Do you use a respirator?

I suppose an interesting conversation here would be how many years each of us has been in the hobby, what safety precautions we've taken, and how healthy we are *L*. I'm 68 and have been sawing rocks for at least 45 years. Used to do a ton of cabbing but not much these days due to back and finger issues. Back may be due to horses and fingers to excessive shooting and computer crap. Never used a respirator till maybe a few years ago. Wore dust masks while cabbing. Avoided sitting in the room with running saws but with my old Lortone drop saw I used to get bathed in mist for hours and never wore anything. Used to cut in kerosene which wouldn't have been too good. Now I try not to breath mist at all because I used to get coughing fits after cutting too often. Seem to get clean physicals but who knows what my innards really look like *L*. Seem too breathe pretty well otherwise. Still hike a bit and when really heavily into the hobby back in my thirties-fifties, I used to be a runner too. Can't say I've noticed any long lasting effects from the hobby except sometimes a shortage of cash for rocks when E-Bay first opened up. Got to say I've known a lot of avid rock cutters that were freaking older than dirt. Or maybe they were in their twenties and just looked that way. Who knows?...Mel

Hey Scott

That stop leak may not be perfect but is close. That almost cuts the mist to nothing. I find I have to add a bit to the saw every once in a while to keep it workin. No idea why. This is an excellent tip Scott gave. Use stop leak and stop mist. I use a big dollop to 2 gallons oil.

Has your doctor ever talked about ANCA (if you test positive for ANCA in your routine blood work) you may need to pay attention.
ANCA are antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (commonly produced in autoimmune diseases), and certainly associated with vasculitis (a form of irritation of the blood vessels).
My vasculitis affects my kidney function and my urologist seems to suspect rock dust and general desert environmental condtions for its cause.
Had he not curbed my chronic kidney disease I might have been on dialysis or in major kidney failure (its a slippery slope).
I have only been into lapidary for 5 years or so, but my initial exposure was in shaping marine shell material with an admittedly homemade grinding unit (although with water to control dust). There is nothing solid to blame shell or rock dust, but even tho we control dust when actively grinding or polishing, it ends up drying in the cab machine trays, on work shop surfaces etc and can be resuspended to be ingested on a breezy day or through direct contact with a dusty hand on a sandwich.
I'm not pretending to be sounding an alarm, but I would be curious if others have had strange autoimmune diagnoses or and especially vasculitis or anca reports.
I still do not usually wear a mask when cabbing or washing tumbled loads, but I do try to clean my shop carefully and remove that dust residue when it is obvious.
The following was copied from one medical info site: It is poorly understood how ANCA are developed, although several hypotheses have been suggested. There is probably a genetic contribution, particularly in genes controlling the level of immune response – although genetic susceptibility is likely to be linked to an environmental factor, some possible factors including vaccination or exposure to silicates. Two possible mechanisms of ANCA development are postulated, although neither of these theories answers the question of how the different ANCA specificities are developed, and there is much research still being undertaken on the development of ANCA.[3]

Note: Perhaps I should explain my basis for emphasizing my vasculitis question here. The urologist (who I respect a great deal), does feel that there is a greater incidence of vasculitis and anca related maladies in the SW and we know that there is a lot of silica in the air, in the work place, and among hobbies practiced by some of us in the SW. So, I guess I'd like to alert others without waving anyone away from a wonderful pastime and vocation. Tom

I would say that a good particulat mask like a 3M will take care of 99% of the crap we deal with. Working with water will knock down almost all dust and if there is mist a dust mask will catch it. Surgeons just use dust type makes to prevent the spread of germs. Canister respirators are more for protection against lethal gases and fumes. A good dust mask PROPERLY fitted will stop mist as well.

I think a canister mask is over kill but I certainly am not trying to discourage people. If you feel better go for it. I only wear a mask when doing anything dry.

My two cents only.

I did not always wear a mask while cabbing but at the beginning of the year I started wearing cheap dust masks for general cabbing. I toss them after about a week.


For the toxic stuff like bumble bee jasper for example with arsenic in it I have always used a 3M dual cartridge respirator.


Chuck

rockjunquie and Drummond Island Rocks is your respirator multi purpose or for a specific purpose?

Thanks,
Andrea

I'm not sure what number my mask is but it uses 3m 6001 cartridges (the important part).

Thanks Tela and Chuck. Looks like you two use the same filters. 

You're welcome Pat thanks for posting the link. Good info there.  

Andrea