Mask help!?!?

[evolixsurf]

Hey guys hows it going? I tried searching for this..... Couldnt find the info I was looking for.

I am taking an arc welding class at school... I just picked up a lincoln arc welder from work and im looking to get started. Im looking to see whats the cheapest, most quality mask for arc welding mostly, but i plan on taking all other courses. So I want something thats going to be comfortable, and work well. Also something that looks halfway decent. Im not to into the auto darkening yet.... I also dont want to spend that much money. Can anyone suggest a mask? Link? best online place to buy from?

Note im also looking for a cheap leather jacket, and cheap but good 220 extemtion cord. Thanks in advance!!!!:cool2:

[Dipper Welder64]

E-BAY:cool2:

[evolixsurf]

Im looking for best brands to go for....models.....ect. Thanks

[LuzRD]

jackson shadow, great hood, but they have the worst headgear for some reason (at least mine does, i heard that they fixed the headgear so it may be perfect for ya) i think ive seen them for around $30 or so. i got mine with an auto darkening lens from ebay and love it.

id suggest going to your local supply and trying on whatever they carry, that way youll get a feel for what is comfortable for you.

dont forget to ask around in class, see if you can try on anyone elses hoods that you may be interested in, and ask the teachers to of course

[Dipper Welder64]

i got mine with an auto darkening lens from ebay and love it.

E-BAY:blob4:

[evolixsurf]

What are some other good companys to look for? I dont like the styles of the jackson shadows that they have on there. I want something smooth, and I dont like that skull/barbedwire one.

I have heard not to buy a cheap mask especially when its auto darkening!?!?? What is cheap in this sence? Will it hurt your eyes??? I just want something thats going to last, and thats good and comfortable. If i can get a top of the line auto darkening for around 100$ I would do it....


Thanks

[Dipper Welder64]

Yuh know if it's good it aint cheap so here is another couple of places to look and if auto darkening is too expensive I suggest utlizing the old style lens until later.

http://www.weldingdepot.com/welding/huntsman_welding_hoods.html

http://store.cyberweld.com/autdarwelhel.html

http://workingperson.com/products/66_140/1/Welding_Jackets.html

[PoisonPancakes]

I have used a few different hood and I really like my Fibre-Metal welding hood. Got it at Air Gas for like $25. It's been dropped off billboards about 80ft a few times and olny has a couple scratches (I got lucky and never broke my lenses). I use the gold tinted lenses and I know a few guys like them especially if your welding indoors, because they allow more natural light and natural colors when your welding and increase visibility.

[evolixsurf]

:blob3: Ok guys, I think im going to get the miller XLI. http://store.cyberweld.com/hobhoodameag.html

What do you think? Will the resale value be good on this if I happen to need to sell it? Also does anyone know where to get these any cheaper anywhere brand new? Thanks!!!! Please answer quick im about to buy it!!! I figure its an extremely good hood for a good price!?!?!?

[lotechman]

[QUOTE=evolixsurf]:blob3What do you think? Will the resale value be good on this if I happen to need to sell it? Also does anyone know where to get these any cheaper anywhere brand new? /QUOTE]

Why don't you start with a regular helmet with a flip front.
http://store.cyberweld.com/jahswehe2.html

The reason is that you are starting out. I have lost count of the number of new guys I have seen who drop their autodark helmet off a ladder and cry about their broken helmet. You won't cry so hard if the helmet only cost thirty dollars.
I will bet that by the end of your classes some classmate will have left his pretty little self darkening on a bench for a moment and when he comes back it is missing.
I hate to say it but unless you expect to be doing a ton of TIG a self darkening is not worth the money especially when you are starting out.
You need good gloves, leathers, chipping hammer, cutting goggles, striker, wire cutters, pliers, tape measure, soapstone holder....etc etc.
Think about what you NEED and what you would like to have.
I notice that they also supply bags to carry your welding helmet in. I guess it would be terrible if the paint job got scratched up on your helmet. All I can say is "Unbelievable"

[evolixsurf]

bawhahaha. If you only had to pay half for this hood would you do it? My mother (for some odd reason) said she would pay for half because its a quality hood. She doesnt want me messing up my eyes. Dont start with the mommas boy jokes, thats not what im here for. I hope to take care of it and not drop it if possible.

and as for the carrying bag, I think its pretty good to keep the lense protected... You in a bad mood today buddy?

