Botters with beards, how do you protect your lungs?

[wespor]

I keep saying I'll shave my beard every morning but it never happens. Instead I go out to my garage, strap on a ill fitting, scratchy respirator and breath in particulates all day. It's not just my Shopbot (through I should upgrade my DC) but the dusty environment and the other tools.

What is your solution? I've been thinking about a bulky and expensive Trend Airshield Pro (http://www.airwareamerica.com/trend-airshield-pro-1.aspx) or a skethcy looking little Resp-O-Rator (http://www.duckworksbbs.com/tools/resp/).

By the way, my avatar is two years ago. I have a rather respectable chin muffler now.

[dmidkiff]

I have the resp-o-rater. It works great. The mouth piece is a little uncomfortable at first but I got used to it. Always have a bit of dry mouth after a couple of hours. Use it mainly for mowing. Some sanding and some spaying.

[Brian Harnett]

Resp-O-Rator been using them for years even without a beard no fogging my glasses when I am chainsaw carving in the winter, works well in the shop too.



I do use an organic filter mask when spraying my furniture.

[ajf]

After 30 years with a beard I finally shaved it off. Even though I wore a mask, still enough dust got by and over time it started to create a health problem for me. I should have bit the bullet in the beginning and shaved knowing I was planning to work it an environment that could cause me health issues. Just plain stubbornness on my part.