welding helmets

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> "I saw the Hobart helmet at TSC, looked identical to my $60 Harbor freight helmet with a Hobart sticker." </font>

Ohhh, nooo... I got not only the Hobart sticker but a couple big American Eagles AND a stars and stripes background as well. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

And you would have had me believe I wasted that extra hundred bucks... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[5030]

Bill:

On the subject of flash burn, a few years ago, using a regular fixed shade hood, while hard rodding the skid shoes on an implement I caught the rod tip on a metal projection before I nodded.

About 2 weeks later, I was driving my big truck down the road and my vision literally jumped to the left for about 10 seconds and the back to a normal field of view. I consulted my family doctor who, by the way is a surgeon. He referred to a clinical ophthalmologist who did a complete eye exam and found that I had literally burned my optic nerve and that cause instances of temporary blindness. I had no discomfort, itchy eyes or anything else.

He told me that it would heal by itself and right away asked me if I welded on the farm. Of course my answer was yes. he asked me if I had caught a weld flash and what kind of rod was it because different types of welding material gives off different light spectrum. That episode cost me about 3 weeks of work as I was on light duty until released by the doctor.

Needless to say, I bought the auto dark hood.

I read the post about the Ray Bans and watching a weldor and my thought was, you are playing with your sight. I never look at anyone welding, MIG, TIG, SMAW or anything else no matter what the distance. I don't even look directly at the oxygen lances used at the mill to reduce coils. They are pretty neat though. Actually, it's a bundle of magnesium rods encased in a thin walled steel pipe about 10 feet long. An air fitting is at the other end and you light it off with an oxy-acetylene torch and then turn on the compressed air. You can saw or should I say melt through a coil of steel 50" wide and 2 feet thick like a knife through butter. They work really well on die plate too.

 

[Dargo]

Good point. My helmet wasn't cheap, but neither is my sight! I'm really pretty big on safety, but you'd wonder after yesterday. I burned about 8 pounds of rods on a project yesterday. I had my nice leather apron on, my nice leather welding gloves, and of course my nice welding hood. However, I was only wearing a short sleeve shirt. Dang if I don't have a nice "sunburn" from where my short sleeve shirt stopped down to where my welding gloves started!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif It's been cold and rainy here and I liked to never found any aloe at the local drug store! I bet I'll be peeling by the weekend...dang I'm sore!

 

[Junkman]

For the burn go to the horse tackle shop and purchase a bottle of Nitrofurazone Dressing. A 1 pound jar is about $4.50 and put a very light coating on the skin. Wear a long sleeve shirt to keep it from getting on other clothing, and in a day, you won't even know that you had a burn. The only down side to using a horse ointment is that you will have an insatiable desire to eat oats and apples. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Dargo]

As long as the neighbor's horse doesn't have an insatiable desire for me, I'll try it! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Junkman]

I learned this trick many years ago, and have recommended it many times in the past. Many people are hesitant to use a non human remedy, but I know that it works and usually one or two days application is sufficient to give results. It will also help to prevent pealing. I learned of this from my past friend, the veterinarian.

 

[PineRidge]

Truth of the matter is I was having a little fun with both Harv and Bill. I'm not a professional welder by any stretch of the imagination. I just play with it for fun but my answers were coming straight from the Welder's Handbook. It's like a bible for welder's and contains a lot of useful information on the subject. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bill that comment made about eye itch on electronic helmets is on page 27, as I said they weren't my words. Look under CHOICE OF HELMETS. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bill send me a PM with your email address and I'll be happy to scan the page for your reference.

 

[shvl73]

I just ordered this one from Harbor Freight, 91212-1VGA, they claim 1/25000 reaction time. The hunt and peck method with the flip down helmet wasn't working too well for me.

 

[Henro]

Below is a quote taken from the following article:

Article by Jim Harris, Product Manager for Lincold Electric

<font color="blue"> Q Auto-darkening helmets don't darken until the welding arc is struck - will this “split second” response time damage my eyes?

A No. Again, all helmets that comply with the current ANSI Z87.1 standard (when in the proper down position) always protect operators from the harmful UV and IR emissions from the arc. This protection occurs whether the lens is darkened or not. However, the faster the helmet darkens, the more likely it is to prevent discomfort from the high-intensity visible light. Less than a millisecond in response time is not perceivable by the human eye and will provide the most comfort. Look for a helmet that has a response darkening time of a millisecond or less. </font>

The article addresses the protection issue (and specifically the switching time issue) and I suppose all who are interested should read it and come to their own conclusions... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[_RaT_]

Hi Bill. I have found many of the articles from Lincoln to be superb. My personal favorite welding helmet is the SpeedGlas. Welding Helmets They are pricey as you get into the larger view area and even offer side windows. Rat.