Welding hood selection

Date 07-19-2003 23:05

Hi,
I have never used a Hobart automatic hood - I have had 2 Speedglas and 1 Jackson in the last 15 years or so. I haven't noticed the problem you described. Doesn't mean it's not happening, just that I've not noticed. Your eyes are not in danger - they are protected from UV radiation no matter what angle you are looking through the lens at. You can get manual welding hoods at just about any place that carries welding equipment.
Glad to "see a new face".
Brian

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 07-20-2003 00:16

Hi Ace, welcome to the forum.
I have used the Speedglas and Jackson like Brian, but never recall having the same thing happen to me as you have described. I've had my head jammed up under cars myself trying to get into a position to weld. I'm not sure what is happenning to your hood. I don't know if the one you have is defective or all of them (Hobart hoods) will act as you have described and is just one of those quirks associated with the particular brand.
I know it's hard to tell when your hood is down over your face, but could there have been something blocking the light from the arc from one or more of the sensors that make it flash over? I've had welding smoke all over mine before and it didn't flash over properly. Anyway, I hope you can figure out what may be causing your problem. Please post back any info you may find out.
John Wright
70 1/2 RS/SS Chevrolet Camaro, I know it's a FORD/CHEVY thing :)

By Ace Date 07-20-2003 01:14

Thanks for the feed back!! I have had the lens replaced, so I don't think its defective. The lens doesn't go light or turn off and on, its just that the parameter seems to be brighter than the center of the lens. The center of the viewing area stays dark, its just the parameter that seems to be 4-5 shades brighter. By the way, I like all classics, hot rods, and customs.....I live for this stuff...I am fabricating sub-frames and a two link set-up so I can smoke those tires better! Thanks guys!!!!

By flatjwl (*)

Date 07-20-2003 02:32

The condition you described is not limited to the Hobart product. We have found the same situation to exist with all the Hornel and Jackson hoods we have used, when the arc is viewed at a angle rather than directly in line.

By Ace Date 07-20-2003 04:18

FlatJWL thanks for the response.. So what hood do you recommend? I really need to find a good hood that does not share this same problem. I am at a stopping point on my project because of this....I have my car on jack stands and having to weld in very awkward tight positions.. Plus I just spent close to $200 on this hood and really can't use it now.. Any specifics on brands, prices, and what you use would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

By billvanderhoof (****)

Date 07-20-2003 04:56

Big block?
Bill

By flashburner1 (*)

Date 07-20-2003 06:29

I've used my hoods in all kinds of positions and have never been bothered (or noticed) the difference, and I have done plenty of repairs under a car on jack-stands. If all brands of auto-darkening hoods do this (now I need to pay attention when I'm welding and will probably be bothered by it too :-) ) and it is bothering you too much to use it, then you will have to get a manual hood. They are generally around $20-$35 dollars. Jackson, Sellstrom, Huntsman and Fibre-Metal are brands that I have used, Fibre-Metal being my least favorite. I have used a modified Fibre-Metal under cars - I took one that was busted and cut it out so there was only about 4" of fiberglass around the filter plate and use it as a handheld shield. Works great for tight overhead areas that I can't use a regular hood for, but doesn't provide much protection from hot berries! Most hoods are a matter of personal preference. Do you have any welder friends or co-workers that would let you borrow theirs to try out so you don't have to go to the expense of buying something that you are not satisfied with later? Comfortable PPE that you have confidence in is everything. Good luck,
Brian

By dee

Date 07-21-2003 19:47

Ace,
I'm not sure what kind of standards these hoods (not the lenses- that's a different issue) are built to. I know they need enough room between the shield and your face to allow for safety glasses, but I dont know if it would be permissible to cut away most of it and replace it with leather and generally customize it and the hinge point to suit your own needs, fitting much closer to your face and head and providing more maneuverability in close quarters. I presume you've worked with glass reinforced polyesters and epoxies and can fabricate your own shield with a lense holder from a different hood... like a set of goggles with a UV protective coth or leather hood attached.

Let me call attention to my very first, opening words. I would want all of my safety equipment to conform to accepted standards. Finding what they are would be a priority.

Anyway, the effort and expense you expend finding unique (I believe it's liquid crystal) technology will still yield a shield that wont fit where you want it to. If I had to guess, and I honestly don't know, I would hazard that all these lenses are fundamentally the same and differences lie mostly in the characteristics of the control electronics rather than the physical method of filtration. As I said I dont really know- I havn't seen them ALL, and I'm only superficially familiar with those I have seen.

Regards
d