Hit 100 hours of paint work in a month and my lungs are telling me about it

I have been pushing hard on a restoration job for a classic Mustang, and I logged just over 100 hours of spray time in 30 days. My respirator started smelling like paint even after I changed the filters, and now I have this nagging cough that won't quit. Anyone else ever hit a point where your gear just stops protecting you even with fresh parts?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley_wells6617d ago

I hit 120 hours in a three-week stretch on a boat repaint a few years back and ended up in the same boat. What worked for me was switching to a forced-air respirator setup, not just a standard half-face with cartridges. Those pancake filters on regular masks can get saturated fast if you're in a booth with heavy overshoot. I also started taking a 15-minute break every two hours to step outside and let my lungs clear. The cough took about two weeks to fully settle after I backed off and gave my body a break. You might want to see a doctor if it doesn't improve soon, because that smell breakthrough is a real red flag.

jamie79417d ago

Jumped into that same trap a few years back painting a warehouse ceiling with a roller and still ended up hacking for a week. @finley_wells66 is spot on about the respirator thing though, I learned the hard way that those cheap cartridges basically turn into sponges after an hour in heavy overspray. Ended up buying a fresh pack of cartridges every single day just to keep the smell out, still got that cough like a ghost haunting me. The two week recovery timeline sounds about right, but I'd add that drinking a ton of water and avoiding any beer for a bit helped my lungs stop feeling like they were lined with sandpaper. At this point I'm convinced the real trick is just not working like a maniac, but try telling your wallet that lol.