If you are looking for the best pipeline welding helmets, you probably already know that pipe welding is among the most difficult types of welding processes Joining curved pieces of metal is considered one of the most challenging tasks in the welding world, and pipe welding involves working with metals of various thicknesses and shapes, including pipes.
If you choose to work in pipe welding, you will find out that you are going to use one of the three welding methods: Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW or MIG) and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW or TIG).
Pipe welding is considered one of the most difficult fields regarding welding, because welders need to work in tough positions in order to join cylindrical metal pieces (tubes), sometimes of extremely large sizes.
In this article, we have researched and found 5 of the best welding helmets fit for pipe welding. They offer great convenience, and they allow the welders to work under rough occasions having the best visibility and protection possible.
Best pipeline welding helmets
In order to work properly and stay protected, pipeline welders need to wear their welding helmets at all times to avoid accidents. Here, we have made a list with 5 of the best pipeline welding helmets, and we review them below:
1 – Top choice – Fibre-Metal Pipeliner
- The industry standard for pipe welding
- Specially formulated SuperGlas Plus material and...
- Impervious to moisture, impact resistant...
- Compact design allows access to areas where there...
- Comfortable, functional headgear uses a...
My top choice regarding pipeline welding helmets is the Fibre-Metal Pipeliner. This is because the particular welding helmet has a very fast response time, which is extremely useful for pipeline welders that want to have maximum eye protection.
There is a shade 10 lens place on the helmet, which pretty much guarantees that the safety levels are going to remain high, and justify the significantly fast response time. They detect the arc instantly after the welder activates it, and they return to their brighter shades fast so that the welder can move to the next project as soon as possible.
The Fibre-Metal Pipeliner which you can find on Amazon, utilizes superglass material which is very lightweight. This makes it a perfect fit for both outdoor and indoor projects, and especially suitable for pipe projects.
This welding helmet by Honeywell (Fibre-Metal) offers great optical clarity and accuracy. The clear visibility will allow you to reduce grinding and revisiting your welds, which makes it an extremely effective welding helmet for pipeline welding projects with high difficulty.
2 – Runner-up – Fibre-Metal Tigerhood
- HEAT & SPARK-RESISTANT: Thermoplastic Noryl...
- EXCELLENT PROTECTION: Unique design combines...
- CLEAR VISION: Molded-in glass holder features...
- LONG-LASTING DURABILITY: Molded-in color...
- FIT & COMFORT: Ratchet-style 3-C headgear features...
This is a welding helmet model by Fibre-Metal that offer amazing clarity that enhances the visibility of the welder. For pipeline welders that work into dark workplaces with minimum light, I consider the Fibre-Metal Tigerhood to be the absolute solution.
It is covered with an excellent, full-functional thermoplastic material, which works nicely under extremelly high temperatures as stated by the manufacturer. In addition to this, the helmet wears comfortably on the head, and it is a fairly lightweight model.
It has a shade 10 lens, and offers very clear vision along with a telescoping lead. You can also place a hard hat adapter, and it is very easy to adjust on the head due to its comfortable design. In my opinion, a great choice for pipe welding. For more info about the Fibre-Metal Tigerhood, click here.
3 – Fibre-Metal 110WH
- RUGGED SUPERGLAS PLUS: Tough but lightweight...
- COMPACT DESIGN: Specifically designed as a pipe...
- SAFETY & CLEAR VISION: Pipeliner Welding Helmet...
- RATCHETING HEADGEAR: Easy-to-set, ratcheting...
- BALANCE & COMFORT: Free-floating arms minimize...
For those that are looking for a welding helmet specifically designed for pipeline welding, the Fibre-Metal 110WH is their go-to option. The Honeywell Company has listened to the needs of pipe welders, and manufactured this amazing welding helmet for pipe weldings.
A huge advantage of this great helmet is its extremely affordable and competitive price. It costs around $50, and offers all the advantages that its higher-priced competitors offer. It is a very strong welding helmet, made of solid and durable materials to last over time.
The Honeywell Fibre-Metal 110WH which you can find on Amazon, is very light weight and convenient for challenging pipeline projects. It protects the pipe welder under rough conditions, and its compact size allows the user to work conveniently in tight spaces.
4 – Fibre-Metal 906BK
- Shell Material: Thermoplastic
- Product Type: Helmet Assembly
- Item Package Dimension: 14.0" L x 10.0" W x 9.0" H
- Item Package Weight: 1.19 lb
For pipeline welders on a tight budget, the Fibre-Metal 906BK is one of my best suggestions. It has a mounting cup that I consider a plus, which can be replaced with new ones once they get too old to function properly.
The helmet is made of thermoplastic material , as the rest of the Fibre-Metal welding helmets, that has the ability protect the pipe welder from accidental arc flash during the entire welding process. Due to the 4 1/4 viewing of the helmet, you don’t need to turn around in order to see more clearly, which means that it allows you to focus on your projects and maintain your workflow.
Last but not least, the Fibre-Metal 906BK which you can find here, comes with a great design, specifically made for pipeline welding. The helmet has a shade 10 lens, which is more than sufficient to protect even the most sensitive eyes from arc flashes.
5 – Fibre-Metal 706GY
- Shell Material: Thermoplastic
- Product Type: Helmet Assembly
- This product is manufactured in Mexico
- Package Dimensions: 34.29 L x 22.606 H x 25.4 W...
