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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Fitting a Pancake hood?
- - By stanantonio Date 02-07-2011 16:26
Hey guys I was just wondering about what maybe are some tricks that you guys use to get a good fit on your pancake welding hood. My helper just broke my old well worn in pancake so I was forced to go buy a new one and this time I also bought an extra lens box to eventualy make a master template out of. It always seems to take me a good week or so to get one to fit comfortably.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 02-07-2011 18:58
I don't know any tricks except using the sandpaper Wendy's sent me and sitting down in front of the idiot box with no place to go and time to take my time. I thought about using my dremel tool but figured it would remove to much to fast so stuck with the 40 or 80 grit. Think it took about an hour to get it right where there were no pressure points, had a good seal. Other than putting black shoe polish on your face and pressing the mask against it then taking out the high spots that's about all I can offer! LoL!
Parent - - By stanantonio Date 02-07-2011 19:03
Lol Funny you should say that cause I thought about that very thing with the shoe polish. I do use a  pencil shade in the areas of where I want to take more off and a dremel tool to get the rough in finnish.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 02-07-2011 19:07
You could use that prussian blue stuff that we mechanics used to check tooth contact on differentials!! Or as we called it, Smurf schmidt without the c,m and d!! Hahaha! That stuff was impossible to get off though! I wonder if you could use baby powder??
Parent - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 02-08-2011 02:31
Yes, I strongly reccomend oil based Prussian Blue, not the water washable stuff wimps use. If You are going to look like a Smurf, You might as well look like one for a month.
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 02-07-2011 20:20
Use Black Enamel Paint. It works the best.
Parent - By stanantonio Date 02-07-2011 22:03
I thought you might peek in on this thread:) Thats a great idea let me know how it works. I might try it in twenty twelve.
Parent - - By shorthood2006 (****) Date 02-08-2011 02:17
i have dropped mine MANY times...and cracked the wood... so i bought a tube of GORILLA glue and glued the piss out if it..It holds together just fine..
Parent - By Johnyutah (**) Date 02-09-2011 15:43
The Gorilla glue works great I put it on every joint on mine after the first time it got cracked I would pre glue everything first next time.
Parent - By JHarlos (**) Date 02-09-2011 15:34
Sand paper and time.  Sit in front of tv and shave a little off In needed places. Put on welding cap and wear pancake ( with out any shaded lenses) for a while to check fit.  Repeat again as much as needed. Flash light will help finishing fit up, so that you can check for light coming in.
- - By Caleb C. (**) Date 02-08-2011 01:22
Has anybody seen or used Zeke's pancake hoods? I'm familiar with the other well known brands but haven't seen these yet. Any experiance with these?  http://zekespancakeshield.com/
Parent - - By stanantonio Date 02-08-2011 02:11
To me it looks like a knock off wendys pancake and should be although we like new inovation but I surely wont buy from a marketer who sells the same product.  Get him on here and lets have a chat about whats different?
Parent - - By Johnny Walker (***) Date 02-08-2011 09:41
Cardboard templates and a sharpie . Then a sharp knife then a tiger wheel on a 4" rat tail file the nose out a little finish off with sand paper takes me bout 30 minutes to get mine close then about a week of sanding after I wear it awhile !
Parent - - By rcwelding (***) Date 02-08-2011 15:11
Are they worth the hassle..??  I have never worn one.. I wouldn't mind trying one just to see what all the fuss is about but they sure look cumbersome..

  RC
Parent - - By stanantonio Date 02-08-2011 15:34
when I got my first pancake I thought man these things suck. I felt odd to not wear my safety glasses under my hood and if you dont get them to fit just right they can be very uncomfortable. But I wouldn't wear anything but a pancake now. they block out all the light shining in from behind you which gives you alot more definition as to what your looking at while welding
Parent - - By rcwelding (***) Date 02-08-2011 15:41
I have always worn safety sunglasses... More for the sunglasses part than the safety part.. Not saying that they haven't saved my eyes on several occasions.. I think it would drive me nuts not to have them on..

   Blocking the back light would be great but they sure look heavy and awkward..!!

   I will try one before I pass final judgment but it sure doesn't look comfortable 

  RC
Parent - - By 65 Pipeliner (**) Date 02-08-2011 16:06
That was a question I had, but you beat me to it. Are they as great as everybody says? I currently have a big window huntsman with an auto darkening cartridge and one with just a #10 lens for backup. I like the auto darkening because I am not having to raise it up all the time for tacking and such. Is this eliminated with the wooden "goggles" that are on them? Didn't mean to steer this off track if I did.

Chris
Parent - - By stanantonio Date 02-08-2011 16:31
They are way lighter and much more comfortable the a sugar scoop hood.  If your going to buy one I would recomend a Wendys pancake with a #10 Arc one auto darkening lens.
Parent - By Tyler1970 (***) Date 02-09-2011 04:17
i had to make a weld left handed so i put the sugar scoop on. and man it was hot as ****. the pancakes are just so much cooler as well
Parent - - By ronnie taylor (**) Date 02-09-2011 01:58
chris

I just wanted to throw my two pennies in the hat. I have a original pancake and I really don't like it very much. It kinda feels like I'm wearing a stop sign on my face. I just bought a sarge's from Cactus I think he wore it twice and I love it. It's a lot smaller than the original an seems to just fit better.

