Respirator mask for hobby paints, acetone fumes and vapours

[04Stefan07 (Stefan)]

I can't seem to find a damn good respirator for my application! I asked the guy at Bunnings but he just re-read what was on the packaging and ran off.

Anyone can recommend anything?

[dreamstation (James)]

Check out the 3M or Sundstrom websites. We use the Sundstrom reusable respirators on the farm for spraying herbicides and pesticides but I'm sure they'd have one to suit your needs as well.

3M: http://www.3m.com.au/3M/en_AU/company-au
Sundstrom: http://www.sea.com.au/sund/menu_prod_sund.html

[ZeroID (Brent)]

For what little I do I just do it in well ventilated area's but if you are concerned just google safety equipment suppliers. They have everything under the sun for that sort of problem.

[glend (Glen)]

Just use the volitile organic filters on a face mask, you can get them at Bunnings. They should have activated charcoal elements for VOCs. The staff there are incapable of providing that sort of safety advice. I've painted boats with 2 pack polyurethane topcoats and epoxy primers and used the volitile organic cartridges without problem. They work for toxic anti-fouling paints as well. Importantly, wear a disposable paint suit, and goggles, any spray paint and It's solvent can get into your body through your skin and eyes - so cover up and throw the paper suit away after use.
Buy enough filter cartridges and change them if you start to smell solvent or 'taste' it.


Best method is a positive pressure face mask with a remote air feed if you can afford it.

[webtubbs (Wayne)]

Disposable dust masks are generally unsuitable. You'll need a respirator with the appropriate cartridge, such as this...

http://www.bunnings.com.au/protector...ator-_p5820154

...with these cartridges...

http://www.bunnings.com.au/protector...-pack_p5820080

Of course, different brands are available and the comfort will vary, but you just need to ensure the cartridges are Class A-Aus, which is for gas and vapour protection.

[Shiraz (Ray)]

please be careful of acetone vapour - even experts have trouble with it.

"Bob Morton rose rapidly in the ranks at the University of Melbourne, became Professor of Agricultural Chemistry at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, and then Chair of Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide in 1962. ..... In 1963 he was making acetone powder from yeast and the lab was full of acetone vapour. An imploding Buchner flask splashed acetone onto an electric motor and the resulting explosion caused his death and injured a technician. "

[deanm (Dean)]

These folks have what you need...!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-1...behind/7168100

Dean

[04Stefan07 (Stefan)]

Thanks for the feedback.

I always work with these sorts of things in a well ventilated area (outside).

Just want something to protect me breathing in fumes.

[bugeater (Marty)]

Originally Posted by Shiraz

please be careful of acetone vapour - even experts have trouble with it.

"Bob Morton rose rapidly in the ranks at the University of Melbourne, became Professor of Agricultural Chemistry at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, and then Chair of Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide in 1962. ..... In 1963 he was making acetone powder from yeast and the lab was full of acetone vapour. An imploding Buchner flask splashed acetone onto an electric motor and the resulting explosion caused his death and injured a technician. "

I remember being told organic chemists had a substantially reduced lifespan - not sure if it was actually true or not. But I thought it was due to inhaling solvents, not explosions
I just think of some of the stuff I handled in the lab in my science days - toxins, mutagens, cancer causing viruses.... ug.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by Shiraz

please be careful of acetone vapour - even experts have trouble with it.

"Bob Morton rose rapidly in the ranks at the University of Melbourne, became Professor of Agricultural Chemistry at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, and then Chair of Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide in 1962. ..... In 1963 he was making acetone powder from yeast and the lab was full of acetone vapour. An imploding Buchner flask splashed acetone onto an electric motor and the resulting explosion caused his death and injured a technician. "

Acetone powder from yeast ?
Acetone is a liquid, you can buy it as ' Nail Polish Remover'. nasty stuff all the same, very hygroscopic, sucks up water like a sponge. Got some in my eye years ago, burnt the front lens surface white in a split second and I was off work for about a week while the eye healed.

[Ausrock (Chris)]

"
Originally Posted by Shiraz
please be careful of acetone vapour - even experts have trouble with it.

"Bob Morton rose rapidly in the ranks at the University of Melbourne, became Professor of Agricultural Chemistry at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, and then Chair of Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide in 1962. ..... In 1963 he was making acetone powder from yeast and the lab was full of acetone vapour. An imploding Buchner flask splashed acetone onto an electric motor and the resulting explosion caused his death and injured a technician. "

He would have been distilling as acetone along with methanol is amongst the first products to come off prior to ethanol (anyone making vodka). Unfortunately that "report" appears to be very short on real facts.

[bugeater (Marty)]

Um, though it has been a long time, I seem to recall making an acetone powder is simply a way to dehydrate and make a protein extract from something cellular. Probably for some sort of biochemical assay. I've worked with yeast before and it requires pretty severe measures to break the little blighters open. Acetone would be pretty severe.

i.e. "acetone powder" refers to a powdered extract made using acetone, not "powdered acetone"

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Hygroscopic, yep, would suck up all the water and leave a 'powder', makes sense. Just wish they'd use the correct terminology and phrasing to eliminate confusion.

[Shiraz (Ray)]

regardless of the correctness of the obituary, a very experienced chemist did not realise that the acetone vapour in a laboratory that he was working in at the time, had built up enough to explode - a casual user in a shed may easily fall into that trap. Outdoors is a good idea Stefan.

fwiw, acetone powders are as Marty described and are available commercially https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-sc...ePage=16192432