Replies

1. 
   gcg | Nov 01, 2007 12:04am | #1

   What I've found to be the best route is to first find and industrial saftey equipment supplier.  They usually have a retail window for small orders and are much cheaper than going to a woodworking store.  For example a respirator at Woodcraft is about $40 and at the safety supplier I use I get a high quality respirator from 3M for $12 and $2 cartriges. I can get cartriges for everything from dust to MAK and other solvents in finishing.

   Second, go with a respirator instead of a dust mask.  I find them much more comfortable and they last a long time.  They give a better seal and are therefore safer and don't fog up your safety glasses.  As I said above the different cartriges cover most of the hazardous stuff you'll work with. 

1. 
   SawdustRay | Nov 01, 2007 01:26am | #2

   I'll take your advice!

    

   Thanks!

2. 
   forestgirl | Nov 01, 2007 02:00am | #3

   For spalted anything use a respirator!!!  (the thing with cartridges)  You should be using one for most of your finishing anyway, so it's not a one-time waste of $$.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)