Any professional welder would agree that it is not your welding machine, grinder, or chop saw that is the most crucial piece of equipment in your shop. It is, in fact, your welding helmet. 

Because welding is a risky profession, a welder wears a welding helmet at all times to protect their head, face, and eyes from UV rays, infrared light, and heat. For any welder, it is like their shadow – an extension of themselves.

But since a welding helmet is such essential equipment, what must one remember before buying a helmet? 

In this blog, we will explore some of the popular welding helmet types available, along with their suitability. We will also learn about the points we must consider before purchasing a helmet for ourselves. To make the task easier for you, we have also jotted down the pros and cons of each welding helmet type to help you choose the most suitable one.

Auto-darkening helmets may prove to be effective, but their main drawback is that it is typically quite expensive.

Pros

• You can select your shade level according to your job type.
• You get good visibility before you strike an arc. 
• You don’t have to remove the helmet to check your work. 
• The lens is automatic and darkens when you strike an arc.
• Many recommend this type of helmet for safety

Cons

• It is an expensive helmet for welding. 
• The LCD of the helmet requires power.
• Batteries need replacing regularly.
• Solar power can take time to charge 

1. Fixed shade lens auto-darkening welding helmets

Fixed shade helmets commonly have a standard shade level of 10. These helmets are not arc brightness-adjustable. If you plan to work on only one kind of project that requires only one kind of material, the fixed-shade lens will be appropriate.

In this manner, the lens won’t need to be adjusted appropriately. This helmet will also be perfect for DIY experts who enjoy the option of doing their own repairs but have no prior welding knowledge.

Because dads often choose to wear this helmet while repairing their iron gates or their child’s bicycle frame, most welders refer to this style of the helmet as the “daddy” helmet.

Pros

• A fixed shade lens is much more affordable than a variable shade auto-darkening welding helmet.
• It is ideal for people who repeatedly undertake the same welding technique.
• For many common welding tasks, your shade strength won’t need to be changed.

Cons

• To perform a different welding task, a different lens will be needed.

1. Pancake welding helmet

A pancake welding hood might be something you have never heard of if you are a newbie. They are given this name primarily because they resemble pancakes. 

A strap holds this style of a helmet to your face and rests it over your eyes. The round shield covers your face and has a viewing window that is darkened so you can see your work while being protected.

This type of helmet’s minimal weight is its main benefit. Used by pipeline welders, pancake welding helmets have a circular shield connected to what is called a balsa box, constructed of extremely light balsa wood. 

Your eyes are also shielded from outside light by the balsa box. Because traditional-style helmets can let in too much sunlight, pancake helmets are frequently advised for anyone welding outside.

Pros

• One of the major advantages of the pancake welding helmet is that it is lightweight and therefore, can be worn for long periods of time.
• The shape of pancake welding hoods is such that the helmet shields all the sides of your face.
• The balsa box goggles are able to give you a clear view of your work by blocking light from all angles and from behind.
• The pancake welding hood sits comfortably around your head because of its lightness and softness.

Cons

• It is limited to pipeline welding and outdoor welding tasks.
• It cannot be used for indoor projects.

2. Solar-powered lens helmet

These helmets are designed to be recharged by solar energy with fixed batteries that cannot be changed. The helmet is powered by a battery to start, but solar energy keeps it running.

Because the battery pack doesn’t do much work, using solar-powered helmets could be cost-effective. Additionally, while not in use, this style of helmet automatically switches off the lens. The solar-powered helmet’s affordability is thereby significantly increased.

However, one reason welders might be reluctant to use this helmet is that it is not always ready for use. The day before a project, one would always need to remember to set it out in the sun to recharge. Failure to do so would result in valuable project time being lost, which might be highly expensive.

Pros

• Solar-powered lens helmet is very economical – it saves battery life by obtaining most of the power from welding arc light.
• It uses the sun to recharge the battery.
• When not in use, it can be switched to grinding mode to save battery life, or it will automatically switch off.
• Another big advantage is that it doesn’t require constant monitoring.
• It is often lighter in weight.
• Its versatile operations make it suitable for most welding environments.

