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Re: Best helmet!

I like the headgear on my 3350, nice solid helmet, but it eats batteries faster than my Miller elite. I still reach for the faceshield for grinding though, it would have to be pretty bright to enjoy the shade 3 for grinding.

Re: Best helmet!

Originally Posted by bevis28

I just bought this and absolutely love it. very comfortable
Cheapest price i have been able to find
http://store.weldersource.com/p-4209...t-k4158-3.aspx

I replaced my arc one with an IDF81 filter because its just to damn complicated. The lincoln 3350 is easy as pie and the viewable area is just as big as the IDF81

Bevis, I am on the fence between the ArcOne IDF81, and the 3350. I had my mind dead set on the 3350, until I saw the ArcOne. The reason I want the ArcOne is for the external grind mode switch. It seems like I'm always laying a little bead, then pick up the grinder. Usually, I pull off the helmet, drop it on the floor, flip it up, or it falls off my head when I need to grind.. plus the need for safety glasses. The external grind switch seems like it would better suit my needs. The 3350 internal grind switch seems like an annoyance.

For those reasons, would you still recommend the 3350 over the ArcOne?

Best helmet!

Originally Posted by docwelder

nothing beats an old school fibre-metal flip front. those fegelah looking futuristic a/d shields with the graphics look too showy for my taste. all hat and no cowboy.

That's all I use these days. I use an ad insert in mine. The simplicity and functionality of this set up out performs everything else, for a lot less money.
I won't use a shield that doesn't have a flip front for grinding.

Re: Best helmet!

One other thing to mention..... The auto darkening insert is made by COLTS. Which also makes the Miller Inserts.

Re: Best helmet!

Hobart! Stay with me now.....
The last hood I had was a Miller digital Elite. It's a great hood but I feel that It's a bit over priced.
Shopping around I stumbled upon the Hobart Pro hood. For the past year it's been one of the best hoods I've used.
For about 6 month of this past year I was doing a ton of MIG with a little Flux Core sprinkled in. I was working in a handrail/fence shop and we also had to do installs
so my hood bounced around In the back of the truck a lot and held up strong. The other 6 months have been all TIG and the hood does very well. It's no passive hood with a gold lens but It does the job well.
I feel like you get the most bang for your buck with this hood. A large viewing area with 4 sensors and Millers fancy top of the line head gear. All for $161 on Cyber Weld with free shipping and no Tax if you live outside of NJ.
Really good deal if you ask me. No, I don't work for Cyber Weld...Yes, I am from NJ

Attachment 1501471Attachment 1501481Attachment 1501491
http://store.cyberweld.com/hohoweheblxv1.html

Iggy

Re: Best helmet!

92dlxman is this like your buddies Huntsman? A friend saw it at a yard sale and picked it up for me. I've used it a bunch. It's very cool.Attachment 1500281

Re: Best helmet!

I just bought this and absolutely love it. very comfortable
Cheapest price i have been able to find
http://store.weldersource.com/p-4209...t-k4158-3.aspx

I replaced my arc one with an IDF81 filter because its just to damn complicated. The lincoln 3350 is easy as pie and the viewable area is just as big as the IDF81

Re: Best helmet!

I use a 3M™ Speedglas™ Welding Helmet 9100 MP and a miller titanium for the quick 5 minutes jobs. I put the full hoody under so I don't get any glare from sun and to protect my neck and ear from getting burn by co-workers welding besides me. But hey, I'm just a show off with no experience.

Re: Best helmet!

Got that Lincoln Viking 3350, off amazon several days ago.

Quality helmet for sure. Many adjustments.

Very satisfied, was using junk HF helmet previously.

Charl

Re: Best helmet!

Lincoln 3350 with 4c has been the best helmet that I have used. For one it cuts the green color out looking at the arc with a blue lens can make a world of difference to me. The clarity in what you see is great. Adjustable from 5-13 for shade is nice too. And the last part it's in your price range .

Re: Best helmet!

I run a cheap flip front helmet when I began my apprenticeship.

Later got a Accu-Strike "chin operated" helmet, it was good for the broad variety of fabrication welding I was doing at the time. But a bit on the heavy side.

When I moved to Alberta I went back to a lightweight flip front when I was spooling pressure piping.

Then I changed jobs and was doing mostly TIG on aluminum and found the need for an auto darkening unit. Found a Miller Digital Elite in a pawn shop and that has been my go to for the last 8 years or so. It has begun to go through batteries far to quickly so I visited a pawn shop again and got a SpeedGlass. The SpeedGlass is perhaps nicer but I really haven't used it much, its my backup.

