Trying to pick a MIG welding mask

[dmw16]

I purchased my first welder last week and now I am trying to pick out a welding mask.

I know that I want something that is auto-darkening with a shade range of 8-12. At least, that's what I think I know I want

My first inclination was to go with a Miller but for no other reason that I bought a Miller welder. For $73 I can get the VS Classic (http://store.cyberweld.com/hobhoodblac.html) which doesn't do anything fancy but seems to fit the bill. Then I saw this Jackson one (http://store.cyberweld.com/jawehearcani.html) which looks cooler, but does it really do anything for twice the price?

As I mentioned, this is my first welder and will be for hobby use only.

Some additional direction would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Fender1325]

As taboo as Harbor Freight is, I have their auto darkening helmet and really cant complain. Does its job well and isn't super pricey.

 

[BD1]

Hoods are a personal preference. It would be nice to try different ones before buying. I have a older Miller elite which I like and it is seven years old and no issues. IF you want to spend more, consider the MILLER DIGITAL ELITE SERIES which has a larger viewing window plus other features.

NEW Improved Digital Controls allow user to easily adjust mode and settings
NEW Redesigned headgear features additional adjustability settings for better fit & comfort
NEW 3 Year Warranty
9.22 sq. in. viewing area
Four Arc Sensors for superior lens response
Four Operating Modes – Weld, Cut, Grind and X-Mode
Auto-On/Off power control triggers lens at the strike of an arc
Viewing Area – 9.22 sq in. 3.85 x 2.38 sq. in (97 x 60 mm)
Four Arc Sensors – 1/ 20,000 sec. lens speed
Sensitivity and Delay Control - .10 – 1.0 sec
TIG Rating - 5 amps and below
Lithium batteries (2) – with solar assist; up to 3,000 hours
Weight- 18 oz (482g)
Meets ANSI Z87.-2003 (High Impact) standard
Includes 5 outside cover lenses, 2 inside cover lenses and a Helmet bag
Four Operating Modes

Weld Mode - #8-13
Cut Mode - #5-8
Grind Mode – Light State #3.5
X-Mode – Can be used in Shades #8-13
Electromagnetic Arc Sensing eliminates: Sunlight interference - Outdoors, Low-Amperage Lens Opening - TIG, Lens Openings - Pipe/Curves, Obstructed Sensors - Hidden/Cavity Welds

They have a current deal that you get free gloves and sleeves with purchase and free shipping. This is from my local suppliers site, http://www.weldersupply.com/C/32/Helmets

http://www.weldersupply.com/P/335/MillerDigitalEliteAutoDa

 

[AndeiH]

I have the harbor freight/northern tool helmet I picked up for $40 a couple of years ago and I have no complaints either. But this is the only welding helmet I've used so I have nothing to compare it too.

I've read a lot of good things about the Jackson balder WH40 and I will be moving up to that soon. It's $109 on amazon right now.

 

[GSRinmyCRX]

harbor freight over here and it does the job.

Levi

 

[jimgood]

Whatever you pick, make sure the seller has replacement outer lenses and buy a pack to keep on hand.

BTW, I saw somewhere recently that you can also get magnifying outer lenses for those that wear reading glasses. I need to try this.

 

[Professur]

Everytime this comes up, I say the same thing. Any cheap auto-dark will do the job if you're just using your welder as a hot glue gun. If you're in any way serious about doing good welds, you need CLARITY. You need to be able to see past the flash and see the puddle. Think of your car's windshield. When it's a little dusty ... it looks fine. You can see everything ... right up until the sun hits it and you're driving blind, total white out. The same thing happens with your welding lens. The goal of the lens is not to just protect you from the flash ... it's to let you see the puddle so you can understand your weld. Why do so many welding books talk about reading the weld profile? Because they're essentially welding blind. If you can see the puddle, you don't have to wait until you're finished to make corrections and get it right.

