[TheForge] The Beard vs. the Respirator

[Peter Fels And Phoebe Palmer]

When i was spending a lot of time diving, I got some soft 
neoprene foam and glued it onto the flange of my mask. It made a 
good enough seal over a beard to get by.    pf

Larry Brown wrote:
> 
> Remember if you are not wearing a mask of any sort now, one that allows 
> the beard to filter the leaking air is still an improvement. I find that 
> I use the 3M masks pulled tight top and bottom and I get very little 
> leakage. It works MUCH better than none at all for welding fumes and 
> grinding. I have a rubber mask that I use for the little spray painting 
> I do and I get very little smell. I really like not shaving
> L Brown
> 
> 
> 
>> From: "Mark Novak" <mark at fireworkspdx.com>
>>
>>
>>> I need to ask this question before I shave. I wear a respirator when  
>>> I'm grinding, so as to minimize the amount of metal dust I inhale,  
>>> but I have a beard that interferes with the effectiveness of the  
>>> mask. The guy at my local Safety Store told me in no uncertain 
>>> terms,  "If you don't shave the beard off, the mask will never work  
>>> properly," which is what I was noticing while wearing it. He told me  
>>> that there is no respirator that works on guys with beards... they  
>>> all need skin contact.
>>>
>>> Does anyone out there have a beard and wear a respirator 
>>> effectively?  And if so, how did you do it? Did you fill your beard 
>>> with vaseline?  Did you shave a silly looking thin line wear the mask 
>>> can rest on  your skin?
>>>
>>> Mark Novak
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
> 
> 
>