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DIY painting respirator

PaulvS

PaulvS

Well Known Member
Patron
I'm painting my RV using 2-pack polyurethane and want to keep the solvents and isocyanates out of my eyes and respiratory system. A hobbyair full face respirator would cost around $1000 AUD delivered, whereas this homebuilt experimental alternative cost $75 using an eBay face mask and irrigation pipe and fittings.
My first attempt used a shop vac output for the blower and it was too much and blew the mask off my face. This smaller blower for inflating air beds is much better and delivers just the right amount of air. The blower is located in clean air, well away from the paint fumes.

Let's stay safe and healthy!
 

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Virtually the same as a hobby air.
I have the Hobby Air for two operators and dual 100' hoses. We used them in houses painting trim.
But, your system looks good. Fresh air is all you need.
Art
 
Kyle Boatright said:
A good fan for this application is a bathroom vent fan.
Click to expand...

I did try a 10 inch bathroom exhaust fan that I had laying around but the pressure was too low to push the air through the hose (high volume low pressure) so do you perhaps mean one of the smaller 4 inch type extractor fans that sits inline in a narrow duct? I looked up the power rating of a couple of those and it is only 14 watts, whereas the airbed inflator is 140 watts (and the shop vac is 1200 watts). I'm not concerned about filtration because the pump intake is in clean fresh air, same as what I breathe standing beside the pump.
 
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PaulvS said:
I did try a 10 inch bathroom exhaust fan that I had laying around but the pressure was too low to push the air through the hose (high volume low pressure) so do you perhaps mean one of the smaller 4 inch type extractor fans that sits inline in a narrow duct? I looked up the power rating of a couple of those and it is only 14 watts, whereas the airbed inflator is 140 watts (and the shop vac is 1200 watts). I'm not concerned about filtration because the pump intake is in clean fresh air, same as what I breathe standing beside the pump.
Click to expand...

I used an AC fan that was rated at something like 50 CFM. It was designed to feed into 3" or 4" exhaust piping, but I used a dixie cup and some fiberglass cloth to neck it down to 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" flexible hose. Looking online, similar fans pull about 50 watts from a 120V source.
 
Do you have a link to the face mask..thx?

Hi Paul

Looks great..I need to do the same!

Do you have a link to the face mask? Had a look on ebay and couldn't find one with an inlet like that.

Thanks!
 
Face mask

Hi Adrian,
Here is a link to the type of face mask that I used, which is a generic clone of a 3M "6800" face mask:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/143603370325

I modified the mask by drilling out one of the filter mounts and inserting a right angled irrigation fitting. The fitting is pinned on the inside of the mask through a washer (that is made from aircraft grade aluminium!)

Pic attached of the type of 19mm (3/4") fitting and how it is attached on the inside after cutting off the barb. The "pin" is 3/32" whipper snipper line trimmer line.

Cheers
Paul
 

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Great idea, Paul, thanks for sharing. Where did you get the long tubing? I have all the irrigation fittings in the shed but not familiar with that.

Jack
 
MeAndMyToys said:
C'mon guys, 70k -120k to build a plane to play games with your health at the end.
Click to expand...

Why do you think the health risk is any different between a $400-$1000 system you buy from a store and a nearly identical setup you build yourself for <$100?

Both supply fresh air to a mask. It isn't rocket science.
 
Sometimes I have to wear one for work, not painting but hazardous gasses and byproducts.
Just different perspectives I guess. To each there own. I was comfortable buying a used engine and propeller to keep my cost down, which some people are not. Didn't mean to step on anybodys toes. I'll just sink back into the shadows and watch like I usually do. Best of luck to everybody with their builds.
 
Bunnings

Handclutch said:
Great idea, Paul, thanks for sharing. Where did you get the long tubing? I have all the irrigation fittings in the shed but not familiar with that.

Jack
Click to expand...

Hi Jack,
I see you are also in Australia, I got the hose from Bunnings Aerospace, link per below. I went for the premium version because it is more flexible than the standard version. The blower is from there too... Ozito.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/nylex-22mm-x-10m-premium-grey-water-chief-hose_p3430061

Cheers
Paul.
 
for a hose try a pool or spa store. their hose might be too big diameter for the attachment to your mask but it will make the run from the machine almost to your face.
 
Thanks, Paul. I couldn't work out what type of hose it was - makes sense now. We have two of those aerospace stores nearby!

Jack
 
Having used Hobby Air systems for many years, and before that used garden hose/facemask/scuba mask systems I can attest to the use of these.
Being in business you get a different perspective having employees that have to use the equipment.
L & I doesn't take to kindly to you damaging your employees with bad air.
After a bunch of research, I decided to stop using garden hoses and such for supply air and went with the 1" food safe breathable supply hose products Hobby Air sells.
Maybe you don't get the plastic vapors from it, I don't know. I felt a 1" garden hose worked pretty well. As long as it isn't brand new.
I felt I had to to reduce liability for employees.
The breathable air hoses are clear 1" x 50 foot and have garden hose type connectors. Oh by the way they are not as flexible as I would like either.
As far as the pump, it only has to be in clear free air outside of the contamination zone. Just restrict the flow to what ever you want.
You're going down a road I've been on for 40 years.
Art
 
This is my DIY fresh air system. I've only used it a few times but it is working superbly.

