What Welding Mask/Helmet Do You Use

[@tw!ll]

So when I started out welding many years ago I had a Chicago Welder and a non-auto mask from good ol' Harbor Freight.

I eventually upgraded the welder to my current Hobart, and sprung for a new Harbor Freight auto helmet. Thought I had made it, man auto is nice!

Then started to weld more often and realized how uncomfortable it was. Also the tiny viewing window was becoming annoying. Plus I got blinded a couple times when the battery went dead during use with no warning.

So that was about the time I was starting to make my scale parts, and doing a lot more fab work on the side. So I decided to go big and invest in an EQC Professional. Had a much larger viewing area, a much more comfortable strap, and was the fastest rated lense response on the market. $325 bones later and I had the most bad ass mask to date.

It did work great for the last couple years admittedly. Within the last couple months the tension screws on the side have started to lose there grip, so it just flops now. Then yesterday I was doing some work when the lense sort of flickered. Thought "huh that was weird" and started the arc. Helmet had turned off, so I got blinded. Reached inside and turned it back on, and checked it. Yup, working again. So went back to welding. A few minutes later after I had flipped up the mask to look at something, and put it back down the flicker happened again. Got smart and checked it before striking the arc, and sure enough it was off. So took it off and look it over. Something is loose inside, and depending on where it is the mask either works fine, or dies.

So took it down the my Airgas store, and they looked it up. Purchased 2 years and 3 weeks to the day Totally out of warranty. Nothing they can do. I could buy a new lense assembly, but that $300. Oh wait, they throw in the helmet portion for free

So asked the guy I know there what he would do, and he told me Speedglas was the way to go. He had owned a 100 series for 3 years now with no issues. He said the viewing is even better. So I tried one on. I couldn't believe how clear it is. When the lense isn't dark, it's like wearing a pair of amber shooting glasses. I can see everything perfectly clearly. I can literally walk around the shop with my mask down with no issues. I've only used it for an hour so far, but I'm already wishing i had bought this 2 years ago.

So what are you guys using, and what experiences have you all had?

[Fastball]

My shop has owned a large lense Pro Starr unit now for about 6 or 7 years that has had almost daily use in our shop with no problems at all. It is a solar unit so the battery has never been an issue. Personally I have several helmets and it is my only electronic one. I only use the Pro Starr when I am making lots of tack welds or am in strange positions. I don't care how quick they respond, there is still a delay and those delays add up over years of welding. Unless you do lots of out of position welding I would vote for an non electronic one, but if not I have had good luck with Pro Starr. Oh one other thing, I hate the electronic helmets for low amperage TIG welding, to easy to flash yourself.

Fastball

[crazyorigin]

I have a Jackson auto darkening hood I bought from my local welding shop when I bought my lil' Lincoln MIG. It isi a very nice hood, I bought my brother and father the same one for christmass and they love it. I won't ever go back to a non auto hood, my welding has got much better because of it, its also nice to not need to flip up and down the hood all the time, I can leave it down most all the time and its just like green tinted sunglasses when the welder isn't arching. It is very comfortable and not too heavy, I forget the model but from what I have seen, all the Jackson hoods are very nice.

[Trugg]

I've got about a zillion hoods but....
If you want to spend a lot of money... the Miller Digital Elite is a great hood with tons of features.
If you want a cheap, great quality auto darkening lens to put in your existing hood... check out the ARC ONE auto darkening lenses.
Link: http://www.arc1weldsafe.com/auto-darkening-filters.html

.

[bob1961]

i used to use those P.I.T.A. auto helmets then switched back to a plain old 35.00 dollar NON-auto helmet with the nice great big window with a no# 10 shaded glass....just a small nod of my head and it was down in place ready to weld knowing i won't get flashed IF the battiers were dead.......bob

....

