Thread: powered face shield

I have a Trend all on the head set up, its not for everybody as some may find it too heavy. But it works fine for me, battery lasts 6-8hours. Look on eBAY I bought mine out of the UK and even with shipping it was much cheaper than buying local.

i also bought trend .. it is heavy but i only find that a problem if i drop something and bend to pick it up ... the weight is not a problem to me if i keep myself substantially upright

regards david

Originally Posted by robbygard

i also bought trend .. it is heavy but i only find that a problem if i drop something and bend to pick it up ... the weight is not a problem to me if i keep myself substantially upright

regards david

you mean sober?

Originally Posted by Tonyz

you mean sober?

haha. .. i am a non drinker (of alcohol, tea or coffee) …. so pretty safe from that …. age brings other problems though …

regards david

I’ve been researching this also but didn’t like the trend unit for all of it being compacted in one unit, weight and nicad batteries.

So have decided on the 3M versaflow helmet and belt air purifier unit, lighter, supports my glasses and beard and tear off screen protectors and long battery life.

Will be using it for all my woodworking going forward not just turning

Another thread on here discussing it as well

Tecmen powered faceshield vs 3M adflo vs 3M versaflo
Tecmen powered faceshield vs 3M adflo vs 3M versaflo

Cheers
Nathan

Wow those prices are beyond me!!!

I see the JSP Powercap is a rebrand of the Axminster one I'm looking at. I might hunt around for the best price on that one.

Anyone used the Powercap or Axminster?

They are absolutely. But due to a sinus infection earlier this year (maybe covid that didn’t test correctly) I’ve already lost my taste which is slowly coming back but my sense of smell is non existence atm.

I don’t want wood dust to make it worse since I’ll be going to an ENT specialist in the new year. Since I can’t get a proper dusty setup for a while this is the best I can do to do it needs to be comfortable and good at its job.

I’d be keen to hear about those other units also

I have the JSP Powercap unit. I picked mine up from a southern Qld woodworking specialist store in 2018. It has been brilliant, I have hair (bonus) beard and wear big bi-focal glasses, none of them are an issue. When turning in quite cool weather and wearing a normal face shield, my glasses had a tendency to fog up easily. With the powercap unit on, nothing ever fogs or condenses up, just a wonderful breeze running down from the top which keeps everything clear and within reason, virtually dust free. It comes with a flow meter which allows you to quickly check that the flow rate is not being restricted by filters clogging up. The flowrate is 160 litres a minute past your face.

It is very comfortable to wear, relatively light weight and the battery certainly outlasts me; or did. My battery was starting to fail this year, so I bought another one a couple of months ago, back to brand new power and lasting capability.

One feature I thought would be beneficial, was to have the whole lot on top of my head, that is, not having a battery on a belt with an umbilical cord running up to the powered shield/helmet arrangement. I had watched people with a tethered unit fiddle occasionally with the lead to the helmet, plus once or twice coming stuck as they passed through a tight space. With the Powercap I simply pull the unit off and place it anywhere, then simply put it back on again; easy as anything.

Once you have a unit like this, you will be surprised at the amount of dust collected on the primary external filter after even a short time of turning. You will also see which woods expel quite fine dust; eye opening, to say the least. I'm so comfortable with mine that I wear it for almost anything that creates dust in my shed. The result is clear eyes, no sinus issues, no mild headaches after some lengthy sessions creating dust.

Mick.

Originally Posted by brainstrust

Thinking of paying the bucks and buying a battery powered air face shield. Any recommendations?
I like the Axminster APF 10 Evo, tho it looks tricky to buy in oz

IMO, all of the PAP face shields/hoods are way overpriced. They have been built for high risk PP situations where the price is not as important compared to the risks, so enterprises with an eye to their legal obligations under OHS just cough up.


I did have a Trend for many years until I wore it out and that was OK other than the constant fan noise inside it. Having a beard I need the style that has the full face shield and hood. The close fitting respirator type, plus shield, are not an option with a beard.

As I'm either at the lathe or the bandsaw I don't need to have the same portability of an all-in-one PAP face shield/hood that some may need in their workshops.

So, I made my own tethered PAP with an impact rated face shield/hood. I still use a version of that. Its major advantage is its very large HEPA filter size (because that component isn't worn on the body) and the separation of the filter fan from the hood makes it very quiet to use. The other advantage is cost.... it is way cheaper (with better filtration) than any of the all-in-one options on the market.


The downside of a tethered system is the distance you can move when using it. I got used to that a very long time ago and find that disadvantage is outweighed by its advantages.


In essence my setup is something like one of these...

Shield hood image.jpg

connected by a suitable flexible hose to something like one of these consumer room air purifiers with large replaceable HEPA filters that are also available at consumer prices...

HEPA room filter.jpgHEPA filter.jpg

I use my setup in the equivalent of a large one car garage with the hose strung up on a flying fox arrangement that gives me access to all corners or the workshop. Setup costs about $300.

