Welding Helmet

[Pipe]

Hey guys I know it is probably a dead horse but I couldn't find anything recent.

So I have a harbor freight welding helmet. It works OK on the mig welding I do however lately when I have been using the stick more at work, the flash comes from underneath and I have a TIG coming soon through work that I plan to play with quite a bit.

Anyways if you had to buy a legit auto darkening helmet tomorrow what would it be? My snap on driver comes every week but it is just me and him talking. He says they break often and the shop guys have to wait for repairs. So scratch that idea.

 

[Thumper68]

I picked up a Jackson safety true sight II and love it.

 

[dr_clyde]

I wouldn't. I would buy a Jackson Shadow and put a #10 gold lens in it and be good. No batteries, no flashes, always works, waterproof, cheap and very effective.

If you are dead set on an auto darkening hemet, I like Kimberly Clark's professional line. Optrel makes a nice one too.

I personally can't stand the headgear on the new lincoln Vikings. The old ones were ok. Miller is also a solid "meh" on their headgear as well. Speedglas is generally uncomfortable for me too.

I weld for a living, and the only auto darkening hemet I really use is the miller weld mask, for confined space welding.

Just my opinions. YMMV

 

[Pipe]

Thanks guys. I learned how to weld with a solid dark helmet. However I then bought a mig and that auto darkening and have grown used it it. Clyde maybe on monday I will dig out that solid dark and give it another shot.

 

[rmack898]

Ive been using Optrels for over 10 years and have been quite happy with them, but recently my oldest hood died and the batteries are non-replaceable.

I replaced the dead optrel with a 91xx speedglass and am vey happy with it. I have a long beard that I need to tie up under the Optrel but the speedglass gives much more protection and I don't need to put ties in my beard.

Optics in a welding hood are paramount but light radiation protection should also be a major consideration when selecting a good welding hood and it is often overlooked.

 

[jt777]

I really like the miller welding helmets

 

[Pipe]

Ive been using Optrels for over 10 years and have been quite happy with them, but recently my oldest hood died and the batteries are non-replaceable.

I replaced the dead optrel with a 91xx speedglass and am vey happy with it. I have a long beard that I need to tie up under the Optrel but the speedglass gives much more protection and I don't need to put ties in my beard.

Optics in a welding hood are paramount but light radiation protection should also be a major consideration when selecting a good welding hood and it is often overlooked.

Thanks Mack. The radiation issue when I started using stick again was the main reason I said something better is a priority. No matter how snug I have that harbor freight piece to my chin, the arc light sneaks in. Mig has never been an issue.

Sent from my 0PJA2 using Tapatalk

 

[BD1]

I love my MILLER Elite hood . Mine is around 7 years old and great ,If interested , you get free gloves with purchase.
http://www.weldersupply.com/C/32/Helmets

 

[readhead]

I have a leather flap that clips on the bottom of my hood to keep the light out and my neck from getting sunburned. I picked it up at the welding supply. Wait, that was forty years ago and it still works great.

 

[slip knot]

Yep. I use a leather flap on mine as well.

 

[tractordude]

MILLER elite here also.

I worked industrial maintenance in a heavy fab shop for a bit. I would grab the operators helmet to test welders after a repair. Miller was my choice, 3m speedglass is a close second IMO.

A good helmet will last a hobbyist a LONG time.

 

[jimgood]

Hey guys I know it is probably a dead horse but I couldn't find anything recent.

So I have a harbor freight welding helmet. It works OK on the mig welding I do however lately when I have been using the stick more at work, the flash comes from underneath and I have a TIG coming soon through work that I plan to play with quite a bit.

Seems like your concern is really about the flash coming from underneath. I'm curious as to why that would happen with stick and not MIG. Maybe it's because your hands are farther from the weld allowing more light to reach your helmet.

Regardless, if the helmet works, you could always just put a welding helmet bib on the bottom.

 

[pepi]

buy a better helmet...