Although I have placed the Fibre-Metal 706GY by Honeywell last on my list, it is one of my favorite welding helmets for all types of welding, especially pipeline welding. It has everything a welder needs, form great design to tsurdy structure, and it is very convenient.
The particular welding helmet is very similar design-wise to the majority of the Fibre-Metal welding helmets. It has slightly different colors, since it is grey (the rest being more white(ish), and the shape of the helmet is curvy for better effectiveness during pipe welding.
The convenience that this pipeline welding helmet provides is awesome. This fact indicates that the helmet is perfect for long hour projects, that require the focus of the welder. It prevents fatugue, and it wears comfortably on any type of head.
Its sturdy structure and nice design make it a great choice for pipeline welders. For more information regarding the price and the features of the Fibre-Metal 706GY, visit Amazon.
Basic pipeline welding information
Pipe welding is not considered an easy job. It requires working under some very inconvenient positions, because many times the working area is either limited or difficult to approach. That said, someone can understand that it is not a beginner-friendly welding job, and requires experience and knowledge.
If you are a beginner, you are advised to start with easier welding methods, and focus on learning the basic of welding before getting in touch with pipeline welding. This way, you are going to acquire a better understanding of how welding works, in order to be able to evolve later as a welder.
The most well-known and commonly used welding process is the open root welding. In this process, which is considered very difficult and is used mostly by experienced welders, the welder does not use a tacked backing plate. This means that the welder literally works above a gap.
Regarding pipe welding, it is extremely necessary for welders to know which one is their better-working hand. As a pipe welder, you need to learn how to use both hands to reach the opposite side of the welding pipe.
Tubes that need welding sometimes have very big surfaces. Such surfaces tend to limit your view, and limit your reach potential when it comes to using the arc torch or gun. Working in strange and challenging positions is inevitable, especially when welding at the bottom size of the pipe.
In order to achieve stronger welds, you need to begin every welding process by tack welding all metal pieces together, so that you can make sure that they stay in place. This way, you are going to have all the necessary time you need to feather or cut out your tacks, to avoid damaging your weld and minimize the risks of destroying the entire project.
Pipe welding procedure
Starting with pipe welding, you need to know some basic steps regarding the procedure. First and foremost, each time you begin or stop pipe welding, it is important that you start with the side wall. If you begin with the gap, you might compromise the entire project.
Calm and gentle moves are a necessity. Strike the arc, and take the time until the weld pool start to take form. The first move you need to make is by starting from the open root and going all the way down to the opposite site of the welding area.
Position changes have to be made cautiously. You need to operate the arc by making zigzag moves starting with the first part of the of the pipe which is nearest to you, and then move very slowly towards the open root to secure the weld.
In order to make sure that you work on the pipe properly, you need to divide it into sections and work on each section separately. Take the time to work on each section carefully, until you are sure that the weld is stable. Then, you can move to the next section following the same procedure.
It is recommended that you make a few passes to make sure that the tacks are sturdy and tied properly, so that you can avoid revisiting the same ones later. Doing a good job beforehand, guarantees successful results in the end of the project.
Pipeline welding uses various types of materials of different sizes. The majority of those materials are heavy and thick, and they are used for large projects that use tubes. The penetration can be hard to achieve, and the reason why is the open roots.
Low quality penetrations can lead to serious damages of the pipe weld. This is an especially important note to keep in mind, if you intend to work as a pipe welder in large industrial projects.
How to repair an incorrect pipe weld
Pipe welding is pretty forgiving when it comes to revisiting your weld for additional repairs. This is especially useful to know if you don’t have too much experience in pipeline welding, as it takes much of the stress away.
If your pipe weld has not been completely successful, you can repair the faulty part by revisiting the open root weld and focusing on grinding the damaged area only instead of the whole pipe. It is a very simple task, and limits the amount of work included.
What you need to do, is grind the area and shape its size to look just like the rest of the pipe. To achieve this, you need to re-open the root. After you finish your work, start closing the root again by welding the specific area to its original shape.
What is the role of a pipeline welder?
Pipeline welders are also known as pipe welders. Their role is to repair or join tubes and pipes, and other tubular metal pieces that are used in order to construct buildings, large structures or pipelines that have commercial use.
Pipe welders make use of a variety of welding methods in order to work on their projects. They might work with different types of equipment, as well as various workplaces and locations. Most of the times, pipeline weldings are an outdoor task.
ALSO READ: The 5 Best Welding Helmets with Built-In Respirator
Welders that work in the pipe welding industry need to be well trained and experienced in order to be able to work on difficult projects and take on challenging tasks. This is because of the difficult shape of the pipelines that require hard positions and lots of labor.
The challenging nature of the pipe welding, makes it one of the most dangerous and difficult professions in the world. This is why pipe welders are considered highly skilled workers, and their salaries are most of the times bigger than the average worker’s.
Conclusion
Pipe welding is considered one of the most difficult jobs in the welding industry. It takes a lot of working hours, experience and knowledge for a welder to start working in pipeline projects. This is why it is not recommended for beginners.
In this article, we have discussed and reviewed 5 of the best welding helmets for pipe welders that offer protection and high optical clarity of the best results possible. Now its your turn. Do your research and choose the welding helmet that fits your needs. Keep welding!