Learn About Types of Welding Helmets By William Walley At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Welding helmets are one of the most important aspects of the safety equipment that a welder must wear. They protect the welder from UV rays, sparks and the bright light of the torch fire.

According to OSHA a welding helmet should have several components:

• The shell - the shell of the helmet should have an eye piece that is resistant to electricity, heat and impact. It should be opaque so that light will be dimmed by it.

• Outer cover plate - this should protect from scratches, impact and UV rays (radiation). This should also be made of polycarbonate plastic because this is the protection from UV.

• Filter lens - this should be made from glass and contain a filter that controls the light that passes through the eyes. Each filter will have a different amount that it will let through and they come in shades from 2-14. As the numbers get higher, the filter gets darker and lets less light got through the lens.

• Retainer lens - this should be plastic so that it stops pieces from the filter lens that might break from getting into the eyes.

• Gasket - this should be made from a material that is insulated against heat and should be between the filter lens and the cover lens. This will protect the welder and the lens from any heat changes that may be sudden that might cause it to break.

A good helmet will have all of these features and comply with the standards that OSHA requires. There is a wide variety of helmet types and many are a matter of preference to the welder. All are geared to keep your eyes and your head safe from the sparks and UV radiation.

There are many different styles of auto darkening helmets and they are good if you don't want to have to take your helmet off to change a lens. They will darken automatically as soon as the welder strikes the ark and then when the welding stops, it goes back to a light state. Some welding helmets have a manual feature where you have to change the amount of darkness as you go, which may mean you have to take the helmet off to do this.

Passive welding helmets are ones that you will see some of the older welders using because they are the traditional helmet. These do not darken automatically and they include a sweat band for your sweat but nothing fancy.

Helmets come in a variety of colors and styles so that most welders will find something they like. There is a brand called "monster helmets" that look like you should wear them during Halloween. There is a Pro-Hobby Series of manual welding helmets that are for lighter projects and are suggested for hobby projects, farm projects or small home projects.

It is a good idea to look on the Internet for the various helmets so you can see their different specifications and styles. This will help you pick one that is right for you.

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