Which Woodworking Mask Works?
I do not make a single penny from making recommendations here. Instead of showing you a brand, I wish to explain what makes the best woodworking mask for your job. The why behind the mask is absolutely critical.
In my article on starting tools for woodworking my number one tool is air filtration. This will surprise many. While not everyone can have this tool it should speak volumes as to how important this topic on woodworking masks become.
There are many brands which can do well serving you. If it qualifies for the basic requirements I will detail then it comes down to form, fit, and comfort. Let’s get into a little bit of what should be common sense knowledge as to why we need this.
Wood Dust Basics
Wood dust is often not taken seriously within the woodworking community. Saws and sanders can produce wood dust down to about 2 microns which can possess fungi or bacteria that you can breathe in. You should be looking at this problem.
I have personal friends that today are dealing with lung issues which they could have prevented. The dangers which wood dust can pose far outweigh others like smoking.
Outdoors you have some relief due to open air. Yet here we should be also wearing a woodworking mask although few rarely ever do.
When wood burning for shou sugi ban this should be performed only outdoors. If you are wood burning art which is of a separate art form, please wear a mask and have ventilation.
Wood shops that are worth their salt have something like an Oneida Air system installed to trap dust within an enclosed environment. Yet these systems while doing a great job by design is not a total solution.
When working with saws, or while sanding, our face is in front of and in the direct path of wood dust before it can captured by ventilation systems.
What can be more disturbing is how this dust at the 2 micron level can remain suspended in the air for quite some time. An open duct is required pulling the air from the shop through a filtration system designed to capture these particles.
Not using a woodworking mask within an enclosed shop environment is asking for trouble. It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when you will begin to experience the side effects from the wood dust.
Not All Masks Are Woodworking Masks
Years ago I began researching woodworking masks for my personal benefit and well being. It was much later that we all began to see everyone in town wearing masks walking up and down the streets. I was actually shocked at how little people knew and the insanity coming from our “educated community”.
The little paper masks which hook around the ears should never be worn when you are attempting to prevent dust or debris from entering your lungs. They do nothing to protect you when inhaling.
Masks such as these are open on all sides. When wood dust is near 2 microns the mask itself is worthless. It is like a mosquito flying through your open front door. Do you need proof that is easy to see?
When I am performing heavy sanding or wood cutting I shut off my HVAC. I run my Oneida system until completed. I then let the Oneida system run with an open port to clear the air. If this is not done, I can create a thick dust film across the HVAC filter and internal ducting surfaces.
Clearly I do this to help keep my HVAC healthy. The “mask” or filter used at the wall does not stop the small particles from getting through. The Oneida must clean the air first, then the HVAC can be turned back on.
Your lungs need a better filter when battling something in the 2 micron range. The flimsy masks people have come to use in public just are not going to cut it.
Mind The Gap In A Woodworking Mask
When a woodworking mask is fitted to your face, any portion that is not sitting flush against skin is a gap. This gap allows for particles, bacteria, and fungi to have a pathway to your lungs.
I am sorry that there is no comfortable way around this fact. Yet the most effective way to keep the wood dust out and filtered is by using a respirator.
A respirator is not comfortable. They can be bulky, sweaty, and often in the way. I hate them because at times it can feel like I am breathing through a straw. Yet they are the most effective in this battle.
There are other solutions albeit they are not as effective. I personally use the RZ Mask when doing general cutting or milling. When sanding and producing heavy wood dust I use a respirator.
The RZ Mask does fit more conformed to the face. Keep in mind this is not a sealed contact thus it is not 100%. There are still gaps.
Sealing this gap as much as possible becomes critical to keeping your lungs happy. Keep in mind the task at hand with the best tool for your protection.
Woodworking Mask Ratings
Due to wood dust having the potential to reach 2 microns the base requirement for a woodworking mask should be no less than n95. The RZ I mentioned earlier is claimed to be higher. In reality it may be between n97 to 98.
If what you plan on using as a woodworking mask does not meet this minimum requirement then throw it away. You are wasting your time. Get something that will actually protect you.
Here is where respirators are superior. You are able to easily gain this rating and also create a seal to the face where all air goes through the filter. It may not be comfortable, but it works.
Wearing A Woodworking Mask While Venting
If you run a system similar to my Oneida you are either pulling air through a filter or you are venting the air to the outside of the wood shop. There is no doubt that venting the air out is better.
I prefer to maintain some level of climate control in my shop. Venting the air out would suck all my cool or warm air depending on the season and dump it outside. Thus I run a filter system instead.
I have seen debates on this issue as to which is faster. I do feel that venting the air to the outside is more efficient and clears the air faster than filtering.
Nevertheless much depends on how many open ports you run to clear the shop; combine this with the volume of air within the wood shop. Generally speaking once cutting or sanding is done up to 2 hours may be needed to clear the air.
Some claim that 45 minutes is all that is required in their wood shop. I am not sure how they come to that conclusion, nevertheless wearing a mask while your air system is clearing out the dust is definitely needed.
Which Brand Of Woodworking Mask Is Best?
I am not going to make a claim as to which is best. The respirator I use actually came from Sherwin Williams and painters use it when spraying. It more than meets the basic requirements.
The RZ Mask I use due to the design and comfort while still keeping the filter as tight to my skin as possible. There may be more comfortable options on the market that you prefer.
I am not going to tell you that these two are the only ones which should be used. I am sure there are many solutions. The more important point is that the brand you choose meets the basic requirements for your protection.
When Is It Safe To Not Wear A Woodworking Mask?
Technically speaking, dust is everywhere in a woodworking shop. Even if you cannot see it, know it is still there. Personally I do not wear a mask from the moment I walk into the door until the moment I leave.
Osha does have a way of measurement as to what is considered healthy levels of dust as compared to unhealthy. If your shop crosses the line into what is considered unhealthy then you may need to make changes.
If you keep your shop clean, which is difficult but manageable, you can benefit. In a clean wood shop generally it is safe to not wear a woodworking mask when not cutting, sanding, or after 2 hours of adequate air filtration when work was completed.
There is another time when it would not be required. For us wood artists who use chisels for carving art into wood we have another advantage. A chisel is not a wood dust producing tool.
When using chisels you can generally work breathing freely. Your mileage may vary depending on how much carving you are doing so keep this in mind.
Stubborn Old Men
Us old school woodworkers can be stubborn. I am not quite at the old man stage yet, but I am headed there shortly. What I offer you here is for your general knowledge and benefit.
I know there are those old school guys that will not listen to this. Some of you I know personally. I totally understand your mindset.
These guys often say that it has not killed them yet. They also claim that they are so old it doesn’t matter anymore. These statements actually are not true.
I know of one wood shop which lost its insurance due to a lack of shop hygiene. With no ventilation it just made it worse. We know that issues like this also create a tinderbox and it is definitely not a good situation.
Quit being stubborn and take care of yourselves. Help yourself also by being there to continue taking care of your families. In the end they will thank you for it.