and seeing that you are using acrylic... I don't see why they shouldn't work. It should say on the package what they can be used for.

Zen-Builder · Post by **Zen-Builder** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:58 pm

Yes, I do as well as for resin sanding and when working with my router.

b5ranger99 · Post by **b5ranger99** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:23 pm

I use a spray booth with charcol filters and I also use one of the dual cartridge masks. Also make sure you get the correct filter for the mask. Mine came with a dust filter, the vapor (?) filters were extra, I think they contain carbon.

Lonewolf · Post by **Lonewolf** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:41 am

I usually wait until warmer weather to use spraybombs because I can do my painting outside where vapors don't really matter. Until this year I've done all my painting with a brush, but now that I'm getting into airbrushing, I'm using the paper masks and keeping vent fans running.

The only real spraying I usually do inside the house now is with DullCote when I am ready to seal the kit.

BLZ BOB · Post by **BLZ BOB** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:39 am

Yup I sure do, whilst airbrushing I usually use a simple dust mask or if I find it a bit hard going (Furture is the killer) I don my trusty S10 army respirator. Priming is my reay issue, I live in a block of flat with no garden so spraying outside is not an option and since changing jobs I don't have the chance to go round to my parents and prime there. This means priming from a rattlecan indoors, to be more precise in a 6x10 room with one point of ventilation. The smell is easily countered by closing the door and leaving the window open the real trouble comes from the dust genreated, dried black overspray makes for one nasty dark dust. Sadly this is the only place I can do it, I had considered using the courtyard below but would find my project vandalised or stolen in short order by the locals

vern · Post by **vern** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:08 am

Dust mask is fine, using a respirator would be better, check this out http://www.respirated.com, if you don't have any idea of what to use.

Blappy · Post by **Blappy** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:26 am

Kylwell wrote:I do when I'm spraying rattle cans or laquers.

Same here.

geck · Post by **geck** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 9:59 am

Yes...you should be wearing a respirator no matter what. Even outside although I must admit I violate that rule myself cause I'm in a hurry and well...I'm outside...

Why should you wear one?

If you can smell the paint...even outside...particles ARE going into your lungs. The particles are bad for your lungs...they get lodged in the vascular tissue and stay there. The fumes are bad for your nervous system/brain.

Not trying to be a nanny, but better safe than sorry right?

Wug · Post by **Wug** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 12:03 pm

3M respirator with two replaceable cartridges

I have a big fan in the window blowing outward and open windows in other rooms for good ventilation.

Mick4350 · Post by **Mick4350** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 6:48 am

Years ago I worked on a galvanizing bath for nearly six years. Breathing in Ammonium Chloride salt that has vaporised after it has been thrown over the molten zinc in copious amounts and also having to put up with the sulfuric acid fumes from the pickling baths was too much too bear especially on rainy days when the whole building filled up with the foul smelling acid fumes. Being hit with molten zinc from the bath when it exploded after the steel being dipped into it especially if if it were still damp after the pickling process was bad enough, but when the black Ammonium Chloride flux hit your skin it would bubble away for a couple of seconds causing slightly deeper burns than compared to the zinc that would cool quite quickly. Ouch ! Later they changed the boiling sulfuric acid to cold Hydrochloric Acid which was friendlier on the system. In the last year I was there, they put in a Hydrofluoric Acid bath to dissolve sand that remained in cast metal castings even after they were processed in the casting section of the foundry where I worked. I found out some information from the local university regarding Australian Standards regarding the use of Hydrofluoric Acid and I had the building's foreman bending over backwards regarding the safe use of the highly poisonous acid. If I hadn't sourced this information I doubt if our safety could have been assured. This I believe made my postion redundant soon afterwards.

So because of this I spray paint outside on the rear porch which is undercover. I am currently trying to build myself a spray booth to try and pull some of the paint fumes away as I am getting ready to use Alclad II on some of my modelling projects.

Mad-Modeler · Post by **Mad-Modeler** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:35 am

Respirator with cartridges and safety-goggles regardless if I sand resin or paint.

If you can smell the thinner you already inhaled it.

Post by **TER-OR** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 10:16 am

Remember the charcoal filters have a lifetime. Store them correctly and replace them on schedule.

I'll use a dust mask when painting larger amounts. Acrylic alcohols don't seem too bad, though I fully agree that lacquers are bad juju.

LiebeVision · Post by **LiebeVision** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:56 am

Um.... I'm so guilty of not using anything. And I primarily use rattle cans.

But it's fun after wards when you blow your nose and see a rainbow of paint colors.

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:44 am

I don't do a heck of a lot of spraying, but when I do, I always use a disposable face mask. It's not as good as a respirator but it's better than nothing.

Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Do you wear a respirator when you airbrush?

Do you wear a respirator when you airbrush?

Unfortunately, no.