I also have a 3M Versaflo 300 with battery and filter on the belt should I need more portability, but rarely use it, preferring my tethered rig. I got my Versaflo at a very substantial discount at the end of the last mining boom crash, and although a very good unit I couldn't recommend it at the absurd price they now ask for that unless I was spending someone else's money...:U

If you don't mind (and can wear) the face fitting type, one of the following might suit you. But, I can't see that it has a HEPA rated filter, so that might be an issue...

1PCS Electric Supplied Air Fed Full Face Gas Face Mask Constant Flow Respirator | eBay

I am thinking of getting a powered face shield because my DC is totally inadequate for lathe work but is it fair to say that the risk of harmful dust is much less when green turning?
I love turning camphour and, for me, the smell just adds to the experience so do I really need to worry about dust when the wood is so green?

Originally Posted by NeilS

IMO, all of the PAP face shields/hoods are way overpriced. They have been built for high risk PP situations where the price is not as important compared to the risks, so enterprises with an eye to their legal obligations under OHS just cough up.


I did have a Trend for many years until I wore it out and that was OK other than the constant fan noise inside it. Having a beard I need the style that has the full face shield and hood. The close fitting respirator type, plus shield, are not an option with a beard.

As I'm either at the lathe or the bandsaw I don't need to have the same portability of an all-in-one PAP face shield/hood that some may need in their workshops.

So, I made my own tethered PAP with an impact rated face shield/hood. I still use a version of that. Its major advantage is its very large HEPA filter size (because that component isn't worn on the body) and the separation of the filter fan from the hood makes it very quiet to use. The other advantage is cost.... it is way cheaper (with better filtration) than any of the all-in-one options on the market.


The downside of a tethered system is the distance you can move when using it. I got used to that a very long time ago and find that disadvantage is outweighed by its advantages.


In essence my setup is something like one of these...

Shield hood image.jpg

connected by a suitable flexible hose to something like one of these consumer room air purifiers with large replaceable HEPA filters that are also available at consumer prices...

HEPA room filter.jpgHEPA filter.jpg

I use my setup in the equivalent of a large one car garage with the hose strung up on a flying fox arrangement that gives me access to all corners or the workshop. Setup costs about $300.

I also have a 3M Versaflo 300 with battery and filter on the belt should I need more portability, but rarely use it, preferring my tethered rig. I got my Versaflo at a very substantial discount at the end of the last mining boom crash, and although a very good unit I couldn't recommend it at the absurd price they now ask for that unless I was spending someone else's money...

If you don't mind (and can wear) the face fitting type, one of the following might suit you. But, I can't see that it has a HEPA rated filter, so that might be an issue...

1PCS Electric Supplied Air Fed Full Face Gas Face Mask Constant Flow Respirator | eBay

wow interesting idea. i know there is a 3M system that is hooked up to an air compressor for the welding industry - this sounds like that idea. where do you plumb the hose into the faceshield? Also, the faceshield also doesnt isnt sealed is it to ensure positive pressure, you are just pumping fresh air into the area. I have a versaflo too but actually wouldnt mind this too

Originally Posted by qwertyu

wow interesting idea. i know there is a 3M system that is hooked up to an air compressor for the welding industry - this sounds like that idea. where do you plumb the hose into the faceshield? Also, the faceshield also doesnt isnt sealed is it to ensure positive pressure, you are just pumping fresh air into the area. I have a versaflo too but actually wouldnt mind this too

This is where I connected the air on mine using hardware shop fittings...

Hood connection fittings.jpg Hood connection.jpg

I made a shroud from one of those caps with sun flaps to go inside (no longer fitted as I'm now using it for this for that purpose) so that the air intake flowed down inside of the shield over the face and fitted to exit through a small enough gap to maintain PAP. Those room air purifiers have a number of fan speeds that you can select to get a flow of fresh filtered air that suits you. I found I only needed to use the lowest settings.

One thing to mention is that I included several 'swivel' fittings in the air supply hose to allow it to unwind itself as I move about. Some of those were adapted from vacuum cleaner hose fittings that I happened to have.

I found the very light and flexible hose that was available from an asthma equipment supplier was the best at the time for the hose closest to the hood. That was prior to CPAP equipment coming into use. I would think that the hoses used for that would be ideal and the cheapest now, e.g....

Universal Tubing Hose Ultra-Light For CPAP APAP BIPAP Tubing Accessories | eBay

Originally Posted by Gensol

... is it fair to say that the risk of harmful dust is much less when green turning?
I love turning camphour and, for me, the smell just adds to the experience so do I really need to worry about dust when the wood is so green?

I used to think that green wood produced less fine dust until I got a particle counter. That immediately indicated that I was getting very high levels of particles at the hazard size in the workshop while green turning. Perhaps not surprising given the spatter pattern left up the wall, across the ceiling and down the other side. It does settle relatively quicker than the dry fine dust, but if you are doing a large batch of green turning that is going to be continuous high exposure.

Knowing that, I always use my PAP setup when doing that and almost everything else I do in the workshop, including when I'm grinding tools.

Ive been using the powercap now for a couple of years.It's been a great unit with no problems never lets any dust in. Of late though I've been thinking of a 2hp dust extra on wheels mounted on the lathe.