[TEK]

[QUOTE=evolixsurf. You in a bad mood today buddy?[/QUOTE]

Be nice to lotech-- he's been around a long time and has some good advice you would be smart to follow, mommas boy.

[bigdogrider99]

I have an old fibermetal passed down from my dad, a jackson about 30.00 20 years ago and one of the new autodarkening helmets from HF. The one from HF is nice 49.99, but if you really want something that will last I would go with a normal hood. Get the big lens in gold. If you don't like the head gear you can always swap it out later. To protect the shaded lens add one of the protective plastic lens to the front and back side. I don't think anyone means to drop these but it does happen, also you will be setting it down to chip and fit, any cool paint job is bound to get scratched sooner or later.

Not trying to be a smart *** just realistic.

For the cord go to Lowes, the Home depot or an electrical supply house and buy the bulk cord and put the ends you need on it. I would go bigger and longer than what you actually think you need now.

[Brett]

Im with Lotech,
Start with a standard helmet,If you stay with welding you will always have a back up rememeber if you have no helmet you cant weld.
If your going to damage any equipment youll do it learning (make your early mistakes cheap)
Tech and school will give you a chance to have a look at a lot of helmets and you can make an informed choice to what suits you not what the salesman or specs say is best

[lotechman]

bawhahaha. snip ... You in a bad mood today buddy?

No. I am trying to save you some problems later on.
The welding trade is not your Wally World kind of job. You are going to see all kinds of people and things you never imagined. There are some pretty nasty people in the steel trades. It can be a nasty job and it attracts a broad spectrum. It ranges from ex cons with murder sentences, drug addicted, sexual predators, and low lifes hiding out from the law, ex wives or debt collectors. I also have met highly skilled academics who just like to burn stuff and want to escape the confines of an office cubicle
We need bright young people willing to learn.
There are people out there who will screw up your tools that you left out simply because they want to. Others will find and return your gear untouched. I lost my wedding ring off my finger when I was doing some overtime, forgetting to leave it at home. I never thought I would see it again in a large shipyard. Someone turned it in.
If my mother was going to spring with some money I would capitalize on that advantage and soak her for some of the other accessories like good gloves, leathers and custom earl plugs.

[backuproller]

poisin pancakes, when i was hoping out airplanes for the government, we had to dummy cord everything to our belts. you'd hate to be the first joker out the plane and hit the dirt and someone start yelling from above that their canteen in falling. maybe if you are welding on billboards, ya might wanna dummy cord the helmet. i know i'd be sick if my miller elite got dropped. when i was pipe fitting, we were hanging some pipe like 250' in the air. all the old timers were laughing at me, but i had everything tied off to my harness.

as far as the first post here. i got a miller elite big window. but to be just starting out. i would just go with any hood. who cares about looks. Take a standard black helmet and customize it. who hasn't seen a hood with stickers from different unions or jobs, manufaturers. and everyone takes a paintpen and writes stuff on their helmets. my little cousin has decided to take up welding at 12, so he went and got a lincoln 110 machine, but it came with a hand shield. so i took him to home depot and bought him a lincoln hood. probaly made by someone else, but i tried it and it works. he wanted to throw away the hand shield. i was like hell no. i had him look in my gangbox, and showed him my hand shield with the leathers on it to weld under pipe and in close confines.

just remember, stupid is expensive.

[Engloid]

Mask? Are they having a Halloween party that you plan to go to?

[evolixsurf]

I dont care if the paint gets scratched up!:realmad: Also I might be picking up a lincoln standard hood (what you find in home depot) For 10$ new today!!! I guess I can wait on the autodarkening, but I really would like to have it. I figure even If all I do is take every course in school, it will still be worth it. The 2 year warrenty you cant beat!!!! My teacher says if your going to do alot of welding go for the good hood, if your not go for the good cheap one. ****, I think im going to get both!:cool2:

[WHughes]

Try a Huntsman big window. This is a standard type hood and will last you. Its inexpensive and if you are doing arc welding, the overhead stuff will throw down alot of slag on your hood so do spend too much an that one.
Bill