Face in the Dirt All Day. Need a Special Cap.

[Bolster]

Anchored at home all day due to a sick kid, I thought I'd do something nice for the wife. She's been having internet problems at her desk and we narrowed down the problem to likely a bad ethernet cable running under the house. (Decided to run ethernet to the kid's room at the same time).

So I suit up and dive into the crawlspace, a fabulous 18" and 12" inches in some parts. (No fun.) Spent the day crawling around on my belly, headlight strapped to my forehead, face in the dirt.

Realized that I very badly need some sort of very secure cap to wear when "down under." A cap with a bill doesn't work at all. Bill forward and it obscures the light; bill aft and it knocks on the joists and pipes when I crawl under. A bump cap is way to high profile. And every time the cap jostles or bunches up, there goes the headlamp and I'm staring at darkness.

In disgust I finally ditched my cap under the house and just put my head in the dirt to get the work done.

What kind of cap exists that's very secure on the head (so you can strap a headlamp outside) but will keep the dirt and debris out of your hair while you're working? Something with no bill or a very small bill. Maybe something like the bikers put under their helmets?

Whatcha got for me?

 

[2chipped]

A beanie, welding hat ,or some of that pomanade from Big Dan.

 

[Bolster]

Well, I'm a Dapper Dan man myself, but I'm lookin for something to protect my pomade.

What is a welding hat? I'm only aware of a welding mask.

 

[d33pt]

cut the bill off the cap.

 

[hofferwood]

Up here if you hit a welding supply, they will hand you one. With their name and logo on it.(advertising).
And it's Great Wal-mart gear
Chuck

 

[Coach James]

http://badasscaps.com/shop/welding-hats-c-3

I use a black one like this to keep the hot metal off the top of my head and back of my neck.

Coach

 

[Stick]

Most of the time I'm at work I have a welding beanie on (usually backwards), they have a tight fit and a small flexible bill that easily folds up or tucks in.

 

[hofferwood]

this is the kind I was referring to.

From Here, if no welding supply.
http://www.armchem.com/product/Cotton_beanie/welding_misc

Chuck

 

[BJ42LX]

I'm sure I look like a **** wearing this, but I use it when I'm under the car for the same reasons you mention. The bill of a regulary ball cap catches on everything, no matter what direction it is pointed.

http://snapongear.corpmerchandise.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=6096&pid=48813

 

[Bolster]

Those badass caps look like they come low on the forehead, which would be a big plus...less likely to slip off. How tight does that Snap-on clamp on? Looks like it rides a bit high?

Honestly I'm so desperate I'd buy something that tied under my chin if someone made it! I do NOT want that cap slipping off.

 

[Bolster]

Goob had a nice one... wish I could find one of those...

 

[Coach James]

Goob had a nice one... wish I could find one of those...

Juuudy...Juuudy...Juuudy...



Coach

 

[BJ42LX]

How tight does that Snap-on clamp on? Looks like it rides a bit high?

As tight as you want - velcro closure at the back. One size fits all, etc...

I don't think it rides high, but that's relative.

 

[metal1313]

not gonna lie last time i was in a tight crawl space i went out and bought a do rag.. i looked like an wigger but my hair stayed clean

 

[Bolster]

not gonna lie last time i was in a tight crawl space i went out and bought a do rag.. i looked like an wigger but my hair stayed clean

I didn't know what a do-rag was...google search...wow, the instant loser look! I like it! Like ***** hose for your head! That might work!

 

[Uncle Dave]

not gonna lie last time i was in a tight crawl space i went out and bought a do rag.. i looked like an wigger but my hair stayed clean

What's a wigger? UD

 

[Bolster]

Apparently a white person who wishes he's black.

I answered this to preempt impolitic responses, because I want to keep this thread open.

Anybody else have a suggestion before I pull the trigger on one of the caps above?

Honestly a big knot in the back of the head would not work well when you're laying your head on the dirt.

 

[route246]

When I'm under there I don't care so much for my hair as I do the rest of my body getting all dirty and caked with my sweat dripping through making mud in places I sweat a lot. I use coveralls and duct tape the legs and arms snug enough to keep the dirt out. What kills me is my neck from holding my dome up to see around places. Last time I was down there I took an old square pillow (the kind you might have on your sofa or lying around, not the kind you sleep with) to rest my head so my neck wouldn't get all sore. That was a real help.

 

[Danglerb]

Dew rag and a kids playball about 7 to 9 inch partially inflated.

 

[blue dog]

The true Delmar would never complain if dirt stuck to his pomade, that's just the kind of fellar he be.

 

[Hank McMauser]

Goob had a nice one... wish I could find one of those...

The snap-on cap looks to be the modern equivalent of this,....that said, I want one.
In the winter I wear a camouflage radar o'reilly hat all the time. The wife hates it!

