anyone experience of this 3M fumes mask with pink filters?

[jcbadger]

Has anyone got experience of this fumes mask from 3m?

I can't find them here in the UK and bought my one off ebay and it came from the US.

I ask because I can still smell fumes through the mask even though it's tight on. I came across this mask on other welding forums and it is for welding and a trusted brand - 3M. After searching for a supplier in the UK I found it on ebay from a seller in the US. The forums where I heard about this mask coincidentally are US forums. Anyway, should you still smell fumes thorugh the mask or not? Maybe it doesn't work like a paint mask where you dont smell anything - maybe the filters stops particles but the smell still gets through. Given it's 3M I'm very surprised (disappointed) that it doesn't seem to be 100% effective. or it could be a fake - wouldn't be difficult to copy these things. Any comments welcome. Thanks.

 

[madkayaker]

have you tried a face fit test? my sunstroms came with a blanking off plug so that you could put it and on a try to breath to check if it was air tight. are you trying to use it for things its not designed for?

 

[dai]

give somebody like these a ring
http://www.simon-safety.co.uk/products/PPE/Respiratory/Half-Masks

you only got 1 set of lung so dont feck them up for a few quid

 

[aametalmaster]

I use the same mask with different filters. I don't like the pink ones for welding. I use a chemical one that works better for me. When i weld some galvanised metal with the pink filters my teeth start to hurt and that doesn't happen with the chemical ones. So that tells me i am getting fumes thru the pink ones but i guess they are just made for particles in the air so they work for that...Bob

 

[Seano]

Has anyone got experience of this fumes mask from 3m?

I can't find them here in the UK and bought my one off ebay and it came from the US.

I ask because I can still smell fumes through the mask even though it's tight on. I came across this mask on other welding forums and it is for welding and a trusted brand - 3M. After searching for a supplier in the UK I found it on ebay from a seller in the US. The forums where I heard about this mask coincidentally are US forums. Anyway, should you still smell fumes thorugh the mask or not? Maybe it doesn't work like a paint mask where you dont smell anything - maybe the filters stops particles but the smell still gets through. Given it's 3M I'm very surprised (disappointed) that it doesn't seem to be 100% effective. or it could be a fake - wouldn't be difficult to copy these things. Any comments welcome. Thanks.

Do you have a beard ........?

 

[aametalmaster]

Do you have a beard ........?

Sometimes just a face shape or facial hair will mess up a good seal. Where i worked we had to be fit tested every year for a proper fit. I started in a MED and got fat than i had to switch to a large. Then i got thin again and went back to a MED. So i wear what i was fitted to at work at home. And the Pink filters really do suck for welding i will be the first to say it...Bob

 

[jcbadger]

hi

thanks for the replies. nope I dont have a beard and when perfoming the air tightness test - by placing a hand over the centre valve piece and breathing out the seal around the face is air tight. I have also used a regular paint spraying mask with double cartridge filters for welding and that off course keeps out the fumes smell but is it ok to use for welding - is it keeping out the particle nasties as well and not just the smell?

I bought the 3M one because it states the pink filters are for welding but they are just too thin with no body - not like the chunky filters you get with paint masks which have a good layer of what I assume is activated charcoal/carbon (??). Thanks all, Johnny.

 

[kibodwin]

Like aametalmaster I use the same mask but with different filters.
I would keep the mask and get suitable filters. There is a filter specific
to welding but I use the organic 6001 filter and it seems to work, no smells.
3M also do a single use (simple paper type one) specific to welding.
You have only one pair of lungs so I would advise getting appropriate filters.
You should be able to find the 6001 filters easy, they are quite popular.

 

[Seano]

hi

thanks for the replies. nope I dont have a beard and when perfoming the air tightness test - by placing a hand over the centre valve piece and breathing out the seal around the face is air tight. I have also used a regular paint spraying mask with double cartridge filters for welding and that off course keeps out the fumes smell but is it ok to use for welding - is it keeping out the particle nasties as well and not just the smell?

I bought the 3M one because it states the pink filters are for welding but they are just too thin with no body - not like the chunky filters you get with paint masks which have a good layer of what I assume is activated charcoal/carbon (??). Thanks all, Johnny.

Not all particulate filters will keep out vapours also, look here for good info ....http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/OccSafety/Home/Products/ProductCatalogue/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECFTDQKKT1000000_nid=GSP9CX4WFPbeBXG281LQ4Dgl

HTH.....Sean

 

[Ed.]

I also use those pancake filters but they are a particle filter and not a fume filter, bought mine on ebay. To get rid of the fumes you would need a bigger filter with much more carbon in it. These fit under the helmet whereas the bigger ones may not. The motorised filters are the best but cost and arm and a leg.

 

[smithyboi32]

buy and air feed pack and stop being tight lol