Thread: Auto Darkening Welding Helmets

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I got mine from HTP When I bought the welder, it was pretty expensive, and I think it was about $250 that was about 12 years ago. The entire time I thought it was solar power until it stopped working last year, then I found out it had batteries. Those batteries must have been pretty good to last that long. Even with the new batteries it doesn’t work to good anymore, maybe they only last for so long even though I don’t use it that much.

Richard

I borrow Dan's helmet when I am welding and love the fact you don't have to shake your head to lower the helmet, causing me to lose my place. As my eyes get worse from age I find that putting a worklight behind me to illuminate the area I am welding helps immensely. I had trouble keeping the weld going straight before doing that.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I borrow Dan's helmet when I am welding and love the fact you don't have to shake your head to lower the helmet, causing me to lose my place. As my eyes get worse from age I find that putting a worklight behind me to illuminate the area I am welding helps immensely. I had trouble keeping the weld going straight before doing that.

Don

I have that Helmet and I've been happy with it except I seem to go through Batteries (I get them at Radio Shack)-

I purchased mine from HF and the florecent lights change it when i look up . But when im looking down mine is not that dark just a light tint to it off . This pic is a dark room looking at picture window , in garage with lights on much lighter veiw . Also the curtains are a dark blue .

Northern tool (.com) You can get Hobart auto darkening hoods starting at under $100. I've been using one for 10 years (a $160.00 one) and LOVE IT! Shade 3 when starting out. You can also buy magnifying lenses to go inside them for you (US... ) hard seeing guys!! Buy a decent one and don't have to worry about it hurting your eyes. The cheaper ones can be slow or not real responsive and it only takes a split second to burn your eyes. As far as the sunburns, you can also buy a chin flap made of leather like the welding gloves that attaches to the bottom edge of the hood to keep the UV rays out!! Keep on burnin!!

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I borrow Dan's helmet when I am welding and love the fact you don't have to shake your head to lower the helmet, causing me to lose my place. As my eyes get worse from age I find that putting a worklight behind me to illuminate the area I am welding helps immensely. I had trouble keeping the weld going straight before doing that.

Don

I read once that many of the cheaper helmets like Harbor Freight use the same mechanism as more expensive helmets.

Now this picture brings another whole concern, not protecting your skin. Aside from the short term like a bad sunburn or those pesky holes that hot metal makes in skin, long term exposure to welding rays on bare skin is not good. The damaging rays can even penetrate cloth. I rarely strike an arc without my leather on.

Originally Posted by willowbilly3

I read once that many of the cheaper helmets like Harbor Freight use the same mechanism as more expensive helmets.

.

I wondered the same thing, being supper paranoid about my eyes. I asked about this at our local welding supply store. The guy there has been welding for 30+ years. He said the off brand welders that HF sells may be crappy, but the hoods work well. I was surprised, because he was very picky about welding supplies and brands, but said the HF autodarkening helmets work just fine. My Northern Tools 59.95 helmet works well, my eyes feel fine, and it autodarkens before I recognize seeing a flash, so I feel pretty safe with it, but if I was doing lots of welding on a regular basis, I would invest in the best I could afford, like everything else in life!
Plus I bad enough at welding to need every advantage I can get right now!