Welding Helmet Suggestions ?

TJGM

Of Wild Kind...
Taking a welding night course, and there are only so many auto darkening ones to go around, and I aim to do some welding afterwards. ( Hence, I'm taking a welding course ) So what the hell should I buy ? I'm a firm believer in spending good money on good tools, good meat, and good booze. That being said I don't want to waste money either.

Suggestions ?


Thanks in advance,
~T

Post Script: I read a thread on here a while ago where a fellow couldn't get anyone to weld for him and took a course, then offered his services for those looking. Must say I was very inspired by that.
 
Auto darkening helmets are pretty cheap nowadays - you can get a good one for under $100.

I switched to one a year or so ago - didn't trust it at first but once I got over that it's amazing how much easier it makes the whole process.
 
I found a decent one for the occasional welder at Northern Tools for $40 with a coupon. It might not be up to snuff for 8-12 hour days of welding, but it has been good enough for my odd welding jobs. 2 years old, never changed the batteries that came with it and it works everytime.
 
Jackson is a good entry hood. or you can get a Hobart that is essentially a miller/Jackson, I just bought the camo one for TIG and put the 1.75 cheater lens in... it does NOT have the shade adjuster on the outside (ggod thing), nice unit for under $200 Add with PDF specs;

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200595036_200595036?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Welding-_-Welding%20Helmets-_-32447&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=32447&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=32447&gclid=CJH7gNrY_sMCFdgQgQodsIsAIQ
 
I have a esab warrior. Its solar powered so no need to change the batteries. Its under 100 bucks and really lightweight also
 
I use a 3m speedglas, range from 5-13 din, adjustable sensitivity. Still i usually just end up using my cheap old standard manual kemppi mask since its way better for both grinding and welding.
 
datadavid said:
I use a 3m speedglas, range from 5-13 din, adjustable sensitivity. Still i usually just end up using my cheap old standard manual kemppi mask since its way better for both grinding and welding.

the cheap lectric ones are good now so i keep one setup for grinding and have one for each Mig and Tig but mostly use a green shield for grinding so I can use a dust mask... after trying as hard as i could for so many years to kill myself with heavy metal dust I decided to live.
 
Yes that chrome is not good for you.. welding fumes are the worst to inhale. Invisible killers!
Hopefully i wont spend the rest of my life welding and grinding, looking to spend the second half of my life closer to nature.. :)
 
datadavid said:
Yes that chrome is not good for you.. welding fumes are the worst to inhale. Invisible killers!
Hopefully i wont spend the rest of my life welding and grinding, looking to spend the second half of my life closer to nature.. :)

Welder Happiness is finding the sweet spot between evacuating weld fumes and sucking shield gas.
 
I used to have one of those filter fans you hook up to the mask.. wonder where it is now...? Probably Poland :D
 
Just recently bought one of these for a weld table and will add a 1/4" plate top with hidden gusseting under making drawer separators at the same time for warpage if thing get hot (identical for $40 painted) and the intention is to add small pc cooling fans at the back behind the cubby and ducted outside, what I want to do is create a back draft that juuust pulls fumes/smoke but not flames or shield gas, gonna take a sensitive rheostat to dial in but should do the trick... all for the 5-10 weld a month I do ya know ???
 

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Tune-A-Fish said:
Just recently bought one of these for a weld table and will add a 1/4" plate top with hidden gusseting under making drawer separators at the same time for warpage if thing get hot (identical for $40 painted) and the intention is to add small pc cooling fans at the back behind the cubby and ducted outside, what I want to do is create a back draft that juuust pulls fumes/smoke but not flames or shield gas, gonna take a sensitive rheostat to dial in but should do the trick... all for the 5-10 weld a month I do ya know ???
I get muffin fans from American Science and Surplus. They're super cheap. I use them to build dry boxes and small ventilation units much like what you're talking about doing. Just make sure you have them at the exhaust side, not the cabinet side.

http://www.sciplus.com/s/c_15/sf_140
 
Personally, I would recommend staying away from the Harbor Freight/ Tractor supply $40 hood. Are they ok for garage welders, absolutely. That said they do not last and they do not fit into your idea of buying good gear. What you end up with is a $40 hood that will maybe last you 4-6 months of daily welding. I am a welding instructor and I see it time and time again, guys buy those hoods and at the end of the class they are about worthless. At the same time, remember that a helmet that costs $400 because it has "bad ass" stickers and graphics on it, doesn't do anything to help it function better. The best speed lens I have ever had was a NexGen by Jackson. I believe I paid around 3 bills for it and had it mounted in a $30 Jackson hood.