 

[3 Gun Shooter]

If you basically know how to weld, the Harbor Freight is an OK starter helmet. I have always liked Jackson helmets plus I a real old school guy. I'm still using my 411 and 711 helmets, since I still nod my head as I strike an arc. 50 years of habits are pretty hard to break.

One thing that is important is to try the helmet on at a local welding supply store, hard to do that swapping back and forth with some internet company.

 

[BigMike782]

Not pushing Amazon but this is a very nice helmet for the money,
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CXWYN4M/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[dmw16]

Everytime this comes up, I say the same thing. Any cheap auto-dark will do the job if you're just using your welder as a hot glue gun. If you're in any way serious about doing good welds, you need CLARITY. You need to be able to see past the flash and see the puddle. Think of your car's windshield. When it's a little dusty ... it looks fine. You can see everything ... right up until the sun hits it and you're driving blind, total white out. The same thing happens with your welding lens. The goal of the lens is not to just protect you from the flash ... it's to let you see the puddle so you can understand your weld. Why do so many welding books talk about reading the weld profile? Because they're essentially welding blind. If you can see the puddle, you don't have to wait until you're finished to make corrections and get it right.

That makes sense. SOme of the work will be "hot glue" but eventually I'll be doing rust repair on my race car and building a removable core support for easier engine swaps.

I don't mind spending $150 I just want to spend it on the right helmet.

 

[BD1]

Where you located ? Come over and try my MILLER ELITE or a friends NEW SPEEDGLASS.
Hoods are kinda like sunglasses. Buy the cheap ones and you can't see shlt ! Ok, maybe a little. Buy the big buck ones and it's like night and day. You gotta try them to see the difference.
The sensors really make a difference. If you are sittin at a bench not really needed but in position welding they are helpful. Money is hard to come by so choose wisely.

 

[dmw16]

Where you located ? Come over and try my MILLER ELITE or a friends NEW SPEEDGLASS.
Hoods are kinda like sunglasses. Buy the cheap ones and you can't see shlt ! Ok, maybe a little. Buy the big buck ones and it's like night and day. You gotta try them to see the difference.
The sensors really make a difference. If you are sittin at a bench not really needed but in position welding they are helpful. Money is hard to come by so choose wisely.

I don't really have any friends that weld...other than my friend who uses a HF one, but I think I've ruled that out.

I do appreciate nice sunglasses, so I appreciate that analogy.

I'm in Frederick, MD so probably not close enough to try your Miller Elite, tho I appreciate the offer.

Maybe I am better off trying to find a good higher end mask on eBay or CL as opposed to buying new...

 

[Professur]

IMO, it would be well worth your time to call around to welding supply shops and ask if they have any floor models that you could try. Remember to change out the cover lens ... they're replaceable for a reason. Even the cheapest hood improves dramatically with a top shelf replacement glass.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

I'd say get a couple of masks- one for MIG 'hot metal glue gun' use where you don't care about it as much since it's crude and fast, and another that you keep separate for delicate / precise work, like you might use for TIG. Then you can have your settings ideal for each need.

And I can't say enough about headband sweatbands! I love those things. Simple things that Velcro across the front strap and really help with comfort on your forehead.

Now all that said, I've been curious about adding some simple LED lights to mine to shine onto the work surface. Sure you can add one to the gun tip, but the face shield has a lot of space to work with. Kind of surprised there isn't some LED bar strip that goes around the opening on some helmets.

 

[trackwelder]

Go to your local welding shop and try a few on. You want something that's going to be comfortable. I like speedglas optics and clarity but hate the rivets on the headgear... I get hairs caught in them. My fix is just a dab of silicone on them.
Get one with the biggest view that you can, even if it means going over your budget.

 

[Fender1325]

Good points here. I can see my bead fine as far as I can tell with my HF helmet. It is one of their "higher end" ones FWIW, But it HAS been my only hood so Id say its fair to say I dont know what Im missin!

 

[yodie]

I loved my Speedglas auto when I was welding full time. Great clarity.

