OT: welding helmet

[wfw]

having to replace my welding helmet, looking at the auto darkening type. do not do a lot of welding,just once and a while. looking at tractor supply and harbor freight. has anybody had any experience with either? what are the pros and cons on these helmets? Thanks in advance.

frank

 

[Dusty MI]

Due to tri-focal glasses I went to the large window before auto darken helment, 3 or 4 years ago I got an auto darken large lens, I think from Northen Hydralics. I don't weld a lot but I like the auto darken.

Dusty

 

[JF in MI]

I got one of the HF auto darken jobs years ago. You can get them for under $40 when they go on sale. I like it. It is like sunglasses before you strike an arc so you will want to have a well lighted work area. Then it is like a regular welding filter. It has a darkness setting knob.

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 01:37:56 12/27/13) having to replace my welding helmet, looking at the auto darkening type. do not do a lot of welding,just once and a while. looking at tractor supply and harbor freight. has anybody had any experience with either? what are the pros and cons on these helmets? Thanks in advance.

frank

I am 110% satisfied with this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-4654-Welding-Helmet-Window/dp/B0077L9VSC

I have the best Jackson offered this one beats it hands down at a 1/4 of the cost... The Jackson does ware better tho...

 

[ben brown]

first off you only have one set eyes. i have been using a auto darking one for some years and like it bough a new mig welder last winter.spring so got new full face auto darking helmet from miller and payed a lot for it maybe to much but you can adjust how dark it gets full face it has been worth every penny i still ues my old one for quick jobs as it hanging on the welder if i going to be doing a lot welding i get the good one out of the safe i did say it was expensive lol but i do like the way it works

 

[jimg.allentown]

I have an autodarkening helmet from Harbor Freight. It has worked well for the most part with a couple of slight quirks...
In bright sun, it will darken at inopportune times from sun exposure - and usually just before you were ready to strike the arc. Also, it needs to sit in an area with sun exposure when it sits for a while or the internal rechargeable battery will go dead, and it will cease to function until the battery recharges.
Overall, I was very pleasesd with the helmet and the performance was better than I dared to expect from cheap Chinese equipment.

 

[Steve@Advance]

I would definitely go with the auto darkening type.

However, you get what you pay for... I bought a $40 one from Northern Tool. Waste of money, batteries fall out, sometimes it goes light when welding, sometimes it goes dark just from the after glow of the weld.

Next one will be in the $80 to $100 range.

 

[IH2444]

got a $50 auto dark from HF about 12 years ago.
Still working fine. Never replaced batteries and keep it in a cabinet when not using it.
Wonderful just strike the arc and then fine tune the darkness for puddle viewing.

 

[fordtractor2000]

I bought an auto-arc helmet from TSC...I do all the welding at my job now and it is a sand and gravel operation so I doalot, and i"m very happy with it and it was under $100,It has the shade adjustment on the outside and I find that handy since sometimes I mig weld and more often I stick weld.

 

[davpal]

I have a Hobart Hood from TSC and it's wonderful. Makes me a lot better welder. I would have liked to have had it 30 years ago.

 

[Dick L]

I bought the one Lance was hawking a while back. It is real clear as he stated. I have it at home and another auto dark one at work. I am thinking of buying another one for work. As I set here this morning I can't remember the name. Lance has a youtube video on it.

 

[Dick L]

Here it is. And I love it. All is true.
Check Here

 

[Mike M]

Dad Picked up an el cheapo from harbor freight and I must admit it works far better then I expected it to !
Wish I'd of got one sooner.

 

[RLS-ia]

Look for one that comes on automatically, my buddy has a Miller that you have to turn on everytime. I always flash my eyes the first time using his.

 

[770jdman]

Had experience with harbor freight w/ blue flames. Used it for over a year and half until battery went out. That was everyday use. Never got flashed. Moved up to miller elite now with replaceable batteries.

 

[dr sportster]

Somewhere awhile back I read a whole lot of reviews of the Harbor Freight unit that cost around 54 dollars. Many people in these reviews liked this hood..

 

[the tractor vet]

Guess i am and old fuddy dutty as either i am to cheap or what but i will stick with my old jackson picture winder one . Just install a new head band about every five to ten years and cover plates . The auto dark ones don't have the PICTURE Winder . , it works better for me .

 

[baldwin racing]

I would look into a arc one helmet for a cheeper brand.....or would recommend miller elite or Lincoln Viking helmets well worth the money.....I have a miller stars and stripes helmet myself and have had good luck with it over the years....
here I am getting ready to tig some more 4130 chromoly tubing on a atv drag chassis...

Kelly

 

[teddy52food]

I am with you. Too old to change I guess. I only have one pair of eyes & don't trust them to the auto darkening helmets with the little peep hole to see through.

 

[T in NE]

I got a K-T at Orshlen's, on sale for $40, regular $120. Looks a lot like that one. Easily replaceable batteries, just wish default mode was dark. When the batteries go, it won't darken reliably. Cheap one my dad got years ago, defaulted to dark. Never got flashed when the batteries went bad in it.