hood defroster?

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Hey guys, I got a question for you .  How do you keep your hood from fogging up in the cold?  I've tried several things over the years but nothing really works that good. Recently I saw a fan made for paintball masks and I thought it would work but its like 60 bucks. Any ideas, suggestions,comments,etc are all greatly appreciated.  Thanks
Reply:Originally Posted by TEKHey guys, I got a question for you .  How do you keep your hood from fogging up in the cold?  I've tried several things over the years but nothing really works that good. Recently I saw a fan made for paintball masks and I thought it would work but its like 60 bucks. Any ideas, suggestions,comments,etc are all greatly appreciated.  Thanks
Reply:Hi all,Copied this over from the Hobart site for those who don't have time to follow both forums...............Try a motorcycle shop.I worked as a motorcyle courier in London, England for 3 years and rode a bike through rain, hail, sleet and snow. It was hard enough dodging taxis and Japanese tourists standing in the middle of the road trying to take your picture (no really, apparently motocycle couriers in London are a tourist attraction or something) without having your visor fogging up. Wiping a thin film of dishwashing liquid on the inside of the visor works for a while, but if you want a permanent solution, there is a plastic film that sticks to the inside of the visor that totally eliminates fogging. Not sure exactly how it works, but even if you breath on it directly (like you would if you were cleaning glasses), you can't make it fog up.It was sold under the brand name "Fog City" in the UK, but I'm sure you could find something similar in the colder states over there. You might have to cut one down to fit the welding helmet, but you should get at least two out of a standard visor size piece.Hope this helps.Justinand this..............Just thought of something else re-reading your post about a fan, TEK.Have you thought of using the little cooling fans for computers? I noticed them in my local electronics store couple of days ago, you can get them in sizes from 1" up, and I would say they would be pretty quiet and easy to install.And cheaper than those paintball fans you mentioned.....Justin
Reply:Havent run into this problem yet, but I do play a lot of paintball and having your mask fog up can be a real dangerous problem on the field. The dishwashing liquid is probably the easiest and cheapest method. Take am little of the liquid and use a dry clean coth to wipe it on the lens. Dont use any water, just use the dry cloth to aplly and wipe up as much as possible. You should be able to get a coating on the lense and still be able to see through it.Paintball proshops also sell a spray usually called an anti-fog spray or JT's brand "Magik Spray" that you spray on and wipe off and is supposed to do the same thing as dishwashing detergent.Most all proshops should carry it, but before you go out and buy it, try the first method and see if it works for ya.Side Note: I take no responsibility for anyone that voids their warrenty or screws up their welding hood by using either methods. I havent tested either of them so I dont know if it can harm, any plastic on the autodarkening helmets.
Reply:Hey follks, thanks for the response!!   It is just so cool to be able to ask a question and get answers from around the world!!!      I will go to Staples tonight and check the fans but I was thinking that a computor fan would be 110v....Cant see me walking around with an extension cord stuck to my head!!  When I played a lot of painball I got a JT no fog double pane goggle and never had a problem but I tried not to run too much and over-exert. Sniper is my game.     Thanks again, everyone.
Reply:Comp fans are either 5v or 12v. Def not 110 input or those motors would be blowing left and right.
Reply:Didnt know that and also didnt look last nite. Ill look today. Thanks
Reply:Most outdoor shops will have something for about 5$ too.  Some of it is called cat crap as I recall.  some are sprays, some are gels.  Ski shops in particular, optomotrists might have some too.   My problem is actually back glare from bright things (like sunlight or my overhead farm light) lighting the inside of my hood up significantly enough to prevent me from seeing through my hood, even at shade 9 I can just barely makeout the weld puddle.  I'm gonna make a leather hood back half or something.   any ideas?  Brian Lee  Sparkeee24
Reply:Sparkee24, I have one of those leather neck guards that has spring steel clips that are supposed to clip onto the bottom of your hood. I have on occasion clipped it on the back and let it drape over my head. I glued velcro on two places on the hood so I can just flip and stick when I need it out of the way.Seems to work out ok most times. I think I got it @ Airgas. Hope that helps....Tim
Reply:Paintball fans are overrated.. even in paintball.. i hate mine.Anti-Fog Spray.. that what we use when we ball in the winter.Not sure how that would work on that type of lens thought.
Reply:i made a fan for my paintball mask from radio shack parts, i ditched it almost immediately. try some dish soap, antifog rainX, visor lens thing, cat crap (lol) or whatever.another thing i do (welding and paintball) is direct my breath down out the bottom of the mask, not directly forward. it may not be perfect but ive noticed it helps.
Reply:I normally preheat my helmet, fan heater or thousand watt light or pre-heated pipe. 30 seconds then weld, it lasts until I stop for 5 minutes or more. Then another quick heat up and I'm away!Stephen
Reply:Thanks for all the replies folks I have tried most of the things mentioned and it is a combo of things thats working for me now. I just thought that a fan would neat.
Reply:I've always had good luck with wiping the lens down with cheap'ol shaving cream. Barbasol not the gel stuff.
Reply:You might try a scuba dive shop. I have use some types defogging gel for scuba diving: however, not sure if this would apply