I would recommend that whatever you get takes a standard size replaceable clear lens on the outside. Something like a 4 1/2" x 5 1/4" size. That is part of why the NexGen was great for me. I also see these guys buy these cheap hoods with funky 1 off size clear lenses, and after the hood is a year or two old, you can't get replacement clear lenses or if you can they are expensive. My NexGen lasted me for about 5 years and I sure got my moneys worth out of it. Worked it 12 hrs. a day, 6 days a week for quite some time. Guess it comes down to get something good. I recommend going to a weld supply store instead of a big box store as well. Maybe you pay a little more, but you will (hopefully) be able to get support from someone who has some knowledge about welding hoods, vs. someone at a generic store.
 
I can't speak for the auto tint because I've never used it, but off of what hurco550 said; I bought a reasonably priced mask from McMaster-Carr with standard sized lenses that were some time of plastic or acrylic. I switched them out with glass lenses from AirGas and have been rolling with the same helmet now for 10 years. A little custom paint and it's a dream.
 
Nahhhh lol

The same guy delivering boxes of hoods to nexgen is delivering to northern tool for the entry level stuff... that Hobart is as good a chunk as you will find at any supply house and don't kid yourself into the big screen until you are a "welder" the small standard lens keeps you focused on the work and that,s good enough. Miller Bought out Hobart and Jackson makes all of the miller branded hoods ALL of the electronics are Chinese, you can do some research on those to get a good chunk to start with. The Hobart in the add above has a good head piece (more adjustment than i need but) good electronics and a Jackson hood for 200 bucks... hard to beat at any supply house and Linde sells the same one.

Bottom line is all of the stuff is china even the made in USA stuff, they just assemble the parts here and call it USA made... our EPA won't allow US to make most of the parts in anything electronic and be able to compete in the market.
 
Tune-A-Fish said:
don't kid yourself into the big screen until you are a "welder" the small standard lens keeps you focused on the work and that,s good enough.

Didn't mean big, just meant a standard size, even if its 2 x 4 1/4. And I am not saying to drop 3 bones on a hood, just giving my example of a single hood that worked for me (maybe I paid to much, but we all do now and again). Just saying, don't buy a $40 piece of junk.... buy a more expense piece that's less junky ;) Its funny though, I went to Hobart Institute of Welding Technology, and the "tool kit" they offered had Jackson helmets in them, not Hobart.... And that was BEFORE they were all owned by Miller... And I also have personally had better luck getting a helmet from a weld supply store vs. Lowes/TSC ect. just because you have a larger selection and can talk to someone that knows hoods (better than your average Lowes employee). That's just one mans opinion though of course
 
hurco550 said:
Didn't mean big, just meant a standard size, even if its 2 x 4 1/4. And I am not saying to drop 3 bones on a hood, just giving my example of a single hood that worked for me (maybe I paid to much, but we all do now and again). Just saying, don't buy a $40 piece of junk.... buy a more expense piece that's less junky ;) Its funny though, I went to Hobart Institute of Welding Technology, and the "tool kit" they offered had Jackson helmets in them, not Hobart.... And that was BEFORE they were all owned by Miller... And I also have personally had better luck getting a helmet from a weld supply store vs. Lowes/TSC ect. just because you have a larger selection and can talk to someone that knows hoods (better than your average Lowes employee). That's just one mans opinion though of course

the customer experience for sure is worth a few dollars... I was thrown to the wolves so to speak when I started "here take this one" shit the thing was like a windshield with hail damage... OP is asking us so we should steer him in the direction to a good hood for a good price... he aint in trade school on a scholarship. 8)
 
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