ArcOne IDF81 Variable-Shade Welding Lid Review

[C. Livingstone]

Yeah, Dave,

I initially thought readers and a cheater under a lid was over-the-top somehow. But, it seems quite sensible and helpful to me now.

Otherwise, the lid is also designed to hold a cheater right in the center of the larger auto-lens area, which I initially resisted, by leaving the cheater in the upper part of the slot, so that I could use it like a bi-focal, except that I would tip my head down to get the magnification through the cheater, thinking that leaving the cheater at the bottom of the slot which holds it in the middle would be giving up some viewing area somehow. And, maybe it does reduce viewing area a bit, but I've settled with it at the center position and my focus always being at the magnification through the cheater and reading glasses.

Just had to do this couple days ago, couldn't get my head far enough away for the helmet cheater, went back to the truck for my reading cheaters - then I could focus.

Stupid tire was in the way...

[farmall]

I have a hard time paying more than 15 to 20-cents for a 2” X 4 1/4” clear lens.
Several years ago I switched to ArcOne auto lens. Very impressed with them!

I have one in my Fibre-Metal Pipeliner and it's a comfortable combination. I put clear lenses on both sides to protect it as I do with all my flat lens helmets.

[Bonzoo]

I have a hard time paying more than 15 to 20-cents for a 2” X 4 1/4” clear lens.
Several years ago I switched to ArcOne auto lens. Very impressed with them!

"Ya got to cover it with the right clear lenz."
El cazador de las diamontez

[docwelder]

It will be a cold day in he!! before I pay that much for a hood! Had way too many of them fall off my head and sink in the water. Or someone move my hood and bucket right in the path of a crawler crane.
I just have to ask, how much do the clear cover lens cost for those big window hoods?

my thoughts exactly. my job supplies everything i need but can't justify asking for a hood that expensive. plus- those graphics on the hood are embarrassingly gaudy. the ArcONE a/d lens is about as hi-tech as i care to go.

[C. Livingstone]

Well,

My auto-variable-shade lid just got a facelift, or had all that proverbial makeup removed, as, not long ago, Amazon prompted me with a graphics-free shell listing that matched my lid type. It was about $25, so I thought it was worth it not have to see those stupid flames.



While I was there, changing out the shell, I relocated the outer knob adjustment, to make it close to eye-level, rather that higher on top of the lid. Though I was a little concern that the new location of the battery box might nick my reading glasses when the lid comes down. But it doesn’t, unless I’m wearing the lid especially crockedly. And if it ever becomes problematic, like if I ever get some Elton John reading glasses, then I'll just relocate it again by drilling two more holes somwhere, and paste a sticker over the old site.





Otherwise, the place where I bought the lid, for $214, with free shipping and no added State sales tax, now has this same variable-shade lid without the graphics, for $235, which seems like a better deal to me, than $214 with the stupid graphics. Of course, I’m not compensated by the following website, or ArcOne, nor do I have a relationship of any kind with either. But I can more easily recommend these IDF-81 lids now, at these kind of prices (rather that their more typical price of around $319, on Amazon), since there’s one without graphics at the better pricing, at least from this same seller.

https://store.weldersource.com/p-380...df81-1500.aspx

Of course my proviso of a near imperative in changing the headgear to the Jackson 370 style (at around $17), is still the only catch to buying and owning this lid, I think, which now has got me into virtual TIG welding Nirvana. Ha, ha, ha…