For Welders
 

Have you ever had the problem of needing to wedge your head into a spot where a welding helmet just won't fit to see what your welding? I've been dealing with this a lot on my Corvette, Project No Flight. I've been using the "close your eyes and hit the trigger" method to tack things into place, but wanted a better solution. Feeling it was time for an experiment, I bought a set of gas welding fixed shield goggles and a solar powered auto-darkening replacement lense. Much to my surprise the combination works. I removed the fixed glass and the pressure spring from the goggles, dropped the auto-dark insert in it's place, and the sliding lense cover "just" fits. Now I can have the ease of using an auto-darkening lense in places you just can't get a welding helmet.

I wouldn't recommend this for other than very limited use, as the welding arc will still give your face a good dose of "sunburn" if used too much and it offers no protection from welding slpatter, but for that ocassional difficult to see spot it sure beats the "blind" welding technique.


This is the combination I used, it's available at Weldingmart.com

ID: AD3-10 Name: Hoodlum Auto Darkening Lenses
ID: 0746-0505 Name: Jackson WR-40 goggle

-Greg

My dad is an oilfield welder, Ive seen him take his hood off and hold it in front of him for tight spots. I know he would rather spend the time to cover his eyes, because as you probably know, it hurts like hell when your eyes burn and you wake up the next morning.

Why not these? You can wear them in your boat for those really sunny days too.

Weldingmart has a bunch of different ones.
Welding Mart

Most of the goggles are for gas welding, and aren't dark enough for mig or tig welding. Also, once you've had the convience of the auto-darkening lense you'll never go back to the old "flip the helmet" ones (at least I won't).

-Greg

Greg
That works well bUt if you use a nomex head sock you won`t get the burn on your face either. You need to protect your whole body from the rays not just your head.
AND DON`T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY DO ON MONSTER GARAGE OR OCC OR ANY OTHER OF THOSE TV SHOWS!

Roger,

I don't do nearly as much welding as you do, I've never really had a problem with "sunburn" except one summer working back in Momence. The only hoods I've seen also have a resperator, which is a good idea but hurts the "minimum space".

I'm usually pretty far from where I'm welding, stick the head in one open space in the chassis and reach as far as I can around all the tubes to get a hand to where I need to weld. I've even had to do it lefty some times, which is really pushing my ability.

Guess it's a good thing I don't have any pictures <lol>.

-Greg

There is a leather hood that is used for exactly what your talking about. You mentioned the damage that UV rays can do that are emitted from the arc so you are aware of the dangers of that.
The leather hood protects your head and the only part that is rigid is the 2x4 lens that is holds. They arent very comfortable and get pretty sticky underneath but you usually dont wear them long.
Good luck and be careful :cool:

Not the whole hood, just the sock kinda like a winter face mask.

You guys are talking about a make-shift set-up which is fine, if you know the dangers, and you seem to so thats fine.
I sell welding equipment and am just saying there are products on the market that address the difficulties of a confined space.

This is what Im referring to

Sorry Roger
After reading back I see you were answering GregP's question not replying to me.

I saw someone peeking in my windows the other night wearing a hood like that. Tantrum, was that you?

No problem, I`d like some more info on you hood though.

Tantrum-

I've seen the hood setups, but not with the auto-dark lense (and I don't want to give that up). Since I do very limited use I thought I'd use the goggle to experiment and see if I could switch it to the automatic lense. The hood would be nice if the same lense switch would work with it (since that is the expensive part anyway).

-Greg

:D :p
Im not going there!

When are we getting together?
Ill call you.

Hey Tantrum,

Sorry we couldnt get together while you were down, the woman is kinda lame when it comes to goin out, and we had just gotten in from dinner, and put a movie in when you called. I left a message Sunday afternoon, did you get it?? Maybe next time.

Rick

I used to weld a lot of stainless equipment with stainless all around. I swear I got burned from the reflection off the stainless once.

