Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi hope someone can help. My employer is making it mandatory for welders to wear respirator welding helmets in the workshop. That’s cool but before I hand out the big bucks I was wondering is there’s I welding helmet on the market that can be used with or without the air unit. Also any recommendations on the best to buy. Thanks

Seems to me if he is requiring you to wear this thing he is the one should be paying for it, your not going to get one for just a few bucks. I can tell you this, I wore one once, I told the superintendent if I got to wear this thing you can find someone else, I drug up

Welcome to the forum Rangarobbo.

I do agree with popeye - if your working full time for an employer & he insists on certain safety equipment then he should provide it - sounds like a cop-out from somewhere that has no / inadequate ventilation or too many welders in the space - but if you need to purchase something I had a speedglas air fed mask - it would fit nearly any mask as it consisted of the filter / motor unit worn on a belt connected via flexi hose to a shaped plastic flat pipe fixed to the headband of the mask - it's only held in with elastic & is easy to remove - I think Racal make an almost identical unit that can be purchase on it's own & retro fitted - I had that unit also but only used it for nuisance dust when doing light spot blasting - they do help but depending on where you weld & for how long they are a PITA ! to wear I also don't believe they filter as much harmful stuff out as claimed especially if your not changing filters daily - the hazardous components in welding fumes are very small to try & filter in something the size that can be carried - it would be far better to ensure good clean air being circulated within the building & extraction of fumes as close as possible to source in my opinion.

I just weld up wind and out side

Dave

rangarobbo wrote:Hi hope someone can help. My employer is making it mandatory for welders to wear respirator welding helmets in the workshop. That’s cool but before I hand out the big bucks I was wondering is there’s I welding helmet on the market that can be used with or without the air unit. Also any recommendations on the best to buy. Thanks

I

noddybrian wrote:Welcome to the forum Rangarobbo.

I do agree with popeye - if your working full time for an employer & he insists on certain safety equipment then he should provide it - sounds like a cop-out from somewhere that has no / inadequate ventilation or too many welders in the space - but if you need to purchase something I had a speedglas air fed mask - it would fit nearly any mask as it consisted of the filter / motor unit worn on a belt connected via flexi hose to a shaped plastic flat pipe fixed to the headband of the mask - it's only held in with elastic & is easy to remove - I think Racal make an almost identical unit that can be purchase on it's own & retro fitted - I had that unit also but only used it for nuisance dust when doing light spot blasting - they do help but depending on where you weld & for how long they are a PITA ! to wear I also don't believe they filter as much harmful stuff out as claimed especially if your not changing filters daily - the hazardous components in welding fumes are very small to try & filter in something the size that can be carried - it would be far better to ensure good clean air being circulated within the building & extraction of fumes as close as possible to source in my opinion.

If it’s required I require my employer to pay for it or reimburse me for it..

Lets not get hung up too much on who should pay & help the OP out with what works.

I had an early speedglas & a Racal - did'nt like either much - really clumsy boxy things - battery life not great & not easy or cheap to get a either - someone on here must have had something newer / better they can recommend hopefully.

+1 with Nods.
Speedglas is overpriced, cumbersome and fatiguing on the neck, heavy.

I’ve used an Optrel E684. It’s lightweight, stays on your head in all positions, great clarity and the battery goes all day.

Unless you’re wearing it all day without taking it off, your workplace must have exhaust ventilation. Sounds like it’s bad in there and may be killing you. Time to look for another job maybe.


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i have the Miller Titanium PAPR respirator and i would NOT recommend it. The hood is too damn heavy. Next to impossible to weld out of position stuff with it I found.

I will say this tho, after a full day of welding and especially plasma cutting indoors, i was a lot less pooped than i was before when i had my head in fumes all day. No doubt.