What kind of filters/respirator should I be useing

[Schultz]

I have a number of projects coming up that involve mig welding a lot of galvanized T post and need to get the right kind of filter so I dont go through the whole fume fever every night.

I have one of these reusable respirator mask already from a painting job last summer but am unsure of what filter I should be useing. Could some one help me out with finding the right filter that would work?

Mask:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08661RKNF..._PiYSEb4GFA0CH

Or, I have also heard about useing a fed airline to a mask to this kind of work, does anyone know about how to set one of those up? I have access to an air compressor with filtration system to fill scuba tanks along with a dozen tanks of various sizes.

[cwby]

I weld a lot of galvanized material. Best bet is to grind it down to clean metal before you weld it, especially with MIG. With stick you can run a pass of 6010 or 6011 & burn it off, but he weld looks like crap unless you brush it good & run a cover pass. I always weld it outdoors & stay upwind - at the very least I keep my head out of the smoke plume. If smoke gets in the hood, I just hold me breath until it clears out. I am in West Texas so we always have a breeze...

Never had an issue with fume fever - been a little queasy a time or two, but never sick.

[davec]

Looks like a Chinese knock-off of a 3M mask. You want a filter rated at N95 or higher. The most common filters out there are N95 and P100 so those tend to be the easiest ones to find. Either of those would work or anything in between.

[Welder Dave]

P100 is better than an N95 but still want to try and stay out of the fumes.

[henry42]

Get a PAPR hood with a chemical filter. They're expensive but so is your life.

[scsmith42]

I use a 3M 2097 filter on a respirator. It's a P100 and flame resistant.

[davec]

P100 is better than an N95 but still want to try and stay out of the fumes.

Yes P100 is higher filtration efficiency, but the reality is that the filter is less important than 2 other key points:
1. It fits properly. Right size, right shape for your face (lots of variation in the details of a faceseal shape out there) and it is in good working order (not damaged/deformed)
2. You ACTUALLY WEAR IT. This is much bigger than most people think. If you have it on when grinding and then when done and take it off right there, you have exposed yourself to far more crud than if you had a better filter on the mask. You should leave it on until you are truly in a clean area. i see so many people take off a mask immediately after they finish up, it isn't even funny.

[billfisher]

3m - best!