New turner here. Currently I have a very old, fairly flimsy, hand-me-down face shield that will keep me safe from flying splinters and shavings, but if a larger piece grows wings and attacks, it probably won't do much to help me. I also have a beard and wear this respirator but have to keep it uncomfortably tight for it to be remotely effective.

So, any of you guys (or bearded ladies I suppose), have recommendations for a quality face shield/respirator combo that will fit comfortably over a beard? I'm hoping not to break the bank here, but I do prefer to buy quality once rather than buy crappy and upgrade to quality when I get fed up.

If you're still reading, I'd love to hear some safety tips that I might not yet know as well. I've figured out to keep my chisels sharp, keep the tool rest as close to the piece as I can and wear nothing loose. All that's pretty obvious stuff for someone who has been playing with wood for a while before discovering turning.

Thanks for reading and hopefully some guidance. Here's a shaving brush handle in progress, my third project so far.