Respirator cartridges

[PeteVS]

A few years ago, I sprayed some urethane enamel while doing a chassis refurbishment on my C****. I want to do some more of the same on my AV8 project and when I got out my respirator, there was a sealed pack with a pair of cartridges. They're a few years beyond the "expires by" date. Is this a situation like a "best by" date on a bottle of vinegar? Like, what does vinegar turn into if it sits too long? I'm thinking that those cartridges must still be good. (I did buy a new pair just in case.) Thanks for your opinions!

[deuce_roadster]

Are your lungs worth the price of a new pair of cartridges? Why take a chance? I personally use a supplied air system when shooting catalyzed paint. Years ago DuPont killed something like 30 or 50k people in a place in India that I think made the isocyanate that is the hardener due to some huge spill. It is a hassle with the supplied air because you have another hose to deal with but I try to protect my health. I believe you can get good 3M cartridges that will suffice but air can leak in around where it seals by your nose. Your autobody supply store should have what you need. You spent the money well.
Just looked it up, Bhopal India disaster 16k died. My memory isn't so good.

[rotorwrench]

I still use a respirator type that has the straps that pulls over your cranium and the back of the neck. They work very well when they are rated for fumes such as polyisocyanate. They never used to put use by dates on them 30 or 40 years ago. I used them till the straps gave out then I buy a new one. I also had gas mask training in the army and the surest way of telling whether the mask will work or not is to spray up some fumes and see if you can smell it through the mask. If you can smell the fumes, then it's not working.

Now days, the new masks I buy come sealed in a bag and are all completely assembled. I haven't looked for a "use by date" but I'm going to use them till its worn out like I always have. I've know several guys who worked for years without respirators until the polyurethanes came out and most of them lived long lives. The guys that smoked, well that's a different story. Union Carbide was pretty much wiped out by that fiasco.

That deal with Union Carbide in Bhopal, India was a bad one. A major leak of methyl isocyanate & other gasses happened at night and the stuff spread along the ground since it was heavier than oxygen/nitrogen air and the folks that lived around that plant had no warning of the leak. They were making it in India due to the lax laws in place there. Mix that with lax training and security around a major pesticide production plant and that spells disaster and that's what happened. The folks never woke up. With the density of population, it was no wonder they had around 16,000 casualties and most of them died. No telling how many had lung ailments among the survivors of the 600K folks that lived around there. The plant warning system worked but the public warning system didn't due to poor maintenance.

[PeteVS]

I'm gonna hold off any painting with the urethane until April and my beard will be off then. I was really concerned about keeping a tight seal.

[cmbrucew]

Pete
I use a cpap machine, with a long hose, turned up to 12 and a mask covering the nose and mouth. the higher air pressure leaks out around the mask, so a beard does not matter. Find a used one at an estate sale or swap meet.


Bruce

[Eagle43]

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I use my old cpap machine as well. I set the machine outside in the fresh air and use a sump pump hose with two old cpap hoses connecting to the machine and to the mask. For a mask I use an old one that covers my whole head that I've modified with a snorkel in the front where the cartridges used to be to connect to the hose. With positive air pressure inside the mask you don't smell anything. It works great.

[JSeery]

Like the CPAP ideas.

[PeteVS]

I use a CPAP and I was saving an older machine for this purpose. Well, the power supply for the newer one crapped out and I dug out the old one. It ran a couple of nights, kind of noisy and the next time I ran it, it sounded like a complete bearing failure. Maybe I can find one on Craigs List?

[Eagle43]

You might try taking the machine apart and replacing the bearings. It this point you don't have anything to lose unless it's under warrantee.

[PeteVS]

Now, I'm looking into blowers used for bounce houses or inflatable lawn decorations. Might be able to get something cheap after Christmas.