[whillinwillys]

Jackson necsgen best hood out their. I air arc and weld with mine all day long with no issues

[j-bird]

i'm gonna say im very happy with my speedglas 9000 ive had it for 7yrs and weld almost everyday and ive only had to replace the headgear 2 times its solar powered so not batt. i'm a certified welder and weld tig,mig,stick and aluminum. this helmet is great it cost 375 when it came out and i think i've got my $ worth. like atwill said i can put my hood down and walk around i can see my marks (black sharpie or chalk stick) without raising my hood and its very comfortable and super light back in the day it was top of the line im sure theres lighter and more comfy now but i wouldnt trade mine for nothing...great product speedglas

[ROLANDROCKSHOP]

i have a arc-one vision xtreme auto hood i found at a pawnshop with a hobart welding backpack for $80!!




been using it for 4yrs now...love it!!

[EGRESSor]

i use a speedglas 9100X , works great , especially when welding/brazing with low amps

http://www.rehm-schweisstechnik.de/i...os/filter.html

[rybredd]

Miller Elite.....nice hood, just wish it had 4 sensors instead of 3

[Weasel]

speedglass something, work great for tig

[crawlmaster18]

well i have a miller snap on and harbor frieght the hb works the best all are auto my miller was around $150 snapon about $200 and hb $59 special it is awesome solor powered no batteries which is nice and have a lincon welder have to look to get model tho which i love this thing also not cheap tho its a cart its self also

[atx-iroc]

I use one i got from northern tool it was about 50 bucks and works perfect and its solar powered so no dying batteries as long as you weld it works. Its pretty small too, my only complaint is that it has a twist knob to tighten on the back but i think they all have that. It sucks when your on your back welding something under the car and you lay your head on the ground and the helmet releases and falls off when youre already in an akward position

[RcBro]

I weld and plasma regularly at work. I've had a few helmets now and they all had the quirks. One just didn't fit right and hardly ever stayed in the head position I wanted. The other didn't have the auto darkening adjust ability I wanted.

I just got this helmet about 6 months ago http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

Don't let the goofy flame job fool you lol. This helmet rocks, the comfort is perfect, its the most comfortable I've ever used, and all my co-workers have different ones. The view area is huge. I "rented" one of the those 360* side view helmets, and to be honest, I like this one much better. The adjust ability on the auto darkening is huge, and it comes with 3 other tinted lenses for those who do different types of welding, or even grinding if you wanted to. $308 but worth every penny.

[Hoyta]

I'm in welding school/work at the Newport News shipbuilding yard, and all we use is an old school non-darkening mask, attached to our hardhats. Complete that with the canvas jacket and leather spats and sleeves, and don't forget 90 degree weather, and you have tons of fun
I walk out of there every day drenched in sweat, but I have to say this is the best job I have EVER had. I've made twice what I am making now as well.....

[RedEarth Innovations]

Im partial to Magazines with Safety Glasses, That's safe right? Im starting to have a hard time seeing thou.


I do have an old school Lincoln Large Window (non- Auto) & a Lincoln Auto- Darkening (small Window). When welding small things that must be precise, I like the auto; but larger things, like 1:1; I prefer the large window.

[wurster]

I have two hoods a hobart auto tint and a jacson boss auto tint with hig window and i love it.

[Fowlboy]

I recommend the Miller Elite series... I have had this hood for 4+ years!



Specs:
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...helmets/elite/

[87samurai]

i use a tweco autodarkening helmet

[Boneybone]

I'm using a cheap Parweld, got it around 100 bucks about 3 years ago. Headband is not the greatest one around but it gets the job done, not uncomfortable or anything but sometimes it pops a teeth or two. Plastic gears inside are a little soft so sometimes gets annoying. I added a harder spring inside and it works pretty good so far.

I can't complain about the viewing area, I haven't needed bigger one so far. Auto darkening function works pretty good and batteries are still good to go. This one also recharges itself when welding, maybe that's why my batteries are still pumpin...

At one point it started to flicker but after blowing some pressurized air to the sensors, there are 2 of them, it was all back to normal.

I haven't thought about replacing it so far but if I ever need to buy another one, I would definitely get something with a better, tougher headband design.

Maybe I over-tightened mine and screwed the gears, which is highly likely...