Best masks for sanding bondo

gutsman004

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I really haven't been able to find jack squat on the internet about this,but what are the best masks/respirators to use when sanding bondo?

I bought a 3M 6000 series respirator,and it does protect from the bondo fumes,as I couldn't smell it at all while wearing the mask,but I was wondering if this mask also protects you from the dust particles as well as long term exposure and inhalation of the dust particles can cause cancer.

Any info would be super helpful! Thanks in advance everyone!
 
Now you're scaring me because all the times I've sanded, I've only used a regular mask that probably only partially protects from dust and particles. I need to invest in a respirator for sure though. Looking forward to hearing some thoughts on this.
 
Yeah,no joke! I know ventilation is key,but sometimes you can't sand out in the open.The mask I got seems to work for the vapor,but I'm not sure on the dust particles.I do know that I have a headache after sanding.I'm not sure if it's because of the dust,or because of the super strong rubber smell of the mask.(I'm thinking it's the smell of the mask.)

And yeah,if you read the back of the bondo can,it clearly states that the dust particles contain quartz,which can cause cancer.So yeah....I'm not wanting to get any of this dust in my lungs.

And I'm not looking to scare anyone,just to keep everyone safe.
 
Anyone out there even use a mask when sanding bondo?

i bought one at harbor freight, the one that says best for dust and construction demolition work, i also paint in it and works pretty good, it was around 30$

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eh, pink/green boogers are part of the bondo-izing process lol


little stuff i dont bother. big jobs i use a disposable 3m mask


when i paint is when i bust out the 3m big "gas mask" looking thing with fiberglass filters..
 
Haha,yeah I think I'm going to bring my game outside when I can as I sure as hell don't want to smell that stuff constantly or get any bondo dust in my lungs.
 
Haha,yeah I think I'm going to bring my game outside when I can as I sure as hell don't want to smell that stuff constantly or get any bondo dust in my lungs.

its no so bad outside, but in a closed garage at night, damn i about killed myself without wearing one
 
I sand in the open or I don't sand. Mainly because I have no room. I've heard though that you can attach a vacuum to your sander and vacuum indoors with no dust.
 
I have always sanded Bondo using 1 method I came up with myself...... in a small room with the doors shut and my mouth wide open, no mask.

For real though, I just use 3M disposable masks. I actually do like the smell of BOndo though.
 
I have always sanded Bondo using 1 method I came up with myself...... in a small room with the doors shut and my mouth wide open, no mask.

For real though, I just use 3M disposable masks. I actually do like the smell of BOndo though.

It sucks sneezing and having black snot from sanding black cabs
 
It sucks sneezing and having black snot from sanding black cabs

Yes it does! My wife won't let me sand in the garage since she got her new car recently. Last cab I sanded down for resto. (Willow) left black dust covering everything for quite some time. Now I just do it in the driveway and let the dust settle on the neigbors cars outside.
 
I use N-95 masks from 3M because I get 'em for free. They protect against airborne pathogens (biological), but I'm not so sure about chemical vapors since even complex chemical compounds are still much smaller than biological microbes. I know that using them when spraying prevents my boogers from being colored.
 
My father owns an autobody shop and i work there with him. We do this stuff all day everyday. We use the 3m white dust masks for sanding bondo etc.

And use the big 3M masks similar to the one pictured above when painting.

Everything causes cancer and those warnings are on anything similiar. My father has been doing this for 30 years and he dont even wear a mask when he sands bondo, only in extreme cases. I dont recommend not wearing one, but i would be more afraid of the paint fumes than some body dust. (which is always in the air 70 percent of the time at the shop. Believe it or not my old man swears up and down your nose hairs get thicker the more you dont wear a mask. Like a body defense mechanism lol. I dunno if its true but one of our other guys who is around 26 has been working there for 8 years and he swears it too lol.

Personally i wear a mask as much as i possibly can, because i know it cant be good for ya. However breathing stirred up sand at the beach or in the dunes is worse.

I know everyone in the autobody field comes home with gray and multi colored boogers everyday lol. sanding a cab a few times a month is no where near what some have to do everyday.

hope this helps :)
 
Hmm... well, I guess I never made a point of wearing any mask when sanding Bondo - mainly because I normally only sand small areas so I never felt like I was kicking up enough dust. I do wear one of those fancy ventilator masks like someone pictured above when sanding down paint. I'll probably use a normal face mask for sanding Bondo now in the future.
 
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