Cons

• Batteries in these types of welding helmets usually only last for up to 5 years since they contain built-in, non-rechargeable batteries.
• If you forget to recharge your battery before use, it costs you a lot of time.

3. The battery-powered helmets

The battery-powered helmet employs a rechargeable or interchangeable lithium-ion battery.

There are many different kinds of battery-powered helmets available on the market, including lithium and alkaline. However, this varies by manufacturer. 

Welders frequently work long hours finishing challenging projects. If they grumble about manually adjusting their lenses, consider how difficult it must be to use a solar-powered helmet. 

Although it is more cost-effective than a battery-operated helmet, many welders would rather spend a little more on battery replacements than find themselves in a sticky situation right before a project.

Pros

• The batteries in such helmets do not take very long to charge
• Using the on/off switch, the welder can have complete control over how much power the welding helmet will consume.
• The longevity of battery-powered helmets is generally longer than that of solar-powered helmets.

Cons

• Eventually, the lithium batteries expire and need to be replaced. This is a hassle on its own because you need to track down the manufacturer to get an original set of batteries.
• These helmets are often manually operated, which leaves space for making mistakes and even becomes comparatively more time-consuming.

FAQs

• What are the different types of welding hoods?

We have a wide variety of welding hoods available depending on your preferences, welding environment, budget, and more. Solar-powered welding hoods, battery-powered welding hoods, variable and fixed auto-darkening helmets, passive welding helmets, and pancake welding helmets are a few types available.

• What is a welding hood called?

A welding hood or welding helmet. It is a piece of protective headgear that is essential to every welder. It shields the skin and eyes from vision-damaging ultraviolet and infrared radiation and heat from the severe sparks of the arc. 

• What is the darkest welding shade?

The market standard shades available range from 8-13, with #13 being the darkest welding shade.

• What shade should my welding helmet be?

The shade of your helmet should be according to the wedding arc you will work with and the type of project you are undertaking. A welding helmet’s shade setting typically runs from shade 8 to shade 13. However, there are lenses available for light-duty welding tasks like cutting, grinding, chipping, etc., and their shades range from 2 to 8.

Do you work in the manufacturing industry? Is your idea of great customer service a minimized mess after you’re done sanding or sawing? If yes, perhaps a downdraft table is what you need. 

Downdraft table, a powerful, steel-made, motor-run asset, makes working with small tools and compact machinery considerably more efficient. To protect the motors, many downdraft tables have pierced table tops with filters that collect all the dust. 

In essence, a downdraft table enables you to keep your workspace clean when undertaking tool work through filters. And this is precisely the reason why they are so very popular among woodworkers. A downdraft table is largely used to collect dust particles and tiny debris that occur in the manufacturing processes, say sawing or sanding. 

Application of downdraft table

Downdraft tables are most commonly found in metalworking and woodworking businesses. But, you will notice that most of these units have further applications in your company. Serving as a work surface, these tables can be utilized in any place where the fumes need to be kept away from employees. You can gather your materials and all the machines or tools, and simply proceed to the table to start working on it. These tables offer a significant advantage over a standard workbench in that way. 

Downdraft is a name that is derived from the downdraft airflow that the table produces when turned on. It is this airflow that helps keep all of the debris from entering your body via your nose, lungs, or even eyes. It keeps the wooden shavings and sawdust hidden away from your workspace, giving you a neat and clean working environment along with clarity pertaining to your task at hand.

Types of Downdraft Table

There are different downdraft tables available for different purposes. Each has its own set of advantages and downsides. The design of these tables is also slightly altered to meet particular requirements. 

Let us discuss the two commonly used downdraft tables – one for woodworking and the other for metalworking. You must thoroughly understand each type before making a purchase to ensure that it matches your requirements. 

How to use a woodworking and metalworking downdraft table

Downdraft table for woodworking 

Working with wood leads to the production of a lot of waste, like fine dust and microscopic particles. These pollutants can severely restrict your vision and make the entire experience of carrying out woodworking unpleasant and hazardous. Downdraft tables are common for woodworkers because of this reason precisely, since it helps in the proper elimination and disposal of the wood waste.

