Question:
Anyone have any experience with preventing the rusting out of hardhart
metal mesh faceshields?
I've been using MSA for a longwhile, but it seems the last couple of
years the mesh seems to rust out awful quick. Doesn't seem to take
long before it is so gunked up that visibility (and safety) is
significantly reduced.
I asked the guys at the timbir supply store, but they just shrugged,
although mentioned spraying the mesh with liquid film or some other
such rust preventative.
In addition to "smelling horrible," the rust preventatives do an
excellent job of helping any debris cling to the mesh. ;o).
So, either I hassle with driving out of my way to the supply shop
every couple of weeks to buy a new screen at $7 or find another
solution. Hey, maybe I can buy the screens in bulk and get 20 percent
off. ;0)
Answer:
I wonder if there's a non-tacky rust inhibitor you could use? Or,
spray it with black spraypaint - won't build much, so it'll not
impede light too bad, and might keep it from rusting.
A cynical and jaded individual (such as myself) might suggest that
selling easily-rusting replacement parts might be seen by the vendor
as a revenue enhancement device. I'm surprised if MSA would do such
a thing, but...
I have a Stihl hardhat/earmuff/face screen helmet that I use for
chainsaw work, and am happy with it. It's nylon, but I don't think
that _or_ the metal mesh would stop anything particularly heavy,
sharp, or enthusiastic.
I cannot tell where you are posting from, but "Rustoleum" flat black
primer should do the job if it's locally availible. So should any of the
phosphorous rust killer coatings with several light coats of a flat
black primer. Just let it hang in the breeze a few days before wearing.
I use a polycarbonate face shield. It will stop anything short of a
bullet. It won't rust, but visibility suffers in the rain, and there is
more sun flare than there is with the black metal mesh.
I wouldn't cut it, but a number of clumps are several years old and
have gotten so big they are really spreading out into the roadway and
in the opposite direction into the ditch, creating some safety issues.
But in my experience, the ones I cut will be sprouting again in a few
weeks.
