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Hello there. i am maker along with my 2 sons we are trying to build nice tools to sale. we have designed a new bench dog which i think adds to the craft. would you be willing to look at it and let us know what u think ? and if worthy talk about it online. i know your pretty busy. Thank you David
@@brucemiller1696 There is always dust in the air outside, too. It's a matter of dosage. If you are knee deep in sawdust and kicking it all over the shop, then yes, you should wear a mask. But once the dust has settled for a while, the micro-amounts that remain in the air should be well within the range of what your body can naturally expel.
I would like to thank you for the time and effort you put into your many well-researched and well-spoken shop safety videos. I am 81 now, and have spent about 50 years using shop equipment, sanding, varnishing, boat building, house renovating...and on and on. It would have been 60 years, but submarine duty called during my 20's. My first table saw was a 1948 Craftsman that routinely heaved boards in kickbacks through my shop wall. I've had about 10 others since, ranging from a Unisaw with a power feeder to my current DeWalt (that I truly love). I hate to admit that thanks to you and several other RUclipsrs, I have finally put the guard back on for good, am using a push stick, am wearing a P100 face mask and keep upgrading my dust collection...I have never been seriously injured other than getting wacked a few times by the drill press and the unguarded old Milwaukee angle grinder , but honestly that has nothing to do with common sense...just luck. Anyway, I figure I will have at least another 10 to 15 years of shop time...and it would be nice to enjoy it with 10 fingers and my face intact. So now, I'm slowing down and thinking about every move around my tools before I stab myself again with a chisel or a screwdriver. Keep up the good work. The finger you save might be mine!
You said it! The dang drill press has whacked me several times when the bit caught and spun the metal bar around with enough force to break a bone. Fortunately it didn't, but the bruise was just as bad. Everyone is afraid of the table saw because it can amputate, but the lowly drill press is a real "bruiser"!
I inherited my father's Craftsman table saw that he had inherited from his father. It's still sitting in the shop and still, i pussy out and walk by it to use the miter saw every time.
Just to add a little detail to the discussion, you mentioned that a clogged mask won't result in breathing in more particulate matter. it will just get harder to breath. That is true if you have a perfect seal between yourself and the mask. If you don't have a perfect seal from a poorly fitting mask or a beard, then the reduced airflow through the clogged mask will result in increased airflow around the mask, which means breathing in the particulate matter. All the more reason to use a good mask! Thanks for the important reminder.
@@okafka5446 I agree that being clean shaven is the ideal, but I have been surprised at just how well my respirator seems to seal even with a full beard. For a long time I never really used any dust protection, but lately I have been working with a plywood that makes me cough really bad if I do any cutting at all without a mask. My 3M p100 respirator stops that completely, doesn't feel like I breathe any of the dust in. I know I probably still get a little because of the beard, but it's a small enough amount I'm willing to risk it.
Well, I am a doctor. As a physician woodworker, I agree with everything you're saying, James. Obviously, if there is a specific allergy to a wood's dust, it must be avoided. Otherwise, just as with other parts of life, we should do as much as we reasonably can to reduce our risks and then carry on. Unless someone is living 24 hours a day in the shop with machinery chewing up wood constantly, a reasonable dust collection system with the best isolation/hood at the source feasible will be fine. Wearing a N95 mask (or for fumes, a respirator) is even better. Thank you! P.S. Use a HEPA rated air filter(s) adequate to the shop’s volume too.
Limbs, Lungs, Lenses & Lobes. When in your workshop, take care of the 4L’s. Your Lenses & Limbs can be an instant, permanent injury. Lungs & Lobes (one’s ears) happens gradually and you find out too late you’ve neglected protecting them. My Dad used to always say “you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube”. The same holds true for basic preventative safety if overlooked. Thanks for all the outstanding content. I learn so much from your monologues and it’s always practical and pragmatic.
I like that 4L's you posted!!! GREAT ADVICE!!! I happen to see this in the construction industry ALL the time!! Old guys CAN'T hear worth a damn from NO ear plugs while running equipment. Tree cutters on You Tube talk all about "safety" climbing and cutting trees....with NO ear plugs!! ON and on and on it goes!!! Not to mention back strain (when your 20 it's macho...at 60 it's a cane!)....ALL of this when we are young(and dumb), rough and tough!!! Until WE HIT THE WALL!!!.....and....The Wall....ALWAYS WINS!!! PS : Women aren't the only ones that hit The Wall! They just turn ugly while we men turn decrepit, deaf, blind and bent over.
Except wood dust, and especially fine wood dust, generally clears from your lungs just fine though... Incidental exposure is practically harmless, though chronic, extreme exposure should be mitigated. This isn't fumed silica...
Very interesting. I would like to add… My Uncle passed away in 2021 at just age 60 from Terminal Lung Cancer. He was a lifelong Joiner / Carpenter and worked a lot with Oak and MDF, (both carcinogenic). He developed a tumour in his nose first that was attributed to wood dust exposure. The cancer then spread to behind his eye and finally spread to his lungs I’m glad you raised awareness to this topic, it’s so often overlooked. As a hobby woodworker myself, I was put off Woodworking for about 2 years after what happened to my Uncle. It’s a terrifying thing to see happen to someone. Please don’t ever skimp or downplay the importance of protection and prevention, or tell yourself it’s only just a few cuts so I won’t bother with a mask. Prevention is key
A lot of people don't know that MDF and plywood use formaldehyde in the glue - the same stuff that embalmers use to preserve bodies. It's a known carcinogen and it's not great stuff to breathe in.
I was asked to consult for a HS maker / engineering program that had a woodshop as well. Proper dust collection, ventilation, and PPE was the first thing I brought up. They didn't even have a dust collection system....
The ratings aren't "at or above" 0.3 microns, but rather that they are rated *for* 0.3 microns, which is roughly the hardest particle size to filter out. Above that, the particle size makes them easier to filter out like a sieve, while below that the particles are small enough that their random motion actually plays a significant role in filtering them out just by them depositing on to the surface of the filter material (within the filter itself). 0.3 microns is just the peak where these two methods don't really overlap
I was looking if someone had already commented this. This is a common misunderstanding of the ratings that comes up again and again. With a bunch of companies getting into the mask business during the ongoing pandemic even some of them don't seem to understand this and the science behind the filters they are working with, which is concerning.
As a practicing MD for almost 40 years, allow me to say that I loved your presentation. Far too many woodworkers are not aware of the potentially severe hazards from manufactured wood products, including exposure to formaldehyde based adhesives and heavy metals including arsenic. Just to clear up the carcinogen classification issue, there is clear association between exposure to wood working dusts and the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The risk seems to be much more closely related to dusts from soft woods than dusts from hard woods and there are concerns that the cancer risk may be higher if the wood being turned into dust is old or decaying, implying a possible additional risk from fugus or bacteria. You are absolutely correct in your recommendations for mask usage, at least in my opinion👍👍
Soft woods?! I heard it was the harder woods that were problematic. Could it be due to proportion of wood used because most woodworking is done using soft woods because, you know...money.
I'll ask you the same I asked the other doctor, what about the nano particles aka smart dust aka nanosensors nano bots which we all inhale from aerosols, without any knowledge or consent for the bio digital convergence, Doc?
Arsenic, arsenic like in Scheele's Green and Paris Green, used in all manner of goods from artificial flowers, to ribbons to dresses, coats and blankets, wallpaper, book covers which eventually fell out of favor as did the people it poisoned, but use as an insecticide into the 1930s. poisoning doubled as small a germ, much like nano sensors & electroporation which is wonderfully all around us in this wireless body area network playing the role of germs again and again and dis-ease..
We only know what "Common Sense" is once some _'craaaazy'_ pioneer / evangelist (like the hotly-debated and oft-maligned Bill Pentz) does years of cutting-edge research.... which is then brought back to the Tribe and integrated back into our common pool of knowledge. Let's make sure that we devote proper respect to the Vanguard of weirdos & researchers on the shoulders of whose esoteric research the rest of us stand on.
Wood dust as its classified, from what wood that dust comes matter, we have soft woods that have no natural protections against bugs and rot and then we have hard woods that are filled with natural resins, that easily burn, when you cut those with power tools . Manchineel tree is toxic, all part of it, still they make furniture from it in Caribbean.
I loved this video. The only thing I do not agree with is your last sentence. Common sense. Everyone has his own common sense and I am a firm believer that it shouldn’t work this way
When I worked at the refinery, people in the field were either clean shaven or had tidy goatees. Because if a situation arose where you *needed* a respirator, there was NO margin for error.
SABA and SCBA are almost always positive air pressure. So your post shows a discernable lack of understanding on this topic. Company policy is not 'no room for error', its crafted for the sake of management to be free of liability.
I also run a fan facing the cutting area to blow most of the fine dust away, whilst also having a dust filter and whatever dust collection im using in the specific tool, and i open my door when weather permits. (Whilst wearing a mask as well)
Just let me add that any time you've been running a tablesaw, jointer, planer, or sander keep wearing a mask until you leave the shop. Otherwise you'll be breathing in fine dust that continues to float in the air for hours unless you have one of those whole room filters running the entire time you're working.
I recently built a whole room filter with a Caterpillar fan and four 20 x 30 Merv 14 furnace filters, similar to the one designed by The 3D Handyman, and it has made a HUGE difference in my shop. After a bunch of routing, the air would of course smell like sawdust for hours, but this cuts the particulates way down to the point that the smell is gone in 20 minutes. I highly recommend it.
@@echoshatter it is a little more expensive than homemade, but Home Depot has a Wen filtration system for just $130 that comes with a 5micron prefilter and 1 micron main filter. If you want smaller, you may be able to just rig a HEPA at the exit for the less than 1 micron filtering.
@@fortpatchesI just bought 2 of those, I keep one up at around 7' high level and one on my workbench where I do sanding and table saw. Shop is 200sq ft. Seems to work great, definitely a huge difference from not having it. Only been a couple of weeks so far.
Great info. One thing that helps me keep dust under control is taking a couple of box fans and taping air condition filters of the fan size to the fans with duct tape along the edges then placing them in the shop in areas that generate the most dust. I use an air compressor every couple weeks or so too clear out the fans/filters, blowing the air down wind so the dust doesn't blow back on me. Saves money on fancy filter machines and I get new filters when they're beyond cleaning. I also have a cardboard funnel I made for shop vac that I always try to place where the dust and chips are coming off the cut. I also try to use to use 2 separate fans for general ventilation. One puling air outside at one end of shop/garage, and one at the other end pulling fresh air in. Also sweeping the floor every so often especially After a big project, and I wear a mask when kicking up a lot of dust or smoke.
I agree Jim; the Trend Stealth is the best mask I have ever had the displeasure of wearing. I have used many from the old Martindale fiber fiters, which left you spitting cotton wool for an hour afterwards, to the latest 3M ones. Its very compact with no lumpy cartridges to block your close in view. Easy to clean and remove the filters, which have a long life for the casual user at home. There are plain old dust cartriges and also vapor and chemical ones too. It seals well I never have my glasses fog up. A tip I use for easing breathing through the mask for when I might have a cold or I'm a little bunged up. A small piece of tissue with a drop of mint oil or similar decongestant oil placed inside the mask in the fold where it seals will help keep the nose clear. Just dont go too heavy or you'll think you have had an cold steel rod placed up your nose.
I do that when possible as well when weather cooperates. I am the amateur woodworker so most of my tools are on wheels. I also usually try to sand outside or right at the edge of the shop with the 12' x 10' garage door up if the weather is not cooperating. I usually have a large fan blowing from my back so what is not caught in the dust collection at least is somewhat blown outside.
Fun history fact: a good part of why the toothbrush mustache was popular between early WWI and the lead up to WWII is because soldiers in the war got accustomed to trimming their facial hair to not interfere with a gas mask. When it's wood dust, you're fine with an imperfect seal, but those lads had much nastier stuff to deal with.
@@roydonovan9063 People underestimate or seem to forget how much dictators use visual and audible messaging, that's why you'll often have them dressed in ridiculous military like outfits with a bunch of medals or using co-opted upside down flags.
during my time in the navy we were trained how to wear a gas mask and finally had to go a chamber filled with tear gas, even though I had a beard I was 100% ok due to propper adjustments... the tears came afterwords as the gas stuck to our clothes 😢
I wear a mask, ears protection and a plastic shield in front of my face. I find the plastic shield to be quickly covered with dust after a very short time like an hour or so. So, I feel that the plastic shield acts as a barrier to dust too for my lungs and my eyes! I am now used to wearing the setup. When it becomes uncomfortable it is time for a break as in my case it is a hobby not worth risking my lungs for!
