Introduction

When we were kids we felt we were bullet proof; however as we have got older most of us I expect wish we had not exposed our bodies and organs to some of the things we have. I worked in the fibre glass industry for a few years and it did not do me any good, having quite an impact on my lungs. This condition has resulted in me needing to wear a breathing mask while atomising paint and the like through an airgun. The mask I use is a high quality product, but the cost of filters both dust and vapour means I do not replace the filters as often as I should. Then along comes Airbrushes.Com with a new product to their range, the Force 8 – twin cartridge Half Mask Respirator by JSP Professional, which is an affordable alternative to my current set up.

Contents

The body of the mask is supplied in a card box sealed inside a plastic bag along with a plastic storage bag and a product leaflet. The filters are supplied in a sealed plastic bag with a hanger for display purposes, and that is prominently stamped with an expiration date; in my case this was July 1st 2016. The 2 filter cartridges inside the packaging are sealed in separate plastic bags.

FM-F8 – Force 8 Half Mask Twin Respirator without filters - £14.20
FM-F8-112 - Force 8 F8-112 Twin A1P2 filter cartridge pair (organic gas/vapour & particles/dust) - £12.90

Review

With the packaging of both parts being of a good standard there is also one other packing part that needs to be addressed. When you take the mask out of its packaging there is a stiff black plastic ridge around where the mask seals against your face, this fits to the mask so well that you may not realise it needs to be removed and if you don’t you will be thinking the mask is not very comfortable and the seal to your face will not be as it should.

The filter
The filters when removed from the packaging have to be attached to the mask; this is achieved via four plastic ridges which twist fit into the body of the mask. The fit of the filters is very tight and requires firm but gentle pressure to seat them. Once attached the mating seal is very good. The mask protects against;

• Solvent-based painting
• Water-based painting
• Rubbing down paint
• Paint stripping
• White spirit
• Welding (ferrous and lead)
• Organic vapours and gases
• Dusts
• Mists
• Fibres and fibre glass
• Plaster
• Wood (hard and soft)
• Nuisance odours

The vapour and dust filtering elements of the mask are separate, but supplied as a single product. It is this aspect that is the only negative of the mask for me. Airbrushes.Com does not stock separate dust filters, which depending on what it is you are doing while wearing the mask is the element that will need changing most often, I am sure however that an alternate source of the dust filter element can be found and it is possible that Airbrushes.Com may stock them as well in time.

Body of the Mask
The body of the mask is listed as being a thermoplastic rubber, this is very much like the silicone moulds that have become popular in baking of late. The rubber is very flexible, comfortable to wear and seals very well against your skin. When this product arrived I had a few days growth of facial hair and the mask still provided a good seal against the skin, after a shave the seal was excellent. In order to test the seal I adjusted the straps for a good and comfortable fit and then covered the intakes of the filters with the palms of my hands, there was no air entering the mask and so the mask was doing what it should. Below is the bullet points supplied on this product;

• Superior low breathing resistance
• Fully-adjustable 4-point suspension harness with quick release buckles
• Durable thermoplastic rubber offering a superior fit to most face shapes comfortably
• Low profile angle of filters for minimum visual impairment
• Reflective strips create increased visibility in low-light environments
• Replaceable filter cartridges
• Conforms to EN140

It took me a while to figure out how to test the filtering element of the mask, and then a brain wave occurred. Wearing the mask I entered the bathroom, closed the door and let loose with spray can air fresher and deodorant; success! I could not detect any smell inside the mask, this indicates to me that the mask was doing its job to a good standard.

Conclusion

It took me a while to decide how to tackle this review and I hope I have covered the information you are looking for. The mask is comfortable to wear, with easy airflow through the filters and out through the exhaust. The storage bag for the mask is a good idea and inclusion, but I would have liked this to have been cloth with a plastic liner rather than plastic only. The mask and filters are affordable, which with only getting one set of lungs means, if you are not wearing a mask why?
Very highly recommended.