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Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:26 pm

What kind of helmet do you use? I find that in some tight spots that the hand held works the best and then agian sometimes no helmet at all. But for the most part I use my old flip up for just about everything. Never had one of the new Auto helmets.

hand held

Flip up

Auto

Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:38 pm

I was never any good at keeping my spot when flipping down my helmet, so I find the auto-dimming ones a Godsend.

Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:18 pm

Derek Cobb wrote: I was never any good at keeping my spot when flipping down my helmet, so I find the auto-dimming ones a Godsend.
x 1,000,000

Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:23 pm

I bought a cheapo auto darkening from Harbor Freight. I'm very pleased.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46092

Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:36 pm

An autodark helmet made me twice as good of a welder in 5 minutes. I would not be without one.

Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:41 pm

i use my trusty old(15 years old, at least) jackson shadow.... autodarkening sounds good for folks that are new to welding.

Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:31 pm

bugninva wrote: autodarkening sounds good for folks that are new to welding.

And for us old timers too

Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:46 pm

spook wrote: bugninva wrote: autodarkening sounds good for folks that are new to welding.

And for us old timers too

i guess.... i've tried one(my father-in-law is a bodyman and uses autodarkening shields) but it is "habit" for me to flip the shield up and down... was a certified pressure vessel welder for several years, and it's "stuck".. old habits, yada, yada..

Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:00 am

If you have a welding shop nearby, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try some on before you buy them.

I first got a Lincoln automatic helmet but found that the viewing area was too small for me. The Miller has a larger viewing area so got that one as well.
The Miller unit has four sensors over the Lincoln's two so there's no chance it ever does not darken when it should. It darkens faster and my eyes are less tired using it - that could also be due to the fact I'm better at welding, though.
Regardless, the Lincoln is a 'guest helmet' now.

Those cheaper no-brand names may very well be the same units I have but figured that my eyes aren't worth screwing with over a couple of dollars.
A solid company like Lincoln or Miller can't afford to sell you stuff that doesn't protect you. That's why I went with them.

Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:07 pm

I use a Miller Elite autodarkening helmet and love it.

--louis

Fri Jun 06, 2008 1:27 pm

I left mine in a dark closet and didn't realize the batteries had run down. I struck two arcs before I realized what had happened. Sometimes at night I can still see those two arcs with my eyes closed. Damned solar cells...

Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:53 pm

I bought a miller elite thinking it should be one of the best due to the price and name. I used it for a couple years then bought a 3M Speedglas.

The miller doesn't have SHIT on the speedglas. I'll never buy another helmet.

Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:45 pm

VWsArent4Hippies wrote: I bought a miller elite thinking it should be one of the best due to the price and name. I used it for a couple years then bought a 3M Speedglas.

The miller doesn't have SHIT on the speedglas. I'll never buy another helmet.

i mainly use my speedglas 9002X and love it.

this accu-strike chin operated hood looks interesting:

Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:00 pm

victoryONE wrote: this accu-strike chin operated hood looks interesting

WTF!!!!

This have to be a joke... no?

Damn we have arrive to the future...

I have all 3 types but the auto is the one I use the most.

Temo.

Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:05 pm

Miller elite here too.....love it, I learned to eld with an auto and suck ass without (especially with the TIG!!)
Whatever you do if you go auto, make sure the batteries are replacable cause my father-in-law had a $400 paperweight after 1 1/2 years :roll:

also when I bought mine the counter guy told me not to store it in the bag, just hang on the wall cause the battery always need to be charged (solar) and if stored in the dark it will kill the battery fast (won't recharge)

Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:14 pm

For years, I used a helmet where I had to flip down the small dark lens with one hand before the arc was struck; the other hand held the gun. Finally, I bought an auto-darkening helmet on sale for $50 (I added $5.00 for a one year free replacement warranty for any reason) at Harbor Freight, and I can now have two hands on the mig welder's gun. It has made welding a lot easier.

Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:23 am

Jackson HSL 100 with a 9 for light stuff 11 for everthing else. I leaned to weld without autodarkening though. I like to use a gold lens if im working in a clean clean enviorment, but dont scratch them!

Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:41 am

I have a Huntsman 951P (auto darkening) and I love it. It was highly recommended by a welder with over 30 yrs experience. Not only does it have the auto dark feature, but it runs off a solar panel that gets its energy from your spark, pretty cool.

IMHO Anyone who thinks that they can simply close their eyes or turn their head and doesn't use some sort of helmet when welding, is risking serious eye injury.

Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:00 am

Quote: IMHO Anyone who thinks that they can simply close their eyes or turn their head and doesn't use some sort of helmet when welding, is risking serious eye injury.

Amen to that. You see these knuckleheads on TV doin' that all the time. People just don't realize how powerful the light from an arc is, and the damage it can do to your eyes.

Stupid TV

Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:28 am

i've been using a harbor freight autodarkening one for awhile. It has never failed to turn on when welding, but it also turns on whenever I move quickly, look at light sources, etc...it's been dropped alot and still works. The ratchet strap was worn out after about 2 months of light use. I plan to replace it with a better name brand unit this summer...