The plastic shield does nothing for dust inhalation. I have one too and use it when doing things like working with metal or cutting wood that will send chunks flying etc to protect my beautiful face. The shield often has a slight static charge that causes dust to stick to it
I really don't get why people always make so much of a fuss about hearing and eye protection. Don't know how many angry talks I had with my wife about it. What usually gets her is when I suggest I stop wearing safety goggles at work because they are so annoying to wear (I'm a chemist). Somehow everybody understands that getting chemicals in your eyes is bad, but not that getting sharp fast flying objects in your eyes is in no way better
Almost everything you just said is just plain common sense... and it's exactly the video a lot of people need to watch. In fact, your whole channel is like that. Thanks for always making sense.
Sadly, a lot of people don't grow their own common sense, and need to acquire it from people who have enough that they can share it round. Of course, there'll always be a handful of people who are allergic to common sense.
As usual, a really informed discussion. Here is an add-on that will definitely help: in several of my shops I have put an exhaust fan on one wall, and a supply fan on the other. This is in addition to whatever dust collection system one might have, despite claiming 2 micron capability on those collectors. When you change out the air, in addition to your dust collection, you are going to get rid of it all. Of course, as said, use a mask too for the short range distance dust.
Hey! I have an old CPAP machine. If I am making a lot of cuts (not a full time woodworker) or using strong chemicals like stains, I put that out of my "shop" and use my usual nasal pillow non-mask. All the air I breathe comes from that other room, or at least outside the work area. : )
This is correct. As far as I am aware, the class system of carcinogens is in regards to how SURE we are the substance can cause cancer, not how cancerous it is. That's why cigarettes and red meat can be in the same category, while being incredibly different in terms of lethality.
Bang on. Class 1 carcinogens just means we know that it does cause cancer. Class 2 is stuff that probably causes cancer. Class 3 is stuff that we cannot say does or doesn't. Class 4 is stuff we believe not to be carcinogenic.
The idea that red meat is a carcinogen is quite frankly absurd. It's no more than a hit job by people who don't like you eating meat. The evidence is flimsy at the very least
@@paul756uk2 I absolutely agree red meat is not a carcinogen. If one overconsumes simple carbs, a lot of saturated fat can be a problem, but still not specifically a carcinogen.
@@paul756uk2 well its kinda true, kinda not true. Its more accurate to say, red meat CAN cause cancer. Its all about the health of the animal, the preservation methods and cooking methods.
@paul756uk2 it's not red meat in general, it's charred red meat mostly. Particularly BBQ or broiled. There are enzymes in red meat that become carcinogenic when cooked at very high temperatures. Slow cooking at a low temperature doesn't cause the reaction. There is very solid evidence showing higher consumption of burnt read meat leads to higher rates of colon cancer.
James, to validate your concerns, here is a real world example. Last spring I was milling and constructing an aromatic cedar blanket chest from kiln dried rough lumber. After working with it I noticed an extremely fine pink dust on my saw tables which wasn't captured by my DC system or shop vac. I did wear my Trend Airshield Pro Helmet to reduce inhaling. However, I still discovered that EVERY surface in my 1200 sq. ft. shop was uniformly covered in the pink dust only visible if you wiped you fingers on a surface. I use an Oneida Air designed full DC system with HEPA cartridge and magnahelic gauge monitor. And I used workstation shop vac hoods in addition to my Air Shield. That pink dust is still everywhere and since it is an oil/resin wood it is also a sensitizer for allergies. Can't imagine what cocobola would have done in the shop.
An overlooked issue: The proper removal and storage of your dust mask is essential. I cannot tell you how many times I have visited a cabinet shop or jobsite and found dust masks stored in the open. This is absurd as the Masks are often coated, inside and out, with the dust that's been settling out of the air since the last use of the mask. It doesn't make sense to use a contaminated mask to protect yourself from contaminants.
I’m so glad that your videos turned me onto the Trend dust masks a couple years ago. I can tell a big difference even when I’ve upgraded to a much better shop vac and cyclone separator set up than what it used to use. You’re the man!
You can have a dust free shop if you have industrial fans making up 2 walls in your shop one as an intake for outside air and the other as an exhaust, you'll basically be in a wind tunnel but there won't be dust.
This is simply a top notch woodworking channel, and I'd say it's the best. SO MUCH sound advice, helpful tips, and tons of common sense- something that went out the window years and years ago. Always a joy to watch, and learn, even at my age (66). God bless. Greetings from France.
I have a basement woodworking shop. After a couple of years of casual woodworking with some lackadaisical effort to collect dust when cutting, I developed a persistent cough and it lasted another 2-3 years. Then about 6 months after making a decision to always use a P100 dust mask during and after cuts in the basement, as well as hooking up a basic dust collector system that I actually use, that cough completely went away. My lungs have never felt better. I attribute that persistent cough to dust exposure in the shop and why I now advocate for wearing a respirator with as much discipline as you can muster.
You are spot on regarding MDF, I needed to raise a bunch of cabinet door panels out of 3/4 MDF with an ogee profile, I had to use 2 vacuums and shop extraction on my router table just to get a handle on the dust. Shop extraction on the fence, one vacuum under the table and the second vacuum over the top of the bit. Even with all that effort I had to wear a respirator just to breath, that is nasty stuff.
As someone who developed a life-threating allergy in my 40's (anaphylactic shock causing unconsciousness in minutes) I've started wearing a respirator full-time when doing anything in the shop. Some of the exotic woods can cause you to become sensitized to their dust/oils and turn into a severe allergy, which can be very scary and possibly deadly (the last time I went into anaphylaxis, I collapsed where I was standing, smacked my chin off a cabinet, bit my tongue and bruised my ribs from the fall. I was black and blue for weeks. Luckily I didn't fall into anything that could kill me.
And now that you're accustomed to wearing a mask full time, how much of a bother is it? My guess is it's a minimal inconvenience and 10 minutes after strapping it on you forget it's there. For me, it's not much different than wearing heavy steel toe boots; you just get used to it and it becomes second nature and perhaps feels odd to not have it on.
4:05 I wear one of these if I'm doing any meaningful spray painting of anything in my shop.. When I'm done spraying, I ventilate (now that overspray isn't a concern) if possible, and vacate the shop for a while. I rarely ever paint anything though...
I don't smell sawdust when I wear my P100 mask. It's very comfortable and I wear it all the time in the shop. It's not the brand you've got, but that looks pretty comfy, too.
@@StumpyNubspeople say a respirator type dust mask is useless unless it is professionally fitted I hope you have better luck than did I finding that service while not working in a related industry. But I have found that my 3M respirator with P100 filters, routing western red cedar for hours at a time, I couldn't smell anything. I did find comfort in that.
Glad you discussed the facial hair when getting a face mask fitted. My face mask accepts filters for either chemicals (certain chemicals) or dust. There is a metal forger that wears a full face mask connected via an air hose to a separate air pump and filter worn on the small of the back. This is said to minimize the amount of fumes getting past the broken seal around the face due to the positive air pressure. Thanks for sharing.
What a great, informative, open message you’ve conveyed! I’m a Carpenter, who actually suffers with sinus issues because of the fine dust. I’ve found it best to be wearing a very good quality face mask when using power tools/saws and when not using a mask, petroleum jelly inside both nostrils. You’ve gained a new sub here too 👍
I developed a profound sensitivity to redwood dust primarily due to the difficulty of dust collection at the lathe. Would suggest lathe work be done outdoors when possible.
Many years ago I was starting to develop sensitivity to wood dust. The fix for me was to switch to tools designed with dust and chip collection in mind. I sold my Powermatic gear, replaced it with MinMax. installed an appropriate sized Oneida DC, and switched my sanders to Festool from PC. I haven't had dust sensitivity since. It all starts with properly designed tools. Chisels and card scrapers are also a good way to reduce airborne dust.
I met someone whose multigenerational family business was a redwood lumber business. Many of the men in his family business all cam down with rare esophageal cancer. He decided to not continue in the family business and became an aerial photographer.
I have read about someone that did a big job in Redwood, and they were affected so bad, that they had to quit working wood working. I worked in a Carbide tool grinding machine shop, and one of the guys smoked, and he was told by his doctor, that he had to quit smoking and quit that job. When we would blow our nose, it would be black.
Same happened with people in coal mining. The next generation did not go down the mines but it did not stop the lung disease they had produced the same out comes.
Love this mask for woodworking. I have used a lot of professional 3m dust mask, respirators and full face mask over the years in the marine industry where fine fiberglass particles go down into the lungs and NEVER come out. This mask has an internal rubber gasket similar to high end 3m products as discussed here. The soft rubber gasket definitely works well with beards as discussed. The seal across my nose bridge is so good that I hardly ever get a fogging problem on my glasses. Thanks for the introduction to this mask.
When I used to scuba dive, I used a silicon grease on my beard for a tight seal. If it works with water at 4 times atmospheric pressure, it would probably work for a dust respirator too. Just a thought.
@@StonemanRocks I've never tried it for woodworking. But then I don't worry about breathing dust. Maybe you should try handtools instead? Not as fast, requires more skill, but the results last. (If done properly) As to 'grease on your face'... When diving, I apply it to the facemask, at the edge where it seals to the face. I assumed woodworkers were at least as smart as divers. If that is not the case, my apologies.
@@StonemanRocks Why would it be a stupid idea? What would be the worst that could happen in your imagination? When the dust is stuck in the grease you obviously can't breathe it in. Feeling disgusting is not a health hazard by the way.
Good video. As a longtime woodworker and home improvement contractor I wear N95 masks for cutting all pt and hardwood lumber, pvc and all sheet goods especially mdf.
I personally think he is incorrect in thinking that he looks good! I had a beard 50 years ago and decided it detracted from my perfect beautiful face! now clean shaved and not so beautiful any more.
Good tip about the composite materials. I do all of my saw and sanding work outdoors so dust not so much of a problem with a light breeze though some saw cuts throw dust rather than vacuum. The router throws a lot of fine dust and does not have a vacuum.
Certain woods are apparently a lot worse for you than others, like cedar for instance. Also on the note of not sealing with a beard, one point is always left out. It can seal, it's just really not pleasant how it's done. Was on a job where we had to wear respirators, one guy didn't want to shave, so they fit tested him but put Vaseline on the mask first so it would still seal. It was gross for him needing to clean up after.
Yep, and not just a little swipe of Vaseline, it has to be thick enough to fill in the air gaps between beard hairs, where the hairs meet the seal, and between the hairs and the skin.
HI @Stumpy Nubs Just stumbled across your channel thanks to the RUclips algorithm, great video on dust mask protection. Can I also say how refreshing it is to see a US wood worker using tools with gards and proper dust collection. The number I see using tables saw with neither chainsaws without proper PPE amazes me. Well Done for setting the example to follow.
Important safety topic. I think also making sure windows are open when possible to change out the air in the workshop is also important (unless its to windy). I prefer cheaper masks which I change more often, as we should consider what happens to the mask when we take it off. Dust will settle on the inside of the mask which you will then breath in the next time you take use it. So making sure you take it off when the dust cloud has settled and store it away from areas which will pollute the inside of the mask is important. Other professions use disposable masks and gloves for a reason. We should not go crazy in woodworking when working with natural woods, but I prefer to dispose of masks when I have used any bonded or treated materials to avoid dust inside the mask before the next use.
I hang my mask outside the shop. I also hang my ear and eye protection in the same place, but I am extremely diligent about grabbing them whenever needed. This also gives me an opportunity to wipe down my equipment after I leave the shop, and store it in a place where it will stay clean.
OK, I’m an MD with extensive experience in pulmonary problems .It is important that you watch those little particles. You have little hairs lining all of your bronchial tree called Cilia.They continuously beat toward the upper airway with a slow back motion and a rapid forward motion to keep secretions and everything caught in them moving toward your trachea so you’re able to expel them. They are very efficient, but they are also very sensitive to irritation, especially caused by smoking cigarettes. If you were continuously in an environment with fine particles, it’s probably best for you to protect these little things. They prevent the accumulation and consolidation of particles in the lower airway which blocks oxygen flow and decreases oxygenation of the blood. If you’re a woodworker and you like to smoke go ahead,you won’t live as long, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t do it. It’s up to you..