Parts are-
- Intex inflatable mattress pump
-sections of 6 ft CPAP hose
- 7/8 OD aluminum tubing by 1-in long to connect the above
- Amazon face mask
-Connector pictured below
-2 O rings for the connector above
- two large nylon washers which I enlarged for the connector above
- optional speed control as I've been running a little bit less than full speed.

Less than $100 for all the parts delivered to my door. As mentioned above, it doesn't seem like rocket science to me either. Just deliver clean fresh air to an enclosed mask. I think I'll get decent life from the pump ($30), especially running at a slightly reduced speed. I've got plenty of other places to spend $1000.
 

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bakercdb said:
This is my DIY fresh air system. I've only used it a few times but it is working superbly.

Parts are-
- Intex inflatable mattress pump
-sections of 6 ft CPAP hose
- 7/8 OD aluminum tubing by 1-in long to connect the above
- Amazon face mask
-Connector pictured below
-2 O rings for the connector above
- two large nylon washers which I enlarged for the connector above
- optional speed control as I've been running a little bit less than full speed.

Less than $100 for all the parts delivered to my door. As mentioned above, it doesn't seem like rocket science to me either. Just deliver clean fresh air to an enclosed mask. I think I'll get decent life from the pump ($30), especially running at a slightly reduced speed. I've got plenty of other places to spend $1000.
Click to expand...

Would you happen to have a link to the face mask you used?
 
Jetmart said:
Would you happen to have a link to the face mask you
Click to expand...
I know little about full face masks so not making any recommendations.
Note, this mask seems Smaller than I expected,, but works OK. It’s not the easiest to get around glasses but but seems ok once you get everything adjusted.

Once I assembled the parts and cut the aluminum splice pieces, literally took less than five minutes to have a working system
I just pulled out the rubber flapper valve on one of the filter holes. Then snipped the three legs in there off. Then, a Dremel made quick work to clean the stubs of those legs off to have a clean round hole.

That plastic fitting (key), O-rings, and a couple of washers really fit nicely. And that CPAP tubing is a tight slip fit, but can be removed if you need to leave the room.
And that tubing was a nice tight fit on the Intex pump.

Full Face Respirator Mask with 60921 Filters - 6800 Reusable Gas Mask Against Dust Organic Vapor Anti-fog Mask for Epoxy Resin, Chemicals, Painting, Car Spraying, Woodworking, Welding, Polishing
Visit the WYAJU Store


You didn’t ask, but this is the tubing I got . Tubing seems good quality and was cheap with reasonable fast shipping. Get more than you think you need. I had to order more. Nice to have spare in case you crush a section , etc.

www.vitalitymedical.com

6 Foot Gray Smoothbore CPAP Tubing

CPAP and Bipap tubing is universal gray tubing that is lightweight and provides you with six extra feet.
www.vitalitymedical.com www.vitalitymedical.com
 
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bakercdb said:
This is my DIY fresh air system. I've only used it a few times but it is working superbly.

Parts are-
- Intex inflatable mattress pump
-sections of 6 ft CPAP hose
- 7/8 OD aluminum tubing by 1-in long to connect the above
- Amazon face mask
-Connector pictured below
-2 O rings for the connector above
- two large nylon washers which I enlarged for the connector above
- optional speed control as I've been running a little bit less than full speed.

Less than $100 for all the parts delivered to my door. As mentioned above, it doesn't seem like rocket science to me either. Just deliver clean fresh air to an enclosed mask. I think I'll get decent life from the pump ($30), especially running at a slightly reduced speed. I've got plenty of other places to spend $1000.
Click to expand...
Would you trust your life to anything bought from Amazon?
 
penguin said:
Would you trust your life to anything bought from Amazon?
Click to expand...
I think the risk is negligible for the mask/hose/pump; my mask came from eBay so probably the same factories that supply Amazon and I've painted my entire RV without breathing in any isocyanates, so it was worth it.

An alternative branded mask would be "3M™ 6000 Series Full Facepiece Respirators" for added comfort and cost. The others on Amazon are evidently knock-off copies of this.

Now about trusting my life to an aeroplane that was built in a backyard shed by an amateur using hand tools.... Hmmm.
 
penguin said:
Would you trust your life to anything bought from Amazon?
Click to expand...
Pretty broad statement. Zero data.
For those of us actually trying to learn something and make something educate us on why my DIY respirator is so risky?
Who would trust their life to an airplane, not built by certified mechanics, working on a certified assembly line inspected by professional inspectors before it flies and every year? Compare that to your statement.. wrong forum. Lots of very smart guys on this form that provide lots of good data that we’ve all learned a lot from.. throwaway statements add nothing to this forum

And for the record, it’s Amazon, AND Walmart, a random Internet supplier, and the local farm store.
 
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penguin said:
Would you trust your life to anything bought from Amazon?
Click to expand...
A fresh air supply for painting is pretty simple. A bathroom fan with a reducer to neck it down to whatever flexible tubing you can get inexpensively - I used the equivalent of pool sweeper hose. Transition that to headgear made from a chemical face shield and the hood from a poncho and you have a fresh air supply and a hood to deliver the air to your face. The only thing of importance at that point is to place the intake fan somewhere it draws in clean air. Amazon, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, the parts and technology are pretty straightforward and mostly foolproof.

If you up to building an airplane, a hood with a fresh air supply is a layup.
 
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