O/T Welding Helmet

I have never used a auto darkening welding helmet. To those of you who have, what do you think of them. Is there any special brand you would recommend. Harbor frieght has them for around 60.00. I need to get one soon. I almost used a hammer on mine several times, if I had done that, then I wouldn't have been able to finisn my mower repair. I just love it when you need to keep moving your head to compansate for the helmet that continues to slip on your head. Between trying to focus my glasses and the slipping helmet, it about drove me nuts. Thanks Stan

All I use for the bit of welding I do is an auto darkening helmet. I can't comment on whether or not the HF helmet is any good but the auto darkening is way better than the normal helmet. No flicking down the lid every time and then not knowing where the stick is or striking before the helmet lid is down which makes you want to destroy the helmet for doing that to your eyes. It's really nice when you have a rod like 7018 that the arc can be hard to strike. If the arc is struck it goes dark and if it's not you jus continue trying.

I came close to buying one from Harbor Freight when I bought mine. Thought better of it and went across the street and bought a better unit from a more reputable tool seller.

I have bought stuff from Harbor and been relatively happy with it but with a welding helmet you are entrusting one of your most precious possesions (sight) to a cheap helmet. Seemed to me that a little more money spent was well worth it.

Now as to the helmets. My guess is the one you are looking at from HF has a electronic insert that has the same outside dimensions as a small glass regular lense. Main problem with this is that the viewing area has to be smaller than that to allow for the electronics. Makes for a real small window to your work.

Spend the money and get a better helmet $100 to $150 will get you a real good one. The one I have is a little dim for use inside but it works for me.

Hopefully T bone will weigh in here. I know he doesn"t much care for the electronics but I really respect his views on welding questions.

jm2cw

jt

I have a speedglas and love it. I have also used miller and they were alright. Before I bought the speedglas I bought one of the cheapies off ebay for $60 and it worked but you can tell the quality isn't first rate like the better brands.

I sell these hoods every day and have been in the welding supply industry for nearly 30 years. Don't buy the cheapest ones out there, there are different LCD technologies in hoods. Along with the different LCD's there are also IR/UV filtration quality to take into consideration. These things work like the mini blinds on a window except they are vertical, and if the slats don't twist you get flash burn.
My recommendation is the Hornell speedglas. they have several models to choose from I rely on the 9002x pn 04-0014-21. this is a hood that is veriable shade and sensitivity. It will do all the welding you can think of cost in my store is $290. The other option is their utility hood 04-0014-10u it cost $160.00

Like anything else, you get what you pay for. I just picked up a Lincoln Vista helmet; it was on sale but it was still over 200 bucks for the version I picked. It comes in three different lens sizes; I bought the biggest so I can look down through my bifocals or straight ahead through a magnifier. It has all the whistles and bells: Adjustable shade, TIG mode, grind mode, etc. The headband stays put a lot better than the one on my cheap Jackson helment.
Lincoln Vista Helmets

DO NOT take a chance with your eyes! Buy a good quality helmet, as you your tools. The only tools I have bought from Harbor Freight are wrenches that I re-bend with a torch to get into odd places.

Don't waste your eye's or your money on the helmets at Harbor or anywhere for that matter unless they are name brand.

I have 3 auto helmets, a Speedglass, an Optrel, and a Miller Elite.
The Speedglass is ok for light duty work, does not work well outside in bright sun light, constantly flickers dark to light no matter what setting it is on and has a very small viewing area. NOT rated for Tig. Very uncomfortable hood.
The Optrel is good inside and outside for light or heavy welding, large viewing area, but it is NOT rated for Tig use. Very comfortable hood.
The Miller Elite, is the best one I have used, large viewing area, works inside or outside, Infinite adjust-ability for delay, grind mode, shade and sensitivity. Tig rated. Very comfortable and adjustable hood.

Since most of my welding is Tig, I use the Miller the most.

I've had an Arc One helmet for years now...I'm sold on the auto darkening helmets..I threw my old ones away..Don't buy a cheapie...Those are your eyes you're dealing with...Roy

I have had an HF auto-darkening helmet or 3 years now. It works great. If I were a professional welder I would probably spend the extra money on a higher qualty one, but I'm only an occasional user. It darkens faster than I can blink, I never see an arc flash. The part that is a little annoying is that the flourecent lights in the barn will also trigger the auto-darkening, so I have to be careful where I tip my head then I am not welding.

