Welding Mask

I have a cheapy import and a Miller elite. I've found that different helmets use different conditions to trigger them. The cheapy reacts to flickering infared light. The TV remote will actually darker it, as will an incandescent light bulb on AC. The only time it doesn't stay dark is if I get a very steady arc on a DC TIG. I added a light bulb that is switched with the current sensor I made for my first TIG setup. The bulb keeps the helmet dark even if I'm doing a perfect TIG arc.

The Elite uses some more complex conditions. It doesn't react to light bulbs. Sometimes, if I'm welding outdoors, it will hesitate to darken. There are more adjustments than on the simple one and I'm sure I could tweak is for better response.

Both are good helmets. I'll keep both on the job.
 
BTW: It might be worth mentioning that auto-darkening helmets "fail-safe". That is, if the battery craps-out, they go completely dark -to their darkest setting. It requires battery current to keep them from going dark.

Also, I store my helmet in a place where the shop lights shine on them readily. This way, the battery gets charged regularly. My HF blue-flame is 5 years old and going strong.


Ray
 
It really depends on your budget, I lashed out and bought the Miller Digital Elite a few years ago and it has been great for me, I like the X-mode where it detects magnetic currents which activate it, it also has 4 sensors but I mainly run it in the X-mode. Before the Miller I had a cheapy ebay one and it was a piece of crap. No doubt the cheapy ones have improved since then but I still prefer the Miller as I only have one pair of eyes, it also has provision for cheater lenses on the inside which help me see, so you can choose from several different magnifications.

Cheers

Ed.
 
I had an expensive one that worked fine but completely failed after a few years. Of course no help from the manufacturer.
Next I bought a much cheaper one and it is still working fine after several years.
My major recommendations are;
1 - the bigger the view glass the better. My first one was smaller and it was difficult to see when in unusual positions like under the car repairing an exhaust. I like a large viewing area.
2 - if you wear bifocals , ask your eye doc for "computer glasses" which are focused to medium distance such as a computer screen. With regular bifocals I often couldn't focus on the weld. When I got the "computer glasses" my welding improved significantly. as they say "who knew"??
 
You can also buy magnifying lenses in a variety of diopter strengths which fit the helmet. Go to the pharmacy where they sell cheap reading glasses, find-out what strength you like then, order the right lens. They fit on most models -sometimes with a little careful filing.


Ray


283v8 said:
I had an expensive one that worked fine but completely failed after a few years. Of course no help from the manufacturer.
Next I bought a much cheaper one and it is still working fine after several years.
My major recommendations are;
1 - the bigger the view glass the better. My first one was smaller and it was difficult to see when in unusual positions like under the car repairing an exhaust. I like a large viewing area.
2 - if you wear bifocals , ask your eye doc for "computer glasses" which are focused to medium distance such as a computer screen. With regular bifocals I often couldn't focus on the weld. When I got the "computer glasses" my welding improved significantly. as they say "who knew"??
Click to expand...
 
I use the glass 2x4 cheater lens, it lasts a lot longer than the plastic ones. The fibremetal helmet come with tabs so the cheater lens is still in place inside the helmet with the shaded lens flipped up grinding. It is often hard to keep glasses from fogging under the helmet especially one with a respirator on.

Bob
 
Ray C said:
BTW: It might be worth mentioning that auto-darkening helmets "fail-safe". That is, if the battery craps-out, they go completely dark -to their darkest setting. It requires battery current to keep them from going dark.

Also, I store my helmet in a place where the shop lights shine on them readily. This way, the battery gets charged regularly. My HF blue-flame is 5 years old and going strong.


Ray
Click to expand...


I don't think that's true with the Miller Elite. I was in the middle of a small welding job when the low battery light started flashing in my helmet. I just hurried to finish and didn't think anything of it....until about 3 AM when I woke up with my eyes burning.

Chuck
 
xalky said:
I Highly reccomend this helmet http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200416894_200416894 from northern tool. It has the large viewing area 4 sensors and a fast response time. I also have the harbor freight helmet . The Northern Tool helmet is just an awesome helmet at a great price. It rivals the name brand $300 dollar helmets.

Marcel
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Speaking of Northern, I just received an email from them with this on on sale for $39.99 - looks a lot like the K-T I got from Orscheln (except mine is black).
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200485271_200485271
 
Yikes! My buddy has the same HF blue-flame that I have but, his is two years older. The battery crapped-out and it stays dark all the time. Oddly enough, while you're welding and the solar panel is getting good light, you can still adjust the darkness setting between 9 and 13 and it adjusts accordingly. When you stop welding, it goes totally black again.

Having designed medical devices, I simply cannot see how a helmet manufacturer wouldn't design these things to be "fail-safe". -Big Mistake on their part.


Ray


Chuck K said:
I don't think that's true with the Miller Elite. I was in the middle of a small welding job when the low battery light started flashing in my helmet. I just hurried to finish and didn't think anything of it....until about 3 AM when I woke up with my eyes burning.

Chuck
Click to expand...
 
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