Sanders = dust storm! What PPE do you use? (safety tip inside)

Hey guys, just had a scary close call. Was sanding some old painted shelves in my garage with my cheap $30 orbital sander and didn't wear a mask. Ended up coughing up white dust for two days. Lesson learned! Now I'm looking for a decent respirator but don't want to break the bank. Any budget-friendly recommendations? Also, do those cheap dust bags on sanders actually work? Mine seems to just spit half the dust back into the air.

Gary, I've been there. Those little dust bags are basically decoration. You need a proper respirator. I've got a 3M 6502QL that I love, but if you're budget-conscious, the 3M 8210 N95 is like $2 each and works fine for sanding. Just make sure it fits tight. Also, you should really hook up a shop vac to your sander if it has a port. That cuts down the dust a ton. I've got a collection of vintage sanders, and even the old ones have ports – use 'em!

Safety inspector here! Gary, good on you for asking. Key points: 1) Always wear at least an N95, but for fine dust, a P100 is better. 2) Eye protection is a must – those little particles can scratch your cornea. 3) Hearing protection if you're sanding for a while, especially with belt sanders. 4) Don't rely on the sander's dust bag alone; use a HEPA vac. Also, that cough could be from lead paint if the shelves were old. Please get a lead test kit! Be safe, folks.

I'm just a weekend warrior, but I learned my lesson after sanding drywall without a mask. Now I always wear a mask and safety glasses. I use a cheap 3M mask from Home Depot, works fine. But Pete's right about lead paint – I didn't think of that. Gary, you should definitely check. Also, I find that sanding outside or with a fan blowing dust away helps a lot. Good luck!