Auto Helmet to fit over Moldex Full Face Mask

[geoffsurf]

I started with a Starparts auto darkening mask and used that for a few years. I did not use it for a few years and it seems the battery inside has gone flat and I can't see anyway to replace it.

I therefore need to get a new auto darkening mask. I just weld as a hobby to fix my VW camper so I am not after something mega expensive, but I am prepared to pay a bit for the right helmet.

The important thing is that it is a helmet that can fit over a Moldex 9000 full face mask. I wear one of these because I use that for grinding and working under the vehicle and like to avoid any fragments dropping into my eyes.

So does anyone know of a helmet that has a large amount of room that would allow a full face mask underneath? I also don't quite understand the overview of the cost brackets of these masks can anyone explain. Do they go from cheap ebay £20 masks to the £80 and then £200?

Thanks

 

[pedrobedro]

Moldex 9000 full face with twin filters under a welding mask, why would you need that ? If you must have that setup buy a cheap mask and cut it to fit but it would be easier to take the welding mask off and put the grinding mask on as it will be so clumsy you will soon get fed up. Get a helmet with a grinding function and a smaller dust mask that will fit under it. Helmets are something where you do get what you pay for. Dearer are better quality shells and optics, medium price compromise on one or the other and cheap ones are flimsy shell flexible plastic and hit or miss with the optics so you might get a perfectly good one but I have used them with light bands in the screen and sensors that are unpredictable.

 

[geoffsurf]

I don't really know how people cope with just using basic goggles. The minute I do any grinding, or even just crawl under a car to fit panels and inspect, I seem to get bits of dust and metal in my eyes. The idea with the Moldex full face is that I leave it on most of the time when doing work and little fragments can't land on my forehead or around my face. With smaller goggles the fragments either get in through gaps or drop down from my face into my eyes once I take the goggles off.

I was once welding and hit a little bit of dirty metal and I had a huge lump of molten metal hit my welding mask. I got worried after that. I also sometimes need to weld lying underneath and find that bits of weld can drop down onto me, so the mask is just making sure there is no way of it getting to my eyes. It also has the added bonus of trying to filter some of the fumes.

What sort of money would you have to be paying before you get a "decent" type helmet. I saw one on ebay that has a much bigger viewing area that is about £80. I was wondering if this would be any good. I used to wear my old mask with the Moldex full face mask but found I had to hold it in place and struggles to see through the viewing area because the shape of the mask didn't necessarily fit the shape of the helmet.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301590301222?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2648&var=600479321574&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[pedrobedro]

I can't say whether that is as good as it looks, you will have to be the guinea pig but the screen looks to have all the right features, 5-13 and a grinding mode with a replaceable battery. I've been welding under cars for a long time and never used more than a pair of safety glasses under the visor and never had any problems with weld in my eyes and a pair of goggles for grinding has always been enough to keep my eyes clear. If you are welding under cars something is eventually going to drop on you, wear a good flame retardant boiler suit and some gloves and hat and learn some good swear words. Wait till a fizzer goes in your ear and you'll know what panic really is.

 

[geoffsurf]

What sort of price do decent welding helmets start at? If I said I had £80 to spend is there anything decent for that money or do you have to spend a lot more.