I don't know about you, but I am loosing some hair and have found that a sweaty forehead makes any helmet slide around. I have stitched part of an old dish towel around the headband (in the forehead area). This seems to do a good job holding it in place. Good luck.

Familiar with that problem, this can be a huge distraction and will definitely effect your welds.

Besides all the other things you need to do, (especially with stick) keep your leads from weighing your arm down, maintaining your arc distance, maintaining the correct electrode position, paying close attention to the puddle, a poorly performing helmet, one that has a head band that pulls on your hair, (short or long) does not fit and or loses it's fit while you work is a real frustrating thing, more so if you are trying to learn a welding process.


I'm still using an inexpensive conventional type helmet, one before this one, I literally tossed due these problems. While at the welding supply house I picked up another conventional to replace it, one with a large viewing area, and what seems to be a slightly lighter lense, think the first one was a shade 11. Big difference, this one I am real happy with, (though I'd still like to get an auto darkening of high quality). I have no issues striking an arc, if the work is brightly illuminated, can see just enough, don't have to tip the helmet down after. The shade is dark enough, eyes are ok after welding. Most things I seem to learn fairly quickly, and when I first started stick welding, later on, I realized I would have done much better, much sooner, had I been using this or a better suited helmet, different lense etc. The one I have now, a Pearson Eclipse, ( which I hope is not of HF type quality ) inexpensive but I can work with it, can see the puddle and the work much better, (might have just been the lense shade) sure made a big improvement of my work, though an amateur and just using 7018 for fabricating and repairs, little things sure make a difference.

I used a cheap Harbor Freight type auto darkening helmet for quite a while with no problem when I was using a stick welder, but when I got the wire welder, the cheap helmet had to go. It didn't darken quick enough an gave me some flash. This leads me to a question; why did it do that? Is it because the flux on the rod shields the flash for just an instant when the arc is struck? That's the only thing I can think of. Jim

I've got one from TSC. Great,except that there is a fraction of a second delay. Welding outside,you want to keep the sun in front of you. If it gets in from behind,it doesn't darken like it should.

Dad got one from Harbor Freight. I put off using it because I never used one before and didn't think they could work ?
Well let me tell you I was wrong ! That helmet is GREAT ! Get one and use it you will like it. The one we have is adjustable and doesn't seem to have a delay.

I also have had a harbour Freight auto dark helmet for about 4 years now. I love it. I do stick welding with it and a little wire welding. No problems.

I love the adjustable shade feature. I had tried 3 different shades in a conventional helmet and could not see the puddle well. I had almost given up on welding till I got my HF autodark helmet.

As others I would recomend getting a nicer helmet if I were doing this professionally. Mostly for durability vs function though.

I've used one for about 4 years or so now and really like it. I would stay clear away from the cheepies from HF such. Hobart makes a budget helmet that sells for between $80-$100. I worked with a guy who used his daily (averaged 8hrs of welding a day 5-6 days a week)and had no problems. Fibremetal makes a reasonable priced helmet as well. I think its called the pipeliner or something like that. I've presonally used it and it is extremely durable and lightweight. It is a 10shade only but you can buy 1or2 shaded covers that you can put in front of the autoshade if you desire a darker setting. As many of the others have said. Your eyes are too valuable to risk on a junk helmet.

I have used a Harbor Freight auto darkening helmet and a high dollar one.I think the high dollar ones are over priced for what you get,but they are also better.I got a little flash from the Harbor Freight one,but I was using it outside and it seemed like it was lighter and I had it adjusted as dark as it would go.The high dollar one I have mostly used inside and like it.On the more expensive one the whole electronics and lens is about 2 or 3 times thicker than the Harbor Freight one and most of the time you dont even see any flash.I have noticed using 7018 that it will sometimes switch off an instant because once in a while the slag will cover the arc.I dont like that.For mig it seems like its fine.If I am out in the open,not in a bad position,and just normal welding,I dont see a need for an auto darkening helmet,and using 7018 prefer not to use an auto darkening helmet.Now underneath or all twisted up inside of a combine or something like that,the auto darkening is just what you need.Makes a hard job easier.The welding helmets that I own all have a sweat band like thing on the front of the band that goes around your head,I got them where I get my welding supplies,I think they cost about 25 or 30 dollars about 10 years ago.They are light,you hardly know you have it on,just like the ones the high dollar auto darkening ones have.I dont even own an auto darkening hood myself,but used a couple of friends.Ever since I started welding in the 70s I always used the hoods with the big square glass.I do have a hood with the flip up small glass that works kind of like an auto darkening hood except you have to have one hand free to close the window.I was going to buy a Harbor Freight type auto darkening hood,but since I used it,and it wasnt real bad,but I think I will pass.You dont know what that little difference in delay over the high priced ones will do to your eyes,and unless I have lots of work to do in cramped areas I dont feel like I need it.Just my 2 cents worth.

