Time for a decent welding helmet

[Stelth]

I did a google search and read some of the posts here about welding helmets. I have a Harbor Freight auto-darkening helmet, and a Fibre-Metal fixed helmet. The Harbor Freight is not quite useless, but almost. The response time is good, but then it's hard to see what's going on. The Fibre-Metal has a #10 lens, and I can see pretty well out of it, but I'd really like to use an auto-darkening helmet.

I'm working on developing a product to sell locally that requires a number of short (up to 1-1/2" long) welds. I want to make clean welds so a minimum of grinding is required.

I don't know if I need a Jackson Boss or a Miller Elite, but I need something comfortable that I can see clearly through. Are Hobart helmets good? Would the Miller Classic or Pro Hobby be adequate?

 

[WiskyBadger]

I have a Miller Elite auto darkening helmet, with a different forehead pad I put on it. I love it. That would be my recommendation.

 

[Donald]

Pardon my beginner question, but if your welding needs a #12 lens, wouldn't it be as easy to see out of a HF vs Miller Elite if they both had a #12 lens?

 

[Stelth]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Pardon my beginner question, but if your welding needs a #12 lens, wouldn't it be as easy to see out of a HF vs Miller Elite if they both had a #12 lens?


I wish it were so. I think the lenses are just not as good quality, and they tend to be a little blurry, and fog up a lot easier. I'm also discovering that the HF helmet is somewhat darker than the numbers would indicate. I tried it today on #8, which seems pretty light, and it worked OK for wire feed welding. My Fibre-Metal helmet has a #10 fixed lens, and sometimes I see spots after I use it with the same machine.

 

[tig1]

I use the Miller Classic for all my light duty tig, stick,or mig welding. It's a very good quality hood.

 

[Stelth]

Thanks, CB and Tig. I'll take a hard look at the Millers.

 

[Stelth]

Ordered a Miller Classic VSi which has the integrated grinding shield. I didn't get it because of the grinding shield, I got it because it has X-mode, which I think might be useful since I weld outdoors a lot.

I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[Stelth]

OK, got it today. My first impression is that this is a really nice helmet. Vast improvement over the HF model. Got it from Cyberweld with free shipping at what I think is a good price - $112.95. I can see much more clearly, and I think now I might want to try a cheater lens.