Looking for new welding helmet

[d_rock]

I've been in the market for a new helmet. I've been researching and reading discussions but there are probably 4 good companies, and many models from each company. its gotten overwhelming so I'm just going to name what I'm looking for and maybe you guys can narrow it down to a few good ones to look at.

I work in fabrication. My time in the shop is spent building, not just welding. Hood will probably see a couple hours a day actual welding, so a grinding mode would be nice. It needs to be smaller as I'm sometimes stuck up in tight areas. and most of all, needs to be durable.

Hope you guys can narrow something down for me.

 

[Perryk]

I spent a couple days researching this, stopping at every welding supply store I could find and found that the Speedglas 9100x is the most reliable helmet with the best optics.

If you are looking for a more affordable helmet, the Lincoln 3350 was also highly recommended.

I just found this, which is a steal.

http://www.weldingmart.com/lincoln-viking-3350-patriot-k3036-1.html

 

[Chadwilliam1]

x2 on the speedglas 9100xx

 

[IndyGarage]

I have a 9100X Speedglass, and, although I would say it's a very, very good helmet in use; excellent even - I would hardly call mine reliable.

I've had more little glitches with it than I should have. Every once in awhile it bugs out and just starts going through it's options on it's own - it's like roulette - where it stops and when it stops, nobody knows.

I then walk over and pick up my Harbor Freight helmet and finish the job - then magically after an hour or two, the speedglass will work again. This has happened about four times in the past year, so it's not very often, but when it happens it's very frustrating. I called the welding supply and they told me to change the batteries, which I did, and that sent it into an even longer round of epilepsy...

 

[d_rock]

Sounds like most like the speedglass. Another option I NEED that I forgot to mention is it has to be auto-on. I won't remember to turn it on, my habbits are set.

 

[greasegorilla]

I have a speedglass 100V, I like it. However, if I were using it a couple hours a day, I'd buy a higher end speedglass helmet. The headgear on the 100V *****. Im pretty happy with the autodark system on it though, its works well for what I need it to.

 

[HMCFab9]

I've got an older speedglass & the only thing I don't like about it is that it has a tiny delay before going dark when you strike an arc.

 

[Rezeppa]

I have a few speedglas and have had many different hoods but always back to speedglas. I have a 9002x probably my favorite then a 100v best auto hood for the money hands down and a 9100x which is good but to high tech for me. Idk of a hood with a constant auto on. I know when I turn all of mine on I have a half hour before it shuts off with no activity. Idk how rough you are at your shop but my 100v at work has great optics and extremely light confined and durable.

 

[Puckett_k]

I have the 100V as well and love it too, but... It does not have the auto on and only goes to 12. I wish it had 13.

 

[Seiler]

I must be the only Miller fan here?

I TIG weld stainless for a living. However, I also weld GMAW/FCAW/SMAW/ and Oxy-Acetylene cut/braze/weld, carbon arc gouge, plasma cut 5 days a week... You name it I do it.

I opted for the Digital Elite. Hands down, I L-O-V-E my hood. It's very durable, never had any issues with it. It has a WELD mode, a GRIND mode, a CUT mode and a "X-MODE" for those situations where additional factors might interfere with the hoods ability to sense the arc.

Pains me to say, I've dropped my hood. Bumped it while I'm wearing it. Knocked it several times when I've flipped it down or up. Still continues to work without missing a beat. I did pay quite a bit for it, but where the safety of my eyes comes into play I have no issue spending extra dough.

Mine is a few years old now, and since I purchased mine Miller has redesigned their headgear. I don't have much experience with the new piece in terms of durability etc, but I have tried it on and it is super comfortable. I've also been in several tight situations and the hood seems to be small enough to help fit.

Scott

 

[90roadster]

I have Miller Digital Performance, bit smaller than the Elite, has grind, cut & weld mode. Very happy with it so far.

 

[jjjrmx5]

If you like to keep your retina's, then Speedglas.

Worked in an environment with 50+ welders doing 10 hour days building armored vehicles.

Miller would be my only other choice.

Go cheap if you don't like your eyes.
Remember, you only have 2 eyes. And retinal burn *****.

 

[sgs236]

I have the Lincoln 3350 helmet and I would not buy it again. It fogs up way too easy. If I was buying another helmet. I would get the speedglass.

 

[F-117HWK]

Miller Digital Elite

 

[Rezeppa]

I have posted in welding hood threads a lot and many times it comes down to Miller vs Speedglas. I have had both. I want to start out saying the Miller Digital Elite Hood is a GREAT HOOD. Large viewing area, grind mode, comfortable headgear(that's also simple), and most important good optics. Now back to My Opinion i posted earlier my Speedglas shields have the same qualities as the Miller except my 9002x and 100v don't have a grind mode, but they are lighter and all three of my speedglas hoods have outlasted my last two miller hoods. When I spend 300$ plus and a welding shield I expect some longevity. I know guys with the older 9000 series Speedglas that are perfect working condition after 10 years use. If i were you i would skip the grind mode and get a 100v for right around 100 bucks there is nothing that comes close in that price point. I actually downgraded and bought 100v because I had a really ****** job welding under the rollers at a reheat coil mill and bought that helmet so I wouldn't be pissed if it got destroyed. I don't know if I would ever buy anything else again.

 

[cundifc]

Miller digital elite here!

 

[d_rock]

Well I was leaning toward the speedglas, but if they shut off after 30 minutes then that's a deal killer. I'd zap my eyes more then if I bought a HF hood. Looks like i'll be looking into the miller elite series.

