light problem from back of hood

by Tim
(Colorado)

whats the secret to solving the problem of light entering the back of your welding hood and such, making it hard to see your weld due to the glare?
I've seen pictures of pipeline welders wearing goggles instead of helmets.
Whats the deal with that?
Tim, the welding self teacher

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I dont know of any secrets but I have seen many welders use bandanas taped to the helmet to block glare when welding outside.

some pipeliner welders use a pancake hood that blocks sunlight and also shields only one side of the face so they can see to get a new rod, but wont get flashed from the buddy welding the other half of the pipe.

pancake welding hoods

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light problem from back of hood

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May 27, 2013
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starstarstar 		solution to light problem. NEW
by: Corpus Christi Rookie

Workin with pipeliner welders and one guy modified a weldhood, the old school type, by cuttin the forehead of it down a couple inches.
Anyway, he used pop rivets and leather to protect his head and eliminate light from entering, then riveted a leather drape from the jawline of the hood and added a 6 or 7inch drape using same rivet method, to protect his chin and neck area.
I used it to grind and wirebrush the welds and was suprised there was no light glare from sun above.
May 27, 2013
Rating
starstarstar 		solution to light problem. NEW
by: Corpus Christi Rookie

Workin with pipeliner welders and one guy modified a weldhood, the old school type, by cuttin the forehead of it down a couple inches.
Anyway, he used pop rivets and leather to protect his head and eliminate light from entering, then riveted a leather drape from the jawline of the hood and added a 6 or 7inch drape using same rivet method, to protect his chin and neck area.
I used it to grind and wirebrush the welds and was suprised there was no light glare from sun above.
Dec 29, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		wear a hat NEW
by: Anonymous

I wear a baseball hat backwards under the hood and the brim blocks most of the light from behind me. It also keeps sparks off of your head.
Sep 06, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Hood around the back of the Helmet NEW
by: Martin

One of the first mods I had to do to my helmet was stopping light coming in from behind. It's the old adage: you can't weld if you're not comfortable, and light reflections bouncing around inside my helmet really wound me up.

Like the first commentor, I fixed a cotton welding hood to the back of my Accustrike chin-operated helmet. Hood similar to that shown at the top of:

http://www.ukwelder.com/shop2/shop_index.php?page=gouging_hoods

Lightweight and flexible. I don't fasten the neck strap.

Stuck wide (1" or more) Velcro all around the outside of my helmet down to the chin area and then stuck Velcro to the edge of the hood correspondingly. No gaps.

I stuck the Velcro to the hood with contact adhesive - sewing is perhaps better, if you've got the time - and I found contact adhesive is not strong enough to keep the Velcro on the helmet so I used a hot glue gun on top of the self-adhesive backing of the Velcro, going round 4" inches or so at a time (so the glue stays hot). I might have roughened the area first with coarse abrasive paper to get better key - but once in place you shouldn't need to remove the hood.

I stuck wide Velcro around the chin area on the inside of the helmet and cut 2 leather flaps from a welding apron, put Velcro on them and the flaps take care of the chin area. They overlap at the middle.

I too found misting a bigger problem than usual, and, in the end got a Jackson Airmax respirator and modified my helmet with the airduct from an old helmet (you can heat mold a plastic pipe to do the same thing), and now I'm really comfortable and cool.

I've tried anti-fog liquid of the type used here:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet-visor-anti-fog/comparison-review.htm

It worked to some degree but not if the helmet was just brought inside from the cold or if I was welding outside in the cold. And with a cheater lens to coat as well, there was a lot of faffing around for little return.

The internal fan inside the helmet, and one I added later were not a success; firstly, spinning blades limit the fit of the helmet, and, secondly, they just circulate the moisture more than expelling it. I love the idea of the respirator tube to get rid of moisture direct to the outside. I think that'll be my next mod. Nevertheless, the Jackson Airmax clears moisture in seconds (and will run continuously for 9 hours on one charge). However, if you are going to invest in a powered respirator, you might as well consider getting the helmet to go with it as these seem to be designed such that the back is covered anyway.

I now believe the helmet's the most important bit of kit. It's taken me years to get to a stage where I'm really happy with, and totally comfortable in, my helmet.

Jan 30, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		RE: Light problem from back of hood NEW
by: poptm

I had this same problem until I bought a helmet nape. Couldn't find one in the US. Found one on the internet in Australia.

See this link:

http://www.elliottaustralia.com/BRN20/The-BIG-RED-Welding-Helmet-Nape/pd.php

Took about two weeks to get here. However it didn't solve the problem entirely. Greatly reduced it though.

To completely solve the problem I had to stitch additional leather onto the bottom and sides of the nape such that it goes down over my back some and around by my ears. Used velcro to secure it to the helmet by my ears.

Also added a chin flap (leather and velcro) to the helmet under my chin. Now no light enters the helmet what-so-ever.

It works so well I can see thru my backup helmet's fixed shade 10 before even striking an arc. Which almost makes it as good as autodarken helmet.

Only problem is that on hot days it's uncomfortable. Conversely on colds days it's very comfortable.

By the way I also use a respirator that I modified with the addition of a tube so when I exhale it exhales outside the helmet. If you don't do this the lens is going to fog up.

Hope this helps.
Jan 03, 2012
Rating
starstarstar 		Digital elite NEW
by: Lincoln185

Lots of my welding is done outside I used to have this problem until I bought a miller digital elite helmet this is the only miller product I will buy but anyways it has x mode which is for blocking sunlight out watch jodys vid on YouTube

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