Respirator?

[jpearson]

I am starting to plan for painting my car in the spring. It will likely be the only car I ever paint although it will happen in a few separate stages - exterior, interior, trunk, and engine bay. I will put together a paint booth in my garage with 2 or 3 intake and output fans each. What is the consensus on respirator type? If I am only doing one car (I will also wear it for stripping/blasting) should I get a fresh air system or is a cartridge system adequate?
Thanks for the input.

[Joe Bob]

Look up isocyanates.

[jpearson]

I saved an ebay search for a used fresh air system.

[cgarr]

I started using a fresh air system about 10 years ago, the problem is the 20 years before I had it. Don't screw with your lungs.. You can even make your own pretty easy..

[Bob Kontak]

I am not going to recommend an old fashioned cartridge respirator. But one car...... and you are evacuating the fumes quickly??

Cartridge filters absolutely kick a*s when they are brand new.

Also, will you spray with old gravity feed or HVLP? HVLP will have less overspray.

I know what I would do but it runs against the current school of thought.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by cgarr

You can even make your own pretty easy..

What do you drive the fresh air with?

[Fishcop]

Fresh air system. Every time for an enclosed space. I bought a second hand unit and hooked it up to my scuba tank and 1st stage regulator.

Having said that, I did a lot of my prep work and body underside work outside and just wore a cartridge filter. As Bob K mentions, the modern cartridge filters are very good when fresh and used in accordance with instructions and capabilities, don't skimp - change the cartridge regularly to manufacturer's recommendation (use a prefilter and an organic solvent spec cartridge). You can preserve the cartridges by putting them in an air tight container (Tupperware) in the fridge.

Also, if you are "bearded" or otherwise facially hirsute, then you really want to consider a shave when using a cartridge filter or 'smoothing it down' with vaseline so that the mask gets a seal... otherwise it's pointess.

[Joe Bob]

They make hoods for people with facial hair.....

[Fishcop]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

They make hoods for people with facial hair.....

I just like smearing vaseline over mysef

[Joe Bob]

tmi.....