Recommened auto-darkening helmets

[Joe5688]

I was looking through the tool king website http://www.toolking.com/category.aspx?categoryID=936

and i'm new to welding but not sure which is a good helmet to buy. I'm going to buy a Hobart 500416 mig welder.

Any recommendations?

-j0e

[elvergon]

If you are going to buy a MIG welder you don´t need a helmet which has low amp sensitivity. I think that you should go with anyone you like which is from a good known brand. I woulndn´t bet my eyes for 20-30 bucks more.

If you´re always MIGin probably fixed shade would be ok, but variable shades are also 10-30 bucks more.

So I think that it all depends on your budget and your type of work.

Have fun with your new hobart!

THat´s just my .02

[Joe5688]

If you are going to buy a MIG welder you don´t need a helmet which has low amp sensitivity. I think that you should go with anyone you like which is from a good known brand. I woulndn´t bet my eyes for 20-30 bucks more.

If you´re always MIGin probably fixed shade would be ok, but variable shades are also 10-30 bucks more.

So I think that it all depends on your budget and your type of work.

Have fun with your new hobart!

THat´s just my .02

Thanks, i was just wondering if there was anything inperticular (sp) to look for when buyin a helmet.

[RC-Racer]

For hobby welding, the less expensive hoods are OK and I would definitely recommend a variable shade. You will be able to find a shade that is comfortable to you and the welding situation such as ambient lighting, welder amperage, material type etc.
All hoods protect your eyes equally at all shade levels. Here are a couple of things to look for.
Is it easy to get replacement outer or inner protective lenses? You can make your own out of polycarbonate but it's more convenient if there are replacements available.
If you are in a situation where you can try it out, is it comfortable? Is the head gear well made and is it a resonable weight and the most important, is the lense clear and undistorted? Some of the cheap hoods are not optically correct.
I have a cheap AD hood that I bought on ebay. It's light, comfortable and responds well. The lense is OK but the in the darkened state, it is not completely uniform. This never bothered me when MIG welding and I MIG weld with it often but when I started TIG welding, I noticed that I was having some trouble seeing well enough and the response of the lens wasn't reliable at low amperages. I bought an Optrel Satellite. The clarity is like night and day and the response and adjustability is great.

[WHughes]

I use a speedglas for mig and tig aluminum. I didn't have the dough to spring for a variable shade but its a 3/11 and 7 when its off. Sometimes when tig welding, I wish the lense was bigger. The variable shade speedglas has a bigger lense. It does work great for me. I can also use it for plasma cutting while in off mode.(shade 7)
I tried a 50 dollar hood and found that if someone opens a door and lets sunlight in it darkens. I found myself covering the sensor with my hand alot. It would probably be ok for home/hobby use.
My speedglas cost me 150 and I like it. I would love the top of the line speedglas but 399 is plenty of dough to pony up. If you got the money, buy the best.
Bill

[ElectriDive]

Currently I own and older Hornell auto for my mig and it works well. I currently am about to purchase a TIG and need a higher sensitivity hood as well.

Since I am a big F1 fan I was instantly drawn to the Visor 1000 Pro. It has a 5-13 adjustment with grinding, and it looks like your going 180 wearing it. I have found them for around $350-400

link: Visor 1000 Pro

[littlefuzz]

I like the Miller hoods. If you buy one make sure it has the replaceable battery. The first lens I had didn't and it was crap, I sent it back twice and they finally put a different lens in it. I have been (production) welding with it for a couple of years with no trouble and replaced the battery once. They have the ones with the bigger lenses now which are real nice.
All different designs too.