Welder mask, how to choose a welder mask
A modern welding mask is as follows: in the lower part there is a handle that helps to hold the structure, in the upper part there is a shield directly, which is a darkened filter. Quite often, household welding units are equipped with masks of this kind. The only plus of the shield is that it can be easily removed from the face at the moment when you need to visually evaluate the seam made, and minus the busy hand. It is practically impossible for a working person holding a mask and a welding fixture to perform any additional actions.
Content:
- Conventional welding mask
- Shield for specific types of welding
- Varieties of protective filters
- Welder Mask Chameleon video
- Principles for choosing a welding mask
- Light filters for masks
- Adjustment of filters
- The most popular welding mask models video video
Conventional welding mask
This type of mask is equipped with a special mount that allows you to put it on your head during operation and thereby free one of your hands. Until recently, this type was the most popular. Work in it is as follows: putting a mask on his head and completing a seam, raise the so-called visor and look at the quality of the work performed, nodding his head forward, lower the visor and continue to work.
Pros:
- ease of use
- hand released for auxiliary actions.
Cons: when the visor is raised to the top, the eyes are left without proper protection and may receive damage, for example, from upholstering of slag.
masks with lifting light filters
This type of mask is much more practical and convenient than the previous ones. When raising the visor, the eyes remain protected by a plastic shield, which in turn makes it possible to safely slag slag and the like.
Shield for specific welding jobs
Such shields will be indispensable in rooms with poor air circulation when working with metals that contain toxic substances (zinc, manganese, chromium, and so on). Visually, such shields resemble a gas mask. They are equipped with air supply systems with filters that protect the respiratory system from toxic fumes emitted during welding.
What can be protective filters
In accordance with generally accepted GOST standards, protective filters must include a plexiglass substrate layer and a glass cover layer. For the manufacture of protective masks, it is customary to use brand C filters (4, 5, 6, 7) with a degree of dimming of 9-12 DIN.
The selection of glass is carried out taking into account the type of work that will be performed. If the filter is selected correctly, the design will provide reliable protection to the eyes of a working person for the entire duration of the work. The cost of such filters is not very high, but some difficulties may arise in the process of training and working with them. A more successful option can be considered filters with the name of a chameleon.
Welder Mask Chameleon
First of all, it is worth noting that this type of mask has many positive reviews from users of this type of equipment. The operation of a filter of this kind is based on the polarization of liquid crystals located between two films. When exposed to voltage, the crystals change their orientation in space, this is what allows you to block part of the light flux.
Significantly improves the quality of the mask, the presence of several layers of LCD, which reduce the unevenness of the dimming.
In addition, such filters are equipped with protection against ultraviolet and infrared rays. Such a filter works regardless of the LCD layers, constantly. The filter housing is also equipped with arc recognition sensors. Usually there are two sensor devices installed, this prevents cases when protection failure occurs due to the fact that an object is located between the arc and the sensor. An electronic unit equipped with batteries and control devices controls the operation of the protective system.
The chameleon light filter is triggered in 1 millisecond, which completely guarantees 100% eye protection from the harmful effects of welding. The only thing you should pay attention to when working with such a filter is that using it at temperatures below 10 degrees is not recommended by the manufacturer. In other words, at this temperature it will not produce the desired effect.
The protective unit has a weight of less than 100 g, its standard dimensions are 90x110 mm, and its thickness is about 10 mm. If you buy a welding mask imported, or from domestic manufacturers, then it will most likely be possible to incorporate a chameleon filter into it. To extend the life of the unit, it is additionally protected from the inside and the outside by plastic filters.
The operation of the chameleon mask is recommended at a temperature not lower than 5 ° C. It is advisable to even store the mask in a heated room. In the event that the mask was in a warm room, it can be used for a period of time at lower temperatures: inside it is slightly warmer than on the street.
In more detail about the benefits of a chameleon mask in the video:
How to choose a welding mask
Basically, masks are already sold in assembled form, but if you wish, in the same specialized stores, you can buy its individual elements.
The mask for household welding is quite simple in appearance and not expensive in cost. But despite this, the protective functions assigned to it are very significant for the user.
