"Airbrushing and respirator masks, safety or overkill?" Topic

So I'm venturing into airbrushing finally, primarily only for priming models when the weather doesn't allow for spray can priming outside.

I have plans to use acrylic airbrush primers, Vallejo mostly, along with distilled water and/or actual acrylic paint diluter. No plans to use enamel or oil paints of any kind.

I have read a wide range of opinions regarding wearing respirator masks for airbrushing, regardless of the type of paint used.

Obviously, acrylic airbrush paint is atomized and creates tiny particles like any kind of spraying does, even though there's no toxic propellant like with spray cans.

Do you personally use a respirator when airbrushing with acrylics? If so, what level do you use? Would an ordinary medical mask be enough for acrylics, or should it be an actual paint rated respirator with filters?

I've even seen some recommendations that you shouldn't even have any drinks or food in the same room when you are airbrushing acrylics. This seems like overkill to me. I mean airbrushing seems to have a very small area of spray concentration vs. if you were to use spray paint inside a room which creates a huge cloud of vapor.

I just never would think of an open cup of coffee a few feet from where you are airbrushing acrylics would be a health hazard.

I mean acrylic paints are generally classified as "non-toxic" which of course is a very general, broad term.

What are your personal feelings about this?

Safety first….unless you want stuff in your lungs. Really, it's a "no-brainer" to slip a mask on.

I didn't use a respirator for quite a few years, using only acrylic paint, not aware of the particles. In 2018, after many years of suffering from multiple bronchitis attacks per year, I was diagnosed with asthma. The doctor wouldn't say that it might be from the particles in the air, but "it probably helped."
I now use a duo filtered respirator. Sadly, the damage is done and I'll continue to suffer with respiratory problems.

Yes, use some sort of respiratory protection.

I airbrush exclusively in acrylics as well, & the fine particles can cause resperatory problems. It's paint, & the paint can coat your your lungs, causing a decrease in oxygen uptake.

As an aside, I mostly airbrush Tamiya acrylics, which can be thinned with lacquer thinner (but remain water wash-up). If you are painting plastic miniatures, such as tanks, you can skip primer with this mix, & just paint directly on the plastic. The lacquer is a "hot" solvent & will allow the paint to "bite" into the plastic better.

Damon.

When you're spraying stuff in the air, wear a mask of some kind, and eye protection, too.

I use rattle can spray paint outdoors in conditions of low or no wind, and I wear a cheap paper dust mask, along with a pair of old plastic goggles that I inherited from my father (who got way more than his money's worth -- over 40 years of use, albeit infrequent, for probably less than five of today's dollars).

I am also trying to preserve my taste buds, sense of smell, and lung tissue for enjoying fine cigars now and again, so I don't want any nasty plastics in there.

Definitely wear a mask, check what options your local hardware store has which are sold to or rated for painting, there should be options that are cost effective.

I regularly use a full mask when sanding and airbrushing indoors, but during the summer, when I can spray outside, I sometimes loose the mask.

My advice would be use the mask – it's better same than sorry.

Tony

I wear a mask with a built-in plastic eye shield when I spray, which I do only outside. The shield protects my glasses in the even anything comes my way. At first I did not, but I began thinking that breathing in the paint fumes (and whatever else) might not be a good thing.

I think you definitely err on the side of caution. The only reason this is a question is that sometimes respirators are uncomfortable. Solution: get comfortable ones. Same for all PPE. Spend the money, and you'll find yourself wearing it for more and more different borderline tasks. Over the years it will make a difference.

Outside I don't bother but inside it is must – you will screw your lungs up pretty fast even with an extractor fan.

Thanks for the info. everybody, much appreciated!

I picked up one of these at the local hobby store along with a set of extra replacement filters, it's rated for spray painting – Safetyworks brand:

Mask was $50 USD and the extra filters were $15. USD Also got a decent pair of plastic goggles.

It's actually pretty comfortable, definitely more than tolerable for a short period of airbrush priming.

As was said above, for outdoor rattle can priming all of this is much less of an issue because the stuff disperses into the air, unless you are literally priming into the wind and letting spray blow back at you which would be dumb. But there's no harm just throwing on a dust mask when priming outside.

As a side note, the other thing I started doing is wearing a dust mask when removing mold lines and sanding resin. It's something that I only did rarely since most of what I build and paint is plastic or metal models. But you don't want that stuff in your lungs either.

Your eyes, nose, mouth, and lungs (and your eyeglasses, for that matter) are worth at least $65. USD It's actually cheap insurance.

You also have them (the mask and goggles) now in case you need them in some other situation, like using a power sander or grinder, or re-finishing furniture, or having to clean up some very dusty place, like the home and outbuildings belonging to a deceased relative whom everyone had dismissed as a hoarder, but who had once been a high level government investigator who descended into mental illness after seeing Cthulhu's naked bottom. See TMP link

Jeesus, are you spraying a fricking truck or half a dozen or so 15mm to 25mm figures? Unless you're spraying for several hours or spraying in really close and poorly ventilated quarters I don't see any need other than maybe a simple particle mask. The mask pictured would be serious overkill. Eye protection, yes, and if in tight and/or poorly ventilated quarters a simple dust mask would suffice. Normally you would be spraying intermittently and for short periods of time. And I hope you're not deep kissing your figures while painting and know which way to point the airbrush.

I have to agree with you von S. I love how you state it.

There seems broad agreement that paint is not good for our lungs, even when the solvent is water-based.

I have a spray hood in my garage that vents through a window. I have used the disposable 3M N95 respirators with exhale valve, but I skip sometimes due to the hood. The other day though I noticed some spray clouds were coming towards me before they got pulled by the hood's airflow. So I will go back to using a mask. I have an RZ Masks N99 that I got for woodworking; I will use that for a while. But I may look into one like Baranovich posted because I saw a video recently showing they are easier to engage/disengage which makes it easier to wear them all the time and engage when spraying.

The biggest challenge I have with masks is my eyeglasses. They fog, and when they don't, any goggles I have found that go over the glasses do. Considering a face shield.

Mask up. Your lungs will thank you later.

Interesting feedback and responses.

To Von Schwartz and Mister Tibble, well gee I'm sorry for caring about my lungs.

I don't care if the mask I got is more than I need! It was $45.00 USD which you spend going out to eat at a typical restaurant! That's a pretty cheap price to pay to avoid lung issues and other problems later on.

I'm just more conscientious than I used to be. I used to spay prime outside without any mask which outdoors there's plenty of ventilation but you still could get some blow black from the wind.

I also used a spare room upstairs in the house to spray prime, I'd just spray really quick and then close the door and leave the window open to ventilate, then get the minis. after the room had aired out for a while.

Priming is something you don't do all the time, you're not spraying for an extended time so there's never a sustained vapor in the air that you're forced to be in the midst of.

But airbrushing is different, both priming and actual painting. You're hunched right over the stuff you're airbrushing and as was said above, you don't want any solvents in your lungs, even ones that are water-based.

So now that I have this painting mask, I decided that I'll just wear it regardless of where I'm priming or spraying, indoors or out. It's not a big deal.

The thing that surprised me is how easy it is to take on and off. Once you do it a few times it pretty much slips and off like a catcher's mask almost. And it's surprisingly comfortable to look over and breathe in. Plastic goggles fit very comfortably over the rubber nose piece.

Once you get in the habit of putting the stuff on you realize it's something you just make a part of your hobby preparation, like putting newspaper down on a table to protect it from paint or anything else you do.