When I picked mine out, I got to test whatever iteration of the Miller ELite and the top Speedglas (circa 2008)were side by side at a welding table. The Miller was just as clear but the thing I noticed for me at least was that when the Miller kicked in dark mode it was very abrupt and made me physically jump when I tested it. The speedglas was just as fast to change, but more subtle. I chose the speedglas.

I suspect I would have quickly acclimated to the Millers change, but the speedglas felt natural and "right" for me from the first arc struck.

 

[neonnblack]

Speedglas user here. Its awesome. I got mine in a pawn shop for 50 bucks.

 

[csp]

Speedglass is the shiz

Amazon has a couple of Jacksons on sale for over 50% off the regular price. Go to the deals of the day and search the DIY/Tools section.

 

[R.Anderson]

I have the Miller Elite and a HF one. Bought the HF one for backup but I grab for the cheap HF over the Miller one most of the time now its more comfortable and its lighter weight. Far as seeing and darkening its the same for both far as I can tell and I can see the weld area and puddle just fine for TIG, stick, and MIG in all positions. The lens is smaller but that is no problem for me and I personally do not like using the grind mode on the miller. I use a clear face shield when grinding so I can see what I am doing better.
Who knows maybe I just got lucky with my HF one.

This is the HF one I got:
http://www.harborfreight.com/blue-flame-design-auto-darkening-welding-helmet-91214.html

Its all going to come down to using it if you like it or not, most decent welding supply stores will let you try several with a welder there in the store. Mississippi Welders Supply is one around here that does that.

 

[gungatim]

Everytime this comes up, I say the same thing. Any cheap auto-dark will do the job if you're just using your welder as a hot glue gun. If you're in any way serious about doing good welds, you need CLARITY. You need to be able to see past the flash and see the puddle. Think of your car's windshield. When it's a little dusty ... it looks fine. You can see everything ... right up until the sun hits it and you're driving blind, total white out. The same thing happens with your welding lens. The goal of the lens is not to just protect you from the flash ... it's to let you see the puddle so you can understand your weld. Why do so many welding books talk about reading the weld profile? Because they're essentially welding blind. If you can see the puddle, you don't have to wait until you're finished to make corrections and get it right.

Excellent Post!! the biggest difference in a cheap adf and a good quality one will be the clarity across the entire lense, not just the center. the lcd panels and band pass glass must be laminated in a clean room under sterile environment. cheap chinese made lenses for the bottom of the market do not have the same quality of mfgr as the high ends. I know, I outsourced some of these once apon a time...doesn't mean you can't use a cheapo helmet but like you said, if you are going to be serious, you need to SEE the puddle as clearly as possible from all angles...

start out with a cheap HF, when you get good, step up to a speedglass, Miller, or Jackson...btw, the old digital Nexgen's were an awesome piece of engineering...but not cheap.

 

[kf4zht]

I started with a cheap hobart hood, it was better than the HF but left a lot to be desired. The unchangeable battery died so I put in a gold lens and have it for nasty stuff or in the field.

I grabbed one of these for like $70 on sale:
http://www.weldfabulous.com/p-13716...eaper-design-shade-10-adf-welding-helmet.aspx

Yes, it even has the awful skull on it. Fortunately no one can see me where I weld.

While the autodark part is not as large as the speedglas or miller elite the wraparound fixed shade is really nice and the helmet is pretty streamlined. Makes it much easier if you are working around roll cages, under cars, etc. I think that snapon is now using them as the OEM for their hoods.

Also have a ProStar that is really a rebranded jackson. Much bigger viewing area but it ***** in tight spaces. I saved a few bucks buying the rebranded one, holding the two side by side they were identical other than the logos.

 

[IndyGarage]

I have a Harbor Freight and a couple of speedglas helmets. For general Mig welding, the HF helmet is just as good as the speedglas. I see no difference in clarity between them, and if all you are doing is MIG welding as a hobby welder, I see no reason to spend the money to buy anything more than Harbor Frieght.