Keep in mind sawdust can sometimes be such fine particulate, that it can actually go *between* the cilia and embed in the deeper tissue of your lungs, potentially forever.
i eat a lot of bark dust, dirt road dust, plus the shop dust. correct me if i’m wrong, if one stays hydrated and does physical work we can work particles out of our bodies?
@@larryweinberg1191 Helps but depends on volume,particle size ,and conditions in the airway.If the cilia,little hair like projections in the bronchial tree which propel contaminates toward the trachea are compromised by infection or chemicals,like from smoking cause ,the system can be overrun and cause quite a few serious complications.
My grandfather smoked so thoroughly he burned most of these off he suffered walking pneumonia pretty much every year. He lived to his 70's, and he never suffered from lung cancer or any of the typical horrific side effects of smoking (perhaps because he smoked old school unfiltered Lucky Strikes instead of the asbestos filtered variety). Unfortunately he later suffered from cirrhosis and kidney cancer, and it eventually took him, though he never drank... it was likely an environmental pollutant, as many people in my area are developing kidney cancer now (perhaps it's linked to the diesel/jetfuel refinery in the county, but that's more in line with cirrhosis) we can live all our lives as carefully as we can, but if we live in an area that's making your food, water, and air toxic, you might as well filter it through a cigarette... something to think about...
@@vro1899 I’m not too confident of your logic.Environmental hazards can certainly be contributing factors for health issues but assigning blame is always difficult in multi factorial systems.
I finally got my order of the Stealth Lite masks. Just in time to use while sanding down my redwood desk to refinish. These masks are wonderful. As you said, Stumpy, they are very comfortable and seal really well. When I take them off, I have a sweat ring around my nose and mouth. The outside of the mask may be coated with fine redwood sawdust while the inside still looks pristine. Thanks for the video and recommendation!
Another thing you can do is get a box fan and attach a furnace filter to it to help reduce the flying dust in the air, it's not as good as the commercial units but if you can't afford a proper one, this is a cheaper solution for a temporary use until you can get a better shop filter system. A shop vac with a cyclone is the way to go if you have a tiny say basement shop, I've found that real estate is a real issue in my basement shop. Always wear a mask, especially if you're using power tools, hand tools aren't quite as bad, especially a hand plane but you should still take some precautions. Thank you James, always on point with your safety videos :)
I have taken an old squirrel-cage furnace blower, built a box around it, and left an opening in the back with 3 slots for furnace filters, plus the obvious exhaust opening in front. Wire it up with a switch and an outlet for added convenience. When the external filter got dirty or plugged (and you can extend the life by shopvaccing with a brush attachment) I would move the center filter to the outside, put the inside filter in the center, and a brand new filter on the inside. These things can move an incredible amount of air, and you can make it to use any furnace filters you want. It's cheaply made from scrap plywood, rolls on casters, and works well for a low table, and even for sanding. You can get a working furnace blower from an HVAC company for free when they replace a furnace, or you can find them on the curb. They work the same way as those $300 "air scrubbers" that you hang from the ceiling, but move WAY more air. You could even put some ductwork on the exhaust opening and aim it out a window or door in nice weath weather. Pretty simple and effective.
Great video! I took your advice and bought some of the Trend Air Stealth Lite Pro Respirator Dust Masks. While I still don't enjoy wearing a dust mask, this one fits well and works well. I find that I need to remove it about every hour and take a break from it.
I was a veterinary toxicologic pathologist until I retired a few years ago; I did lots of cancer studies in rats and mice and wrote hundreds of reports. Your advice is bang-on. It's our habits that will kill us or save us--very few things will get you with short occasional exposures, plutonium, fentanyl, and king cobras excepted. I have also installed an air filtration system which I think helps in the shop. I'm going to check out the mask you suggested as the cartridge-style respirator is a bit of a pain, as you said. My biggest shortcoming is forgetting to put it on!
I have owned the Trend helmet you show but changed to a PEKE that is far more comfortable. My wood turning club mbrs have done the same. Both are expensive. I wear mine also while mowing 10acers of lawn. Solves my spring allergies.
Hi 👋, the amount of colleagues, where I have worked many years ago, where are dust mask while cutting material, and they finish cutting, they take the mask off, they’ve particulates are still in the atmosphere, Even cleaning up brushing up at the end of the day, making sure that everything is nice, neat tidy and dust free, you come in the next morning and wipe your hands over the bench or a metal worksurface and you’ll see the particles laying on the benches and things, One of the best things I ever purchased was 3M’s air fed mask, not only protects your lungs but it’s got air protection and obviously I’ve screen in front for face protection. Yes they are very expensive but very well worth it., Stay safe, young people out there , I’m in my 70s and lucky as such. I do not have any health issues regarding what I’ve breathed in over the years., Nearly 50 years of a specialist joiner, cabinet maker, candlestick maker oh sorry didn’t make candlesticks😂,
I use a 3m respirator with the p100 cartridges for any sanding done at work. It works well since we use lacquer based finish and I spend about a third of my days in the paint booth. It’s an easy swap to the OV filters. Every morning I clean it with an alcohol wipe and if I notice any clogging I bring an air hose to it and blow it out. Anyone know if this reduces the effectiveness of the filters?
So long as you're only blowing out the body of the respirator and not the filters you should be fine (provided you test the assembly for fit by pressing down on the P100 filters and trying to breathe in). But if you're blowing out the filters themselves you are almost certainly damaging them.
I find a separate goggles and dusk mask means that the goggles noticeably block my peripheral vision and fog up badly in the summer, so I bit the bullet and bought an expensive full face eye protection and dust mask unit, and it also has rubber-not elastic straps-that do not wear out easily. “Buy once, cry once.”
Bro use shaving cream or even dish soap on your goggles or glasses! Put a very small amount on the surface and rub it all over inside and out! Use it right out of the bottle or can! Then buff off all you can with a dry cloth! Boom ! No more fog! Works really well!
I'm a fan of the respirator with the p100 filters. I keep three of them in my small garage/shop for woodworking and welding, and have separate specific filters for painting.
Our next door neighbour developed lung cancer from woodworking with MDF. I get terrible sinus problems when cutting pine wood, that's why I do most of my woodworking (at least the machine tool part) outside on a sunny day.
I work in a Refinery we had to be clean shaven. If we wanted to live when going into vessels or hazardous situations. We checked each others seal making sure we had the proper seal
You should follow this with a piece on breathing solvents. After 14 year as a woodworker and using solvents in finishing, exposure to solvents can give me a headache. Never got a headache from sawdust.
There are woods, e.g. Eastern Red Cedar, that give me a headache. I wear a 3M mask with Organic Vapor Cartridges. I do the same when I'm using really volatile finishes.
@@echoshatter I am a painter ,20 years of working with dust and solvent based finishes,no method is perfect but mitigating harm following the KISS ( keep it simple stoopid) philosophy has merit.One particularly nasty thing about paint voc's is the addition of ' perfume' to give acrylic a pleasant smell but while it smells nice it still gives off ammonia and other harmful voc's particularly while spraying,5 minutes spent with a broom or vacuum removes the dust that might be a problem, the fumes that are as harmful as fine dust a breeze is very effective at removing that harm for free and should not be ignored,every little bit counts,most of the harms caused by dust,fumes etc are CUMULATIVE, they are slow burners like asbestos,fume hoods and spray booths rely on air flow ,a $ 10 dollar fan or just opening the window works on exactly the same principle.I like to keep things clean and green and if I am picking something out of my nose not clean and green I am doing it wrong
Excellent advice, as always! As a woodworker with emphysema, I can personally attest to the importance of a good mask. (not the paper "nuisance dust masks") It's not worth he risks to regularly go without a proper mask...
I gave away my Unisaw long ago and now use traditional woodworking techniques. I mostly work with planes and chisels. For stock prep I have a jointer/planer, chopsaw, drill press and a bandsaw. When I need to cut plywood I do it in the driveway behind the pickup on saw horses with a track saw. Pull a sheet off the stack and cut it right there. Saves my back. The dust blows away. My shop is almost always quiet enough to hear music. Dusty days are rare. Masks suck.
I was in a woodworking shop turning a piece of wood when the instructor came over and asked me to stop for a moment. "Look around" he said, I had cleared the room, people were being affected by something coming off the piece I was turning. Strangely it wasn't affecting me as close as I was to the job and I didn't have a mask on at that time. 🤔 I never did find out what was causing this or what type of timber I had been using. Great video 👍
good video. I use a lot of wenge, limba and other exotics and that dust can cause issues. I do most of my woodworking outside and the breeze off of lake erie helps blow the dust away. And I always use a good mask. As for MDF, that stuff is toxic and I avoid it whenever possible.
Would LOVE to see a video going over the full face powered system. I keep a beard and have been thinking about investing in such a tool since recently starting back in construction. Some of the most miserably dusty places I’ve worked are new construction and renovations (which often have other contaminants such as mold, fumes, pesticides, etc). I currently use a respirator for most projects, especially prolonged, dusty work. I do keep a fairly long and thick beard which reduces its effectiveness, though it still helps a whole lot! A respirator typically makes the bridge of my nose very sore by the end of a day, and breathing through one is always more difficult then without, even with fresh cartridges, hence my great interest in a full face, positive pressure, powered filtration system. Loved the video, which is spectacular as always!!
I had to use a full face battery operated mask when I did asbestos removal back in the 90's. I found the masks pretty bulky and uncomfortable, and the battery pack was a bit on the heavy side. The constant air supply was nice to cool your face down, but if the battery died it felt like you were trying to suck air through a pair of jeans that were held over your mouth.
About 7 or 8 years ago I looked at positive pressure respirators. The ones made by woodworking brands were inferior and very heavy. Maybe they’re better now. I bought a 3M Versaflo light industry model that has integrated hearing protection. It’s comfortable and works great. Not as heavy since the battery, motor and filter are on a belt at your waist. Battery lasts all day if needed. I don’t think they make this model now but the heavy industry model looks very similar. They use a HEPA filter. Not cheap, but works well.
You should be wearing a mask where this isn't possible. If you're wearing a half respirator, it becomes very difficult to breathe when the filter is clogged.
@@shawn576 I wear a p100 filter on a respirator almost the entire time in the shop even when not using tools. I hardly ever notice it becoming harder to breathe…how often do you change the filters?
@@borismakesart Depends on what you're doing. Drywall clogs them really bad. Normal dust doesn't. I've been wearing the same filters for about 2 years because I'm in a shop that is dusty but has nothing major like drywall dust.
This is one of the most important and sensible videos on this topic. I spent much of my working life assessing medical evidence, and the key concept is RELATIVE risk. The question means how much does a specific risk factor contribute to your total risk of a specific event occurring. In passing, I should note the following: 1) cancer is not the only risk (or even the major risk) from wood dust; 2) you, James, probably know more than the average family doctor about lung risks - for that you need a specialist in respirator medicine or an ocupational health specialist (the latter not necessarily a midical practitioner). Anyone with a beard (even a short one) will fail the fit test, but, once again, your analysis is correct; a fit test fail mask is still better than no mask, and usually a lot better. Positive pressure airflow masks are easily better BUT some have a problem in that they are heavy, alter your centre of gravity and impair your sense of your surroundings. I wore a Trend AIrshield for years, but found a cap style airflow reduced all these problems more or less to zero. More or less none of the masks you mentioned fiter fumes. If you are working for any length of time with toxic materials, you need a fume mask, and you need to store it sealed. Thanks once again for focusing on shop safety in your videos.
My method of dust control is better suited to hobbyists. Put each dust producing tools on a platform with locking wheels and roll them outside as needed. In addition get a large shop type fan and blow away whatever dust you produce. A mask as mentioned can also be used. Hearing protection as well as safety shoes for those handling beams and slabs. Take care.
