Just a couple of welding tips

Drew Riley

Drew Riley

Well-Known Member
Given the recent welding table thread, I thought I'd make a video on a couple of tips that have dramatically helped the quality of my welding setup and results. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen these tips already.
Just to be clear, I'm not a professional or certified welder by any means, but I've welded enough to know what helps and what doesn't, and being able to see is a big part of that:

Summary: Add a cheap headlamp to your welding hood. Also add a shroud over the back (use FR material!) to block out external lights, glare, and reflections. UV light is no joke, and it can burn your eyes even while wearing a helmet.
Finally, I mentioned a $40 hood that I'd put up against some of the $200 hoods I've used in the past. Is it the best hood out there? No, but it's really good for $40.

Here's a link if anyone is interested: https://amzn.to/3nCjYkL
 
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I'll be trying your light idea to see how it works. The cover over back of hood - why didn't I ever think about that myself after all these years of welding. I guess perhaps most of my welding used to be inside with so much problem with rear lights, but now welding outside that light coming in from rear is really bad. I WILL be adding a rear cover.

Another word about those auto darkening hoods - WOW!! They are GREAT. I remember back in '90s when I used one for the first time it was amazing, but they cost several hundred bucks back then. I've been using this one for the last yr or so and like the large lenses on it. It does cost a tad more https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073PY7F68/
 
Thank you very much, Drew! The vid was worth watching even if the only thing I had learned was how visible stuff was through that helmet at rest. Nothing at all like I fought with the old helmet. Great tips. While we have those headlamp thingies all over the house like reading glases, never thought to start gluing them to things! And the headcover is brilliant. Things are starting to look encouraging I might do more than gas welding again some day! Thanks!
 
One thing I should also mention: Magnifiers can make a big difference too, whether you wear glasses or not. The hood I show has a clip for your standard welding hood magnifiers, though I seem to have misplaced the couple of sets I had laying around the shop. I don't always use them, but sometimes it does help when tacking smaller pieces or doing more detailed work. I need to order a couple more sets to keep on my cart.
 
Drew, Great tips, nice video. I like that light idea, may have to try that too.
UV rays can be bad, particularly on the eyes. In the summer when I wear short sleeves, I have a pair of pull on welding sleeves that I slip on temporarily over my forearms while welding. I've had some pretty "good" sunburns over the years. And, there's nothing quite like having the fist full of sand feeling in the eyes after repeated flash burns. Not something to mess with.
X2 on the magifiers, particularly those of us with bifocals.
 
MTBob said:
Drew, Great tips, nice video. I like that light idea, may have to try that too.
UV rays can be bad, particularly on the eyes. In the summer when I wear short sleeves, I have a pair of pull on welding sleeves that I slip on temporarily over my forearms while welding. I've had some pretty "good" sunburns over the years. And, there's nothing quite like having the fist full of sand feeling in the eyes after repeated flash burns. Not something to mess with.
X2 on the magifiers, particularly those of us with bifocals.
Click to expand...
I used to work with a guy who was welding in the rain once. He put up a blue poly tarp behind and above him to stay dry and continued welding for the rest of the day. He didn’t realize it at the time, but the arc flashes were reflecting off the tarp and back into his hood. He said it was the worst pain he’d ever felt when he woke up the next morning and couldn’t even open his eyes. I think he thought he’d gone blind for a second. Haha
 
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