For TIG, I find the HF helmet is a little slow to respond and flashes me. I would not recommend a cheap helmet for TIG welding. That's why I bought the speedglas.

I bought my second Speedglas at the pawn shop for $59 bucks. It was really dirty, but it cleaned up and it works great. Better than the one I paid $350 for new. It's really the one I use most of the time now.

 

[JesseJDE]

Jackson Balder BH3 is $225 on amazon right now

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AAQ4ZPK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[cbacres]

I just purchased a Lincoln Viking Series 3350 to replace the ArcOne shield that died on me. I read up on a lot of the shields and the reviews on the Lincoln were excellent. I paid $ 217 from a local supply house. I've only been able to play with it some welding, but what a difference in the clarity. I had always just assumed not be able to see what I was welding was just the way it was.
This seems like a great one, I shouldn't have to buy another again with home shop welding.
It has a external battery where the Arc One did not.
I'll be doing a chunk of welding this weekend to really try it out.

I hemdhawed about spending this much on one, but it's worth it to just see clearly, plus the wife said why don't I just get it already. Can't argue with that.

 

[trackwelder]

I have a Harbor Freight and a couple of speedglas helmets. For general Mig welding, the HF helmet is just as good as the speedglas. I see no difference in clarity between them, and if all you are doing is MIG welding as a hobby welder, I see no reason to spend the money to buy anything more than Harbor Frieght.

I strongly disagree!!! I have been welding a long time and a HF hood is no where Near the same class as a speedglas. I still have my first 15 year old speedglas 9000v with well over 10,000 hours on it and never had a problem with it. No different than buying nice Tillman gloves or proper fitting safety glasses. Top notch gear is not only more comfortable, but it is safer that's a fact.

 

[c39er]

I've had my speedglas 900XSW for 15 years.
It's never failed.

 

[kkroger]

Take a look at the Hoods at Lowes... Similar to Lincoln or Hobart hoods...
http://www.lowes.com/pd_396400-47120-SGY-A11___?productId=3773821&pl=1&Ntt=welding+helmet

I have a "Red" Harbor Freight Helmet

it ***** compared to my Miller Digital Performance...
http://store.cyberweld.com/miwehe64cudi.html

I'll use my Miller EVERY time, I hand guests or observers the Harbor Freight or the other fixed shade stuff... it is like the difference between a Black and White Portable and an HD big screen to me... Also Cheaters are available in different mags from +1 up to +3 or so I think maybe more... Most of the helmets are designed to accept these on the inside of the lens...

 

[catalytic]

I'm probably going to be the only one to say this but... I really like my Miller NON AUTO DARKENING (old school) hood. I wear clear or shade 3 safety glasses underneath for when it's flipped up and I'm chipping slag (shade 3 in case of accidental strikes when stick welding). And a 3M 6000 series half face mask with organic P100 filters fits nicely underneath.

 

[dmw16]

Thanks for all the input guys. I think I'm going to just bite the bullet, do it once, do it right and buy the Miller Digital Elite.

 

[bullnerd]

Lincoln, bigger viewing window than most of the others, and holds the old large glass so its easy to get.

Big window helps when your an amateur like me, and when I was researching it got good reviews for comfort also.

http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=...viking-3350-black-welding-helmet-k3034-2.aspx

 

[dmw16]

Lincoln, bigger viewing window than most of the others, and holds the old large glass so its easy to get.

Big window helps when your an amateur like me, and when I was researching it got good reviews for comfort also.

That's another contender. But my local welding shop mostly carries Miller and I'll confess, I like the look of the miller a little more. Not a great reason..I know.

 

[Professur]

I'll confess, I like the look of the miller a little more. Not a great reason..I know.

It's as good a reason as any and better than most. So long as you've already addressed the necessary, there's no reason to not use liking the look as the deciding factor.

