auto-darkening welding helmet

[wallysue]

The old Hornell Speedglas in my helmet will darken if directly at the sun and sometimes darkens for a second if you move your head when using it outside in sunlight. It must have a brightness threshold and flicker threshold. The Speedglas is from before 1986 and was pretty high priced then. Think it's on the third battery. Hardly ever use the fixed helmet anymore.

 

[EdKing]

I never tried to look directly at the sun to see if mine would darken. When I first got mine, I thought there was something wrong as I tried it in my kitchen and it went dark and stayed dark until I went in the pantry with no light. I was thinking "If this is all the light it takes to trip it, its kind of worthless". Then I read in the instructions where flouresent lights will trip it, so I tried it out in the yard and it works fine.

 

[dgood1]

EdKing,

You actually admit to reading a manual? You could give men a bad image. We are not supposed to read manuals or as for directions.

Don

 

[EdKing]

I only read it to try to figure out why it was going dark under the flouresent lights, I didn't do it until I played with the thing for an hour trying to figure it out. I promise I won't do it again./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Morning Gary,

My hood has three selections, weld, cut, and clear.

Weld is for arc welding. The only problem I've had with the quick change on arc welding is when the photo cell is blocked like when welding up under a truck on a hitch or something.

Cut changes the lense to a fixed shade five. I use it for oxy acetylene and plasma cutting. Of course when I plasma cut I keep the tip in contact with the metal and so I'm not staring at the torch flame as it's below the tip and behind my hand. I really like plasma. Most of the time I do it without gloves or a hood. Bad boy I know.

Clear is for grinding.

What I especially like about this hood is I use cheaters, magnifying lenses in the hoods. With the three functions in one hood I can work without putting on reading glasses to see the details.

Doc says it's old age. I've got twenty twenty after three feet. But in bad light and less than an arm's length it's all fuzzy in the details.

 

[pajoube]

Harv,
Your comments regarding the special magnifying lenses is very interesting to me. Is this something you ad after the purchase or can you select these lenses when buying? Many like you have to rely on reading glasses for the up close work, sounds like this could be of great help.
PJ

 

[mikim]

<font color=blue>sounds like this could be of great help</font color=blue>
no kidding ---- Harv, how many lenses can you put in one of these things? Guess I'm thinking -- protective glass + autodark lens + magnifying lens --- will it hold all 3? if not, is there room to wear reading glasses with the hood down?
mike

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Evening PJ and Mike,

I buy the cheaper plastic magnifiers, just walk into your local welder's supply and ask for some cheaters. They'll know what you're talking about.

They come in the same dioplers (sp?) as reading glasses and they fit inside. I don't use the inside lense protector and use the cheater in it's place. My Jackson won't take the additional width of the cheater. So I use clear duct tape (scotch /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif). I haven't had a problem with it and the puppy takes a beating day in and day out and comes back ready each and every time.

You can wear eyeglasses under the welding hood. I have some eyeglasses, 1.50's that I use at the puter, 1.75's in the office where the magazines are, and the cheaters in the hood are also 1.75's. So it isn't much of a problem but still too much if you know what I mean.

If I needed glasses full time I think I would seriously consider buying a Jackson like I have. That way you can do most of your functions involving welding with the hood down protecting the lenses of your prescription wear.

Speaking of glass. Be aware, very very aware, take notes, the test is expensive when you flunk it.

The sparks from welding, cutting, grinding, etc. are deadly on glass and paint. If you want to ruin a relationship shoot some sparks over at your bud or relative's new ride. If you want to really appreciate one being the loneliest number spray the wife's car or even better yet, the window she's most sweet on.

At twenty feet them little ole buggers are gonna dig in and ruin glass and paint. And you're gonna think that mean old Drill Instructor in the service was a wuss compared to the butt chewing you'll get over this one.

Soooooooo, look twice, adjust for trajectory, and then think about it before you lay into that weld with the grinder or just lean down into that chop saw.

 

[pajoube]

Harv,
That was great, thanks.
PJ

 

[micromike]

Harv

Have to agree with you here. I bought a beautiful curio cabinet a couple months ago and had it in the garage until I made a small repair before putting it in the livingroom. It was AT LEAST 20 feet from just a little bit of grinding I needed to do with a 4 1/2 angle grinder on another project. A few days later, made my repair on the cabinet, transported it to the livingroom, started cleaning the glass before putting the treasure in it and what the...... what are all these little black specks embedded in the front glass? Geeeezzzzzz Louise! Beware folks!
Mike