• grue@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I have literally never seen a welding mask with either a built-in respirator or enough room in front of the mouth/nose to accommodate a separate one. Do such things even exist?

    • LordGimp
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      2 months ago

      Are you serious? PAPR systems have been around forever. I’ve seen old setups that are fitted to use pressurized air from compressors. Just don’t forget to trap the line or you’re gonna get real oily and moist real fast.

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Okay, look, I admit it: I own a welder, but I’m not a welder. My experience shopping for welding masks is limited to places like Harbor Freight and Amazon.com, and the notion of searching for “welding respirator” or “welding PAPR” instead of “welding mask” never crossed my mind until reading this thread.

        • LordGimp
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          2 months ago

          First tip: we call them “hoods”. As in “drop the hood and get to welding”

          A welding mask to me is one of those handheld jobbies my instructor used to use back in welding school. Think clipboard on a stick with a very dark piece of glass over a cutout in the middle.

          Old “welding hoods” are literally that. A big leather hood that goes over your whole head with a little fixture to hold the welding lens over your face like snow goggles. They still make this style today for real heavy welding applications