Advice On Not Breathing In Dust From Matrix?

[kolleamm]

does anyone have any advice on how I can deal with the problem of breathing in the dust during fossil prep? Do I have to wear a mask or something? it really bothers me

[JohnJ]

If you're breathing dust, wear something to prevent it.

[bmorefossil]

If you're breathing dust, wear something to prevent it.

or hold your breath

Edited July 4, 2010 by bmorefossil

[Nicholas]

Any hardware store band cloth mask will do for general prepping dust, however if you're sandblasting or something without the box I would suggest a heavy rubber/plastic grade mask with filters.

[Scylla]

This is a serious problem, #1 minimize the dust, wet the specimen if possible, #2 Ventilate, work outside with a fan behind you if you can, #3 contain the dust, use a glove box or clear shield, #4Face mask or respirator and #5 clean up after, if it is your nose that is bothered, get a neil med nasal rinse bottle and follow the directions, they can be found at most major pharmacy chains and at walmart. I wish we had a good way of cleaning out your lungs too. Dust inhalation can cause serious long term harm, I wouldn't stop fossil hunting, but minimizing dust exposure will maximize your longevity.

[Terry Dactyll]

Kolleamm........You really need to purchase a good quality dust mask where you can change the filters when they begin to get clogged..... Cheap dust masks from the local store are a waste of time..... You can probably get one for say $40 - $50 that shud do the trick..... It was suggested when I enquired that I use 'organic filters' for limestone dust and theres also a backing filter for vapours...... Its really important you wear it ALL THE TIME prepping.....

Ive only walked round a quarry today and Im talking like Barry White due to the dust......

Edited July 4, 2010 by Terry Dactyll

[Harry Pristis]

Rock dust particles under five microns in size will shorten your life. The ailment is silicosis or "black lung disease." Use every bit of filtration and dust evacuation you can to avoid serious long-term consequences.

[jpc]

I agree with the previous three posters... I think a work chamber with an exhaust fan or other dust collector system is the best. It can easilybe made out of wood and glass. see the photos of crinus and my work areas in the discussion on "show us yout work area" I made mine for sand blasting but I do a lot of large scale air scribing in it. It is quite comfortable and user friendly. In the meantime, do get a good dust mask, plastic with removable filters. Tell the guys at the store what oyu are doing and they will set you up with the right filters.

[crinus]

I agree with the previous three posters... I think a work chamber with an exhaust fan or other dust collector system is the best. It can easilybe made out of wood and glass. see the photos of crinus and my work areas in the discussion on "show us yout work area" I made mine for sand blasting but I do a lot of large scale air scribing in it. It is quite comfortable and user friendly. In the meantime, do get a good dust mask, plastic with removable filters. Tell the guys at the store what oyu are doing and they will set you up with the right filters.

I agree with jpc. Look at the photos of our work station. I use a blower. It takes the dust in my box and blows it outside. It is a very strong blower. Good enough so that I was able to connect an old vacuum hose and use it outside of my box. Not all my work is done in the box so it helps to have a suction at the work table. The photo of my work table shows the hose. With this set up I do not use any dust masks. The suction from the blower is strong enough to take everything out. The air flow is so strong that in the winter I wear gloves to be able to work in the box.

crinus

[Ameenah]

I plan on buying a sandblasting box. I thought it would be very expensive but I think they are reasonable. Here is a site I found. http://www.aaproducts.com/SANDBLASTER.html

[Guest N.AL.hunter]

Similar warning: When I was young and dumb [No Comments!!], I was using diluted muriatic acid to help clean some fossils. I kept breathing in the fumes but didn't think anything about it... Well, they caused a really bad irritation in my nasal passages that took weeks to heal. So, besides dust, work with masks and ventilation for your chemical cleaning too.

[frozen_turkey]

I've never use a mask, but all i use for preping is a electric ingraver, a dental pick, and occationally some viniger.

[Rover]

I'm cheap, so coffee filters are my mask material of choice. Of course, I don't prep much, so I don't have to use many of them for that purpose.

...

Which might be why I haven't bothered to get a real dust mask. Or it's because I prep with a toothbrush in a well-ventilated room.

[Guest BOHUNTER]

I am a flintknapper. I make projectile pieces and stone knives. Most people call them Reproductions, but I make my work by hand, I call them Art! Every rock by my understanding is 99% silica, but its structure is arranged differently. Therefore the coarse rock like granite is more of a crystaline form and obsidian which has been altered by heat is different and therefore allowing concoidal fracturing! I went to Auburn, biggest words I learned!! ok... well I always knap outside, I always use a fan. If I were you and I was working a non moving object, I would go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy me a shop vac, and about 20 feet od hose. Leave the unit outside and tape a piece of lead near the mouth of the hose. Lay it near the area you are working. If you are worried about losing a piece of material then place a piece of aluminum around the nozzle. This should move the sound outside and the particals outside. Thus you work inside in the AC!

Always make air move around you if working with fine silica dust! ALWAYS!

Steve

[Scylla]

Il'd hate to inhale that clovis(like) point That would really mess with your lungs

[Boneman007]

Come on, guys! Wake the heck up.

The only reasonable reply was the one that spoke of "black lung".

It's simple:

shale dust = death to lungs. PERIOD. It takes very little to really mess your lungs up badly. Coal miners got black lung from the shale, not the coal. This damage does not heal. It causes terrible scarring to the lungs.

Go to a automotive paint shop. Get a automotive painting breather. Use it. This type of breather will stop all levels of dust and save your lungs. I also recommend non-breathing eye protection. It's a pain, but all it takes is a little dust of ANY kind to really mess up your eyes. Luckily eyes heal well, unlike lungs.

All it takes is one mistake and you can do terrible damage to your lungs.

[Rover]

I'll have to get one of those breathers for when I have to use my shiny new Dremel on shale, but for now, the breathing masks I have (effective against everything but toxic spray paint) will have to do.

[Boneman007]

Paint filters are cheap ($25ish). For a dremel, I wouldn't worry about it. But if you are going to cut shale with a saw or air abraid it, I would definitely use a paint air filter.

[Rover]

Well, I don't have a saw, I don't have air-tools, and I don't have any shale, so it sounds like I'm good for now.