Welding Equipment Review HEY ZACH!
I wanted to fire this off because last time I was up in Denver Zach brought up a question about auto darkening welding hoods, mainly becuase you can get them cheap at Harbor Freight.
I haven't dug up a picture, but it is a skull shaped hood that is covered in flames.
First and formost, the good part is, that the auto darken function works well and it is a good hood. IF YOU ARE ONLY WELDING IN THE DAYTIME SURROUNDED BY SUNLIGHT! If you catch a shadow, the hood will turn off, if you look the wrong way, hood will turn off. Still nice for just what I described though.
The bad, and the hazardous part of this hood.
If in the shade, or outside of direct sunlight, the hood will turn off, but if you strike an arc, for a flash it will turn clear, THEN darken, which means you get flashed in the eyes, and can't see too well afterwards for a few seconds, by that time you could of welded something together, or just made an even bigger mess.
The only reason I got one, was that the shop bought it for this job we were doing. We tried it in the field, and definatly returned the piece of crap the following Monday.
For a hood that goes between 60 and 80 dollars, your better off getting a standard flip down hood, and get it airbrushed, pinstripped or customised.
You only have 2 eyes, do not screw around and get something cheap, espically with an autodarkening hood.
The other thing, Kevalar sleeves. The shop got them for me mainly becuase durring the fall and winter, I normally wear a hoodie around the welding shop, yet the sleeves are covered in burn holes and I'm covered in welding scars, and the summers I'm normally either in a teeshirt, or a full welding jacket, and leather in 100 degree weather and full humidity does not make things fun at all.
The sleeves are great, granted they are canary yellow but then again, fasion aside it will keep you from getting branded. But they get dirty easily. Good stuff though, not going to try the kevalar in a knife fight or anything, but it takes a bit of effort to slice them up a bit. (Same material used in bullet proof vests)
Just wanted to fire that out for anybody intrested in a some various types of welding gear.
I haven't dug up a picture, but it is a skull shaped hood that is covered in flames.
First and formost, the good part is, that the auto darken function works well and it is a good hood. IF YOU ARE ONLY WELDING IN THE DAYTIME SURROUNDED BY SUNLIGHT! If you catch a shadow, the hood will turn off, if you look the wrong way, hood will turn off. Still nice for just what I described though.
The bad, and the hazardous part of this hood.
If in the shade, or outside of direct sunlight, the hood will turn off, but if you strike an arc, for a flash it will turn clear, THEN darken, which means you get flashed in the eyes, and can't see too well afterwards for a few seconds, by that time you could of welded something together, or just made an even bigger mess.
The only reason I got one, was that the shop bought it for this job we were doing. We tried it in the field, and definatly returned the piece of crap the following Monday.
For a hood that goes between 60 and 80 dollars, your better off getting a standard flip down hood, and get it airbrushed, pinstripped or customised.
You only have 2 eyes, do not screw around and get something cheap, espically with an autodarkening hood.
The other thing, Kevalar sleeves. The shop got them for me mainly becuase durring the fall and winter, I normally wear a hoodie around the welding shop, yet the sleeves are covered in burn holes and I'm covered in welding scars, and the summers I'm normally either in a teeshirt, or a full welding jacket, and leather in 100 degree weather and full humidity does not make things fun at all.
The sleeves are great, granted they are canary yellow but then again, fasion aside it will keep you from getting branded. But they get dirty easily. Good stuff though, not going to try the kevalar in a knife fight or anything, but it takes a bit of effort to slice them up a bit. (Same material used in bullet proof vests)
Just wanted to fire that out for anybody intrested in a some various types of welding gear.