Welding Helmet Recommendations

[Ridger]

I'm looking at purchasing an auto darkening welding helmet as an upgrade over an old style helmet. I use my mig and stick welder for occasional hobby use and repair and maintenance around the farm. I want a good quality, reasonable priced helmet. Any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks for your time.

 

[Tooljunkie]

I just bought a new welding helmet,the headgear is garbage. So try it before you buy it. Going to see if my old headgear fits the new helmet.

After a couple flip up/down it either gets loose or tightens. So wont stay up or when you tip it down it falls off me head. And it squeaks.

 

[Newlyme]

I like the large square auto darkening lenses. I have a few helmets with different size lenses. One with headgear and one with a handle and both with the large lenses are the ones I use the most.

P.S. I also have a magnifying lenses in there for these old eyes.

 

[D2Cat]

Whatever you purchase, try it on YOUR head before you walk out the store.

I got one that I thought was the "cats meow", but that thing, every once in a while, will pinch my ear like someone grabbed it with a pliers.

 

[rkidd]

I went with the Lincoln Viking 3350 to upgrade from my old helmet. It has a large viewing area so I can wear my progressive lens glasses and can see very well. It also has a brighter blue tint instead of the green tint and I can see much better. Plus has all of the adjustments also. Found it online for around $230.00.

 

[Daren Todd]

Surprisingly, the cheap auto darkening ones from harbour freight are pretty decent. Have one in the garage, and one at work. Both have been pretty reliable. Compared to my Snapon that I paid $$$ for, they are just as good, with a much easier to swallow price tag

 

[lugbolt]

I wouldn't give $.05 for an auto darkening helmet. They are usually powered by a battery that lasts a while. But sure enough that ONE time when the battery is dead and it doesn't darken, and your eyes are toast. I have had flash burn twice from this exact same thing. $400 Miller auto-darkening helmet and I gave it away; went back to a $30 flip up/down old-school helmet which doesn't have that problem. Plus, with a #14 glass I can watch the sun.

By the way, flash burn is literally no fun. Had it in both eyes at different times. You don't know you have it until about 2am when you wake up with what feels like sand in your eye. You automatically want to rub, but that "sand" doesn't come out and drives you absolutely nuts. Extremely irritating. Lasts a while too. I went to the eye doctor and wasn't much he could do other than prescribe some drops that help keep everything lubricated and less irritating. It did lubricate but did nothing for the irritation. Extremely frustraing, extremely irritating. Protect those things very well because they're one of the body's parts that can't be fixed once the damage is done. And my left is at that point. Right eye is 20/30. Left is 20/2000.

 

[100 td]

And if you use an auto darkening helmet and look out through the corner of the lens in a tight position you'll burn your eyes as well, as they don't darken on an angle, well at least the ones in Australia don't. I was welding frame in the corner of a shed and my eyes were burning, I worked out the cause and thought my cheaper helmet was the problem, went and had a look at a $350 helmet and put it up to the light, same thing, beware.
Got a flash late one night when I was a young fellow, went to the Ambulance station on the way to work the next morning and the guy behind the desk said " you've been welding" as I walked up!

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Dittos on the Lincoln Viking 3350 .

I have two HF "hemmits" I got on sale and one won't adjust now after a few months. It stays too dark. The other one works pretty well but I get slight "eye aches" after using it for the day.

Bought the Lincoln online and the eye aches went away. Visibility improved. The frame seems solid and the helmet material is "wobbly" (flexible) to allow you to get your head into a tight place and still provide protection. Wish I had bought the nicer Lincoln sooner.

 

[MadMax31]

Jackson NexGen. Had it 7 years now. Doesn't like temps under 20° though. For winter I mostly use a pipeliner with a gold glass #10.

 

[Yooper]

I'm not up to date on all the options out there, but over the years I've used about a dozen different helmets. If you work with it you will get used to it. My favorite is the 3M speedglass, but that is too expensive for hobby work. I know two welders using HF helmets for years and they are happy with them. Never tried them so I can't say. Two other helmets that I liked were Miller and Lincoln. Both were their middle quality helmets.

All the auto darkening helmets I've had the lenses will filter out UV regardless whether it's on or not.

 

[RCW]

I've been using a Lowes' Kobalt for a few years.

Has adjustments for grind/weld, and #10-13 shade.

I think ~$100 on sale. Works good so far, and I think had good reviews at the time.

 

[Yooper]

The adjustment for grinding would be a huge plus for me. Something I'd consider looking for in a new helmet.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Most have the grind feature. My biggest issue is seeing what im doing. Found a little clip on light that fit my stinger nicely. Illuminates the weld zone very well. It just doesent last a long time. For a 5 dollar cliplight im satisfied.
Im on my 4th welding helmet in 25 years.
My el cheapo 89 dollar helmet is about the best.

The faster it switches the better. El cheapo was twice as fast as the early auto darkening helmet i had before it.
Dont matter what i use, i get headaches when i weld. Partly to do with a neck injury. And straining to see what kind of mess im making.

 

[scdeerslayer]

I just have one of those hobart helmets from Northern for about $100, and you can always print a $20 off $100 coupon from the internet there so it's even less.

I thought a grinding mode would be great, but then you've got to turn the sensitivity all the way down, then remember to turn it up when you go back to welding. Plus the screen still has a tint to it when off, so it's not that great for grinding anyway. I bought a 3M clear face shield with ratcheting head gear for grinding.

 

[Yooper]

I just have one of those hobart helmets from Northern for about $100, and you can always print a $20 off $100 coupon from the internet there so it's even less.

I thought a grinding mode would be great, but then you've got to turn the sensitivity all the way down, then remember to turn it up when you go back to welding. Plus the screen still has a tint to it when off, so it's not that great for grinding anyway. I bought a 3M clear face shield with ratcheting head gear for grinding.

Yeah, that would be a pain. Wonder if the latest technology solved this?

 

[BruceP]

The adjustment for grinding would be a huge plus for me. Something I'd consider looking for in a new helmet.

Since it is IMPERATIVE to wire-wheel the slag between each bead to eliminate inclusions.... I like the 'grinding' setting on my helmet.... the only problem is sometimes I forget it is turned on. When I put down the grinder (wire wheel) and strike an ark.... WHOOPS. (good thing it is dark enough to protect eyes even on the 'grinder' setting.)

BTW: My auto-darkening helmet with external knob for darkness was about $85 at the local Tractor supply on sale.

 

[D2Cat]

The best thing is to produce a weld without slag.