Respirator while airbrushing

Unless you are spraying a full-sized airplane, or a big RC model, I wouldn't worry about a respirator unless you are using something more toxic than normal hobby paints in an airbrush.  Rattle cans are something else. I have a spray booth with a good filter for when I use those.  But the airbrush stays at my workbench and I get so little overspray I don't worry about a respirator (I use enamel).

Now, one time I tried to paint my full-sized race car (well, I mean a car I really drive- it is a 3/4 midget so really pretty small, and the body parts all fit in my workshop). I tried using catalyzed acrylic enamel.  The auto parts store that sold me the stuff warned me to use a respirator. I felt the body parts were small enough I wouldn't get into trouble.  Wrong!  I had to get out of shop before I could even clean my spray gun!  That stuff is wicked.  But regular hobby paints out of an airbrush- not so much.

Hi Sky98

The cabinet you link to is more than adequate for spraying small a/c & arm(o)ur with Testors enamel & acrylics.

It should cope with cellulose/Lacquers as well.

I don't use a mask because the ones I've tried were either too small, or latex (I'm intolerant), but then I only spray acrylics, (& still should wear one!)

If you are serious, do some research on the 3M range, they are comfy, and have VOC rated filters. You need filters for fine dust & fumes. It needs to be comfy, & not make your glasses steam up, if worn, cos if it isn't, you won't use it.

I have used full face over-pressure rigs only when painting nasty stuff like Stove enamels & two-pack, but that's over-kill for modelling!

Hey  Skyy89 , Do not use vasoline , unless you want to gunk your self up worse than the paint residue !  I have  a full beard and use the cheap multi-pack from the hardware store ,   . A n extractor fan ( booth ) will go a long way to help .make your own ! There's plenty of helpful threads . I  scuba dive with a beard at depth and don' have a problem 

Hmm I'm not sure I would enjoy Vaseline on my face while airbrushing haha. But I am willing to try it if I can't figure anything else out and I appreciate you letting me know about this. I will research this approach and try it out. It may not be as bad as I'm imagining. In the meantime I will try out spraying without a mask and spraying with a mask that doesn't have a full seal to see if I smell fumes or become uncomfortable. In the end I may just end up sucking it up and shaving. I'm sure it's worth the fun and safety! Thank you!

I don't know the full procedure but I heard something about using vasoline to help create the seal.

We have to have respirators at work and I over heard that being brought up for the few that aren't clean shaven.

I would offer that unless you're spraying a 1:1 scale car or airplane, then you don't really need a respirator at all.   I don't think you should see all that much overspray painting a scale model and with no more paint than is typically needed, paint odor shouldn't be a problem either.   I only spray enamels in my study and I've never used my Binks respirator in there;  save that for spraying your kitchen cabinets!  ymmv...Gary

I have this spray cabinet
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004ZH7RSM/ref=pd_aw_sbs_t_1?pi=SL500_SS115

And so far I've only used testors enamel paints. I'm still rather inexperienced but the whole chemicals in your lungs thing scares me a bit. I also just bought a 3M 6000 series half face respirator. I understand now one more reason you have to shave in the military. A friend suggested that with that spray booth and my respirator, web though I don't have a full seal that it should be enough. But I still have to question his expertise on the matter. And I will look into full face masks and switching paint. Thanks for the advice!

I carry a beard, but keep it short to stop the ankle-biters tugging it.

The small respirators versions don't seat well on face fungus, so Google "full face spray mask" for options.

Key point is to not breathe in the fumes.

So options are:

Switch to acrylic paint, less VOC's but still not advisable to breathe.

Spray out doors, (& down-wind). Always outdoors for rattle-cans!

Open a window & make sure the air around you moves away from you.

Get (or make) a spray cabinet with furnace filters & a fan that pulls the spray into the cab,

eg, in this order: you, a/b, target, cabinet, filter, fan, & exhaust out the window.