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tips on how to flip helmet down

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4.1K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  Bonzoo  
H
#1 ·
Hello all, still kinda new at this welding stuff. I have a harbor freight auto darkening helmet and a passive helmet that has the 2x4 inch lens. I sometimes have a hard time seeing what I'm welding with the auto darkening helmet because of the green tint. the passive helmet has a shaded flip lens that goes over the clear lens. I actually like the passive helmet because it doesn't have the green tint when I strike the arc and the image is much clearer. however I'm having a hell of a time flipping the helmet down properly. sometimes it doesn't go all the way down. I want to get the hang of this since I've flash myself a few times when I inadvertently touched the metal before I could flip the lens down in time. does the helmet need to be adjusted a certain way? thanks
 
M
#2 ·
Start with chin up, flip down briskly :)

Just kidding around - loosen the two tension adjusters on the side of the helmet until it stays up ok, flips down ok.

Some cheap helmets suck and can't be adjusted to do both.
 
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S
#4 ·
Practice. You will have to practice getting it to drop all the way down every time. You will also have to practice keeping your hands in the same place as you drop your hood.
 
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S
#5 ·
Did you peel the plastic film off the inside of the harbor freight lens?
 
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G
#6 ·
This!!
Many people don't know there is film on the inside



For flipping, just have to play with how tight the screws are to something that is comfortable. Most times I still use my hand to pull my hood down
 
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H
#7 ·
Use your hand, not your neck. There is a thing known as "welders neck" from flipping your hood down like that over a period of years. I know a few with relatively serious neck problems because of it. Use your hand as much as possible, you'll be happy you did.

For the times when using your neck is necessary, you just need the hood adjusted properly.
 
K
#8 ·
Put some gummy wax (like from a $1 toilet gasket ... also good for waterproofing boots) or thick/sticky grease (like NLGI 3 or 4) onto the threads of the Frankenstein bolts, and the part that cams/pivots when the hood lowers or raises. This will make the "tightness" of the bolts, and the resistance to pivoting, more consistent and repeatable.

Hillbilly Welder said:
Use your hand, not your neck. There is a thing known as "welders neck"
Click to expand...
You shouldn't snap your neck to lower it...you should have the Frankenstein bolts adjusted so that you can barely nod your head, and face downward, and the hood will fall. It's a delicate balance. And if you do a lot of working with the hood on, but raised, you may need to adjust one of the Frankenstein bolts just a bit, but once you get used to it, you will know exactly how much it needs to turn to go from the "mostly up" to "mostly down" position.
 
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