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Writeup: Welding helmet light
I finally got around to doing this project (only took a few years) as I was just about to start an interior cargo drawer system. However steel prices (thanks to Trump's trade war w/ China right now) has made mild steel tubing outrageously expensive. So for now, I can do a few smaller projects.
One of the things that drives me crazy while welding is flipping the helmet down and up. Or focusing some kind of lighting on the welding piece if not done outside. I love it too when a welding spark destroys a bulb too. Using a cheap clip on light has its limitations and I've tried that light that attaches to a MIG gun and that was less than satisfactory.
After reading a few builds I decided to get this light as some people complained they underbought. The swivel mounted light has 3 levels of brightness as well as a blinking red light. The 2 batteries are rechargeable.
So fortunately all of this fits on top of the helmet. It took 2 small bolts, washers, and nuts w/ loctite to secure the lights to the top of the helmet. The batter case took some thought. I tried to mount it with adhesive backed velcro, but the battery case's rubber was of the type of material that is slick and wouldn't allow the adhesive to bond with it. Thus I took the case, drilled 3 x 1/16" holes on each side using the strap guides as a template to align how I'd cut the slits.
I took a heavy duty dremel to both sides to make two slits for the straps. It took some more thought to figure out how to secure the straps to the battery box and it's holding it seems. I will have to sew one side though.
I will say though that it does make the helmet a lot heavier and makes the helmet slide down. I tightened it quite a bit to keep the helmet secure to my forehead. But as you know, doing so cuts off the blood circulation and not a good thing while welding. We shall see if this is comfortable to weld with or not.