I’ve used my leaf blower for removing dust and as a way to stay cool during the summer, especially when I lived in Florida. I had the blower on my ladder behind me, pushing the dust outside. Worked great, wear ear plugs though ! 😅
I agree, outside whenever possible. I'm also just an old hobbyist, but looking back I was fairy reckless in my 20s. Steel toes capped boots used to look and feel terribly clunky, but now you can get lightweight, composite safety trainers. Ear protection is very cheap and it's not too difficult to find something comfortable. Eye protection can be problematic when you need a prescription but it isn't that much more to get lenses that offer some projectile protection - better than staring at something just a few cm away that might explode without any glasses. I can hook up my trusty Mr Henry vac to my saw, router and planer - by hook up I mean bendy tubes and gaffer tape. Overall it is a much better, safer work experience, but it's only ever been an occasional weekend hobby. Having seen the toll that real shop work, 40hrs a week , will take on a human being, I'm glad I chose computer programming as the day job.
@@albanana683 Your life woodworking journey parallels mine. I was a dentist , got into hobby woodworking early, but after retiring two years ago my interest in woodworking waned. I sold 95 % of my shop tools a few weeks ago. I already miss them but it was time. I’m glad I never did production woodwork. Good luck.
@@williambranham6249 Sometimes it's hard to know when you're done with something, and need to call it a day. Especially when there is potential danger. I don't much care for my handheld electric planer, kinda scary at full tilt. But don't stop making things, inactivity is also a killer. My other hobby is electronics, plenty of scope to tinker with things for just the cost of a soldering iron. Just stick to less than 12V stuff 😁
Thank you James for covering this important topic. There are lots of options to prevent excessive inhalation of fine wood particles. I’ve used Stealth masks for years. For me, they’re comfortable and effective. They’re also reasonably priced, particularly when you consider the money you’ve invested in your tools.
My high school woodshop teacher in the 80s, who taught from the 70s through the mid 2000s, died of lung cancer. He lived in the country, never smoked or drank or partied at all, ate healthy, got good exercise (he was an avid walker and small stream fisherman) went to church every Sunday (literally)... The picture of healthy clean living. But he didn't grow up knowing that wood dust could be dangerous, so he never wore any kind of PPE vs shop sawdust. I miss him. Please wear a dust mask or respirator!
You know sometimes lung cancer literally can just happen. It’s not like you can live a perfect life and garuntee cancer will not pop up. People live perfectly healthy lives that are not woodworkers and die from lung cancer
I use a simple dust collector to capture saw dust, then I have a couple of furnace filters in a pref-filtering plenum atop my mini-split A/C. Then I use a face mask when doing specific tasks that create the finer dust. Finally, I make great use of a neti pot to clean my sinuses after a day in the shop. Am I inhaling fine dust? Yes, but in modest amounts and in low frequency.
I use the Trend Stealth dust mask. My daughters call it my Darth Vader mask. The sound it makes as I breathe does sound kinda like Darth Vader. It has the N-100 filters in it. I know I should wear it more. I'll try to do so. It should be noted that in an event like Covid, these masks would not be legal to use on an airplane. They filter the air coming into your lungs but not what is going out.
Most discussions I see about controlling wood dust in the shop come down in the end to straight up guess work. After spending lots of money on dust collection systems and air filtration systems most people don't know what the air quality actually is in their shop while cutting/sanding/routing wood. The simple solution is to get a particle counter which measures the small particles in the air in real time. That way, instead of wondering how effective your expensive system is, you can put an actual measured number on it. And then you know. I use a Dylos particle detector to monitor the air quality in my shop and I know which operations generate a lot of fine dust particles, how many particles those operations generate, how long it takes for the dust collection and air filtration systems to clear the air, and what precautions I need to take.
I came here (late to the party) after watching the video to make this exact comment. The only way to know is with a particle meter. I've been surprised by how little dust emerges from some tools and horrified by how much comes from others (like the DeWalt random orbital sander, hooked to a vacuum - zero visible dust in the air, 200x normal concentrations of invisible fine dust in the shop). This is a hazard that can only be addressed by instrumentation (unless you're willing to wear a respirator the whole time) because the truly dangerous stuff is literally invisible to our eyes.
As an asbestos assessor I must say, great mask chat 👍🏽 I use one of my old half face respirators in the workshop. I like them for their soft silicone seal and very easy to replace & cheap filters.
I've got a Pullman a1000 air cleaner for my garage when I'm doing woodworking, grinding, paint etc, it's expensive and loud but it's amazing at what it does, a pre filter and hepa filter is enough to avoid throwing around fine particles!
I made a suggestion earlier similar to this. I think if we measured air particles in our own geographic area we might wear our masks everywhere. My wife complains when I don’t trim my nose hairs. She doesn’t buy that I am protecting my lungs.
Hobby-ist here as opposed to full timer - and yes - same here - at minimum the garage door is open and as much outside as possible - especially if its breezy . . . That said - its not completely dust free . . . .
I found that keeping my beard properly shaped and trimmed generally helps keeping a good seal. I forgot who did a whole research on it, but you gotta have at least around 1050CFM at the tool to extract all the fine dust. And that's not possible without at least 6-7" pipe all the way to the collector. But a really good solution to keeping the air cleaner is creating air flow through the shop from the outside with a shop fan or two. I guess the silver lining of having asthma is having a real keen feeling about dust exposure.
Positive pressure loose fitting face shields with belt mounted fan/filters units are the way to go. They've become more popular in welding and metalworking, they need to be normalized everywhere else. With more popularity the prices should come down out of the nosebleed territory. If it's more comfortable to wear, it's more likely to be worn. Battery and fan technology is easily advanced enough to make these accessible to hobbyists, we just need some demand to get some models between the uber-elite and the chinesium that's available today.
I've worn a belt fan/filter. It wasn't safe to wear at all, I tripped over (or got snagged on) the hose half a dozen times. Definitely not right for my shop.
Mmmmmm, my most favorite cig. Sadly I could never smoke only in moderation. If I could limit myself to three or four a day I'd still smoke and not worry about it.
“The corner wheat field”? Good one. Thank you again, James, for your sane and well-reasoned safety presentations. I bought a very similar mask to the one you like, and wear it for most cuts - for ALL multiple cuts. At the scroll saw too - this makes less dust, or at least it doesn’t spray it around like my table saw, but the mask helps. BTW, I still like your beard.
As a doctor I agree with everything you said. Some additional advice, don’t just use a large particle dust collector like the cyclones demonstrated in the video. They’re good and help, but also use a small particle air filtration system sized for the workshop that can filter the air many times an hour. And finally: not all wood species are created equally. Some are more toxic and/or allergenic than others so keep that in mind as well and learn about the wood you are working with before using it.
I have a beard a little longer than yours. There is very little in way personal dust protection for wood workers with beards. Trend Air shield pro is the most economical way to go (still expensive). It took me forever to find a good deal (still expensive).
Absolutely correct. I agree with you. Thank you for sharing. My shop was small and i mean small 10*12 gsrden shed small. In this shop i had a complete shop. The problem was i did not take this into account when setting it up. I of course did not wear a mask. I ended up with severe lung infection that took a couple of years to clear up before the doctor said o could get back in shop. I now have a 12*20 shop, wear a mask, have a Wen 3410 filtering unit and a fan in the window.
Recently got the small disposable Air+ mask with a tiny rechargable ventilator providing fresh air and prevents wet and damp within the mask. It works so well, finally I really get to wear a protection, becase it is not cumbersome
The question is what does "fine dust" mean? Particulate less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter is the most important. Mechanical processes generally create little very fine dust of this type. The finest dusts require chemical or thermal processes to create. So, smoke is much more dangerous than woodworking for most processes -- welders take note. Your point of mask sealing is 100 percent on point, and a bit of transferable knowledge that can be applied to all masking applications. If it doesn't seal, it doesn't work.
I imagine he is equating fine dust to any particulate that becomes air borne and stays in the air for significant time. Easily inhaled with little to no feeling of irritation.
Statements are not true. Traditional tools don't create much fine dust, but all machine tools and sanding do. 10x more particles at 0.3 than 2.5 dust. And 10x more at 2.5 than 10 micron. And below 2.5, it dust not settle out of the air.
@@gguessyah Of course sanding creates more fines than say sawing. Sanding and machining also being quite broad terms. But even the greater amounts of fines created by sanding don't compare to the fines created by combustion both in terms of proportion or fineness.
@@gguessyah And, yes, you are correct about settling (much). Which is why good dust collectors is important in a woodshop. Unfortunately, what is sold most often for wood shop dust collection is great at collecting sawdust but awful at collecting PM2.5.
What i use is an 3M half face cover/resperator with PFF3 filters (A + PFF3 when using solvents and glues) I have a beard but i keep most of my face free so the seal is still good. I find these more comfertable then the normal masks and i can change the filters to fit the need of what I am doing. Due to my setup i don't have the perfect dust filtering system, I currently rely on an shop vac and an standard bag filter. So i see a lot of fine dust collected, but generally when wearing my resperator I have no issues.
I built my shop 2 years ago. Sawdust..I make my fair share. Half my shop is car and metal related...that dust n dirt is way worse snd everywhere. I do have furnace filters on a box fan...amazing how quickly the filters get dirty. And nobody filters spray coatings...
Osha has a exposure limit of "Particulate not otherwise specified" (which includes most wood dust) of 15mg/m^3. A room with that much in the air is much dustier than you would expect. Like hard to see 20 feet away kind of dusty. And that is the most you are allowed to breath for 8 hours a day.
I worked for OSHA for 25 years. The exposure limits are the result of a mixture of science and politics. The politics (corporate resistance) often rules the day. Wood dust is considered "nuisance dust." Your mileage may vary.
my grandfather was a carpenter and was forced to retire due to the effects on all the years working without a mask...or much of anything for PPE...maybe a hardhat and gloves... He was also a trainer in the RCE during WWII, hard to say what they used then. Thanks for sharing
Poor fitting masks those of us who have magnificent beards is a price we willingly pay to improve the human condition. James, your selfless sacrifice will not go unnoticed.
In moderation reduces the risk but it doesn’t eliminate it. Even a small amount of ANY carcinogens can trigger cancer. But it’s a risk/reward/investment etc balance.
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I feel like you underused the "my dust collection sucks" pun.
Hello there. i am maker along with my 2 sons we are trying to build nice tools to sale. we have designed a new bench dog which i think adds to the craft. would you be willing to look at it and let us know what u think ? and if worthy talk about it online. i know your pretty busy.
Thank you
David
@@microflux Please contact me through the contact tab on my website. I'll see what I can do.
Unless you have a ceiling filtration system, there is always dust in the air. Mask during cutting is fine, but it should then be worn all the time.
@@brucemiller1696 There is always dust in the air outside, too. It's a matter of dosage. If you are knee deep in sawdust and kicking it all over the shop, then yes, you should wear a mask. But once the dust has settled for a while, the micro-amounts that remain in the air should be well within the range of what your body can naturally expel.
I would like to thank you for the time and effort you put into your many well-researched and well-spoken shop safety videos. I am 81 now, and have spent about 50 years using shop equipment, sanding, varnishing, boat building, house renovating...and on and on. It would have been 60 years, but submarine duty called during my 20's. My first table saw was a 1948 Craftsman that routinely heaved boards in kickbacks through my shop wall. I've had about 10 others since, ranging from a Unisaw with a power feeder to my current DeWalt (that I truly love). I hate to admit that thanks to you and several other RUclipsrs, I have finally put the guard back on for good, am using a push stick, am wearing a P100 face mask and keep upgrading my dust collection...I have never been seriously injured other than getting wacked a few times by the drill press and the unguarded old Milwaukee angle grinder , but honestly that has nothing to do with common sense...just luck. Anyway, I figure I will have at least another 10 to 15 years of shop time...and it would be nice to enjoy it with 10 fingers and my face intact. So now, I'm slowing down and thinking about every move around my tools before I stab myself again with a chisel or a screwdriver. Keep up the good work. The finger you save might be mine!
Thank you for taking the time to post and thank you for your service sir.
You said it! The dang drill press has whacked me several times when the bit caught and spun the metal bar around with enough force to break a bone. Fortunately it didn't, but the bruise was just as bad. Everyone is afraid of the table saw because it can amputate, but the lowly drill press is a real "bruiser"!
Good luck to you David 🤟
I inherited my father's Craftsman table saw that he had inherited from his father. It's still sitting in the shop and still, i pussy out and walk by it to use the miter saw every time.
Just to add a little detail to the discussion, you mentioned that a clogged mask won't result in breathing in more particulate matter. it will just get harder to breath. That is true if you have a perfect seal between yourself and the mask. If you don't have a perfect seal from a poorly fitting mask or a beard, then the reduced airflow through the clogged mask will result in increased airflow around the mask, which means breathing in the particulate matter. All the more reason to use a good mask! Thanks for the important reminder.
