Welding helmets

[Dave Westlund]

After 72 years of not welding I purchased a mig welder. Now I'm in need of a auto darkening helmet. Prices are all over the place. What are the welder's using? I probably won't weld much but I want to share this experience with my grandson and I want something that will protect our eyes. You suggestions would be much appreciated.

Dave

 

[ztrmowers]

I never had any luck with those auto helmets,still used big window regular old unit. I always got flashed using those auto things, they do not like cold. hopefully the newer stuff is better good luck

 

[Patsdeere]

For occasional use I would grab a hardcore freight one or one from northern tool, say in the $40-60 range. It will last you long enough to decide if you want a nicer one. Mine lasted 4 years before it wouldn't darken, but that was enough that I then went and got a nice Lincoln.

 

[Blackhole49]

The one I bought 8 to 10 years ago was in the $120 range. Not the cheapest but definitely not the most expensive. I keep it in the original box in my welding cabinet where it can sit for months on end. Have never been flashed and you couldn't pay me to go back to the old style.

 

[kcm.MN]

I've thoroughly enjoyed my auto-darkening helmets. I started with a low-end helmet from HF back around 2000. It got 'misplaced' at one point, so bought another off of Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BWAEYV8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Antra is supposed to be a good brand but I was getting a lot of premature darkening from sun and other bright light.

I recently got a Lincoln 1740 and really like how it looks, but I have to admit I haven't used it yet. Had planned on getting some steel before this virus mess erupted. Didn't happen. Now the nearest place to get steel is 2 hours away. Just not worth it to me.

I got mine at Bakersgas.com and, near as I can tell, that's the lowest price for this model. Free shipping too.
https://bakersgas.com/collections/lincoln-welding-helmets/products/lincoln-k3282-2

There's also a low-end Lincoln hood at Home Depot:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lincoln...Viewing-Area-Galaxis-Design-K4438-1/300573174

You only have one set of eyes in your lifetime. For me, it was worth getting a hood from a trusted name such as Lincoln Electric. Miller is also a top brand. ESAB seems to have decent helmets, but they look like bug eyes. I understand that replacement shields are quite expensive, as are the helmets.

 

[Dennis Minn]

ZTR,

Your description is almost my experience. That one time flash hurt my eyes, have a hard time trusting another auto-dark helmet.

D.

 

[Russ from MN]

I have a Speedglas, was given to me at work 15-20 years ago, don't use it very often, but it works flawless. Must have rechargeable batteries.

 

[oldproudvet]

I too, have an older Speedglas, and as an occasional welder here on the farm over the years works flawless. I've never been flashed or had a misque with it, whether a sick wellder burning heavy steel, and my Miller mig with light gauge sheet metal. It was over $100 then and well worth it. Like mentioned before you only have 1 pair of eyes, why would not protect them as best you can? Larry

 

[ztrmowers]

exactly I got burned more than once threw that unit in scrap barrel never used one again.

 

[Old560]

Jackson w40 insight

 

[MJMJ]

Not sure how it's possible to get flashed with an operational auto helmet?

I have both styles, and both have their advantages. But for just occasional garage use, the Harbor Freight auto helmet (the $50 model) works fine. I've used mine down to around 0 F and it's never failed to work.

 

[Duner Wi]

For me with mig shade control is important cause I am old and can't see like I could when I was 20.

 

[Goose]

I have two, one from Orescheln's and one from HF.

They both work great, but it seems like I always pick up the one from Oresheln's.

Never been flashed by either one, but if I haven't used one for a while I set it facing the sun for a couple of hours to make sure the battery is charged.

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

Dave Westlund; All modern welding helmets have lenses that filter out 99.9% of UV rays at all times, even if the helmet is turned off. You can get flashed if the helmet fails to darken instantaneously, but it will be like having an old fashioned flash bulb go off as you're staring at the camera---you might see spots before your eyes for a while, but there will be no damage. Many users claim that this is not true, or not true for them, but there's never a shortage of people who swear all kinds of things are true---ever looked up something on the Internet? In my experience, Harbor Freight helmets are perfectly adequate for non-professional use, although they give up sooner than the more highly respected brands. Besides several H.F. helmets, I own a Jackson auto darkening one. Jackson was the only American company to produce their own optics when I bought it---all other American made helmets used Asian optics. Speedglas is Swedish, but is now owned by 3M so those lenses are now American made. I've used a Speedglas helmet enough to appreciate its quality, but you won't get your money's worth out of it if you don't weld for a living.

Stan

 

[dr sportster]

I won't say I have the cheapest H-F helmet but It was 35 bucks on sale { it has graphics]. I bought a Lincoln once and returned it when I saw the package said China.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Mine says made in Switzerland.

 

[Dan in North Houston]

I have a Lincoln tombstone and a small mig welder that I use occasionally, but I am really a rank beginner at welding. I have a couple of cheap auto darkening helmets and both work good. Since I only have a reason to weld occasionally, I take the batteries out of the helmets before putting them up. One uses AAA batteries and is a real pain to install or remove the batteries. The other uses the flat coin style batteries and is much easier to install. Guess which one I prefer....

 

[Dusty MI]

I've had mine for many years. It's an auto darken and it's the large type, which a I needed because of "trifocal" glasses with the mid range on top, I did a lot of over head work.

Dusty

 

[TimV]

Count me as one of the people who have been flashed by a cheap helmet. I started with one of the cheapie ($50 or so) "traveling tool show" ones and it worked fine until I did a bunch of stitch welding on some body panels and got flashed badly. Problem seemed to be that the helmet couldn't handle the on-off-on-off cycles inherent in stitch welding and that night I woke up with the "eyes full of burning sand" sensation of a nasty flash burn. Junked that helmet and got a decent 3M one (about $300) and have never regretted it. I DO like a auto-darkening helmet, as it definitely helps me get the bead where I want it, particularly with stick welding, which I do quite a bit of, and out-of-position welding, which is the nature of the beast when doing repair work on larger equipment that you can't easily lay flat, and also in TIG work, which I enjoy dabbling with. While I've heard the cheaper helmets have gotten considerably better than the one I had 15-ish years ago, I still wouldn't trust the only set of eyes I've got to them after my experience with one, nor would I trust anyone else's I cared about.

 

[Steve@Advance]

You and your grandson will be well suited with the entry level HF helmets.

They are safe to use.

The difference is in the durability and comfort. The head gear is less durable, the hinges tend to loosen, they don't like being dropped, just all around a lesser product than the pro level.

But you will find there is no intermediate level. The price jumps dramatically for the next level, and goes up from there.

I would start out with the cheap ones, especially since you're buying 2. If you can find it, go with the larger lens. Look the head gear over, try one on, see if it will tighten enough to stay on when you bend over. See if they have replacement lens covers, you will need them. Might buy some while there because they might not have them next time.

 

[Stephen Newell]

I've been using the harbor freight helmet for years and have no complaints.

 

[Dave Westlund]

Wow,

I got a lot of good feed back on the welding helmets.

I'll be bringing my grandson with tto have him pick out his helmet.

Thanks to all of you for your input. It was much appreciated as I really didn't know where to start.