Ronnie
Parent - - By jrod (**) Date 02-09-2011 04:39
I have an original pancake that I cut down to the size of a sarge's and it is much better now. I also have a sarge's that I cart around.
Parent - - By ronnie taylor (**) Date 02-09-2011 05:03
I thought about cutting mine down, what did you use to cut it with. I thought about a router.
Parent - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 02-09-2011 05:11
Sanding pad on a grinder? Belt sander? coping saw?, what all do You have available?
Parent - - By jrod (**) Date 02-09-2011 17:11
I use a jig saw with a real fine blade and it worked pretty good.
Parent - - By sjkelly328 (**) Date 02-09-2011 22:01
i used a cut off wheel on my grinder only took a couple of seconds.
Parent - By joe pirie (***) Date 02-10-2011 16:37
tried that once and ruined a new hood in a couple seconds  lol
Parent - - By jrod (**) Date 02-08-2011 16:36
They are lighter than a regular hood. They are the only way to go in my opinion. I had to use a regular hood the other day and was griping the whole time.
Parent - - By 65 Pipeliner (**) Date 02-09-2011 02:12
Do they offer much facial protection? I know your eyes are very well protected by the box, but what about the rest of your face? I've never messed with one or seen one except for pictures.

Thanks for the help, Chris
Parent - - By scrappywelds (***) Date 02-09-2011 02:33
Never worn a pancake but I am hard pressed to believe they are lighter than a fiber-metal pipeliner hood. I will say though the way they are hanging on the head when not welding would give the impression of being lighter being on top of the head not in front. I would have to see them weighed out on a digital scale. If anyboby has acess to all three items for comparision and post the resultsI would appreciate it. I will also say I use a pipeliner all the time, but the pancakes look cool. In the power plants though the pancakes wouldn't fly unless a hard hat was worn over it. In a tight spot I do use a "monkey hood" as we call them cutting goggles with a welding filter and some type of face protection shield( duct taped cardboard or a faceshield lens) which then is very similar to a pancake. They do block all the incoming light from behind this does define the puddle alot more in my opinion.
Parent - - By jrw159 (*****) Date 02-09-2011 02:44
Scrappy,
  I have used the fiber-metal "Pipeliner" and a few different "pancake" hoods. While I have not actually done a weight comparison, I have just two words for you.

Balsa wood. :-)

Now you mention that they would not fly in a power plant. Nor a refinery, paper mill or many other applications. While they could be used successfully in many situations, they are really job specific items relating to "pipeline" welding.

Not to mention a left handed pancake hood.

jrw159
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 02-09-2011 04:37
"Not to mention a left handed pancake hood. "
Wouldn't that be a Right Eared Pancake Hood?
Parent - By jrw159 (*****) Date 02-09-2011 05:19
I guess it may depend on where your from. LOL
Parent - - By stanantonio Date 02-09-2011 08:46
Then why is your name 65 pipeliner?
Parent - By okwelder82 (***) Date 02-09-2011 15:56
I used a wood sanding bit on a Dremel tool to fit mine. You have to be carefull cause it will take a lot off FAST but it works really well if you take some time.
Parent - By 65 Pipeliner (**) Date 02-10-2011 15:55
It is a screen name, nothing more.

Chris
Parent - By weaver (***) Date 02-09-2011 05:32
wait you guys wear a welding hood? No wonder why i am getting so tan
- By roundydownie (**) Date 02-09-2011 03:26
they are lighter then any hood..and they are for pipelining..i have seen other hoods melt under some 42inch even a fiber metal..I have seen guys refiberglass the front of them..
- - By jpill (**) Date 02-09-2011 16:04
I've got a pancake and a chopped and channeled fibre metal, the customized sugar scoop is lighter than the pancake, but sucks outside of the shop in sunlight.
Parent - - By Pickupman (***) Date 02-09-2011 23:12
Can you put up a picture of your "chopped and channeled" pipeliner? I was wearing a pancake and like it but got tired of it fogging up when I start sweating a little, so I got a pipeliner to try. So far it's working good except it hits my chest sometimes and I have trouble getting it down where I can see.
Parent - - By scrappywelds (***) Date 02-09-2011 23:59
I have chopped my pipeliners as well. I make a mark 1" - 1 1/2" fome the bottom of the stop, then transfer the mark to the other side. I then measure up from the chin area (can't remember how much). Use a wraparound to connect the marks and cut with a grinder and cutting wheel. Use a file or sandpaper on the edges. I also cut some off the top useing the same method to lighten it up. I then like to use some blind rivets and put on a leather bid just long enough to cover up the unbuttoned top button of my shirt. Hope this helps.
Parent - By Pickupman (***) Date 02-10-2011 13:19
I'll try that. Thanks.
Parent - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 02-10-2011 18:07 Edited 02-10-2011 20:21
I have Chopped many Pipeliners. A hacksaw blade works GREAT
- - By jpill (**) Date 02-10-2011 17:05
The purple one is chopped, I put a pic of a standard hood in too for a comparison. I measured mine and then marked a guideline with a bandsaw blade and sharpie, then just cut it with a cutoff wheel on a grinder
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Parent - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 02-10-2011 18:08
I just used the Hacksaw Blade to cut it. It didnt even need to be sanded
Parent - - By Pickupman (***) Date 02-10-2011 23:42
Thanks jpill, i think that would work. Give you a little more chest room and still cover your chin good.Thanks for the pics.
Parent - By jpill (**) Date 02-11-2011 02:20
Take a look at North Safety's hoods go to the European site they have one called a Prota Shell Baby . It is pretty much the same as what we have been doing to pipeliner hoods for years by cutting them down. The prota shell baby is the European equivalent to the pipeliner here in terms of popularity across the pond.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Fitting a Pancake hood?

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