Miller Pro Hobby welding hoods

[speed bump]

Well for my birthday my girlfriend picked me up a Miller Pro hobby adjustable shade. I was looking at either the Lincoln Vista 2000 or the Speed glass 100v so I know nothing about the Miller. Has anybody used one and do you have an opinion on them. I know with the Speed Glass I wasn't to impressed because I really had to turn the sensitivity down to be able to use it with other people around welding or grinding and such. I had wanted the Lincoln because it was an auto on helmet and has 4 sensors as well but I haven't used one yet and had a bigger window for not much more.

So my question is does anybody have a pro hobby and how do you think it is? Especially in comparison to the other 2 mentioned, I am thinking about going out to the LWS where she got and it asking to try it out and see if they have Lincoln to try as well but if its a good hood I won't bother.

For those that are wondering about specs
Speedglas 100v info
Lincoln Vista 2000
miller Pro Hobby

Thanks

 

[MXtras]

Personally - I had major issues with Miller shields in the recent past and I am hesitant to try any of their shields for a while.

I have never had an issue with the Speedglass other than the cheesy headgear.

Scott

 

[06wt]

I still cant bring myself to try my auto darkening hood. my old man got 1 for me about a year ago and still havent tryed it im too set in my ways of usein a normal hood. How do u guys like aouto darkening hoods? i jus cant help but think over a long time of usein and auto dark hood my eyes will b shot. cuz for a split second your eyes are exposed to the arc and 20 years from now all thoose split seconds add up. or mayb im just paranoid

 

[paranoid56]

i have the elite series one for 4 years now. never had failure or a flash. works when its supposed to. i used it almost every day tig welding too. great setup

 

[Itzkwik]

I've got the Miller Pro Hobby and have been real pleased with it. First helmet I've had so I can't compare it to the others.

 

[stevejh82]

I teach welding at the high school level, and use a Jackson auto dark everyday. I think are great. They are also great for teaching someone to weld as it takes away the motion of flipping the helmet down. I have seen instances where a student is having trouble striking an arc with a stick welder, give them an auto dark to use and they almost always improve immediately.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Guys, where do some of you get your girlfriends? She sounds like a keeper to me!

 

[Vulturej]

I have been using the same Hornell Speedglas APC for 15 years at work. Several of the mechanics have the Miller Elite hoods, they have not had any issues with them. I used Miller hoods and I like them but prefer my Speedglas because I have used it for so long and I have the hard hat attachment so it's more comfortable to me.

 

[krooser]

I have a Speedglass 9000 and it's fine. It's a cheaper model without the side vision lenses but I sure haven't missed 'em. I like it because it's lightweight. Bought it on-line from Indiana Oxygen...

 

[nate379]

I've had a Miller XLi for 6-7 years now. It's still on the same battery which I don't get. Used it a TON and it's been in -50* weather to 115*.

It's supposed to be a "hobby" model, but it's sure been well worth the $200 I paid for it.

http://www.toolsforless.com/product/9361/Miller_216824_XLi_Series_Auto-Darkening_Welding_Helmet

Like that but black.

 

[vbtj]

I've been using mine for over a year now and love it. This is my first auto-darkening helmet though so really can't compare it to any of the others.

 

[MXtras]

How do u guys like aouto darkening hoods?

I pretty much use mine at the beginning of a project when I am just tacking stuff up. I still flip it up and down quite often - too many years of using a standard hood. It's handy for those times when you are holding something in place prior to tacking and need to position the tack in the perfect spot.

I don't use mine for TIG or stick - just for MIG and pretty much just for tacking. Once I get into the meat and potatoes of the job, I will switch to a conventional, wide window hood.

Scott

 

[speed bump]

I still cant bring myself to try my auto darkening hood. my old man got 1 for me about a year ago and still havent tryed it im too set in my ways of usein a normal hood. How do u guys like aouto darkening hoods? i jus cant help but think over a long time of usein and auto dark hood my eyes will b shot. cuz for a split second your eyes are exposed to the arc and 20 years from now all thoose split seconds add up. or mayb im just paranoid

I love it especially for out of position stuff or with AC where its slightly harder to strike an arc. Once you get used to its pretty nice and its not like it goes from completly clear to dark you have start at shade 3 which for the split second you see (with a decent helmet 1/1000th of a second or less) the arc you shouldn't end up with anything from it. Only disadvantage I have seen to Autodarks is for long vertical stuff the cheaper ones plastics starts getting hot and rather pliable compared to something like a fibremetal or $300+ optrel or something like that

Guys, where do some of you get your girlfriends? She sounds like a keeper to me!

With enough time and patience you can get your GF/wife to get you stuff you like and even to do things that will scare her friends when she is talking to them (I didn't believe it would work either but if you look at the long run its amazing what you can do). The bigger accomplishment is having her put up with me for 4.5 years despite the fact the I tend to strike people as an ******* whether by accident or on purpose.


As far as helmets go I went out to the LWS yesterday and asked if they had Pro hobby that I could try. Since they didn't I have them checking on the Surfrod style Vista 2000 for me and they should call me today and tell me when they can get it in what the damage is. If the price is lousy I might check on a Jackson as well.

 

[peterbilr98]

iv had 3 millers helmets i had one of the first auto helmets they come out with i didnt like it for the fact they did not have a battery in it it just had a solar panel you had to set it by a window or take it out side to charge it.
my 2nd miller elite was great always worked and light sold it on ebay and got me a miller digital ellite it is the best helmet yet it has weld mode grinding mode and cutting mode they all work great and it is the luckys speed shop edition.

 

[35mastr]

I also have the Luckys speed shop Miller digital elite and I would not trade it for any other one. It even has an outside mode. So you can work out in the sun and it does not bother it.