Good point!
And ideally be clean shaven.
@@okafka5446 I agree that being clean shaven is the ideal, but I have been surprised at just how well my respirator seems to seal even with a full beard.
For a long time I never really used any dust protection, but lately I have been working with a plywood that makes me cough really bad if I do any cutting at all without a mask. My 3M p100 respirator stops that completely, doesn't feel like I breathe any of the dust in. I know I probably still get a little because of the beard, but it's a small enough amount I'm willing to risk it.
This is why a dirty ac filter can indeed cause the fan and coil to get dirty
@@melody3741 what are you even talking about?! This is about saw dust not air conditioners! Lol
Well, I am a doctor. As a physician woodworker, I agree with everything you're saying, James. Obviously, if there is a specific allergy to a wood's dust, it must be avoided. Otherwise, just as with other parts of life, we should do as much as we reasonably can to reduce our risks and then carry on. Unless someone is living 24 hours a day in the shop with machinery chewing up wood constantly, a reasonable dust collection system with the best isolation/hood at the source feasible will be fine. Wearing a N95 mask (or for fumes, a respirator) is even better. Thank you!
P.S. Use a HEPA rated air filter(s) adequate to the shop’s volume too.
So your saying wearing a mask for Covid is ridiculous
Covid travels in globs of human spittle. Mask stop ur nose juice.
@@Bob-o-h4k Nope, I did not say that.
@@Bob-o-h4k can you point to the rest of us mortals where you read that?
@@Bob-o-h4khe didn’t say that, but the CDC and Dr “Beagle heads in flesh eating fly cages” Fauci did.
Limbs, Lungs, Lenses & Lobes. When in your workshop, take care of the 4L’s. Your Lenses & Limbs can be an instant, permanent injury. Lungs & Lobes (one’s ears) happens gradually and you find out too late you’ve neglected protecting them. My Dad used to always say “you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube”. The same holds true for basic preventative safety if overlooked.
Thanks for all the outstanding content. I learn so much from your monologues and it’s always practical and pragmatic.
I like that 4L's you posted!!! GREAT ADVICE!!! I happen to see this in the construction industry ALL the time!! Old guys CAN'T hear worth a damn from NO ear plugs while running equipment. Tree cutters on You Tube talk all about "safety" climbing and cutting trees....with NO ear plugs!! ON and on and on it goes!!! Not to mention back strain (when your 20 it's macho...at 60 it's a cane!)....ALL of this when we are young(and dumb), rough and tough!!! Until WE HIT THE WALL!!!.....and....The Wall....ALWAYS WINS!!!
PS : Women aren't the only ones that hit The Wall! They just turn ugly while we men turn decrepit, deaf, blind and bent over.
Except wood dust, and especially fine wood dust, generally clears from your lungs just fine though... Incidental exposure is practically harmless, though chronic, extreme exposure should be mitigated. This isn't fumed silica...
Very interesting. I would like to add… My Uncle passed away in 2021 at just age 60 from Terminal Lung Cancer. He was a lifelong Joiner / Carpenter and worked a lot with Oak and MDF, (both carcinogenic). He developed a tumour in his nose first that was attributed to wood dust exposure. The cancer then spread to behind his eye and finally spread to his lungs
I’m glad you raised awareness to this topic, it’s so often overlooked. As a hobby woodworker myself, I was put off Woodworking for about 2 years after what happened to my Uncle. It’s a terrifying thing to see happen to someone. Please don’t ever skimp or downplay the importance of protection and prevention, or tell yourself it’s only just a few cuts so I won’t bother with a mask. Prevention is key
I think I've read someplace 50-60% of nose tumors are in woodworkers.
A lot of people don't know that MDF and plywood use formaldehyde in the glue - the same stuff that embalmers use to preserve bodies. It's a known carcinogen and it's not great stuff to breathe in.
I was asked to consult for a HS maker / engineering program that had a woodshop as well. Proper dust collection, ventilation, and PPE was the first thing I brought up. They didn't even have a dust collection system....
What do you mean "it went behind his eye"? The dust went through his eyes?
@@old_H the tumour from his nose grew in size to behind his eye
The ratings aren't "at or above" 0.3 microns, but rather that they are rated *for* 0.3 microns, which is roughly the hardest particle size to filter out. Above that, the particle size makes them easier to filter out like a sieve, while below that the particles are small enough that their random motion actually plays a significant role in filtering them out just by them depositing on to the surface of the filter material (within the filter itself). 0.3 microns is just the peak where these two methods don't really overlap
I was looking if someone had already commented this. This is a common misunderstanding of the ratings that comes up again and again. With a bunch of companies getting into the mask business during the ongoing pandemic even some of them don't seem to understand this and the science behind the filters they are working with, which is concerning.
@@elenna_alexia it was a plan not a pand...
Shave the beard, it's very important for ratings to be valid.
As a practicing MD for almost 40 years, allow me to say that I loved your presentation. Far too many woodworkers are not aware of the potentially severe hazards from manufactured wood products, including exposure to formaldehyde based adhesives and heavy metals including arsenic. Just to clear up the carcinogen classification issue, there is clear association between exposure to wood working dusts and the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The risk seems to be much more closely related to dusts from soft woods than dusts from hard woods and there are concerns that the cancer risk may be higher if the wood being turned into dust is old or decaying, implying a possible additional risk from fugus or bacteria. You are absolutely correct in your recommendations for mask usage, at least in my opinion👍👍
Soft woods?!
I heard it was the harder woods that were problematic.
Could it be due to proportion of wood used because most woodworking is done using soft woods because, you know...money.
I'll ask you the same I asked the other doctor, what about the nano particles aka smart dust aka nanosensors nano bots which we all inhale from aerosols, without any knowledge or consent for the bio digital convergence, Doc?
Arsenic, arsenic like in Scheele's Green and Paris Green, used in all manner of goods from artificial flowers, to ribbons to dresses, coats and blankets, wallpaper, book covers which eventually fell out of favor as did the people it poisoned, but use as an insecticide into the 1930s. poisoning doubled as small a germ, much like nano sensors & electroporation which is wonderfully all around us in this wireless body area network playing the role of germs again and again and dis-ease..
“Common sense and balance” James, you are the dust mask for RUclips. Thanks for the fresh air.
We only know what "Common Sense" is once some _'craaaazy'_ pioneer / evangelist (like the hotly-debated and oft-maligned Bill Pentz) does years of cutting-edge research.... which is then brought back to the Tribe and integrated back into our common pool of knowledge.
Let's make sure that we devote proper respect to the Vanguard of weirdos & researchers on the shoulders of whose esoteric research the rest of us stand on.
Wood dust as its classified, from what wood that dust comes matter, we have soft woods that have no natural protections against bugs and rot and then we have hard woods that are filled with natural resins, that easily burn, when you cut those with power tools .
Manchineel tree is toxic, all part of it, still they make furniture from it in Caribbean.
dust mask and fresh air is a two completely opposite approaches.
I loved this video. The only thing I do not agree with is your last sentence. Common sense. Everyone has his own common sense and I am a firm believer that it shouldn’t work this way
Agree. Common sense and balance starts where unattainable laboratory standards leave off. Although, could just hide in a safe room until you’re dead.
When I worked at the refinery, people in the field were either clean shaven or had tidy goatees. Because if a situation arose where you *needed* a respirator, there was NO margin for error.
SABA and SCBA are almost always positive air pressure. So your post shows a discernable lack of understanding on this topic. Company policy is not 'no room for error', its crafted for the sake of management to be free of liability.
I also run a fan facing the cutting area to blow most of the fine dust away, whilst also having a dust filter and whatever dust collection im using in the specific tool, and i open my door when weather permits. (Whilst wearing a mask as well)
Just let me add that any time you've been running a tablesaw, jointer, planer, or sander keep wearing a mask until you leave the shop. Otherwise you'll be breathing in fine dust that continues to float in the air for hours unless you have one of those whole room filters running the entire time you're working.
I recently built a whole room filter with a Caterpillar fan and four 20 x 30 Merv 14 furnace filters, similar to the one designed by The 3D Handyman, and it has made a HUGE difference in my shop. After a bunch of routing, the air would of course smell like sawdust for hours, but this cuts the particulates way down to the point that the smell is gone in 20 minutes. I highly recommend it.
From how far away can these things filter dust? Dust from 20ft away?
@@echoshatter it is a little more expensive than homemade, but Home Depot has a Wen filtration system for just $130 that comes with a 5micron prefilter and 1 micron main filter. If you want smaller, you may be able to just rig a HEPA at the exit for the less than 1 micron filtering.
Or declare a plandemic and force people to wear masks, even during sex, per the W.H.O of course. lol
@@fortpatchesI just bought 2 of those, I keep one up at around 7' high level and one on my workbench where I do sanding and table saw. Shop is 200sq ft. Seems to work great, definitely a huge difference from not having it. Only been a couple of weeks so far.
Great info. One thing that helps me keep dust under control is taking a couple of box fans and taping air condition filters of the fan size to the fans with duct tape along the edges then placing them in the shop in areas that generate the most dust.
I use an air compressor every couple weeks or so too clear out the fans/filters, blowing the air down wind so the dust doesn't blow back on me.
Saves money on fancy filter machines and I get new filters when they're beyond cleaning.
I also have a cardboard funnel I made for shop vac that I always try to place where the dust and chips are coming off the cut.
I also try to use to use 2 separate fans for general ventilation.
One puling air outside at one end of shop/garage, and one at the other end pulling fresh air in. Also sweeping the floor every so often especially After a big project, and I wear a mask when kicking up a lot of dust or smoke.
I agree Jim; the Trend Stealth is the best mask I have ever had the displeasure of wearing. I have used many from the old Martindale fiber fiters, which left you spitting cotton wool for an hour afterwards, to the latest 3M ones. Its very compact with no lumpy cartridges to block your close in view. Easy to clean and remove the filters, which have a long life for the casual user at home. There are plain old dust cartriges and also vapor and chemical ones too. It seals well I never have my glasses fog up.
A tip I use for easing breathing through the mask for when I might have a cold or I'm a little bunged up. A small piece of tissue with a drop of mint oil or similar decongestant oil placed inside the mask in the fold where it seals will help keep the nose clear. Just dont go too heavy or you'll think you have had an cold steel rod placed up your nose.
I like working outdoors. It’s a pain dragging tools out but I just love being outside anyway.
I do that when possible as well when weather cooperates. I am the amateur woodworker so most of my tools are on wheels. I also usually try to sand outside or right at the edge of the shop with the 12' x 10' garage door up if the weather is not cooperating. I usually have a large fan blowing from my back so what is not caught in the dust collection at least is somewhat blown outside.
Fun history fact: a good part of why the toothbrush mustache was popular between early WWI and the lead up to WWII is because soldiers in the war got accustomed to trimming their facial hair to not interfere with a gas mask. When it's wood dust, you're fine with an imperfect seal, but those lads had much nastier stuff to deal with.
Hitlers silly moustache was for gas mask.
@@roydonovan9063 People underestimate or seem to forget how much dictators use visual and audible messaging, that's why you'll often have them dressed in ridiculous military like outfits with a bunch of medals or using co-opted upside down flags.
Thanx edwin
during my time in the navy we were trained how to wear a gas mask and finally had to go a chamber filled with tear gas, even though I had a beard I was 100% ok due to propper adjustments... the tears came afterwords as the gas stuck to our clothes 😢
@@mobilfone2234 I suspect they've made a few advancements in gas mask technology since WWI. But yeah, proper mask fitting helps a LOT.
I wear a mask, ears protection and a plastic shield in front of my face. I find the plastic shield to be quickly covered with dust after a very short time like an hour or so. So, I feel that the plastic shield acts as a barrier to dust too for my lungs and my eyes! I am now used to wearing the setup. When it becomes uncomfortable it is time for a break as in my case it is a hobby not worth risking my lungs for!
The plastic shield does nothing for dust inhalation. I have one too and use it when doing things like working with metal or cutting wood that will send chunks flying etc to protect my beautiful face. The shield often has a slight static charge that causes dust to stick to it
I really don't get why people always make so much of a fuss about hearing and eye protection. Don't know how many angry talks I had with my wife about it. What usually gets her is when I suggest I stop wearing safety goggles at work because they are so annoying to wear (I'm a chemist). Somehow everybody understands that getting chemicals in your eyes is bad, but not that getting sharp fast flying objects in your eyes is in no way better
Almost everything you just said is just plain common sense... and it's exactly the video a lot of people need to watch. In fact, your whole channel is like that. Thanks for always making sense.