There are 2 standard lens sizes.
2 "x 4 1/4" and 5 1/4x4 1/2.
The auto view lenses that you buy are made to fit this standard opening. The only thing you have to watch for is that the arc sensors on the front of the lens are not covered by the trim around the lens holder. The autoviews are also sometimes thicker depending on brand and you have to watch that you have enough room to fit your cover lens and retaining spring in.

Can you e-mail the helmet info?

I thought the standard lens was 2 x 4 1/4 ??? With my lens I had to remove the spring, but the lens was retained by a sliding cover from the outside on the goggle, not from the inside like on my rigid helmets, and the thickness just works without the spring to hold the lens and cover securly.

-Greg

Rick
I did get your message but not until we got back to the condo late. I wasnt going to call you Monday because I was sure you were working.
Mabe next time. Christine wants to bring the boat down next year so we might spend more time there.

Sounds good,

Yeah workin Monday, Saturday was spent removing bottom paint from boat, so I was kinda beat Sat. Night, Sunday was spent workin on the yard, and we ended up not heading to the waterfront til dinnertime anyway. Definitely bring the boat, so much to do by water here.

Rick

Your correct 2x4 1/4, typo.

Do you want pricing?
Here's the catalog info


Sellstrom’s leather hood provides overall head protection and is ideal for tight welding places.
2" x 4 1/4" lift front retainer. Drop down ratchet headgear. Four chrome screen vents. Meets ANSI Z87.1-1989.

Price would be good. Do you have an on-line order site, or phone, or ??

-Greg

I dont have a website but can ship it to you UPS today.

$45.00 Tillman 5000 Hood + UPS

Ill edit this post with the cost of the Autoview lens and the whole set-up as a package. I have it on my desk right now and making sure it will work.
I can also check with a distributer down there and let you know if they have it so you can go chech it out if you need to.

you can get dark lenses for arc & mig that fit the goggle style masks. I like working with these instead of a hood. You get used to the sparks burning you and don't bang your hood on everything under the car.:rolleyes:

PM me a phone. If your lens fits I'll get a hood and see if my lens works.

If the combo works you really should market it that way as I searched quite a bit for something with the auto lens that is small than my "thinline" style helmet.

-Greg

Greg
Its on it way.
Let me know what you think when you get it.
Chris

Great idea GregP
 

I have to do welding a lot in compartments where you cannot see or get your head in. I have always used a mirror. You can pick up one for a car visor for a buck at the discount parts store. It takes some getting used to because your left is your right and front is back but hell, I learned to brush my hair in a mirror right? The splatter gets to them after a few uses.

Chris,

Thanks. I'll let you know when it arrives.

-Greg

We call that soft hood a monkey hood. Not hard to see why

It looks like the hood that Homer Simpson wears when he is removing the glowing fuel rod.... :p

I use a leather sock ...... for welding and bedroom fun

tantrum what is the name of your company . we use lindy gas or nw , must say lindy has been good to us. i weld all day and have the night after 5 it's for me i have a bobcat a bluestar and and a 30 ,45 , fc feeder and 170 miller matic . used a maxestar 150 the other day sweet :D :D .

don't expose much skin. I get little cancer spots cut off every year from too much weld exposure. Get em cut off my forearms, chest, neck.

I've got a few mineral glass mirrors with magnets and flex stick on them. Sure they're pitted, but you can see around corners with em.

Chris,

Got the hood. It actually came yesterday but I missed seeing it among my wife's stack of packages. I'll check it out and see if my lens will fit in tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

I'll give you a call on Monday.

-Greg

Chris,

Lens fits great. Doesn't need any trimming for the sensors or anything. It's a little bulkier than the goggles but does give a lot more protection. Looks like a winner.

I'll talk with you Monday.

-Greg

Guess you couldn't wait:D :D

Im glad it worked for you
Talk to you Monday.

Hey Roger, you ought to take a look at one too. Think it's going to be a real nice assest for those tight spots.

-Greg

Thanks Greg. I`ll have a look.