H-F welding helmet

dr sportster · Nov 29, 2015

I always said my old Jackson was auto darkening ,you just have to jerk your neck. I am realizing for my MIG welding this auto- darkening thing would be better. This cheap H-F hood has good reviews . Anybody have this . { T-Bone said if you blink you wasted your money on the auto-darkening . ] But in reality it has to be better for tacking a million tacks with MIG. Anybody have one of these ? I like the price and bought a Lincoln once but returned in when I saw the China sticker. At least I know it is imported for sure not some Lincoln or Miller tagged brand [ Chinese anyway].
www.harborfreight.com/blueflame-design-auto-darkening It won't post the link

Lazy WP · Nov 29, 2015

I have had a couple of them. The first was good, but I broke the head gear in it. Just bought a different helmet for the same money as a good head gear. It SUCKED!!! Fit all weird, and wouldn't darken how I liked. Wife bought me a new Jackson auto dark. Could have bought 6 HF helmets, but this one fits good, has settings where I can use it to grind, torch and weld. I LOVE IT.

Ivan in Mich · Nov 29, 2015

I had one that was equal to harbor freight and it lasted for 6 months to a year. It got so you would get blinded by the flash when you struck an arc. I went to the welding supply and they had one that fit in my Jackson helmut. It cost at the time around a 100.00 but it is still working great after 10 or 12 years. You can adjust the darkness level so that I often use it when I grind with my grinder. I think t was worth the moey

Andy Wickiser · Nov 29, 2015

I just bought one not too long ago. I, like you, was previously using a Jackson. I'm quite fond of my new harbor freight. It's light-powered so no batteries. The shade can be adjusted between grind (no darkening) #4 shade and 13. Although I do stick not mig the auto darkening works well. It's a real treat to be able to see while starting the weld. I also like the grind mode and use the helmet as a full-featured shield while grinding and doing other chip - producing tasks. At around $39 you may as well just buy one to try.

JF in MI · Nov 29, 2015

I bought one and it worked good and lasted about 5-6 years. It does, in fact, have non replaceable batteries in it. When it died I bought a replacement insert on Ebay for about $15.

marloweg · Nov 29, 2015

love mine 6 to 8 years old and used a lot they don't have a battery

Goose · Nov 29, 2015

I had one once. It was flawless for about 5 years until the headgear broke. I then bought one from Oerscheln's. Cost about $20 more, but I was in a hurry and Oerscheln's was 5 miles away compared to 25 for HF. The one from Oerscheln's has been equally flawless.

Steve@Advance · Nov 29, 2015

Dr, from following your posts, I would guess you probably do a good bit of welding. I doubt you would be very happy with a HF helmet for long.

I had a cheap helmet from Northern Tool, used it for several years, fighting with the head gear, putting the battery back in every time the cover came off and it fell out... It finally got to where it was failing to darken at times.

I dug out a filthy old Jackson, cleaned it up, replaced the lens cover, battery, fixed the head gear... What a difference! I didn't realize how hard I had been fighting that cheap NT helmet!

I know the old Jackson won't last forever, but when the time comes, I won't be buying another $30 helmet! I'll go to the weld supply and look at all the options. I won't buy the most expensive, but I don't want to subject myself to the aggravation again!

ObsoElitist · Nov 29, 2015

My Jackson doesn't have batteries, its powered by the arc. Dont buy cheap welding equipment.

M-MAN · Nov 29, 2015

Bought one for a back up years ago. Tried it once and didn't care for it so I tossed it. Bought another ArcOne for the back up since I liked the first one so much.

TimV · Nov 29, 2015

I bought a HF-type cheapie a number of years ago and used it extensively. It was my first auto-darkening helmet and I found it really improved my welding, particularly on things like MIG stitch welding, where you were doing a lot of start-and-stop at intervals that had to be fairly precise. However, after it got a few years old, I noticed it no longer reliably darkened, to the point I got flashed badly a couple of times, and its dark-to-light transition was also not reliable or consistent--especially frustrating when doing stitch welding as you'd lose your rhythm. Upgraded to a good helmet ($200-300--can't remember exactly) from my local welding supply house and it's been MUCH better--larger viewport, more reliable, clearer glass, no more flashes, better headgear, and in general just a much better piece of equipment. If you weld much at all, I'd skip the intermediate step and go right to a better auto-dark helmet--you'll be happier in the long run, and your eyes aren't anything to mess with.