There are standard standards by which this product is manufactured. Firstly, there is a certain GOST 12.4.035-78 and TU 3441-003-07515055-97. Secondly, the material from which it is made must be electrically insulating, resistant and strong in relation to the effects of sparks and hot metal and so on. Almost all masks presented on the free market comply with these standards. But you need to pay special attention to the masks that come complete with a welding machine. They do not always comply with GOST.
Most often, domestic manufacturers use plastic or fiber to make masks. Imported similar products are mainly made of plastic. However, their appearance is more attractive.
The most important characteristics during the operation of the mask are:
- its dimensions
- weight,
- a mechanism that allows you to make adjustments to adjust to a specific head size,
- when buying a mask, special attention should be paid to the quality and reliability of the elements performing the adjustment.
Complete with a mask for welding, light filters made of plexiglass or polycarbonate are also sold. Over time, they will have to be replaced with new ones, because scratches and turbidity will form on them during operation.
Sometimes branded protective masks are equipped with special lenses that correct vision, some models have transparent side windows that significantly increase the angle of view.
Light filters for masks
The simplest option is to choose ordinary glass with a blackout for the filter; problems during operation usually do not arise. The difference between such glasses is mainly in their degree of dimming (a different degree of dimming involves the implementation of different welding operations).
More problematic is the choice of chameleon masks. The main caveat is that not all filters and masks have the same trademark. Therefore, the first thing to do is to check the conformity of dimensions and make sure that the light will not be able to penetrate between the mask and the filter.
After reviewing the documentation for this product, and finding in it information about the country in which it was manufactured, the manufacturer, the operating period, the warranty period, the certified level of the light filter and the optical class, you can be completely sure that the product will fully guarantee safe use . Otherwise, the purchase of goods will be meaningless.
Dimming, delay, and sensitivity controls can be smooth or jogged. The best option is when all positions are present and continuously adjustable. It is very convenient if the dimming control is on the outside, left side of the mask. This option provides the ability to control dimming directly in the process.
An important nuance characterizing the high quality of the filter is the ability to protect when working with argon-arc welding. If the filter protects against it, then it can be safely used when working with other types of welding (piece electrodes, semi-automatic). The dimensions of the visible region also matter: the larger the better.
Adjustment of filters
A welder-friendly mask is one that allows you to adjust the dimming; this is an important feature that is present in all modern mask models. Particular attention is paid to this point for the reason that the brightness of the welding arc can have quite different indicators. When inoperative, the degree of darkening of the filter is usually 3-4 DIN.
Depending on the filter sensitivity setting, the response threshold of the device changes, depending on the luminous intensity of the heated metal and the brightness of the arc itself. This function will help to avoid unnecessary inclusion of the filter, for example - from bright sunlight.
The opening delay function will help to avoid a situation when the mask opens immediately after the disappearance of the luminous arc, when the glow of the metal remains quite intense. With short pauses in operation, the filter will not annoy the welder with its blinking.
Infrequently used adjustments include:
- the filter shutdown function, it may be needed if the welder uses additional devices, for example, an angle grinder,
- tack welding mode, which is used for spot welding,
- adjustment of sensors, allowing you to change the angle of perception of the glow of the electric arc, the advantage that can be obtained by using this function is the exclusion of the sensors from triggering sparks flying from the side.
The most popular models of masks for welding
Among these, one can name masks of both domestic and foreign manufacturers. Naturally, caring for comfortable work and one's own health are the criteria that are decisive when choosing masks.
Among the most popular are Resant's mask, the latest models of this line are equipped with sensors with constant sensitivity, they have extended viewing windows, a high degree of protection against ultraviolet radiation and infrared radiation, the degree of shading in the dark state is 11 DIN.
An overview of the Resant mask can be viewed on the video:
The mask of the Fubag OPTIMA 9-13 welder is characterized by a higher degree of blackout, its indicator reaches from 9 to 13 DIN, excellent protection against IR and UV radiation, automatic power on / off.
The mask is equipped with two touch devices and an external adjustment of the degree of dimming.
You can see the benefits of Fubag masks when watching a video:
