welding helmets

[g-ratter]

Interested in knowing what type of auto darkening helmets are being used. Any recomendartions as to brand/model type?

 

[chainmaker]

I picked up one off e-bay for $50 not sure of the brand some chinese company..It works..If I ever get the welding down Ill know better.

 

[scrumblero]

I had one of the old school battery powered ones that was like a hundred buck just for the lens back in the day.. it was awesome cept you had to load batteries in it.
when it finally gave up teh ghost I got one of these cause my old one is a hard hat model and not all that comfy.. it works great! the adjustable tint is awesome and the flames peel right off!! hard to beat for $55 !@!




http://www.harborfreight.com/welding/we ... 91214.html

 

[schertztx]

I bought one at Northern Tool for less than $50 on sale and it is freakin awesome! If i was welding everyday i would probably get a higher quality one but i have had this one for two years now and there is no way i would go back to a regular hood.

 

[g-ratter]

How sensitive are the solar cell ones? Do they work well in a shop with fluorescent lighting?

 

[bicycleguy]

I had one from Harbor Freight that I used for a few years then I finally decided to get a new helmet so I got a Radnor Cobra 54vi, the difference is unbelieveable. The Radnor has a lot more adjustment and you can see what your welding better than with the HF helmet.

 

[Tailwinds]

How sensitive are the solar cell ones? Do they work well in a shop with fluorescent lighting?

I've got the Harbor Freight solar one, $45 with the 20% off coupon. I use it in a shop with all fluorescent lighting, works just fine.

 

[g-ratter]

Thanks Tailwinds!

 

[Meeba]

I have a miller and am quite happy with it. it is auto darkening. the one with the joker design is the one I have.

edit...here is a link to it

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/wel ... ets/elite/

 

[scrumblero]

I had one from Harbor Freight that I used for a few years then I finally decided to get a new helmet so I got a Radnor Cobra 54vi, the difference is unbelieveable. The Radnor has a lot more adjustment and you can see what your welding better than with the HF helmet.

I told my pop how sweet it was and he replaced his older jackson with a new 3M and said the same thing.. I think its just that the technology is so much better than it was even a few years ago... :roll:

 

[foryourride]

i use this one from HF $79.99 and find a 20% off coupon = $63.99 +tax

 

[utilityart]

I had one that had no ID on it but it would flash on and off sometimes, didn't take ling for me to chuck that one. I now have one I bought from Praxair, a silver Huntsman, it is not adjustable but it does have a large viewing area. I think it's an off brand from Jackson. Either way, it works very good, and I think I got it for like $59.

 

[Long&Black]

http://www.tractorsupply.com/welding-he ... et-3004655

 

[vibr8shun]

I use a Speedglas 9000x that I use for my work. I got this model because I weld using different processes(mig, Tig, Stick) and I needed the adjustable variable shades for each process. I also love the fact that it has a solar panel located below the lens that helps extend the battery life of the helmet to around 3000 hours (still haven't changed my battery yet). I spent over $300 several years ago when it was brand new and they still are a bit pricey used on ebay. I love it a lot, but unless you have the money or you plan on using it for a living, I would get the cheaper ones from Harbor Freight, Home Depot, or lowes, ect...

 

[yoothgeye]

I found an automatic helmet a few years back in the median of Highway 64 between I-95 and Raleigh. I was on my way to seminary and I saw it in the median, but didn't have time to stop. On the way home it was still there (this is a very busy road) and this time I saw the reflection of the LCD panel or whatever it is so I knew it was an auto helmet, not a manual, so I took an exit, went back and got it. The helmet has a crack in the side that I taped up with metal tape, but since I've had it has never needed any batteries, worked from the day I found it. At the time I looked it up at Northern Tool or Harbor Frieght and it was about a $100 helmet. I had it before I got my little welder.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Have to agree on the Speedglass helmets, mine is an old one I bought about 8 years ago ($400 at the time) and it is still going strong, I have replaced the batteries twice, the front clear cover once and the inner clear cover twice. 4 of those years it was in regular use for my work, now that I am off work it just get used for hobby stuff... The reason I got the battery version at the time, is the switching speed, the battery model had less than 1/2 the time to go dark than the solar versions, trust me, big difference in how your eyes feel at the end of a long day!

All that being said, if you are not using it all day, everyday, just buy the $50-$60 one!

Luke.

 

[Voyager Al]

I feel the same way,vibration. I have a Miller top of the line one at work, where I weld,Alot! Mig,mostly. I bought a Miller hobby grade one for a helper, and its noticably different, though if I didnt have a good one, it'd be fine. I have a Harbor Freight one for at home, and for my flux core mig, its fine. Solar powered works more off the weld flash than the lighting,duh....

 

[october]

This is what I use, a Lincoln with the large lens...

Call me paranoid, but I don't trust the auto darkening helmets...


oct.