If you weld, do you always use those welding helmets?
I am asking because they dont work in cold weather. They fog up.
I had to do a small welding repair in the garage yesterday and as soon
as I put the helmet on my head it was fogged up and I could not see
what I was welding. Obviously from breathing inside them there is no
way to avoid the fogging. I finally took one of those (over the eyes
only) torch welding goggles and changed the lens with the darker one
from my helmet and used that. That worked fine, and is much more
comfortable, This makes me wonder why people even use those large
clumbsy helmets. From now on I will probably just use the goggles.
The only time I'd see the helmet needed is welding overhead, to keep
sparks off the face, but for welding something on the garage floor,
who needs that whole helmet, and in cold weather they are useless.
I never knew that both types use the same size dark lens. Now I know
they do.....
Mark

Has the sunburn set in yet ; ) ? If you do any amount of welding you
will look like a lobster. You shouldn't have any exposed skin in the
direct path of the flash. But, if you don't mind a little sunburn, rock
on. You might look into a auto-darkening hood, sort of like the
difference between a typewriter and a computer.

wrote:
If you weld, do you always use those welding helmets?
I am asking because they dont work in cold weather. They fog up.
I finally took one of those (over the eyes
only) torch welding goggles and changed the lens with the darker one
from my helmet and used that. That worked fine, and is much more
comfortable, This makes me wonder why people even use those large
clumbsy helmets.

The helment is convenient and here's why. You can flip it up and down
with a nod of your head. This allows your to flip it up and down
while keeping your hands on the work and most welders do this
instinctively.

Welding can be risky and you can't be too well protected. A helment is
clearly more protective than goggles. Depending on exactly what task is
being performed sparks can fly everywhere. Your head can be showered
with sparks. I have many, many holes in my clothing from welding
sparks. The helment protects your face and hair from these sprarks.

A bit of fog is not a problem when welding. Welding creates a lot of
heat anyway which usually cooks off any fog rather quickly. you carry a
bandana in your pocket and can wipe of any fog. When welding, one
concentrates exclusively on the weld and the puddle of molten metal
that is being created. It is so bright that special protection is
required as you have noticed.

It is also bright enough to be seen through a bit of fog. The worker
only needs to see the spark and the puddle not the workpiece. the
helment can be flipped up if you need to see the workpiece.

Eric in North TX wrote:
Has the sunburn set in yet ; ) ? If you do any amount of welding you
will look like a lobster. You shouldn't have any exposed skin in the
direct path of the flash. But, if you don't mind a little sunburn, rock
on. You might look into a auto-darkening hood, sort of like the
difference between a typewriter and a computer.

Or the splatter, yet? (It _will_ happen)

Add a face-crater or two to the red landscape and you, too, can look
like the Martian landscape.

And, there are venting hoods and acclimating the hood will also help.

Whatever you do as a solution, foregoing full-face protection while
welding is a really, really bad idea...

wrote:

If you weld, do you always use those welding helmets?
I am asking because they dont work in cold weather. They fog up.
I had to do a small welding repair in the garage yesterday and as soon
as I put the helmet on my head it was fogged up and I could not see
what I was welding. Obviously from breathing inside them there is no
way to avoid the fogging. I finally took one of those (over the eyes
only) torch welding goggles and changed the lens with the darker one
from my helmet and used that. That worked fine, and is much more
comfortable, This makes me wonder why people even use those large
clumbsy helmets. From now on I will probably just use the goggles.
The only time I'd see the helmet needed is welding overhead, to keep
sparks off the face, but for welding something on the garage floor,
who needs that whole helmet, and in cold weather they are useless.
I never knew that both types use the same size dark lens. Now I know
they do.....
Mark

Good job tumor boy. Welding helmets are first and foremost for
protection from the extremely high UV output of a welding arc.
Protection from heat, sparks and splatter are a secondary function.

Welders all over the world work in cold weather without issues and the
issue is no different than for motorcycle helmets, diving masks and
other protective face gear. Get some anti-fog from your local motorcycle
or dive shop and be done with it. Also make sure your health insurance
is in place for the melanoma treatment.

wrote in message
...
If you weld, do you always use those welding helmets?
I am asking because they dont work in cold weather. They fog up.
I had to do a small welding repair in the garage yesterday and as soon
as I put the helmet on my head it was fogged up and I could not see
what I was welding. Obviously from breathing inside them there is no
way to avoid the fogging. I finally took one of those (over the eyes
only) torch welding goggles and changed the lens with the darker one
from my helmet and used that. That worked fine, and is much more
comfortable, This makes me wonder why people even use those large
clumbsy helmets. From now on I will probably just use the goggles.
The only time I'd see the helmet needed is welding overhead, to keep
sparks off the face, but for welding something on the garage floor,
who needs that whole helmet, and in cold weather they are useless.
I never knew that both types use the same size dark lens. Now I know
they do.....
Mark


I have welded for 33 years now, so I know of what I speak.

Arc rays burn whatever they touch. Skin, cornea, retina, clothing,
anything. You can cover up your eyes, but you will have a nice painful red
ring around where it is not covered.

Buy some antifog, or get your helmet set up so you don't fog it. Maybe even
breathe through a flexible piece of short hose.

Even if you do it right, later in life, you will have to get about six sin
cancers burned off per year.

Steve

If you don't have anti fog as Pete C. suggested above, wipe some liquid soap
solution or shaving cream over the inside lens until you get some. Don't
think I ever welded continuously for over 30 seconds so you could hold you
breath while you weld - I do that anyway to avoid breathing in all that
junk. For me, an auto dark welding helmet is the way to go - YMMV.

dpb wrote:
Eric in North TX wrote:
Has the sunburn set in yet ; ) ? If you do any amount of welding you
will look like a lobster. You shouldn't have any exposed skin in the
direct path of the flash. But, if you don't mind a little sunburn,
rock on. You might look into a auto-darkening hood, sort of like the
difference between a typewriter and a computer.

Or the splatter, yet? (It _will_ happen)

Add a face-crater or two to the red landscape and you, too, can look
like the Martian landscape.

And, there are venting hoods and acclimating the hood will also help.

Whatever you do as a solution, foregoing full-face protection while
welding is a really, really bad idea...

Hurts when some of the spatter lands on an ear, too! Hair, well it just
makes that smell bad. Then there's the area under your chin when your shirt
blouses outwards. Do I sound like I've been there? ;-)

Pop`

You'll get a serious sunburn if you do much more than 5 minutes worth with
just the goggles on. All you have to do is warm the helmet glass and it
won't fog.

--
Steve Barker


wrote in message
...
If you weld, do you always use those welding helmets?
I am asking because they dont work in cold weather. They fog up.
I had to do a small welding repair in the garage yesterday and as soon
as I put the helmet on my head it was fogged up and I could not see
what I was welding. Obviously from breathing inside them there is no
way to avoid the fogging. I finally took one of those (over the eyes
only) torch welding goggles and changed the lens with the darker one
from my helmet and used that. That worked fine, and is much more
comfortable, This makes me wonder why people even use those large
clumbsy helmets. From now on I will probably just use the goggles.
The only time I'd see the helmet needed is welding overhead, to keep
sparks off the face, but for welding something on the garage floor,
who needs that whole helmet, and in cold weather they are useless.
I never knew that both types use the same size dark lens. Now I know
they do.....
Mark