Replies

1. 
   Bioman | Apr 15, 2005 02:16pm | #1

   Like you I am intrigued by this type of device.  My concern was with the comfort associated with using over a period of time.

2. 
   DrChops | Apr 16, 2005 08:08pm | #2

   hi bertie,
   i have a genetic lung condition which makes me particularly sensitive to dusty areas, so i've always used masks when cutting or sanding wood. as you know, dust masks get rather hot and uncomfortable pretty quickly, and they tend to cause your glasses to fog over. so, about 6 months ago, i decided to get one of the powered masks. i looked at several models, including the aircap2 and the resp-o-rator. i've also recently seen ads for the triton powered respirator, and it looks interesting, but a bit clunky.

   however, to be honest, i'm very happy with my airshield. i use it every time i saw or dust, and i've used it when taking classes, and it seems to work very well. a number of times, i've had the outside of the mask covered with sawdust, and the inside "looked clean." being a scientific type, i took a white lint-free cloth and wiped around the inside to see what had collected, and even after 20 hours of use over a week or so, i couldn't capture any visible residue from inside the mask. of course, the proof is in the pudding, and i don't feel like i've been breathing dust. of course, it's also important to keep the mask on until you exit the dusty environment. i've seen a number of people pull their mask off just after they shut the saw off, which to my mind, defeats the purpose.

   my shop has dust collection at the tool, and an air cleaner, and it stays pretty clean. one of the shops where i've taken classes has an older dust collector, and no air cleaner, and seems to be pretty dusty. even in that environment, the airshield seems to work very well.

   i haven't noticed any vibration from the motor, but truly, the motor is pretty small, and the only noticeable thing to me is the sound. it's not particularly loud to my ears, but it does make having a conversation more difficult, and i've had people tell me that they've had a hard time hearing me talking through my mask.

   the weight doesn't seem to be much of an issue, and the strap adjusts pretty well for comfort. i have a slightly narrow head, and sometimes when i'm adjusting for my preferred fit, i overtighten the headband, and pinch some at the temples. the solution is easy though; you just loosen the knob one stop (the rotary knob at the back of the helmet controls the headband tightness, and has lots of stops).

   another question people often ask me is about battery life. trend says a battery will power the airshield for 4 hours, and two batteries will last 10 hours. i used just one battery for 4 months, several times going just beyond 4 hours at a stint, and i haven't had the helmet die on me yet. i bought a second one just to be sure, and i always give out before the helmet does. i'm in the enthusiast category, so i generally work for 3-6 hours at a time. also, i should mention that i charge both batteries after about 8 hours of use. my only complaint is that the charger is the usual wall-wart style, which doesn't give you any indication if the battery is fully charged or not, so i put each battery on its own charger overnight.

   the pre-filter and main filter are easy to change. when i find that the pre-filter is looking dusty after a few hours of work, i vacuum it out with my shop vac (with HEPA filter), sucking the dust back through the front of the mask. and, i always wipe the mask down with a damp cloth (paper towel) after vacuuming. i generally do that at the end of the day. i change the pre-filter every month or two -- when i can still see any discoloration after the vacuuming treatment. and i change the main filter as soon as i see evidence of dust on it, which finally happened two weeks ago, after three pre-filter changes.

   i 've been told that the airshield was actually developed for wood turning, but since i don't do any turning, i can't comment on its effectiveness for that. what it was not designed to do is handle solvents, so for finishing, you'll have to get a different mask.

   so, to sum up, i find the airshield to be very effective, reasonably comfortable, and well worth the purchase. i use it every time i work, and wouldn't be without it. if something happened to it, i'd buy another one right away.

   by the way, woodcraft offers a one year satisfaction guarantee on purchases, so i got my airshield there figuring if i didn't like it, i could take it back.

   cheers,
   bert

   if it's worth doing at all, then it's worth doing well.