I have 2... One more expensive model with an automatic lens. One Huntsman light weight model with a good normal lens...

What I will do is sell you the good Miller helmet but I wouldn't part with my old cheaper Huntsman....


Maybe that tells you all you need to know

3M Speedglass 9100 for occasional TIG, maybe an hour a week. No Stick or MIG.

I buy all my stuff from weldingsuppliesfromioc.com . They are a big supplier located in Indianapolis Indiana. They run specials all the time and you can sign up for email specials and loyalty points. They have the best prices on gas and air bottles I have ever found. Usually get free shipping. All my bottles have come from them. I've never had a problem taking them to a local supplier and trading them for refills on a exchange program. Just take the certification paperwork with me.

Great info, thanks !

Something else I have learned is true color lens ... seems like a good idea. Any thoughts ?

quote:

Originally posted by old dino:
Great info, thanks !

Something else I have learned is true color lens ... seems like a good idea. Any thoughts ?

I have used one in a demo situation. Can't remember if it was a Miller or another brand.

My thoughts were that it was very easy and natural to see what was going on. You could see the edges of the puddle a little brighter than with the others I have used.

I think it could be useful for a beginner, an experienced welder may not see too many advantages unless they are GTAW welding.

I haven't looked lately, what are some brands and prices of the true color lenses these days?

.

quote:

Originally posted by maxxpower:

I haven't looked lately, what are some brands and prices of the true color lenses these days?

Miller, Lincoln, Speedglas, ESAB, Yeswelder and others ... prices are all over the spectrum from about $75 to $400.

quote:

Originally posted by maxxpower:

quote:

Originally posted by old dino:
Great info, thanks !

Something else I have learned is true color lens ... seems like a good idea. Any thoughts ?

I have used one in a demo situation. Can't remember if it was a Miller or another brand.

My thoughts were that it was very easy and natural to see what was going on. You could see the edges of the puddle a little brighter than with the others I have used.

I think it could be useful for a beginner, an experienced welder may not see too many advantages unless they are GTAW welding.

I haven't looked lately, what are some brands and prices of the true color lenses these days?

.

Sooner or later you get to the point where your hood gets so dirty you just can’t see shit but you’ve done it so much it comes out looking great anyway.. whenever I change my lenses out I feel like I have super man vision.

I keep reading the title of this thread as "Wedding Helmet" and thinkin' times must be tougher than I thought.

It's best to wear a helmet when you're slammin wammen.

My primary and backup hat are both Speedglas. Not all auto dark filters are the same. If you are like me and need up close vision help make sure the helmet can take a diopter. If you intend to learn TIG you'll need a helmet that goes up to shade 12. 11 for stick. If just MIG 10 will be okay. Be careful with this because some of the inexpensive hats only come with shade 10. I personally run shade 11 for MIG because sometimes I get up above 18 volts and that's a little bright for me on shade 10. Its your eyes so I wouldn't cheap out on this one. I borrowed a Lincoln Viking helmet once and it was pretty good. Nice large viewing area.

I had to chuckle Para because I too just now thought the same about the Wedding Helmet ... and this was my post. Figured this thread was way down the pages and forgotten.

Ended up buying a Yeswelder LYG-M800H "welding" helmet. I got it for $61 and a few days later it was up to $80. View is 3.93x3.66", true color and 5~9/9~13 shade. Works well with wearing my glasses. Probably will not be doing TIG ... just MIG and Stick. The headgear is on the weak side so I also bought the Lincoln Viking headgear that swaps out.

quote:

Originally posted by justsigin:
I have 2... One more expensive model with an automatic lens. One Huntsman light weight model with a good normal lens...

What I will do is sell you the good Miller helmet but I wouldn't part with my old cheaper Huntsman....


Maybe that tells you all you need to know

When you say “a good normal lens” do you mean non-darkening, ie it is always dark and you line up, then snap your head a bit to flip the hood down just prior to striking the arc? That’s what I learned on and they were great until a buddy introduced me to a cheap auto darkening hood. I sure like being able to see what I am doing...

Go try them all on at your local welding store. I have a miller digital infinity the wide glass is awesome, super clear and I have a diopter for it.
One thing I didnt like about it was the flip action it has a series of small knobby bumpy things so when you flip it closed you can feel them. I tried to take it back because I hated them so much but no returns.

I ended up grinding them off which made a huge difference. I also have a opteril it has a smaller lens area but a super smooth flip action it was my first auto and I just use it for my back up or for when people want to watch me weld. esab makes a very cool looking one but the face screen is not recessed so if you ever set it down on the lens it scratches easy. I bleed blue so miller is my brand I seem to go for before the rest. I mostly tig weld so being able to see clearly is a must.

Some months ago I bought a Hobart helmet (the model of which now escapes me, price wise their more expensive models, and a good deal more than I see any of their current models). I'm struggling to see, I think I'm getting flashed more than I realize and that's part of the problem. What also hurts is a few weeks after I bought it, they dropped the price nearly 50%. Maybe they were phasing it out. In retrospect really wish I'd bought something else.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Some months ago I bought a Hobart helmet (the model of which now escapes me, price wise their more expensive models, and a good deal more than I see any of their current models). I'm struggling to see, I think I'm getting flashed more than I realize and that's part of the problem. What also hurts is a few weeks after I bought it, they dropped the price nearly 50%. Maybe they were phasing it out. In retrospect really wish I'd bought something else.

You don’t want harbor freight anything when it comes to welding. Especially a hood

I have a Jackson 10+ years old auto-darkening helmet and thought it was time to see how the new ones compare.
IOC had this Miller #281000 Digital Elite without the fancy paint job with free shipping for a little more than the used ones on eBay. Should be here Monday and I've got a good bit of TIG welding to do the next few weeks to try it out.
Also bought the 2.5 cheater lens since I use reading glasses anyway. Looks like the electronics have come a long ways since my older helmet.

Maybe someday down the road I will get a better name brand helmet, but for now feel the Yeswelder is a good, safe, beginner helmet.

Though some bling on the helmet would be fun, I did not like the designs commercially done. For now, just gonna add some stickers that show my personality (whatever little I have )

Yesterday went to the eye doc since it has been three years. Got new prescriptions, one to include up close for reading and welding since both about the same distance.

At least I can wear glasses in the Yeswelder helmet, looking at diopters too.

The Miller 281000 showed up today with the magnifiers and spare protective covers.
What a difference and not all that expensive. This part number is a Digital Elite and no fancy paint job and that's fine by me.
Very happy with this purchase.

Great. I ran an Elite for a few years and liked it.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I keep reading the title of this thread as "Wedding Helmet" and thinkin' times must be tougher than I thought.

Happy to hear I am not alone. My first thought was huh? My second thought: there are times a wedding helmet could be valuable.