 

[drivesitfar]

DMW: I'll have to read this thread once i get my welder. I've heard from one member that welds daily that he loves his $49 helmet, but i also know he is short on funds. my neighbor that is kinda teaching me how to weld just bought a $450 one and i was the first person to use it out of the box. i had to get within a couple inches of the weld to see his method or i couldn't see much in a 2 inch long weld because it was so dark.

so not sure what you are paying for the one you picked, but i know this thread has been going for a while and I'm sure you are learning and are pretty sure that will work. don't cheap out when it comes to your eyes i have been told.

so have you received your Miller 211 yet with all the goodies? any chance you can post it in the thread we talked about so I (we) can see it?

good luck

 

[dmw16]

DMW: I'll have to read this thread once i get my welder. I've heard from one member that welds daily that he loves his $49 helmet, but i also know he is short on funds. my neighbor that is kinda teaching me how to weld just bought a $450 one and i was the first person to use it out of the box. i had to get within a couple inches of the weld to see his method or i couldn't see much in a 2 inch long weld because it was so dark.

so not sure what you are paying for the one you picked, but i know this thread has been going for a while and I'm sure you are learning and are pretty sure that will work. don't cheap out when it comes to your eyes i have been told.

so have you received your Miller 211 yet with all the goodies? any chance you can post it in the thread we talked about so I (we) can see it?

good luck

I'm usually one to spend money on anything eye/optics related...race helmet, sunglasses, etc.

My welder and spool guns are here, but I haven't bought gloves, helmet, tank, etc. I need to finish my race car and clear out my left over parts before I have room to weld. And I've been traveling for the past 7 weeks for work.

Did you get one yet?

 

[drivesitfar]

DMW: I haven't pulled the trigger yet and mainly because i'm trying to clean out a spot to use it and not just store it. sounds like you will be getting all your rebates back and maybe some of the spool guns sold before you start using yours so best of luck. i'll post on the thread we were working on if i do get my Miller 211 and at this point unless my neighbor says he wants to store all his welding stuff in my shop i'm heading down the same path you and other GJ members paved for me.

thanks

 

[dmw16]

i'm heading down the same path you and other GJ members paved for me.

I believe that's called being an enabler.

 

[BD1]

I'm usually one to spend money on anything eye/optics related...race helmet, sunglasses, etc.

My welder and spool guns are here, but I haven't bought gloves, helmet, tank, etc. I need to finish my race car and clear out my left over parts before I have room to weld. And I've been traveling for the past 7 weeks for work.

Did you get one yet?

***** Reminder on the MILLER HOOD, ******

They have a current deal that you get '' FREE " gloves and sleeves with purchase and free shipping. This is from my local suppliers site, http://www.weldersupply.com/C/32/Helmets

http://www.weldersupply.com/P/335/Mi...talEliteAutoDa

 

[driz]

I started out with the ancient type. Then along came the autos and when HF got them I got one. Night and day difference over ducking and bobbing. That one bit the dust and I got a mid range name brand I can't remember which . That one died in short order so I said nuts on it and got a HF again. That was 4 or 5 years ago and it's still going strong.
Lesson learned. They all work fine. Big Lesson Learned. DON'T LEAVE YOUR HELMET IN A COLD GARAGE IN THE WINER. That -25 and not using it ***** the batteries down which soon kills them. Bring it in the house and if you can store it in a window if you aren't using it frequently if you live in the Tundra. Your mileage may vary but it sure has solved the dead hood problem for me.

 

[Tim37]

Look at the speed that it darkens get the fastest one you can those split seconds before the lens darkens adds up over a day of welding and can leave you with sore eyes. Also as previously stated clarity is a huge factor if your in the learning procress being able to see is a big deal you can't correct a missake that you don't know about. Give yourself the best start you can no reason to start off behind the 8 ball.

As far as a cheap HF hood I would buy a old nonauto Jackson before one of those its harder to get a arch started but its safer and gonna have better lens clarity