Sadly, a lot of people don't grow their own common sense, and need to acquire it from people who have enough that they can share it round.
Of course, there'll always be a handful of people who are allergic to common sense.
As usual, a really informed discussion. Here is an add-on that will definitely help: in several of my shops I have put an exhaust fan on one wall, and a supply fan on the other. This is in addition to whatever dust collection system one might have, despite claiming 2 micron capability on those collectors. When you change out the air, in addition to your dust collection, you are going to get rid of it all. Of course, as said, use a mask too for the short range distance dust.
Hey! I have an old CPAP machine. If I am making a lot of cuts (not a full time woodworker) or using strong chemicals like stains, I put that out of my "shop" and use my usual nasal pillow non-mask. All the air I breathe comes from that other room, or at least outside the work area. : )
This seems like the way to go. All these masks and face Shields and glasses fog up, unusable in winter. I'll have to try this
thanks for your thoughts. My question is how long after a cut should I wear the mask. Cause after I ended a cut the dust stayed in the air.
This is correct. As far as I am aware, the class system of carcinogens is in regards to how SURE we are the substance can cause cancer, not how cancerous it is. That's why cigarettes and red meat can be in the same category, while being incredibly different in terms of lethality.
Bang on. Class 1 carcinogens just means we know that it does cause cancer.
Class 2 is stuff that probably causes cancer.
Class 3 is stuff that we cannot say does or doesn't.
Class 4 is stuff we believe not to be carcinogenic.
The idea that red meat is a carcinogen is quite frankly absurd. It's no more than a hit job by people who don't like you eating meat. The evidence is flimsy at the very least
@@paul756uk2
I absolutely agree red meat is not a carcinogen.
If one overconsumes simple carbs, a lot of saturated fat can be a problem, but still not specifically a carcinogen.
@@paul756uk2 well its kinda true, kinda not true.
Its more accurate to say, red meat CAN cause cancer.
Its all about the health of the animal, the preservation methods and cooking methods.
@paul756uk2 it's not red meat in general, it's charred red meat mostly. Particularly BBQ or broiled. There are enzymes in red meat that become carcinogenic when cooked at very high temperatures. Slow cooking at a low temperature doesn't cause the reaction. There is very solid evidence showing higher consumption of burnt read meat leads to higher rates of colon cancer.
James, to validate your concerns, here is a real world example. Last spring I was milling and constructing an aromatic cedar blanket chest from kiln dried rough lumber. After working with it I noticed an extremely fine pink dust on my saw tables which wasn't captured by my DC system or shop vac. I did wear my Trend Airshield Pro Helmet to reduce inhaling. However, I still discovered that EVERY surface in my 1200 sq. ft. shop was uniformly covered in the pink dust only visible if you wiped you fingers on a surface. I use an Oneida Air designed full DC system with HEPA cartridge and magnahelic gauge monitor. And I used workstation shop vac hoods in addition to my Air Shield. That pink dust is still everywhere and since it is an oil/resin wood it is also a sensitizer for allergies. Can't imagine what cocobola would have done in the shop.
An overlooked issue: The proper removal and storage of your dust mask is essential. I cannot tell you how many times I have visited a cabinet shop or jobsite and found dust masks stored in the open. This is absurd as the Masks are often coated, inside and out, with the dust that's been settling out of the air since the last use of the mask. It doesn't make sense to use a contaminated mask to protect yourself from contaminants.
I’m so glad that your videos turned me onto the Trend dust masks a couple years ago. I can tell a big difference even when I’ve upgraded to a much better shop vac and cyclone separator set up than what it used to use.
You’re the man!
I got the Trend masks, too. ❤
You can have a dust free shop if you have industrial fans making up 2 walls in your shop one as an intake for outside air and the other as an exhaust, you'll basically be in a wind tunnel but there won't be dust.
Nah, you’ll pull a bunch of outdoor crap into your shop that will drop when it gets into the lower-velocity mixing chamber that is your shop. 😮
@@filldev could the intake be filtered like they do in laboratories?
This is simply a top notch woodworking channel, and I'd say it's the best. SO MUCH sound advice, helpful tips, and tons of common sense- something that went out the window years and years ago. Always a joy to watch, and learn, even at my age (66). God bless. Greetings from France.
I have a basement woodworking shop. After a couple of years of casual woodworking with some lackadaisical effort to collect dust when cutting, I developed a persistent cough and it lasted another 2-3 years. Then about 6 months after making a decision to always use a P100 dust mask during and after cuts in the basement, as well as hooking up a basic dust collector system that I actually use, that cough completely went away. My lungs have never felt better.
I attribute that persistent cough to dust exposure in the shop and why I now advocate for wearing a respirator with as much discipline as you can muster.
That's why I don't do woodworking in the basement almost at all anymore, just taking it outside.
You are spot on regarding MDF, I needed to raise a bunch of cabinet door panels out of 3/4 MDF with an ogee profile, I had to use 2 vacuums and shop extraction on my router table just to get a handle on the dust. Shop extraction on the fence, one vacuum under the table and the second vacuum over the top of the bit. Even with all that effort I had to wear a respirator just to breath, that is nasty stuff.
As someone who developed a life-threating allergy in my 40's (anaphylactic shock causing unconsciousness in minutes) I've started wearing a respirator full-time when doing anything in the shop. Some of the exotic woods can cause you to become sensitized to their dust/oils and turn into a severe allergy, which can be very scary and possibly deadly (the last time I went into anaphylaxis, I collapsed where I was standing, smacked my chin off a cabinet, bit my tongue and bruised my ribs from the fall. I was black and blue for weeks. Luckily I didn't fall into anything that could kill me.
It's not an allergy until it's repeatable.
Unless it causes anaphylaxis, in which case it is a given. If that is repeatable, you are crazy lucky.
And now that you're accustomed to wearing a mask full time, how much of a bother is it? My guess is it's a minimal inconvenience and 10 minutes after strapping it on you forget it's there. For me, it's not much different than wearing heavy steel toe boots; you just get used to it and it becomes second nature and perhaps feels odd to not have it on.
4:05 I wear one of these if I'm doing any meaningful spray painting of anything in my shop.. When I'm done spraying, I ventilate (now that overspray isn't a concern) if possible, and vacate the shop for a while. I rarely ever paint anything though...
I don't smell sawdust when I wear my P100 mask. It's very comfortable and I wear it all the time in the shop. It's not the brand you've got, but that looks pretty comfy, too.
P100 will do the job nicely.
@@StumpyNubspeople say a respirator type dust mask is useless unless it is professionally fitted
I hope you have better luck than did I finding that service while not working in a related industry.
But I have found that my 3M respirator with P100 filters, routing western red cedar for hours at a time, I couldn't smell anything.
I did find comfort in that.
Glad you discussed the facial hair when getting a face mask fitted. My face mask accepts filters for either chemicals (certain chemicals) or dust. There is a metal forger that wears a full face mask connected via an air hose to a separate air pump and filter worn on the small of the back. This is said to minimize the amount of fumes getting past the broken seal around the face due to the positive air pressure. Thanks for sharing.
What a great, informative, open message you’ve conveyed! I’m a Carpenter, who actually suffers with sinus issues because of the fine dust. I’ve found it best to be wearing a very good quality face mask when using power tools/saws and when not using a mask, petroleum jelly inside both nostrils. You’ve gained a new sub here too 👍
I developed a profound sensitivity to redwood dust primarily due to the difficulty of dust collection at the lathe. Would suggest lathe work be done outdoors when possible.
Many years ago I was starting to develop sensitivity to wood dust. The fix for me was to switch to tools designed with dust and chip collection in mind. I sold my Powermatic gear, replaced it with MinMax. installed an appropriate sized Oneida DC, and switched my sanders to Festool from PC. I haven't had dust sensitivity since. It all starts with properly designed tools. Chisels and card scrapers are also a good way to reduce airborne dust.
I met someone whose multigenerational family business was a redwood lumber business. Many of the men in his family business all cam down with rare esophageal cancer. He decided to not continue in the family business and became an aerial photographer.
I have read about someone that did a big job in Redwood, and they were affected so bad, that they had to quit working wood working.
I worked in a Carbide tool grinding machine shop, and one of the guys smoked, and he was told by his doctor, that he had to quit smoking and quit that job.
When we would blow our nose, it would be black.
Did he ever take photos of anything else?
Same happened with people in coal mining. The next generation did not go down the mines but it did not stop the lung disease they had produced the same out comes.
Love this mask for woodworking. I have used a lot of professional 3m dust mask, respirators and full face mask over the years in the marine industry where fine fiberglass particles go down into the lungs and NEVER come out. This mask has an internal rubber gasket similar to high end 3m products as discussed here. The soft rubber gasket definitely works well with beards as discussed. The seal across my nose bridge is so good that I hardly ever get a fogging problem on my glasses. Thanks for the introduction to this mask.
When I used to scuba dive, I used a silicon grease on my beard for a tight seal.
If it works with water at 4 times atmospheric pressure, it would probably work for a dust respirator too.
Just a thought.
Just a thought about working in a dusty environment with grease on your face! I mean really? Good luck with that stupid idea! Lol
@@StonemanRocks I've never tried it for woodworking.
But then I don't worry about breathing dust.
Maybe you should try handtools instead?
Not as fast, requires more skill, but the results last. (If done properly)
As to 'grease on your face'...
When diving, I apply it to the facemask, at the edge where it seals to the face.
I assumed woodworkers were at least as smart as divers.
If that is not the case, my apologies.
@@StonemanRocks Why would it be a stupid idea? What would be the worst that could happen in your imagination? When the dust is stuck in the grease you obviously can't breathe it in.
Feeling disgusting is not a health hazard by the way.
Good video. As a longtime woodworker and home improvement contractor I wear N95 masks for cutting all pt and hardwood lumber, pvc and all sheet goods especially mdf.
“Price you pay for looking this good” had me snorting laughing. Great vid as ever 😂
I personally think he is incorrect in thinking that he looks good! I had a beard 50 years ago and decided it detracted from my perfect beautiful face! now clean shaved and not so beautiful any more.
Same here, that was hilarious.
as a fellow bearded being, I agree! Fuzzy faces are fabulous! Small price to pay.
@@stonebearAs another person with a fur-enabled face, I also laughed with glee at that remark!
Im not a doctor
But I do play one on t.v
Good tip about the composite materials. I do all of my saw and sanding work outdoors so dust not so much of a problem with a light breeze though some saw cuts throw dust rather than vacuum. The router throws a lot of fine dust and does not have a vacuum.
Certain woods are apparently a lot worse for you than others, like cedar for instance.
Also on the note of not sealing with a beard, one point is always left out. It can seal, it's just really not pleasant how it's done. Was on a job where we had to wear respirators, one guy didn't want to shave, so they fit tested him but put Vaseline on the mask first so it would still seal. It was gross for him needing to clean up after.
Yep, and not just a little swipe of Vaseline, it has to be thick enough to fill in the air gaps between beard hairs, where the hairs meet the seal, and between the hairs and the skin.
@@robjohnston5292 it was not a pretty sight. Needless to say after a few days he started to shave
HI @Stumpy Nubs Just stumbled across your channel thanks to the RUclips algorithm, great video on dust mask protection. Can I also say how refreshing it is to see a US wood worker using tools with gards and proper dust collection. The number I see using tables saw with neither chainsaws without proper PPE amazes me. Well Done for setting the example to follow.
Important safety topic. I think also making sure windows are open when possible to change out the air in the workshop is also important (unless its to windy). I prefer cheaper masks which I change more often, as we should consider what happens to the mask when we take it off. Dust will settle on the inside of the mask which you will then breath in the next time you take use it. So making sure you take it off when the dust cloud has settled and store it away from areas which will pollute the inside of the mask is important. Other professions use disposable masks and gloves for a reason. We should not go crazy in woodworking when working with natural woods, but I prefer to dispose of masks when I have used any bonded or treated materials to avoid dust inside the mask before the next use.
I hang my mask outside the shop. I also hang my ear and eye protection in the same place, but I am extremely diligent about grabbing them whenever needed. This also gives me an opportunity to wipe down my equipment after I leave the shop, and store it in a place where it will stay clean.
