After comming up with this I'm pretty sure I can't be the only one with such a device.

I was at Menards when I saw a mini black&Decker wet/dry shop vac for $17!. I was curious so I looked around the side and it said "converts to a blower".
Not many hours before I was working out ways to filter the air from my compressor for breathing air..wich I wasn't really jazzed about. It struck me, this beautiful cheap machine would make an excellent air supply for a fresh air breathing system. I grabbed the box and slam dunked it into my cart, I zoomed over to the bilge pumps and snapped up a 25' roll of 1 1/4" hose (looks just like vaccum hose). I puzzled about an adapter that would fit half mask respirator to test it, I found a 3" to 1 1/2" rubber adapter and decided it was close enough because I was pretty sure the filter on my mask was 3".

I got it all home I ripped open the boxes and it a matter of about 15 minutes I had everything set up the hoses were the right size, the adapter sinched snugly to my mask and the hose. The damn thing tends to make that whistling noise serated hose can make if you know what I mean..I can't figure out how to stop it and vaccum hose I could only find in short lengths and was quite a bit more expensive.

Vaccum $17
25' hose $5
Adapter $3
Mask $20?

Fresh air breathing system for under $50...Priceless.

I've got a friend bringing over a gas mask and a full face respirator to see wich one works best(instead of the half mask/goggles&suit. I've already tried this out. I decided it was best to use a long blower side hose and leave the hole unit outside the garage in wich I'm painting. I could see using a bit larger ($30) shopvac maybe if you want to use really long hoses(over 25').

Anyone know how to stop the whisteling inside the hose? I'll certainly live with it untill I decide I need different hose but it'd be nice to get rid of the whistle for cheap.

Gigaah

Attached Thumbnails

 

Im assuming the whistling noise is due to the turbulance of the air - have you tried sticking something inside the hose to change the movement of the air. Experiment with a few things and surely you can find something that will stop the noise without killing too much air flow.

That's cool, good work and all, but, out of curiousity, why do you need it?

well you eer work in a paint booth? you can do the same thing @ home, but you get leary of cutting filter panels out of your walls and doors then theres the expense of buying the filters to put in those holes and getting a fan big enough to pull a good draft thru the room...best to just ground your work in a tight room and wear a mask..works great for smaller projects too!

that hose looks big enough to breath out of by it's self. Do you have a no return flapper valve in the mask?

The reason for the it is so you breathe clean air durring painting. Isocynates in some automotive paints its best to use a fresh air system instead of a filter mask so you don't get messed up. And Fresh air breathing systems cost a lot of money if you buy a proper one.

The hose is 1 1/4". There are one way valves in the mask. One where the air comes in(I could remove that one), and two on the side that only allow air out and vent the pressure from the vaccum forced air.
I am leaving in the one way out valves. If by chance I breathe deep/fast enough to create negative pressure in the mask they will close not allowing me to breathe toxic air.

When I get a better full mask set up I'll post more pictures. I'll put on the military surplus NBC suit I got to go with it(only because the suit and mask will look crazy together). I'll also do more experiementing with stopping the air turbulance in the hose..see what I come up with.

Gigaah

The whistling is caused by the ribbing in the hose. I dont think you'll be able to get rid of it without using a non-ribbed hose (wouldn't be as sturdy), or slow the air going through the hose, as allready suggested. A larger diameter hose might work too.

you could also just insert the non-ribbed hose inside the ribbed hose, and seal air from going into the ribbed part. with that you can keep it quiet without any decrease in performance or hose integrity.

If you are painting automotive paints...go full face breathing aparatus...isocyanates can be absorbed through the skin & mucus membranes (eyes, nose, etc) Every inch of your skin should be covered! The coveralls you can buy at automotive paint suppliers (made of Tyvek) should be worn - they're only like $7 and are completely disposable. Plus, the added benefit of no clothes lint in your paint jobs....

David

Oh yeah, for sure full mask. The half mask was somthing I had on hand to try out. I have a Military surplus Nuclear Biological Chemical(NBC) suit that has a hood on it and seals perfectly with a full mask it closes everything off. I'm testing it out with a gas mask hoping that will work because it'd look cool! (in a not so cool way). I also have a few painting suits as well.

I'm thinking about looking around for some different flexible hose as sugested. I'm sure I can find something that doesn't cost too much.

You might also want to mount a carbon filter on the intake somehow. Even though you've got it outside...you never know what you might suck in. Up here in the north, we get lots of mosquitos and it would suck to be painting along and all of the sudden have a mask full of mosquitos

David

Hah, very true. I'll rig one of the gas mask filters or other filters I got around to the end. Probably a wise idea.

I paint without a mask and look at me, I'm just fine.....wait what was I talking about?

Degroth is right the paint suits are the best option, NBC suits contain Charcoal and other materials that can be harmful to most base/clear finishes. Best bet is to use a positive airflow like in a booth. Use one of those fans you get at home depot for exhaust and crack the door for an intake and with a good mask you'll be fine. You just have to acheive the same effect as a crossflow booth.

Quote: Originally Posted by mentyl I paint without a mask and look at me, I'm just fine.....wait what was I talking about? Degroth is right the paint suits are the best option, NBC suits contain Charcoal and other materials that can be harmful to most base/clear finishes. Best bet is to use a positive airflow like in a booth. Use one of those fans you get at home depot for exhaust and crack the door for an intake and with a good mask you'll be fine. You just have to acheive the same effect as a crossflow booth.

Im the same way . Fresh air system are bulky and get in the way and have an apetite for destruction if your dragging one, and a paint gun attached to a hose around an all-over car job, and im talking about ones that are designed with small hoses that lead to the wall,and clip to yor suit that are supposed to stay out of the way....yea right!!! Full shield masks suck too, even with peel offs. You cant see ****e out of em after about 2 minutes of spraying cuz of overspray build up.The peel offs have a good static charge and the paint sucks right to em.

If your just using it for small things occasionally they are OK, otherwise, just get a few 3M disposables. Tyvek suits are nice if your not in a hot booth. If you are in a heated booth they SUCK. They are very hot and sweaty.You must tape up the sleves around your wrists very tight or your gonna drip sweat in your job, and its irritating as hell.

So, after all the horrible experiences with all the safety and fresh air gear, I stick with a long sleve shirt,jeans,3M disposable(sometimes) and a ball cap to keep my hair from getting caked with paint.

Yeah....I'm gonna have to go ahead an disagree with Lunamods....(sort of)...

While I agree comfort is an issue....Especially in the summer...Don't take your health for granted....I've been spraying cars since the Lacquer days...Then I might not even wear a mask...but the additives and isocyanates in today's paints just aren't worth the risk (skin cancer, lung cancer, etc - Jeez...next they'll say even fart vapor can cause cancer)

Cover ALL of your skin.....don't chance it...what's your health worth.

As far as the hoses dragging around - I have the air hose and breathing air hose taped together every foot or so so I can manage them as one unit. Helps quite a bit.

And for the paint sticking to the mask (PEEL OFFS SUCK!!) I take a paper towel with RainX - keeps the paint off for one pass around a car - then I wipe it off with a dry paper towel....even though it has silicone, I haven't had a single problem with it and been doing it that way for 2 years and several paint jobs..

David

Truthfully why would you not want to wear something that could help you out in later years. its kinda like seatbelts, no one likes em but god forbide you get in an accident, they could save your life.