For me the most important feature is lightweight, for whatever reason I get headaches easily with even light headgear.

Re: Best helmet!

Originally Posted by 92dlxman

my eyes used to get tired when i was running an elite. it is since retired.

now i just run a fibremetal pipeliner with 2x 41/4" phillips safety "athermal" lens in shade 11 and i dont look back, and my eyes are nice and relaxed.

All I use now is my fibremetal flip front with an AD insert lens. I've used several different and much more expensive shields in the past and I'll take the simple fibremetal before anything now. I like being able to flip open the lens for grinding purposes. Add a good $100 auto dark insert lens and life is good.

Re: Best helmet!

CEP. Whoz yo daddy ?
Always the voice of reason around here it seems. I run similar stuff and my welds have been sticking together pretty good since Nixon was the scumbag of the day. I even passed a few Xray tests along the way............OK a few drug tests didn't come out so well but I went home with a smile and little back pain.

Re: Best helmet!

Originally Posted by welditforyou

I looked this hood up because I too could use a new one. Just what (in your opinion) makes this hood so good? I don't mind a little more money if I get what I pay for.


Jim

I love the view. I don't weld for a living, so flipping a lid is maddening. The headgear is very comfortable. I have a pretty big noggin and it adjusts well for it. I specifically waited for the larger Balder lens because it shows so much more of the weld area.

Irving, TX. Epicenter of the Metroplex!

Re: Best helmet!

Originally Posted by RmRider15

Okay... What is the best helmet out there around 250 dollars a little over is okay.

It will be a cold day in he!! when I spend that kind of money on a welding hood! I’d like to have all the money companies have spent on welding hoods for me over the years. They fall off your head into the bay, and sink like a rock, hard hat and all. Or some dumb ch!t kid moves your bucket, and puts it right in the path of a crawler crane, and everything gets smashed!
I keep it simple.

Re: Best helmet!

i work with a guy with an ancient huntsman sliding lens that im a bit jealous of. he grinds comfortable.

Re: Best helmet!

Ya I have the optrel in my sig line. I love it. One big plus for me is that when its in grind mode, you have a flashing red light that you can see on the top of the lens so you really cant flash yourself by leaving ur hood in grind mode on accident.

Re: Best helmet!

nothing beats an old school fibre-metal flip front. those fegelah looking futuristic a/d shields with the graphics look too showy for my taste. all hat and no cowboy.

Re: Best helmet!

For TIG, I like my Viking 3350, but I picked up a Jackson WH10 the other day for my dual-shield test, #11 brown glass. The clear lens for chipping is more important than auto dark there.

Re: Best helmet!

The term "best" is subjective and, at times, pretenious. You will be hard pressed to out-fox the versatility, functionalism, and performance of a basic FibreMetal Pipeliner w/ fixed lense. Mine is a modified white shell edition, with a Sellstrom FlipFront lense (#11 Phillips Gold). Basic and super functional.

Re: Best helmet!

Originally Posted by hicktown

The Jackson Balder w70 is an awesome helmet and worth the extra money IMO

I looked this hood up because I too could use a new one. Just what (in your opinion) makes this hood so good? I don't mind a little more money if I get what I pay for.


Jim

Re: Best helmet!

Wondered if someone was going to chime in on optrel. I'm using a e680. I'd get another if I had to. It just works. And it's comfortable.

Re: Best helmet!

Optrel e684. You did say "best helmet"!

Re: Best helmet!

My digital helmet sits on the shelf now. The Fibre-Metal "pipeliner" for $60 was the best money I've spent in a long long time. I use it for both mig and stick and won't go back to an auto darkening helmet. I use a #10 gold Hobart Lens from Tractor Supply at around $9.00. Nothing fancy, but damn reliable. If I'm using a bigger 5/32" electrode or a 1/8" above 100 amps, I just wear light sunglasses under the hood.

Re: Best helmet!

Sounds like you are getting red dry eyes from being surrouded by welding arcs other than yours when your hood is up. My eyes are almost always kind of crunchy and dryish in the morning because I work in a huge fab shop with over 15 welders welding all day. If you can, try to block out the others welder's arcs with curtins or just live with it. I use these artaficial tear eye drops called Systaine Ultra and they seriously work amazing for red dry annoyed welders eye. I cant imagine working around so much welders without them.