I'm only a Hobbiest Welder now but I enjoy my Lincoln Vista 2000 Helmet with the Star Spangeld Flag Graphics when I do weld. It performs very good and for some one who is used to useing a Hand Held Face Sheild it is very safe as I have a hand to guide or to hold onto stuff now.I do Flux Core Wire with my Lincoln 100 mostly but Stick Weld with my Forney 250 when needed. My most recent uncompleted project is a facsimle Model T Roadster with tiller sterring ,an 8HP Briggs with a Friction Clutch Drive under the Seat 14" Motor Cycle Wire Wheels and tires from two Honda Junkers etc. Lots of parts of these old Motor Cycles are being reinvented in my little project. It is for amusement only and an attention getter.Jc

After I went out and looked at it, the pipeliner helmet i've got has an aftermarket arc-one autoshade lense in it. I think it was about $75 a few years back. I've used that same company's Hawk model helmet a few times and it wasnt too bad for a lower priced unit.
You can look at some of the inserts here.

I would not trust my eyes to ANYTING harbor freight sells...especially a auto darkining helmet. A co worker bought one witha welder , and asked me why his welder would get brighter suddenly and then get weaker...you guessed it he had the cheap HF auto darken. He finaly can stop wearing the sunglasses inside. In 20 years of welding their are only a couple of times I wished I had a auto darken, I would rather stay with a standard helmet with a big lens....Just my 2c..Shawn

Umm I looked at the budget hobart one about a year ago. It was exactly the same as my cheapo HF one, just had a hobart sticker. Same molding marks, bracket for shade adjustment knob, exactly same looking electronic unit, etc....

Just paying for the name.

"Harbor frieght has them for around 60.00"

It's only your eyes. No sense in buying the Jackson!
89.99

Not trying to argue with you but I wonder if the electronics inside are the same. The way the newer hobart stuff is these days it wouldnt surprize me if its the exact same thing HF is selling. Aside from the pipeliner with aftermarket autoshade, the two helmets I use are the Lincoln Trackside Platinum and the NextGen from Jackson. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

Just a small suggestion to those like myself using bifocals. Go to your eyeglass supplier and have them move the bifocal portion up to the middle of the lens. You will have to have a separate set of eyeglasses for this. Works wonders. Saves getting a sore neck. Cheers, Larry.

No adjustable shade on that one.

The electronic module looked the same to me same 2 switches and everything.

most of the low end welding stuff is rebranded imports now.

I worked for a company that made Ford Explorer frames and we did lots of mig welding. During orientation, the company sent us to weld school at the local community college and provided each new hire with a Jackson auto-darkening helmet. They could've gone cheaper, but I think in the long run they came up with the best helmet for mass use for the money.

Once you get the adjustments set for the work you're doing, [ask me about how the strobe light on a nearby robot caused my helmet to flicker on my first night on the plant floor, until I figured out the sensitivity adjustment!] I think you'll really like it. Just make sure to get a supply of replacement clear lenses--inside AND outside--because a fresh lens can really make a difference in what you're seeing...and not seeing.

Autodarkening welding hoods:
I'm not a fan of the auto hoods.

One, they use a plastic lens and you get weld puddle distortion.

Two, there heavy and your neck will let you know it at the end of the day.

Three and the big one, what comes first to make the autodarken feature work? The ARC strike! so your eyes will pick-up a small amount of arc flash before the lens darkens.

Yep, yours eyes are that quick. If I was going too use one, I would make it a habbit to close my eyes just before stricking the arc.

You only have one set of eyes, Protect them!

T_Bone

Watched welders working on giant power shovels, they did not use auto dark helmets.I am sticking with my gold lens helmet.No place for cheap when Eyesight is at risk.I keep a helmet with a # 12 lens for carbon arc torch work.