Air Hose Reel Question

I am trying to decide what type of air hose reel to purchase for my auto shop and I cannot decide between an open faced or a closed faced air hose reel?

An air hose reel is a great investment for your service center and will make for a safer and cleaner shop floor to work around. On an open faced air hose reel, the hose is exposed and coiled around a heavy steel gauge wheel. These types of hose reels generally are self retracting and easy to use. Lately, closed faced air hose reels are becoming more popular. On this type of air hose reel, the air hose is enclosed in a polypropylene case. This protects the hose from the sunlight and harsh elements. This model also has a level wind feature that insures the air hose is wound equally around the drum. For longer air hose life, we would recommend a closed face air hose reel.

Auto Darkening Welding Helmets and Poor Light Conditions

I do a lot of welding indoors and in poor light conditions. When I cut off my arc welder, I cna't see anything through the filter in my welding helmet. I have to lift up my welding visor just to see what I am working on and that exposes my eyes to flying objects in my work area. What is a good welding helmet to use indoors and in bad light conditions. Is there one that the lens will adjust to the light conditions, so I can leave my welding helmet on at all times?

The answer to your problem is auto darkening welding helmets. They work by instantly responding to bright light, these helmets auto darken when the welder strikes the arc and clear up after the welder shuts off the arc. So when the arc is off, you can see clearly through the visor and not have to lift your helmet. There are two types of auto darkening welding helmets on the market today, Solar and battery operated. If you are working mostly outdoors a solar will be fine. But if you are working in poor light conditions in inside, you will have to go with a battery operated model.

What can I use a digitial multimeter for in my auto shop?

I am having some electrical issues in my car and I am thinking about getting a digital multimeter. What can one of those tell me about a car's electrical system?

For normal electrical troubleshooting on your auto's electrical system a digital multimeter is critical. A digital multimeter measures several things including: current (AMPS), voltage (VOLTS), and resistance (OHMS). I would suggest purchasing a unit that also measures both A/C and D/C currents. This will increase the utility of your digital multimeter and allow you to use it on other electrical projects besides your car. Also remember, your car battery is D/C current but your alternator puts out A/C current. digital multimeters can get very technical and unless your are an electrician you will probably just need the basics mentioned above.