Thank you for reenforcing this critical safety issue for the shop.
OK, I’m an MD with extensive experience in pulmonary problems .It is important that you watch those little particles. You have little hairs lining all of your bronchial tree called Cilia.They continuously beat toward the upper airway with a slow back motion and a rapid forward motion to keep secretions and everything caught in them moving toward your trachea so you’re able to expel them. They are very efficient, but they are also very sensitive to irritation, especially caused by smoking cigarettes. If you were continuously in an environment with fine particles, it’s probably best for you to protect these little things. They prevent the accumulation and consolidation of particles in the lower airway which blocks oxygen flow and decreases oxygenation of the blood. If you’re a woodworker and you like to smoke go ahead,you won’t live as long, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t do it. It’s up to you..
Keep in mind sawdust can sometimes be such fine particulate, that it can actually go *between* the cilia and embed in the deeper tissue of your lungs, potentially forever.
i eat a lot of bark dust, dirt road dust, plus the shop dust. correct me if i’m wrong, if one stays hydrated and does physical work we can work particles out of our bodies?
@@larryweinberg1191 Helps but depends on volume,particle size ,and conditions in the airway.If the cilia,little hair like projections in the bronchial tree which propel contaminates toward the trachea are compromised by infection or chemicals,like from smoking cause ,the system can be overrun and cause quite a few serious complications.
My grandfather smoked so thoroughly he burned most of these off he suffered walking pneumonia pretty much every year.
He lived to his 70's, and he never suffered from lung cancer or any of the typical horrific side effects of smoking (perhaps because he smoked old school unfiltered Lucky Strikes instead of the asbestos filtered variety). Unfortunately he later suffered from cirrhosis and kidney cancer, and it eventually took him, though he never drank... it was likely an environmental pollutant, as many people in my area are developing kidney cancer now (perhaps it's linked to the diesel/jetfuel refinery in the county, but that's more in line with cirrhosis)
we can live all our lives as carefully as we can, but if we live in an area that's making your food, water, and air toxic, you might as well filter it through a cigarette... something to think about...
@@vro1899 I’m not too confident of your logic.Environmental hazards can certainly be contributing factors for health issues but assigning blame is always difficult in multi factorial systems.
I finally got my order of the Stealth Lite masks. Just in time to use while sanding down my redwood desk to refinish. These masks are wonderful. As you said, Stumpy, they are very comfortable and seal really well. When I take them off, I have a sweat ring around my nose and mouth. The outside of the mask may be coated with fine redwood sawdust while the inside still looks pristine. Thanks for the video and recommendation!
Another thing you can do is get a box fan and attach a furnace filter to it to help reduce the flying dust in the air, it's not as good as the commercial units but if you can't afford a proper one, this is a cheaper solution for a temporary use until you can get a better shop filter system. A shop vac with a cyclone is the way to go if you have a tiny say basement shop, I've found that real estate is a real issue in my basement shop. Always wear a mask, especially if you're using power tools, hand tools aren't quite as bad, especially a hand plane but you should still take some precautions. Thank you James, always on point with your safety videos :)
I have taken an old squirrel-cage furnace blower, built a box around it, and left an opening in the back with 3 slots for furnace filters, plus the obvious exhaust opening in front. Wire it up with a switch and an outlet for added convenience.
When the external filter got dirty or plugged (and you can extend the life by shopvaccing with a brush attachment) I would move the center filter to the outside, put the inside filter in the center, and a brand new filter on the inside.
These things can move an incredible amount of air, and you can make it to use any furnace filters you want. It's cheaply made from scrap plywood, rolls on casters, and works well for a low table, and even for sanding.
You can get a working furnace blower from an HVAC company for free when they replace a furnace, or you can find them on the curb.
They work the same way as those $300 "air scrubbers" that you hang from the ceiling, but move WAY more air.
You could even put some ductwork on the exhaust opening and aim it out a window or door in nice weath weather.
Pretty simple and effective.
Great video! I took your advice and bought some of the Trend Air Stealth Lite Pro Respirator Dust Masks. While I still don't enjoy wearing a dust mask, this one fits well and works well. I find that I need to remove it about every hour and take a break from it.
I was a veterinary toxicologic pathologist until I retired a few years ago; I did lots of cancer studies in rats and mice and wrote hundreds of reports. Your advice is bang-on. It's our habits that will kill us or save us--very few things will get you with short occasional exposures, plutonium, fentanyl, and king cobras excepted. I have also installed an air filtration system which I think helps in the shop. I'm going to check out the mask you suggested as the cartridge-style respirator is a bit of a pain, as you said. My biggest shortcoming is forgetting to put it on!
I have owned the Trend helmet you show but changed to a PEKE that is far more comfortable. My wood turning club mbrs have done the same. Both are expensive. I wear mine also while mowing 10acers of lawn. Solves my spring allergies.
Hi 👋, the amount of colleagues, where I have worked many years ago, where are dust mask while cutting material, and they finish cutting, they take the mask off, they’ve particulates are still in the atmosphere, Even cleaning up brushing up at the end of the day, making sure that everything is nice, neat tidy and dust free, you come in the next morning and wipe your hands over the bench or a metal worksurface and you’ll see the particles laying on the benches and things, One of the best things I ever purchased was 3M’s air fed mask, not only protects your lungs but it’s got air protection and obviously I’ve screen in front for face protection. Yes they are very expensive but very well worth it.,
Stay safe, young people out there , I’m in my 70s and lucky as such. I do not have any health issues regarding what I’ve breathed in over the years., Nearly 50 years of a specialist joiner, cabinet maker, candlestick maker oh sorry didn’t make candlesticks😂,
I use a 3m respirator with the p100 cartridges for any sanding done at work. It works well since we use lacquer based finish and I spend about a third of my days in the paint booth. It’s an easy swap to the OV filters. Every morning I clean it with an alcohol wipe and if I notice any clogging I bring an air hose to it and blow it out. Anyone know if this reduces the effectiveness of the filters?
So long as you're only blowing out the body of the respirator and not the filters you should be fine (provided you test the assembly for fit by pressing down on the P100 filters and trying to breathe in). But if you're blowing out the filters themselves you are almost certainly damaging them.
I find a separate goggles and dusk mask means that the goggles noticeably block my peripheral vision and fog up badly in the summer, so I bit the bullet and bought an expensive full face eye protection and dust mask unit, and it also has rubber-not elastic straps-that do not wear out easily. “Buy once, cry once.”
Do you have a recommendation?
3M Safety 142-6800 Safety Reusable Full Face Mask Respirator
It might seem extreme, but it's so much more comfy and effective if you're needing to wear something for any length of time
Bro use shaving cream or even dish soap on your goggles or glasses! Put a very small amount on the surface and rub it all over inside and out! Use it right out of the bottle or can! Then buff off all you can with a dry cloth! Boom ! No more fog! Works really well!
@@robo3243 yes scroll to my other comment!
I'm a fan of the respirator with the p100 filters. I keep three of them in my small garage/shop for woodworking and welding, and have separate specific filters for painting.
Our next door neighbour developed lung cancer from woodworking with MDF. I get terrible sinus problems when cutting pine wood, that's why I do most of my woodworking (at least the machine tool part) outside on a sunny day.
I work in a Refinery we had to be clean shaven. If we wanted to live when going into vessels or hazardous situations. We checked each others seal making sure we had the proper seal
You should follow this with a piece on breathing solvents. After 14 year as a woodworker and using solvents in finishing, exposure to solvents can give me a headache. Never got a headache from sawdust.
There are woods, e.g. Eastern Red Cedar, that give me a headache. I wear a 3M mask with Organic Vapor Cartridges. I do the same when I'm using really volatile finishes.
Yeah, now we're headed into respirator territory. But maybe even more important.
To be clear, In this case, use a mask with an organic vapor filter. A dust filter will do nothing for solvents.
work outside or open the window,work in a way the breeze is to your advantage
@@echoshatter I am a painter ,20 years of working with dust and solvent based finishes,no method is perfect but mitigating harm following the KISS ( keep it simple stoopid) philosophy has merit.One particularly nasty thing about paint voc's is the addition of ' perfume' to give acrylic a pleasant smell but while it smells nice it still gives off ammonia and other harmful voc's particularly while spraying,5 minutes spent with a broom or vacuum removes the dust that might be a problem, the fumes that are as harmful as fine dust a breeze is very effective at removing that harm for free and should not be ignored,every little bit counts,most of the harms caused by dust,fumes etc are CUMULATIVE, they are slow burners like asbestos,fume hoods and spray booths rely on air flow ,a $ 10 dollar fan or just opening the window works on exactly the same principle.I like to keep things clean and green and if I am picking something out of my nose not clean and green I am doing it wrong
Excellent advice, as always! As a woodworker with emphysema, I can personally attest to the importance of a good mask. (not the paper "nuisance dust masks") It's not worth he risks to regularly go without a proper mask...
Yeah but how much time should we wait for the fine particles of sawdust to settle?
Yep. I also added a ceiling mounted dust filtration system. That has really made a huge improvement in my small workshop.
I gave away my Unisaw long ago and now use traditional woodworking techniques. I mostly work with planes and chisels.
For stock prep I have a jointer/planer, chopsaw, drill press and a bandsaw. When I need to cut plywood I do it in the driveway behind the pickup on saw horses with a track saw. Pull a sheet off the stack and cut it right there. Saves my back. The dust blows away. My shop is almost always quiet enough to hear music. Dusty days are rare. Masks suck.
I was in a woodworking shop turning a piece of wood when the instructor came over and asked me to stop for a moment. "Look around" he said, I had cleared the room, people were being affected by something coming off the piece I was turning. Strangely it wasn't affecting me as close as I was to the job and I didn't have a mask on at that time. 🤔 I never did find out what was causing this or what type of timber I had been using. Great video 👍
Love your suggestions. Oh by the way, love your suttle dry humor!!
good video. I use a lot of wenge, limba and other exotics and that dust can cause issues. I do most of my woodworking outside and the breeze off of lake erie helps blow the dust away. And I always use a good mask. As for MDF, that stuff is toxic and I avoid it whenever possible.
Would LOVE to see a video going over the full face powered system. I keep a beard and have been thinking about investing in such a tool since recently starting back in construction. Some of the most miserably dusty places I’ve worked are new construction and renovations (which often have other contaminants such as mold, fumes, pesticides, etc).
I currently use a respirator for most projects, especially prolonged, dusty work. I do keep a fairly long and thick beard which reduces its effectiveness, though it still helps a whole lot!
A respirator typically makes the bridge of my nose very sore by the end of a day, and breathing through one is always more difficult then without, even with fresh cartridges, hence my great interest in a full face, positive pressure, powered filtration system.
Loved the video, which is spectacular as always!!
I had to use a full face battery operated mask when I did asbestos removal back in the 90's. I found the masks pretty bulky and uncomfortable, and the battery pack was a bit on the heavy side. The constant air supply was nice to cool your face down, but if the battery died it felt like you were trying to suck air through a pair of jeans that were held over your mouth.
About 7 or 8 years ago I looked at positive pressure respirators. The ones made by woodworking brands were inferior and very heavy. Maybe they’re better now. I bought a 3M Versaflo light industry model that has integrated hearing protection. It’s comfortable and works great. Not as heavy since the battery, motor and filter are on a belt at your waist. Battery lasts all day if needed. I don’t think they make this model now but the heavy industry model looks very similar. They use a HEPA filter. Not cheap, but works well.
My shop is entirely outside, and most of my tools put out curls instead of dust, so I don't really worry about it! Great video!
A dirty filter may mean a higher percentage of each breath is bypassing the filter through the poor seal.
You should be wearing a mask where this isn't possible. If you're wearing a half respirator, it becomes very difficult to breathe when the filter is clogged.
@@shawn576 I wear a p100 filter on a respirator almost the entire time in the shop even when not using tools. I hardly ever notice it becoming harder to breathe…how often do you change the filters?
@@borismakesart Depends on what you're doing. Drywall clogs them really bad. Normal dust doesn't. I've been wearing the same filters for about 2 years because I'm in a shop that is dusty but has nothing major like drywall dust.
