Welding Tips and Tricks

So, I just received one of the new SavePhace M03 helmets as a Christmas present to myself. While playing around on WeldFabulous, I also ordered a Miller LPR-100 half face respirator and some Arcster gloves.

I normally use TorchWear Fabricator gloves, and they work awesome for doing just that, builsing/handling material, but I wanted something with a little more tactile feedback. The Arcster gloves fit awesome, and I think they might be what I was looking for. We'll see after I weld with them some.



The respirator is a nice little unit as well. It has P100 HESPA+ filters in it (99.7% particulate according to the brochure) that protect against "hazardous particulates including both solid and liquid particles. Dust, mist and fumes of all types." Verbatim. Not the greatest grammar I've ever seen, but if you look at the warning label on the provided Everlast argon regulator, above the screw for the pressure regulator on the back it says, and I quote, "Don't adjust to avoid the hurt." So I give Miller some credit. Once the straps are adjusted properly, and the positive pressure check passed, the respirator works great. I can definitely see why it would be an issue for some to use a respirator all day, as it almost feels like using a sphygmanometer all day (I think that's right. The little respiratory training thing with the floating ball and the bendy straw mouth piece). More importantly, it fits great under the hood, which was part of my initial concern.



The helmet itself is sweet! If I wake up early enough tomorrow to go in to the shop before the owner leaves (not likely at this point) I'll go over and lay some beads and let you guys know what I think. I played with the sensitivity until it quit flashing on every time I'd look sideways at the lights in my chandelier. I also played with the delay, and there is a huuuuge difference in how white the light is burnt in your eyeballs between 1/20000 and 1/6 of a second. Everyone kind of giggles at the speed at which they react, if you have a delay and sensitivity adjustment, turn the sensitivity and delay to the max and find a light that will trigger it, and then turn delay to minimum. It was surprising even with something with so little intensity compared to an arc flash.

Here are some pics of the helmet, headgear, and lens controls.








I'll let you guys know how it goes tomorrow, or Monday. It was a long drive back to Ohio today.

Sam,
You will like that filter for sure. A couple things that bothered me about it however, were some of my helmets hit it causing me to watch my welds from the bottom of my lens. Your helmet looks like there is plenty of clearance for sure. The other thing is the obvious, filters don't last very long and especially when exposed to moisture, from my experience anyway.

That helmet looks awesome. Gotta ask, why no graphics? I personally like it like that. Can't wait for your in depth review after using it.
-Jonathan

Very nice!

The first close-up of the headgear makes it appear you can adjust the distance between the lens and your face. Is this correct? That looks like a big help for fitting a respirator under it.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:Very nice!

The first close-up of the headgear makes it appear you can adjust the distance between the lens and your face. Is this correct? That looks like a big help for fitting a respirator under it.

Steve S

Yes. That is correct.

In retrospect, the Captain Jack helmet with the pirates all over it would have been more fitting given the circumstances, but I would rather have some of my friends out here airbrush it for me how I want. I also have access to a vinyl machine with pretty much any color imaginable, so I could definitely make it my own. And yes Steve, as Rick said, there are 3 different depth settings for helmet to face adjustments. With how big my head is, I have the front and top "head cradle" adjustments for lack of a better term maxed out. (I had to wear a coaches hat in T-Ball) The headgear at its max setting is big enough for me to wear a bandana if I don't have the knot anywhere unbecoming, but that is about maxed out.

Actually, If it weren't for the articulating rear section, I think the headgear would actually be a bit too small. With the depth at the middle though, the helmet wouldn't open up far enough to be useful because it hit my head before it opened up. I still have to play with it a little bit, and the L/R knobs having side specific threads messed with me because that HF helmet is clockwise to tighten on both sides. I'll get to weld with it tomorrow (spent too much time going out with my brother and sister last week now that they're 21 to have gotten up at a respectable time this morning after working last night. ) I'll do some low amp welding since that seems to be a general question that everyone seems to have once someone gets a new helmet, and will also probably weld a 3/8 fillet or two after I true an edge with a grinder.

Hopefully I will have a more informative post tomorrow about all of it. One thing I will say though, my roommate thinks I'm retarded for sitting around in a respirator for 2 hours while we watched a movie last night. I had the Bane thing going from Batman... I'd like to think so at least

So I played around with my new helmet today. One thing I will say is that the sensitivity adjustments are... Sensitive. I still need to play with it to get it to quit flashing in the shop when you just look around.

I did repeated arc strikes at 3 amps and had no issues with the helmet not recognizing the flash. I didn't have any small enough filler, nor material thin enough to generate a usable puddle on at 3amps, so I don't know how adding filler will effect it, but like I said, it recognized the flash every time and never once didn't darken.

I like the gloves as well. The padded fingers help keep the heat off, and the leather on the palm and fingers is super nice. I definitely think I'll buy them again when I wear this set out.

The clarity is excellent as well. The helmet doesn't feel too ridiculously heavy while you're wearing it, but I haven't welded for an extended period of time.

Ill keep updating this as I use the helmet more and more!

GreinTime wrote:get it to quit flashing in the shop when you just look around.

Try adding time to the delay setting. That will keep it dark a tad longer so it's not flashing back and forth. I have to do that when welding outside in the bright sunlight.

How's the respirator working out?

Rick,
Judging by the pictures he posted on FB of all his room mates passed out around the kitchen table, he's probably wearing it to clean up after them.

At least he was sober enough to take their picture.

Len

I haven't really had a good reason to use it Rick, I've been busy working on cars and such, including mine and customer cars at the shop where I weld at. I will say, compared to some that I've used helping paint stuff, and one that I was fitted for while working with chemicals and stuff at a machine shop, it's very comfortable, and provides a good seal once you have the straps tightened and in the right position (and by that I mean the same position) It's really not all that restrictive, although I can see where people that are asthmatic might have problems just due to the nature of breathing through any restrictions. I'll try and update after I have a chance to weld extensively. I've been debating on making a header for my car, and after noting how warped/rotted the rear most flange on the cat is, I might do it sooner rather than later. The only thing holding me back is whether or not im going to turbo the car.

I too just got the Save Phace M03 helmet for work to replace the Jackson Huntsman that I just hate, POS in my opinion, third headgear in as many years. I only got to weld two welds on some sch.80 3/4 pipe and four 1" long welds on some 1/4" rod to 1/8" flat strap for some hangers. Very clear compaired to all my other helmets including my other Save Phace.

It was on sale at Weldfabulous for $200 and my boss knows I don't normally waste his money on things I don't need so he said go ahead and order it. I normally use my own helmet but since he was willing to pony up the money I wasn't arguing.

I put a cheater in it and that was a little wierd because it has a taller viewing area than the cheater covers so it leaves a little gap at the top that's not magnified. It didn't seem to bother me while welding though.

I like the Miller articulating headgear a little better than this one but it didn't seem too bad. The Miller also can move in and out, but it's easier than the one on this helmet. I'll check later and see if the Miller will interchange and if it will, I'll probably switch it to this helmet.

All in all so far I like it.

Len

Len, you and I feel alike, the lens is very clear I was really impressed but I do favor my Miller head gear as well. I've actually recommended they buy the Save Phace helmets for new employees.