 

[mkdive]

Here is a welding cap...not sure why but they are usually the loudest colors and designs you can imagine?

I guess if you didnt know what they were then you probably dont do alot of welding? So why buy one of those?

How about a carhart beanie?

 

[mtkst19]

welders cap or if you want something more fashionable, look into a "throwback" hat for major league baseball teams. Early 1900's team used fitted wool short bill hats. They are comfy and don't get in the way. I use to wear one under my catchers helmet as the bill wouldn't rub the back of my neck.

 

[Rickster]

I have this one. I like it and it does stay on my head while working.

 

[Jbullfrog]

I'm sure I look like a **** wearing this, but I use it when I'm under the car for the same reasons you mention. The bill of a regulary ball cap catches on everything, no matter what direction it is pointed.

http://snapongear.corpmerchandise.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=6096&pid=48813

I would stay away from this for tight spaces. Notice the large rivet in the center that would be impaled into your noggin' repeatedly. I have had a few regular caps draw blood when I stood up under a cross-member in the dark.

 

[JB740i]

Why didn't you just go wireless?

 

[mrholeshot]

This will keep your head clean and warm. Will also keep the dirt out of your mouth

http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=5000&L2=4&L3=142&L4=&item=TUC_50-1132

 

[Yosho]

Tight spaces... face in the dirt all day... need head protection = sounds like you need a spelunking helmet.

Low Profile model example

Deluxe example

Images pulled from - http://www.adventureropegear.com/

 

[treasureseeker]

I can’t help with the cap but I would suggest putting lighting in your crawlspace and recess it between the joists. I did my crawlspace and attic, and it makes life a little better .

 

[djjsr]

Install a wireless router and forget about long cables.

 

[archirelic]

I would also suggest grabbing yourself a beanie and/or going wireless.

 

[Bolster]

What kills me is my neck from holding my dome up to see around places.

My neck is so stiff today, from holding it up sideways, I can barely move.

I guess if you didnt know what they were then you probably dont do alot of welding? So why buy one of those?

Back in the day. Actually just got an oxy acet rig so getting back into it. I think this welding cap is just exactly what I need. The Badass brand even gives you a choice of how far down it comes around your head. It'll go over the top of your ears, perfect.

Why didn't you just go wireless?

We are wireless, too, but the cable is so much faster and less flakey. Wife has some specialized web-based software that's very bandwidth intensive.

This will keep your head clean and warm. Will also keep the dirt out of your mouth

Yeah, a balaclava would keep me even cleaner, not a bad idea. I'd have to load up on the listerine...otherwise you're breathing your own exhaust...

Tight spaces... face in the dirt all day... need head protection = sounds like you need a spelunking helmet.

Man, that is just beautiful. I love those. Would work in the attic, too! Bet they're expensive but I'll check them out.

Thanks for all the good suggestions.

 

[mrholeshot]

Yeah, a balaclava would keep me even cleaner, not a bad idea. I'd have to load up on the listerine...otherwise you're breathing your own exhaust...

.

You can breath right thought it like a filter mask. I'ts like it's not even there.

 

[dsan]

Bandanna.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Here is a welding cap...not sure why but they are usually the loudest colors and designs you can imagine?

If you go on a construction site, the pipefitters are usually wearing those loud hats. I don't know when it started, but I always figured it was so they could easily identify each other on a big site and then eventually it just became tradition.

 

[route246]

I have both. I thought wireless was going to be nirvana but realized that it has some severe limitations.

I have a fileserver in the garage which has a lot of our movies on it. The problem with wireless is that it works fine for small stuff but when everyone in the house is streaming different movies there are just too many collisions resulting in choppy response and buffering.

But, the most insidious thing that I found is that as more and more of my neighbors installed wireless routers the bandwidth became very limited. It turns out that if your network can "see" someone else's network then you are basically in the same collision domain. This means that you are essentially sharing the bandwidth with your neighbors who have signal strong enough for your equipment to see. When they start doing the same high-bandwidth stuff that you are doing it ends up being quite miserable for everyone.

I've selectively connected devices to wireless now and everything is working well. Anything that needs high-bandwidth access now gets a wired connection and all of the slowness and buffering went away. But, it is a royal pain to do this.

Oh, and by the way, moving to a different channel doesn't help. It just makes it more secure.

Install a wireless router and forget about long cables.

 

[eborcim]

How about a face shield with the headlight attached and a welder beany with a dewrag tucked into your shirt collar?

 

[mkdive]

While your down there......start digging and start a new bunker garage thread!

 

[Kev442]

Us northerners just grab a knit hat from the pile. I own about 10 including a balaclava.
http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/516741-knit_hat_with_visor.html?source=googleps

 

[lowbucktruck]

Navy watch cap. Simple yet effective. machine-washable. And it fits in your jacket/coveralls pocket for easy storage.