 

[BD1]

Another MILLER ELITE !!

 

[IndyGarage]

Well I was leaning toward the speedglas, but if they shut off after 30 minutes then that's a deal killer. I'd zap my eyes more then if I bought a HF hood. Looks like i'll be looking into the miller elite series.

They only shut off after 30 minutes of non use. It stays on as long as you use it then shuts off 30 minutes after you put it down.

That part isn't really a problem with them. I do like helmets that are in "always on" mode a bit better.

 

[d_rock]

They only shut off after 30 minutes of non use. It stays on as long as you use it then shuts off 30 minutes after you put it down.

That part isn't really a problem with them. I do like helmets that are in "always on" mode a bit better.

yea, but I could easily go 30 minutes between welding and I KNOW i won't remember to turn it on......lol

 

[theknurl]

i mostly TIG weld, have 5 helmets shades 7-11 with different magnifiers for TIG
i MIG with the darker TIG helmets
auto dark is not an option

don't stick very often, have a full helmet for that

i braze with JetFlux so definitely dark lenses in the glasses for that
have a pair of goggles for cutting

 

[buco]

Certified welder here. Tried many lids.

The best IMHO is Optrel. Adjustable lense, 4-13 can be adjusted while welding, and you need to replace only one plastic cover lense compared to the other higher end helmets that have multiple plastic lenses.

See if a welding shop will let you demo one.

http://optrel.com/index.php?id=14&L=1

 

[purevl]

Certified welder here. Tried many lids.

The best IMHO is Optrel. Adjustable lense, 4-13 can be adjusted while welding, and you need to replace only one plastic cover lense compared to the other higher end helmets that have multiple plastic lenses.

See if a welding shop will let you demo one.

http://optrel.com/index.php?id=14&L=1

Bingo. I have a Miller titanium 9400i that the company bought me and while it's very good, the hood I spent my own money on is an Optrel.

 

[lotsoftools]

Since you said you need to weld in tight spaces check out Save Phace. http://www.savephace.com/EFP/EFP-Helmet

 

[Farmall450]

I use a hobart hood, don't weld a whole lot. Heard the Jackson series is great, nemesis and such.

 

[AndyA]

I have the Miller digital elite, and an older non-digital elite. The digital has grind and x-mode (detects magnetic fields or something or other and doesn't get triggered by the sun). Both of them work well. The only complaint I have is the crappy headgear, but I think it's been upgraded since I bought. These are the only auto-dark helmets I've used (for any length of time) so I don't have much to compare against. The price is steep, but I wouldn't have any hesitation buying again.

 

[cyato]

I recently upgraded to a Speedglas 9100xx from a five year old Miller Digital Elite and it's an amazing difference. My eyesight isn't that great, so I need all the help I can get. I tried different prescription glasses and magnifiers with the Miller and could never see very well. I freaked out at how much better I can see with the 9100xx. It seems like the newer Miller DE's have better features but my old one would shut off in 15 minutes and I would get flash blinded all the time and it wasn't sensitive with low amp TIG. BTW, the "auto off" feature on the Speedglas is after one hour of inactivity.
My first mask back in the day (1998 ish) was an Optrel and it took a **** within a year with very minimal use and they wouldn't warranty it so I didn't feel like taking a second chance.

 

[IndyGarage]

I really liked my Optrel, however it had non-replaceable batteries inside it, which caused it to go bad over time. It's a shame, because the off the shelf batteries were molded into the unit in a way that it broke while trying to carefully remove them.

Don't know if their latest has that same setup, but if it does I wouldn't buy one of them.

 

[dr_clyde]

Professional welder....

I use a Jackson nexgen all day. Had it for 5 years. No problems. MIG, TIG, Stick, flux core, oxy acetylene, plasma. Would definetly consider another.

A coworker has the Miller digital elite. Had to replace the headgear and the lens. He absolutely hates it. Wants to buy a Jackson.

I have bad experiences with speedglas. Every time I use them, I get flashed. Doesn't matter whose I use.

I owned a savephace, wouldn't recommend it either.

 

[Monte]

I really liked my Optrel, however it had non-replaceable batteries inside it, which caused it to go bad over time. It's a shame, because the off the shelf batteries were molded into the unit in a way that it broke while trying to carefully remove them.

Don't know if their latest has that same setup, but if it does I wouldn't buy one of them.

the newer ones have replaceable batteries !

 

[Monte]

 

[Rezeppa]

Professional welder....

I use a Jackson nexgen all day. Had it for 5 years. No problems. MIG, TIG, Stick, flux core, oxy acetylene, plasma. Would definetly consider another.

A coworker has the Miller digital elite. Had to replace the headgear and the lens. He absolutely hates it. Wants to buy a Jackson.

I have bad experiences with speedglas. Every time I use them, I get flashed. Doesn't matter whose I use.

I owned a savephace, wouldn't recommend it either.

I think my next hood will be a Next Gen I know a few guys with them. i have only heard really good things. I used one a few times and was impressed it was a really nice shield. I really like the new Jackson headgear. My vote goes to nexgen if speedglas is out of the running.

 

[Rezeppa]

I like my Fiber-metal or Jackson fixed shade for overhead.

 

[crewchief888]

i've had a miller prohobby for 3 years or so, with no issues, and it's narrow enough to get into tight places.

i still have my old standby jackson big J that ive had for 30 years or so.