This is why you want to use breathing masks

[Bruno]

Today I was using my dremel on my next razor in order to shape it. Not removing chunks of metal, just finetuning with flapwheels and sanding drums.
I couldn't see anything flying away except there was a lot of sparkling underneath my working light.

After an hour or 2, my breathing mask looked as shown in the pic below.
Remember guys and gals: anytime you use a powertool to sand, grind, buf, or otherwise send micro debris flying, you want to be wearing that mask. Getting that stuff in your lungs is not good for you. This is what made grinders drop dead at 30 - 40 in the 19th century.

[kipper]

I agree with you 100%. I was just hand sanding for @ 2 hours and after I blew my nose, I'll be wearing a mask from now on.

[Soilarch]

I've actually got a degree in this stuff (literally). And yet, seeing is still believing. I have a respirator, and didn't want to mess with it for about a half hour of hand sanding some Paduak (sp?) wood.

Figured it was hand sanding, wouldn't be doing it long, the whole "dose determines the poison" blah blah.

My nose burned for the next 24 hours. Won't be doing that again.


Using ANY power tool basically guarantees ANY substance will go airbone.

[Bruno]

anytime I sand anything (but especially wood) I wear a mask.
It doesn't bother me, and the consequences of not doing it can be very annoying at least.

[Maximilian]

One thing I always wonder is what are the consequences of all the dust and debris laying around the shop or place where you work after you're done sanding or grinding. Unless you use the vacuum 24/7 and have a few dust collectors that crap isn't going anywhere.

Yes, wearing a mask is extremely important when working your tools but one cannot walk around with a mask all day even when all the dust has settled down. And we're still breathing in that crap, maybe not in the same amount, but nonetheless.

It reminds me of smoking. Although I don't smoke I can still get cancer from breathing in other people's smoke.

[bknesal]

Also safety glasses are highly recommended. If it will hurt your lungs it will probably hurt your eyes as well.

Soilarch what is your degree in?

[Neil Miller]

One thing I always wonder is what are the consequences of all the dust and debris laying around the shop or place where you work after you're done sanding or grinding.

Max - that reminded me of a workshop I visited to pick up a part from, about 20 yrs ago, maybe longer. The two fitters looked like old men from a distance - when I got closer I could see they were late 20s - mid 30s but uniformly grey - their hair, faces, hands, overalls, bootcaps - all covered in a grey coat of dust. They took me into the "shop" - a very small room, rollerblind door, no windows. Everything in it was grey - the dust covered everything and was heaped up in the corners and on the shelfs.

As we were speaking I could hear a soft coughing/wheezing noise, but couldn't tell where it was coming from - until a decrepit old dog got up in its corner, shook the dust off, turned round a few times than lay back down on its dust covered blankets.

I worked outside in the fresh air at the time - that place seemed like a living hell to me.

Regards,
Neil