 

[crewchief888]

I have a couple Miller pro-hobby AD hoods. They seem to fit my head better than anything else I tried on.

 

[kkroger]

I use a Miller Digital Performance (one step down from the Elite) works great. I like it a lot. I use Cape Sleeves and a Bib a lot of the time...Gloves... After going through Chemo I Burn a lot easier than I used too.... and a lot worse burns...

 

[Pipe]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I get real ontop of my work when I am mig welding but am further back while sticking and getting flashes that way. I will definetly try a leather flap on Monday.

 

[MagKarl]

I'm very happy with my Speedglas helmet, had it probably ~15 years with zero issues.

 

[txvwnut]

Last time I was at the welding supply place I asked them what the best helmet was for the money.

They handed me a Viper and I've had no complaints. As long as the sensor can see a part of the arc flash it will darken.

 

[kkroger]

The Miller Elite has the X-Mode electromagnetic sensor, doesn't have to "SEE" the flash, it is triggered by the electromagnetics of the arc...

 

[pepi]

The Miller Elite has the X-Mode electromagnetic sensor, doesn't have to "SEE" the flash, it is triggered by the electromagnetics of the arc...

Great TIP, that's going to solve the outdoor welding problem.

Had the 3M speedglas a while back, decent helmet but the manual on/off was a PIA.

Thought the auto on/off of the Miller was a great feature, finding out about this X-Mode completely blows the other hoods our of the water..... way cool feature...

Going out right now and give it a test drive/weld..

Thanks again
Greg

 

[rockwithjason]

another speed glass user here.

 

[jeff.droogh]

I have a Lincoln Viking, the biggest one you can get. About 4 years of general fab and repairs and its held up great.

 

[gmwelder86]

Fibre metal pipelined with a good lens. Many pipe and steam fitters hood of choice.

 

[Jazz1]

SpeedGlas The clarity is best I have ever had.

 

[brewchief]

I picked up a Jackson safety true sight II and love it.

I've got a jackson truesight 2 as well and love it, I used a horrible fright helmet previously and it is so much better, this is the first helmet that I've used that I could really see the puddle and what's going on. The grind mode is nice if you have to do a quick touch up with the grinder, I have a clear full face shield that I use for major grinding but being able to just touch a button and do a quick job is pretty nice.

 

[tarbellb]

I traded in my HF cheapo for a SpeedGlas 100 under the "Swedish Made" idea. Not impressed at all. The clarity is better, but only 2 sensors makes for flashing. And it also will flash randomly.

 

[pstnbly]

I run a Speedglas, but the Optrels, Millers and Jacksons are good. I left my gear home one day but was asked to weld for the day. I used a borrowed Chinese solar type like a Harbor Freight for the day. I paid for that experience later at home with severe eye strain. I'll refuse to weld before I ever put a cheap Chinese hood on again.

 

[Amish]

I use speedglas. I have 2 of then. One has a PAPR system and it is so nice having that.

 

[bsaint]

I got some one from Amazon with Balder or Baldor technology. ***** really bad in low light.

 

[Engine]

I use the Miller digital elite when I'm doing fab work because it seems more convenient to be able to see and position the parts without "nodding" down the hood. I use the Jackson HSL passive with a gold lens when doing some rough work like stick welding repairs on thicker material. Next week I'm going to try out an Optrel Galaxy with the 2x4 flip-up lens. That should come in handy when you have to get up under something in a tight area.

Even though the Miller works extremely well, there is still that milliseconds delay before it goes dark. I've used both enough to be sure that at the end of the day there is more eye strain using the auto-dark than passive. Just my experience, some people don't seem to have a problem with it.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I use my Harbor Freight auto helmet for TIG from 10-200 amps all the time and never had any problems. I tried a Jackson BH3 before and loved it, if I had $250 to drop I'd go with that.

 

[mike13u]

For ease-of-use an auto dark is nice. Especially starting out. But, in terms of clarity of the weld puddle I have found nothing that beats a good fixed shade gold lens.