Andy Martin · Nov 29, 2015

(quoted from post at 15:43:39 11/29/15) I always said my old Jackson was auto darkening ,you just have to jerk your neck. I am realizing for my MIG welding this auto- darkening thing would be better. This cheap H-F hood has good reviews . Anybody have this . { T-Bone said if you blink you wasted your money on the auto-darkening . ] But in reality it has to be better for tacking a million tacks with MIG. Anybody have one of these ? I like the price and bought a Lincoln once but returned in when I saw the China sticker. At least I know it is imported for sure not some Lincoln or Miller tagged brand [ Chinese anyway].
www.harborfreight.com/blueflame-design-auto-darkening It won't post the link

It's too bad you returned the Lincoln. Chinese companies will make any quality requested of them, and Lincoln has a good head gear. I think my computer may have even been made in China (are any of them not?) I've got a moderately priced auto-darkening helmet and it occasionally is a little slow darkening, to the point I do blink as I strike an arc. A good quality would be better for multiple quick tacks. Went back to my old cardboard Jackson and forgot it had cheater sin it when I was teaching my grandson to weld the other day. It was sure light and nice but I really like the accuracy of an auto-darkening.

Stan in Oly, WA · Nov 29, 2015

As Andy Wickiser said, at $39 you're not out much if you buy one and don't like it. Having bought and used several Harbor Freight helmets and one low end Jackson, I don't think I'd buy a mid priced helmet if I had it to do again. I'd either go with something like a Speedglas at about the cost of ten Harbor Freight helmets, or stick with the low end helmets and always have a spare ready for when (not if) the current one gives up. They do give up.

One thing you might find reassuring is that virtually all auto darkening helmets provide 99.9% UV protection at all times, including in the clear state. This is because it costs almost nothing extra to do so. If the optics start failing (it's about 50/50 optics or headgear), you're not doing permanent damage to your eyes---it's just really, really annoying.

Stan

sotxbill · Nov 30, 2015

when arc welding the cheaper ones worked fairly well... when mig welding the cheap ones would not work and I could not see well enough to weld. could see only the flash, but not the material.

Went and bought a jackson and now I mig weld all the time. I can sell very well. Have not used the arc weld much since.

I can only tell you my experience with older eyes.....

Jackson was worth every penny I paid for it. Now I fix a lot of small things that I would normally throw away and repurchase.

dr sportster · Nov 30, 2015

Well , I think everyone has talked me out of this purchase. It would pay to get a better Jackson and be done with it rather than get a bargain that my not be a bargain if it flashes you.

charlie n · Nov 30, 2015

I got this one last year.Lincoln Viking without the decal on it. Watching your posts thru the years you don't mess with junk.I believe that you would like this hood.Also no goofy adjustment knob hanging on the side to get knocked off.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HTP-Striker-Digital-Auto-Darkening-Welding-Helmet-Hood-Mig-Tig-Stick-Arc-Mask-/141637606782?hash=item20fa425d7e:g:-kIAAOxyOalTbC02

JBDyer · Nov 30, 2015

Your not buying a welding hood, You are buying eye protection! My eyes are worth a lot more than cheap Chinese junk! Even if it cost more I want good quality protection. I will still get my fireworks from China though, I believe they still make a pretty decent firecracker.

showcrop · Dec 1, 2015

I got one almost a year ago because I was going to be but welding a lot of light gauge steel. I have used it a lot and it works very well. I am ver happy with it.

Dusty MI · Dec 1, 2015

Because of wearing trifocal glasses, I bought a large window one. If I remember right it's a Jackson from Northern Hydraulics. It was not very expense, and it works well.

Dusty

mmidlam · Dec 1, 2015

I bought a solar powered H-F helmet and was happy with it. Lasted about 18 months. Snapped the lens assembly open and found 2 batteries soldered inside. Seems like the battery number were
CR2335. Apparently, the solar cells charge these batteries. I am guessing the batteries would last longer if the helmet was stored with solar cells facing a strong light.

Stan in Oly, WA · Dec 1, 2015

I think you're right. I've used Harbor Freight helmets which never gave me any trouble until I packed them away for months. After that, they wouldn't work correctly, and no amount of being exposed to strong light, including direct sunlight, would make them hold a charge.

For me, they are much the same as Harbor Freight angle grinders. They're just fine when they work, but you can't count on them to keep working.

Stan

Brad Metcalf · Dec 1, 2015

dr I was just like you I would give up my Jackson then I was @ my sil shop and use a H F auto dark and I love it

Fred Werring · Dec 1, 2015

I'm only a welder when I have to be, the HF helmet works fine.

I'm on my second one, batteries died in the first after about 5 years.

Several write ups on the web about replacing the batteries, I've got the holders (cr2032 batteries) to do it, just haven't gotten around to it....but it's on my list to do

Fred

504 · Dec 1, 2015

Miller,Lincoln and Jackson all sell good helmets. I just keep using my Speed Glass,it is way out dated, but it is 20 years old. I replace the batteries about every two years.

showcrop · Dec 2, 2015

(quoted from post at 17:04:43 11/30/15) Your not buying a welding hood, You are buying eye protection! My eyes are worth a lot more than cheap Chinese junk! Even if it cost more I want good quality protection. I will still get my fireworks from China though, I believe they still make a pretty decent firecracker.

A few months ago when we covered this, at least two guys told of having found that their expensive name brand helmet was made in China, and someone else had found his expensive helmet for sale for much less with another brand name on it.

H-F welding helmet

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