The Gen-X Extreme Face Protector (EFP) series by Save Phace is a versatile array of welding helmets that also double as grinding masks and splash guards. Currently, the only helmet we’ve seen to offer an ADF (auto-darkening filter) with 180° clear peripheral vision, the EFP helmets make welding a much safer and more comfortable experience then what we’re used to. The helmets also sport a narrower-than-usual profile, making welding in tight spots a snap.
When all is said and done, the folks over at Save Phace have created an impressive helmet with some unique features, but above all their masks are a cut above the rest when it comes to style. I’d go so far as to say that Save Phace creates their covers as an artist creates art – lots of attention to detail, fantastic airbrushed designs, and just plain badassery all around.
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The Good:
Very Fast Lens Reaction Time (Switching Time)
The auto-darkening lens is one of the critical features of this helmet, so you’ll be pleased to know that its reaction time is extremely fast, clocking in at 0.3ms (at 23°C). This means you’ll be fully protected from getting flashed from the welding arc, and you’ll feel no discomfort even after hours of welding, as your eyes will never be exposed to the arch.
All-In-One: Grinding Mask, Splash-Guard and Welding Helmet
The auto-darkening lens can be easily replaced with a clear glass (not included with the mask), which instantly transforms the helmet into a grinding cover or splash guard. This cheap and easy adaptation will save you a great deal of money as you won’t need to look into buying a separate helmet.
Adjustable Hood, Excellent Face Protection
It’s completely adjustable so you can alter how far away from your face you’d like the helmet to sit. On the face of it this might seem like an unnecessary gimmick, but when you consider that you’d be able to wear this helmet over prescription eyewear, other respirators, or anything else you can think of, suddenly it seems a whole lot more sensible.
We also discovered that the design of the hood is handy in keeping most of the hot air out. In the past heat could work its way under the helmet and onto the face, making welding an extremely uncomfortable experience. However, this helmet has eliminated the problem. As you wear it, you’ll find that heat doesn’t become trapped underneath the mask quite so easily so welding can be much more relaxed and more comfortable than ever before.
Versatile Helmet: Suitable For Most Welding Tasks
This is an extremely versatile helmet which can be used alongside a wide variety of materials. Unless you’re a hardened professional using some unusual elements, you probably won’t need to buy separate helmets for different jobs. This helmet does precisely what it says on the tin: it protects your face from everything from cutting tiles to chopping wood to jet washing to leaf and snow blowing, and a whole lot more. In fact, this helmet doesn’t have to be used just for welding – it can be worn on any occasion when your face is at risk from flying debris.
Cool Design
As if you hadn’t noticed already, the artists at Save Phace have come up with some really cool designs. They’re definitely stylish, but still, manage to look and feel professional. They have loads of character and are a great way to inject some extra personality into your welding persona.
The Bad:
Clear Lens (For Grinding And Splash-Guard Mode) Not Included
One of the first advantages that were mentioned was the fact that the auto-darkening lens can be replaced by a clear glass to give the helmet a dual purpose, but it’s worth noting that these spare clear lenses are not included. You will have to purchase these as extras, which will raise your costs. Make sure you account for this in your budget.
Beware Of Extreme Temperatures
Take extra care with the lens, because heavy welding might have some adverse effects. If you perform a great deal of intense welding which reaches very high temperatures for significant periods of time, you may notice that some areas of the lens start to soften and melt. However, for the vast majority of welding jobs, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Screws Sometimes Loosen
During times when you’re wearing your helmet a lot, you might find yourself lifting up the hood and lowering it again repeatedly. Over time, this can lead to many of the screws working loose so that the hood doesn’t feel quite as secure as usual. Although this is a minor inconvenience, it is also a straightforward problem to fix. Merely tighten them up again or secure them using tape, then carry on wearing your helmet as usual!
Sheet metal fabrication can be traced back to Egyptian jewelry, using natural metals and ancient techniques. From modern means to project completion to the tools of the trade, here’s our (practically) comprehensive timeline of the history of sheet metal fabrication:
Around 1401: People stop using primordial furnaces to pile alternated layers of iron and charcoal to liquefy steel.
1485: Leonardo da Vinci draws a sketch of a rolling mill, which is very advanced for the time.
Around 1501: There are two reports of two rolling mills. One is used to obtain gold sheets with the uniform thickness from which to draw coins while the other is used to cut previously formed leaves into strips.
1590: Da Vinci’s rolling mill is brought to life utilizing two heavy cylinders to press different types of metal altering their thickness.
Around 1606: The most failed technique of sheet metal is invented. Puddling involves heating up the cast iron to liquefy material in reverberation furnaces, but only used the flame, which results in an insufficient amount of power.
1615: The first industrial plant produces lead and tin plates.
1682: A cold rolling mill is found in England.
1700: Russian engineers begin designing Hydronics-based systems for central heating.
Around 1717: People can obtain cast iron by using pit coal and then compensating for the shortage of wood. It allows for more complex shapes like rounds, squares, rails, and double-T beams.
1760: The Industrial Revolution created a surge of sheet metal work. With new inventions like the assembly line and press brakes, sheet metal workers of the past can produce a higher quantity of parts and projects.
1770: English industrialist Joseph Bramah develops the hydraulic press.
1783: Swiss engineer Jean Pierre Droz perfects the sheet metal process, allowing the simultaneous production of the obverse, reverse, and singing.
1801: Aluminum and the steam hammers inventions end the Iron Era.
1851: The British Great Exposition shows a piece of sheet metal more than 6-metre in length, 1-meter width, and 11-mm thickness that weighs 500 kg.
1857: The Bessemer converter becomes the first inexpensive process to mass produce steel from cast iron.
1861: The merger of multiple unions, including the General Tramping Union of Tinplate Workers, creates the General Union of Braziers and Sheet Metal Workers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
1885: Fayette Brown patents the first Blast Furnace Charger.
1959: The General Union of Braziers and Sheet Metal Workers merges with the National Society of Coppersmiths, Braziers, and Metal Workers, renaming itself the National Union of Sheet Metal Workers and Coppersmiths.
The 1960s: The Basic Oxygen Furnace process replaces the Bessemer.
1967: The National Union of Sheet Metal Workers and Coppersmiths merges with the Heating and Domestic Engineers’ Union, renaming itself the National Union of Sheet Metal Workers, Coppersmiths, Heating and Domestic Engineers.
1970: Air bending becomes a favorite technique. It requires less force and smaller tools than traditional pressing.
1983: The National Union of Sheet Metal Workers, Coppersmiths, Heating and Domestic Engineers merges into the Techincal, Administrative, and Supervisory Section (TASS), a British trade union.
2011: The sheet metal industry grows exponentially. With 4,400 fab shops in the United States, it’s worth around $20.5 billion.
The sheet metal industry has transformed over time from the sketch of genius to a billion dollar industry – and it’s still evolving. The future of sheet metal fabrication techniques, tools, and projects is exciting, and we can’t wait to be a part of it.
Topics: Education, Tools & Techniques
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