Pancake Welding Hood: Features, Specifications, Pros and Cons

The pancake welding hood is a particular type of mask, very light, whose round shape and flat surface resemble a pancake, hence its unique name.

This post will discuss the features, specifications, advantages, and disadvantages of the best pancake welding hoods. You will get familiar with how this welding hood takes a vital role in protecting while welding!

What’s The Purpose Of A Pancake Welding Hood?

Commonly used by pipeline welders, the pancake welding hood, mask, or helmet is available for left or right-handed users and has an asymmetrical shape with a shielded side to protect the face from sparks and ultraviolet rays.

Inside, a balsa box adheres like a pair of goggles. It is a component that makes the pancake hood different from everything else type of mask.

There is a wide range of welding hoods available in the market. You can choose according to the requirements and welding process you need to do. Generally, customers give priority to the pancake welding helmet. 

Let’s take a look at its peculiar features, specifications, pros, and cons.

Features

• The outer shield is constructed using a single piece of robust and hard-wearing molded phenolic. This material renders it lightweight, making the welding hood portable.
• The internal box is manufactured using balsa wood, which is extremely soft and lightweight. Furthermore, the balsa wood permits the users to customize the fitting according to their preference using sandpaper.
• The regular pancake hood welding includes a standard lens and cheater. At the same time, the special model consists of an electronic lens or standard lens and cheater.
• Accessible in the right or left-handed model.
• It comes along with a 1.5″ flexible elastic headband.

Sarge’s Pancake Black Welding Hood Helmet (Right-Handed) – OSHA Approved

Specifications

• Weight: 12.5 oz (354 g.)
• Front shield: 10.5″
• Side shield: 5.8″ x 8″
• Left or Right-handed versions are available
• OSHA approved

Pros

• The most fascinating feature of this welding hood is that it is notably portable and lightweight, allowing the user to wear it all day long without causing any strain to the head or neck. The balsa wood is used, allowing the buyers to shape the balsa box according to their fitting and convenience.
• Once modeled, the pancake hood will adapt perfectly to your face, which is very useful when strong winds can bring sand or dust into your eyes.
• A pancake welding mask completely blocks any light, ultraviolet rays, or spark from entering the eyes area or near your face, shielding you in the best possible way.
• Eliminates exhaustion from working for an extended period, making the welding process, especially pipeline welding, an effortless task.
• They are also a more refreshing way of working in hot weather, especially when compared to helmets.
• They are among the cheapest types of welding masks.

Cons

• Neck and ears are not entirely covered; hence, you need to take proper care to avoid any mishap.

Why Do Welders Use Pancake Hoods?

Welding is a crucial task, and many inconveniences occur when an individual does not take proper precautions.

Therefore, welders need to use a protective mask such as the pancake welding hood to protect them from the welding sparks and harmful rays generated during the welding process.

The adjustable headband not only fixes the welding hood securely but also allows the right amount of air to enter the hood, enabling the welder to work comfortably in hot weather conditions.

The scorching sun can disrupt your view and the welding work, but due to the balsa box in this welding hood, you can work indoors or outdoors without any light intruding on your work. The balsa box provides the welder with an excellent glare-free vision.

Moreover, the electronic lenses in the special model permit you to perceive objects in the dark indoors clearly.

With superlative performance and safety, pancake welding hoods come at a very affordable, pocket-friendly price, attainable for many customers.

What Are the Advantages of a Pancake Welding Mask?

Thanks to the creative design, pancake hoods have a side shield to guard your left or right side of the face.

The phenolic Formica and balsa wood are lighter materials used to manufacture this welding hood, making the product portable and comfortable to wear for a more extended time.

Moreover, both phenolic Formica and balsa models provide the mask with a longer life expectancy, making the product durable and sturdy.

To make the welding hood more relaxing for you, you can straightforwardly customize the balsa box according to your preference by using sandpaper.

The pancake hood and balsa box play a vital role in eliminating any light reflection and protecting your face, especially the eyes, from any damage by the welding sparks and hazardous rays. This tool will definitely make the welding process easier and safer for you.

What is the Balsa Box Used for in a Pancake Welding Hood?

The balsa box comes along with the pancake welding hood. The primary purpose of the balsa box is to shield the eyes and provide support to the lens of the welding hood.

The balsa box is custom-made and should be shaped by sandpaper to best fit the contours of your face.

Be careful while changing the shape of the balsa box, as it requires great accuracy and precision for satisfactory functioning.

It prevents the light reflection from behind, providing welders with an anti-glare vision. Moreover, the interior of the balsa box is painted with a black color to minimize the reflection of light as much as possible.

Conclusion

As explained in detail, pancake welding hoods are essential for the safety and protection of welders from welding sparks, sunlight reflections, and harmful ultraviolet rays.

The extraordinary features and design ensure welders a tool to wear with maximum comfort.

Similarly, this hood allows welders to work efficiently, no matter if the place is indoors or outdoors.

Don’t forget to choose the right or left-handed model when buying. The best pancake welding hood can be easily found online at a very reasonable price. In fact, they are one of the cheapest types of welding masks compared with others.