@@shawn576 I’m only working with wood dust… replaced mine a few times in a year but only once felt it getting slightly harder to breathe…
This is one of the most important and sensible videos on this topic. I spent much of my working life assessing medical evidence, and the key concept is RELATIVE risk. The question means how much does a specific risk factor contribute to your total risk of a specific event occurring. In passing, I should note the following: 1) cancer is not the only risk (or even the major risk) from wood dust; 2) you, James, probably know more than the average family doctor about lung risks - for that you need a specialist in respirator medicine or an ocupational health specialist (the latter not necessarily a midical practitioner). Anyone with a beard (even a short one) will fail the fit test, but, once again, your analysis is correct; a fit test fail mask is still better than no mask, and usually a lot better. Positive pressure airflow masks are easily better BUT some have a problem in that they are heavy, alter your centre of gravity and impair your sense of your surroundings. I wore a Trend AIrshield for years, but found a cap style airflow reduced all these problems more or less to zero. More or less none of the masks you mentioned fiter fumes. If you are working for any length of time with toxic materials, you need a fume mask, and you need to store it sealed. Thanks once again for focusing on shop safety in your videos.
My method of dust control is
better suited to hobbyists. Put
each dust producing tools on a
platform with locking wheels and roll them outside as needed. In addition get a large shop type fan and blow away whatever dust you produce. A mask as mentioned can also be used.
Hearing protection as well as safety shoes for those handling beams and slabs.
Take care.
I’ve used my leaf blower for removing dust and as a way to stay cool during the summer, especially when I lived in Florida. I had the blower on my ladder behind me, pushing the dust outside. Worked great, wear ear plugs though ! 😅
I agree, outside whenever possible. I'm also just an old hobbyist, but looking back I was fairy reckless in my 20s. Steel toes capped boots used to look and feel terribly clunky, but now you can get lightweight, composite safety trainers. Ear protection is very cheap and it's not too difficult to find something comfortable. Eye protection can be problematic when you need a prescription but it isn't that much more to get lenses that offer some projectile protection - better than staring at something just a few cm away that might explode without any glasses. I can hook up my trusty Mr Henry vac to my saw, router and planer - by hook up I mean bendy tubes and gaffer tape. Overall it is a much better, safer work experience, but it's only ever been an occasional weekend hobby. Having seen the toll that real shop work, 40hrs a week , will take on a human being, I'm glad I chose computer programming as the day job.
@@albanana683 Your life woodworking journey parallels mine. I was a dentist , got into hobby woodworking early, but after retiring two years ago my interest in woodworking waned. I sold 95 % of my shop tools a few weeks ago. I already miss them but it was time. I’m glad I never did production woodwork.
Good luck.
@@williambranham6249 Sometimes it's hard to know when you're done with something, and need to call it a day. Especially when there is potential danger. I don't much care for my handheld electric planer, kinda scary at full tilt. But don't stop making things, inactivity is also a killer. My other hobby is electronics, plenty of scope to tinker with things for just the cost of a soldering iron. Just stick to less than 12V stuff 😁
@@albanana683 My wife wants me to buy new equipment.
Thank you James for covering this important topic. There are lots of options to prevent excessive inhalation of fine wood particles. I’ve used Stealth masks for years. For me, they’re comfortable and effective. They’re also reasonably priced, particularly when you consider the money you’ve invested in your tools.
My high school woodshop teacher in the 80s, who taught from the 70s through the mid 2000s, died of lung cancer. He lived in the country, never smoked or drank or partied at all, ate healthy, got good exercise (he was an avid walker and small stream fisherman) went to church every Sunday (literally)... The picture of healthy clean living. But he didn't grow up knowing that wood dust could be dangerous, so he never wore any kind of PPE vs shop sawdust. I miss him. Please wear a dust mask or respirator!
You know sometimes lung cancer literally can just happen. It’s not like you can live a perfect life and garuntee cancer will not pop up. People live perfectly healthy lives that are not woodworkers and die from lung cancer
I use a simple dust collector to capture saw dust, then I have a couple of furnace filters in a pref-filtering plenum atop my mini-split A/C. Then I use a face mask when doing specific tasks that create the finer dust. Finally, I make great use of a neti pot to clean my sinuses after a day in the shop. Am I inhaling fine dust? Yes, but in modest amounts and in low frequency.
I use the Trend Stealth dust mask. My daughters call it my Darth Vader mask. The sound it makes as I breathe does sound kinda like Darth Vader. It has the N-100 filters in it. I know I should wear it more. I'll try to do so. It should be noted that in an event like Covid, these masks would not be legal to use on an airplane. They filter the air coming into your lungs but not what is going out.
Most discussions I see about controlling wood dust in the shop come down in the end to straight up guess work. After spending lots of money on dust collection systems and air filtration systems most people don't know what the air quality actually is in their shop while cutting/sanding/routing wood. The simple solution is to get a particle counter which measures the small particles in the air in real time. That way, instead of wondering how effective your expensive system is, you can put an actual measured number on it. And then you know. I use a Dylos particle detector to monitor the air quality in my shop and I know which operations generate a lot of fine dust particles, how many particles those operations generate, how long it takes for the dust collection and air filtration systems to clear the air, and what precautions I need to take.
I came here (late to the party) after watching the video to make this exact comment. The only way to know is with a particle meter. I've been surprised by how little dust emerges from some tools and horrified by how much comes from others (like the DeWalt random orbital sander, hooked to a vacuum - zero visible dust in the air, 200x normal concentrations of invisible fine dust in the shop).
This is a hazard that can only be addressed by instrumentation (unless you're willing to wear a respirator the whole time) because the truly dangerous stuff is literally invisible to our eyes.
As an asbestos assessor I must say, great mask chat 👍🏽
I use one of my old half face respirators in the workshop. I like them for their soft silicone seal and very easy to replace & cheap filters.
I've got a Pullman a1000 air cleaner for my garage when I'm doing woodworking, grinding, paint etc, it's expensive and loud but it's amazing at what it does, a pre filter and hepa filter is enough to avoid throwing around fine particles!
My shop stays sawdust free, cause I do all the cutting and sanding outside😅
I made a suggestion earlier similar to this. I think if we measured air particles in our own geographic area we might wear our masks everywhere. My wife complains when I don’t trim my nose hairs. She doesn’t buy that I am protecting my lungs.
Hobby-ist here as opposed to full timer - and yes - same here - at minimum the garage door is open and as much outside as possible - especially if its breezy . . . That said - its not completely dust free . . . .
Spot on. All my shit is on wheels and it goes outside to do the cuts.
I found that keeping my beard properly shaped and trimmed generally helps keeping a good seal. I forgot who did a whole research on it, but you gotta have at least around 1050CFM at the tool to extract all the fine dust. And that's not possible without at least 6-7" pipe all the way to the collector. But a really good solution to keeping the air cleaner is creating air flow through the shop from the outside with a shop fan or two. I guess the silver lining of having asthma is having a real keen feeling about dust exposure.
Positive pressure loose fitting face shields with belt mounted fan/filters units are the way to go. They've become more popular in welding and metalworking, they need to be normalized everywhere else. With more popularity the prices should come down out of the nosebleed territory. If it's more comfortable to wear, it's more likely to be worn. Battery and fan technology is easily advanced enough to make these accessible to hobbyists, we just need some demand to get some models between the uber-elite and the chinesium that's available today.
I've worn a belt fan/filter. It wasn't safe to wear at all, I tripped over (or got snagged on) the hose half a dozen times. Definitely not right for my shop.
I have often wondered about many of these questions you answered James. Thank you for putting out in a very simple and easy way to understand.
Perfect background info while sweeping out the shop. 👍
I only take my mask off to smoke a Marlboro Red
If you poke it through the exhaust valve, you can smoke with the mask on.
Its bad to smoke
Mmmmmm, my most favorite cig. Sadly I could never smoke only in moderation. If I could limit myself to three or four a day I'd still smoke and not worry about it.
Mine was New Port 100s, then they found emphysema
Filterless I hope
“The corner wheat field”? Good one. Thank you again, James, for your sane and well-reasoned safety presentations. I bought a very similar mask to the one you like, and wear it for most cuts - for ALL multiple cuts. At the scroll saw too - this makes less dust, or at least it doesn’t spray it around like my table saw, but the mask helps. BTW, I still like your beard.
I had this dust bunny who would hop through the shop now and then, so I fed it, and now were good buddies!😅
As a doctor I agree with everything you said. Some additional advice, don’t just use a large particle dust collector like the cyclones demonstrated in the video. They’re good and help, but also use a small particle air filtration system sized for the workshop that can filter the air many times an hour.
And finally: not all wood species are created equally. Some are more toxic and/or allergenic than others so keep that in mind as well and learn about the wood you are working with before using it.
I have a beard a little longer than yours. There is very little in way personal dust protection for wood workers with beards. Trend Air shield pro is the most economical way to go (still expensive). It took me forever to find a good deal (still expensive).
Absolutely correct. I agree with you. Thank you for sharing. My shop was small and i mean small 10*12 gsrden shed small. In this shop i had a complete shop. The problem was i did not take this into account when setting it up. I of course did not wear a mask. I ended up with severe lung infection that took a couple of years to clear up before the doctor said o could get back in shop. I now have a 12*20 shop, wear a mask, have a Wen 3410 filtering unit and a fan in the window.
Yes James, your beard is magnificent!
Recently got the small disposable Air+ mask with a tiny rechargable ventilator providing fresh air and prevents wet and damp within the mask. It works so well, finally I really get to wear a protection, becase it is not cumbersome
The question is what does "fine dust" mean? Particulate less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter is the most important. Mechanical processes generally create little very fine dust of this type. The finest dusts require chemical or thermal processes to create. So, smoke is much more dangerous than woodworking for most processes -- welders take note. Your point of mask sealing is 100 percent on point, and a bit of transferable knowledge that can be applied to all masking applications. If it doesn't seal, it doesn't work.
I imagine he is equating fine dust to any particulate that becomes air borne and stays in the air for significant time. Easily inhaled with little to no feeling of irritation.
Statements are not true. Traditional tools don't create much fine dust, but all machine tools and sanding do. 10x more particles at 0.3 than 2.5 dust. And 10x more at 2.5 than 10 micron. And below 2.5, it dust not settle out of the air.
@@gguessyah Of course sanding creates more fines than say sawing. Sanding and machining also being quite broad terms. But even the greater amounts of fines created by sanding don't compare to the fines created by combustion both in terms of proportion or fineness.
@@gguessyah And, yes, you are correct about settling (much). Which is why good dust collectors is important in a woodshop. Unfortunately, what is sold most often for wood shop dust collection is great at collecting sawdust but awful at collecting PM2.5.
What i use is an 3M half face cover/resperator with PFF3 filters (A + PFF3 when using solvents and glues) I have a beard but i keep most of my face free so the seal is still good. I find these more comfertable then the normal masks and i can change the filters to fit the need of what I am doing. Due to my setup i don't have the perfect dust filtering system, I currently rely on an shop vac and an standard bag filter. So i see a lot of fine dust collected, but generally when wearing my resperator I have no issues.
I built my shop 2 years ago. Sawdust..I make my fair share.
Half my shop is car and metal related...that dust n dirt is way worse snd everywhere.
I do have furnace filters on a box fan...amazing how quickly the filters get dirty.
And nobody filters spray coatings...
6:16 but what is the filtration level of compressed beard hair? lol semi-serious question
Underrated comment lol
Osha has a exposure limit of "Particulate not otherwise specified" (which includes most wood dust) of 15mg/m^3.
A room with that much in the air is much dustier than you would expect. Like hard to see 20 feet away kind of dusty.
And that is the most you are allowed to breath for 8 hours a day.
I worked for OSHA for 25 years. The exposure limits are the result of a mixture of science and politics. The politics (corporate resistance) often rules the day. Wood dust is considered "nuisance dust." Your mileage may vary.
my grandfather was a carpenter and was forced to retire due to the effects on all the years working without a mask...or much of anything for PPE...maybe a hardhat and gloves...
He was also a trainer in the RCE during WWII, hard to say what they used then.
Thanks for sharing
Poor fitting masks those of us who have magnificent beards is a price we willingly pay to improve the human condition. James, your selfless sacrifice will not go unnoticed.
Your advice is gold. I appreciate that you offer a bunch of good education without wasted fluff. Thanks
In moderation reduces the risk but it doesn’t eliminate it. Even a small amount of ANY carcinogens can trigger cancer. But it’s a risk/reward/investment etc balance.