The perforated surface and dust collection system of the table allows you to remove dangerous wood dust particles, which can cause serious health problems if inhaled and thereby aid in the ensuring clean atmosphere for the manufacturers to work. Installing this table leads to reducing the risk of injury and contact with wood dust.

This is how a downdraft table can be used in workspaces that involve working with woods.

Downdraft table for metalworking 

The application of a downdraft table is not just restricted to woodworking industries. A downdraft table has the potential to remove pollutants from dirty air because it is functioned to eliminate small particles. Contaminated air can be dangerous, so to be safe the system has to return clean air. This is what makes it popular amond metalworkers as well. For most, it is considered a good small company investment rather than an expense. 

Welding fumes (carcinogen), and they also pose a serious health hazard for the staff. These benches are well equipped for grinding because they neatly catch all of the shavings from the process, drastically reducing the chance of harm, thereby ensuring safety. 

Furthermore, if the downdraft table has a solid particle filter, it removes them from the workers’ surroundings, giving the worker a clean environment. An additional benefit for the people working on downdraft benches is that it reduces the likelihood of injury caused by metal products.

General uses of downdraft tables

Most downdraft tables have features such as protection from spark shields, dust collection system, exhaust funnels, and heavy-duty work surfaces, among others, making them the perfect fit for manufacturing industries.

Downdraft tables are commonly used for chemical preparation for welding, woodworking, crushing, pulverizing, and hazardous material processing. Such operations are part of millions of people’s daily labor, and downdraft tables help accomplish that job efficiently. Hardworking personnel can complete their activities safely, thanks to the services provided by these tables.

What are the health and safety benefits of metal downdraft tables?

Downdraft tables serve two key purposes in the workplace: they safeguard the workers and meet industry-specific workplace requirements. Additional advantages include: 

Fulfilling your legal obligations-

Employers are required by law and regulation to create a safe and healthy work environment that is free of hazardous dust collection and smoke. An employer can meet these legal requirements and avoid penalties and sanctions from supervisory authorities by installing downdraft tables for its workers.

Elimination of fire and explosion hazards-

Numerous types of industrial dust are combustible or flammable. Large amounts of plasma and oxy-acetylene dust, in particular, can cause fire. So, adding an automatic downdraft table is the perfect solution as it is a preventative measure that can protect your workforce and avoid property damage if you conduct a lot of welding and cutting.

Do downdraft tables work?

This is largely dependent on the application. In many circumstances, downdraft benches are effective. It is dependent on two factors. Do you have a task that would benefit from the use of a downdraft table, and have you chosen an appropriate downdraft bench by going through all the useful information about the same? If your answer is yes for both, the tables should work for you. 

Conclusion-

Your workers will thrive in a dust-free atmosphere with a downdraft table in place, which implies fewer sick days and missed labor hours owing to air quality issues. Everyone will be able to breathe easier, and your company will save money in the short as well as long term if a proper downdraft table is put to use in your company.

CNC Machining is a process used in the manufacturing sector that involves the use of computers to control machine tools. Tools that can be controlled in this manner include lathes, mills, routers and grinders. The CNC in CNC Machining stands for Computer Numerical Control.

There are many advantages to using CNC Machining. The process is more precise than manual machining, and can be repeated in exactly the same manner over and over again. Because of the precision possible with CNC Machining, this process can produce complex shapes that would be almost impossible to achieve with manual machining. CNC Machining is used in the production of many complex three-dimensional shapes. It is because of these qualities that CNC Machining is used in jobs that need a high level of precision or very repetitive tasks.  Often water based coolants, semi-synthetic coolant, or an oil based coolant is applied by nozzles or flood emulsion to protect the tool and the workpiece.  This process produces a coolant mist, oily mist, and or oil smoke which is ideal for our Clean Air ZeroMist™ OM Series, Clean Air ZeroSmoke™ OS Series, or Clean Air ZeroSmoke™ HS Series.