SuxToBeMyTires

I want to get my dad a new welding helmet for christmas. He used to do A LOT of welding "back in the day", and is starting to get back into it with the car he is restoring. He's been using the welding...face mask supplied with the welder he bought. He did buy one of thise auto-dimming helmets, but it sucks. Even with the dimming turned on the lowest setting, it is still too dark to see when you're welding. So he went back to that junky mask. He doesn't weld all the time, so that's why he isn't in a rush to get another helmet I guess.

ANYWAY, I want to get him a good welding helmet. What brand, design, etc. should I be looking for? I don't know a lot about helmets and have done only a little welding myself. Do all the auto-dimmers have that problem? He's used to using a non-auto dimming helmet, so it really doesn't matter which kind I get for him. I am willing to spend the extra money for a really nice, quality helmet. I just can't bare to see him use that junky mask anymore lol. Thanks.

PONY GUY

Miller

97BlackStang

Yea, hands down miller FTW

SuxToBeMyTires

Well now I just did a search on some forums to see what people had to say about the auto-dark lenses. One guy said he was using it and all of a sudden the lens just went light and he got welder's flash. Said the battery was all charged. Whatever, it was most likely his error. Anyway, it seems all of their helmets have auto-dark. Can this be turned off leaving only a fixed dark lens?

BlueOval23

I have a Lincoln auto dimming with built in solar power charger. I am very happy with it. A couple of things to mention though. First of all as you said sometimes it will undim as your welding, it only does this when you move your head away from the arc and the mask thinks that you have stoppped welding but really you have shifted your head and blocked the sensor. This tends to happen when your lying under the car trying to weld something at a funny *** angle and the sensor on the helmet is not aimed directly at the arc. So if you get any auto-dim remeber that you need to make sure that the sensor is continually aimed at the arc.

SuxToBeMyTires

Alright, thanks!

JD1969

I am a welder by trade (check out the link in my sig to see what I build). Currently I am using a Miller Elite series mask, it has a large window which makes seeing the weld area easy, especialy during out of position welding. I has 4 or 6 sensors and I have only had it go light on me once or twice and it was because my arc went behind another tube, it was never enough to get flash burn (which is caused by the ultra violet radiation, which is blocked even when it goes light). Other brands that I have used are the Hornell Speedglas and the Jackson Nextgen, both of which are nice, but I prefer my Miller. The adjustiblity and field of vision is much better on the Millers.
This is my exact helmet and even the same place I bought mine from. This is about the best price you will find on them.
http://cgi.ebay.com/MILLER-ELITE-AUT...QQcmdZViewItem