Auto Darkening vs. Fixed shade

[Dantheman]

Originally Posted by farmer welder

I've tried the auto dark helmets from a buddy. Went to buy one and the rep said they aren't friendly to bangs or drops. I work all position all the time and I am very careful with my helmets but they have to take getting banged ocassionally getting in tight spots. Is it true they are that sesitive to damage from being banged around? . I could see it if you were production welding or tig welder would use one .

They can handle being bang around, trust me. I've drop all of my auto lens many time, with no problems. I work in mine maintenance and nobody uses fixed anymore. They are ancient history.
Like I said before, why use a harmer to build a fence when you can use a air gun. But hey, there is still some good use for a harmer.
I'm not putting down the fixed lens by any means, they were good for many years and still do a good job at what they are suppose to do.

[mb_welder]

Doing heavier welding and less fitting these days. I use a random helmet with a phillips glass Aethermal shade 11. (That's a mouthful! )

[blackpowder]

I used a fixed hood for over 40 years. My son was getting a new auto dark helmet and gave me his old 2 year old model. I could not believe how nice it was. A lot of the welding I do is in tight quarters where to see where you need to weld and room to move your helmet are not of the same vocabulary. With the auto dark I can get into the best possible position then start welding without fear of more eye damage than age has already given me.

[Fishinsin station]

I have 2 miller elites, one standard Jackson flip front with a gold 11 and a pipeliner with an ao 12, autos for tack up or tight places, Jackson as a back up, or something that gets beat up in a shared job box, and the pipeliner for big mig (autos don't hold up to the amount of heat put off)

[BamaTeacher]

I got a pipeliner with a huntsman #11 auto darkening and I love it. Also have a cheater in there...lol!

[Zca4]

Originally Posted by BamaTeacher

I got a pipeliner with a huntsman #11 auto darkening and I love it. Also have a cheater in there...lol!

Same helmet and same lens I use everyday minus the cheater. Huntsman makes a damn good lens with no bull**** green shade to it like miller and the rest have. It's almost like a blue tint but it's true color.

[summerman]

Originally Posted by dsergison

this has been beat to death.

a crappy auto, even ones that fail entirely to dim, still protect you from the UV entirely. because that protection comes from a fixed UV filter and the not visible light electronic filter.

it's just anoyingly bright.

I think I got the info I was looking for. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Any auto or any fixed shade helemet will protect my eyes from damage? Auto shades are just more convenient as in I will not have to flip on and off? Thanks.

[farmall]

Huntsman makes a damn good lens with no bull**** green shade to it like miller and the rest have. It's almost like a blue tint but it's true color.

THAT'S what I needed to know. Now I can find one for my Pipeliner.

The nice thing about welding is that somewhere, someone else has already found the answer to just about every problem.

Thanks!

[Mr. Moose]

Originally Posted by Zca4

Huntsman makes a damn good lens with no bull**** green shade to it like miller and the rest have. It's almost like a blue tint but it's true color.

The Jackson Nexgen lens is a gold/orange shade, not green....

[toycoma98]

Originally Posted by Titan Up

i bought the fixed shade helmet when i first started, #10 and i couldn't see crap! i almost hated welding cause if i didn't have the sun shining on the work i couldn't see where i had my gun.


Couple weeks ago i was at Northern Tool and seen an auto darkening helmet for $49 and got it. What a big difference! I enjoy welding now. I don't see how anyone can see through fixed shades, i couldn't.

Same here, exactly what i went through.

Originally Posted by Dantheman

Fixed shade = Carpenter using his harmer to build a house
Auto darkening shade = Same carpenter using a airgun to build a house

No contest here.

Originally Posted by FabWizard

In my opinion, if you learn to weld with an auto dark you will always have to use one. I recommend learning with a fixed shade and evolving from there.

Nah, i'd go straight to auto darkening.

[lewray]

Like most of us, I have both auto and fixed. For me atleast, the both have their place, but nothing beats a Jackson or Huntsman fixed with that Gold lense!

To see the contrast of weld color, wetting ect. overides the convience of the auto depending on what your welding.

[bhardy501]

I have 3 different helmets that I use. One is a Lincoln AD, I use it the most. Great for doing lots of tacks and short welds. I have a Blue Point fixed with a 10 gold. I use it for most of my stick welding. It has a large lens that flips up. I have a straight front Jackson with a small lens, 10 gold. I use it if I have to do much work over head the long straight front offers good protection for your neck area. Its the heaviest hood of the three. I notice that when I use my AD hood for a long time and then pick up my fixed lens hoods I have trouble getting my arc established where I want it. It takes a few times to get the feel of getting set up and dropping the hood then starting my arc. Thats one of the advantages of the AD hood, you can see exactly where you are right up to the split second the arc starts. I am waiting on my new AD hood to get here. Its the free one that comes with the new Thermal Arc 181i. It looks like it is going to be an upgrade from the Lincoln AD. Lincoln AD has no adjustments on the lens you can only choose between a 10 and 11 shade setting but thats it.

[bhardy501]

Here is a picture I took playing around with my camera. It is all three of my hoods.

[LayoutMan]

I bought a Jackson Nexgen when i was at school 3 years ago, i've used it during all my school and 1 first year in shop, after changing the batteries for the second time i just bought a kit of gold and clear 4'' lens (because you can use both fixed and AD) and since that time im using fixed shade in my helmet and keep the AD lens at home!

it was really cool to use it at school because you start and its easier to try stuff during fitting, and for TIG, but now at work in the shop, im just about fitting on my table, doing layout and fit stuff into it, and tack stuff together and hold my helmet in my hand maybe 90% of the time when i need to do good tack welds, found the AD lens useless for me i had to take care to much and don't like it, i think its good if you do smooth and relax clean jobs, like TIG on stainless and aluminum (personally)!

[MarkNotMarc]

I was always paranoid that AD helmets wouldn't give as good of eye protection as fixed. After a year or so of using a Miller Elite I am not too concerned. Still nice to have both options or at least a fixed backup.

[Welderwink]

Originally Posted by farmer37

I have noticed that welders who make a living at it use fixed lense helmet.I use fixed lens helmet for 55 years.I like a gold lense.Wont risk my eyes to a china lense.

I'm a welder who makes a living without a fixed lens. But I guess I dont make a living in your opinion. Also, that china lens that I have is actually made in Sweden (thats in europe).

[LayoutMan]

Originally Posted by farmer37

I have noticed that welders who make a living at it use fixed lense helmet.I use fixed lens helmet for 55 years.I like a gold lense.Wont risk my eyes to a china lense.

you're right, the evolution suck!