My new welding helmet

[sicivicdude]

With the sale the other week of that Hobart generator, I decided to reinvest...

Let me start by saying that I'm a 100% auto-darkening helmet convert. I don't see how welders used to do as pretty work as they used to with single shade helmets. I've had an autodarkening helmet for a while now, a "$50" welding helmet from Northern Tool. The pictures really tell the rest of the story....

The "controls" on the northern helmet:

The controls on the new helmet:

The view from inside:

That ^^^^ really doesn't tell the entire story of the difference.... only the size. The old helmet has an "off" setting of DIN 5, the new helmet has an off setting of DIN 3 (barely darker than a pair of sunglasses. Also, the picture does show the color difference but not how strong that effect is on the ability to see. The old helmet has a green tint to it the whole time while the new helmet has a yellow tint to it. The result is a "blue blocker" affect while the new helmet is off.

 

[CARNZ]

pretty slick helmet, what little welding i've ever done was with a harbor freight helmet and it wasn't too nice lol

 

[Awk08]

nice helmet james !!!!

 

[245stroker]

Nice looking helmet. I'm still old school, learned how to weld with a standard helmet and have been using one since '94

 

[Blaaster]

I have been welding "old school" for over 50 years and you have now almost convinced me that I should move onwards.

I wonder what good brands are to be had in Aussie.

 

[sicivicdude]

Nice looking helmet. I'm still old school, learned how to weld with a standard helmet and have been using one since '94

Have you ever tried an autodarkening helmet? If you haven't, you just don't know what you're missing.... Instead of having to "hold" while you "flip" the shield down, you just leave the helmet down in place and sit still, get the rod, mig gun, or tig torch in place and then just go.

My wife commented that the helmet is long and narrow (which it is a little narrow for my tastes but not too much so) and that it looks like it would hit my chest before I could look down any. I told her to slide it on her head and her only comment was "oh". The screen is so big that it goes to the bottom of my eyes ability to look down!

 

[sicivicdude]

I have been welding "old school" for over 50 years and you have now almost convinced me that I should move onwards.

I wonder what good brands are to be had in Aussie.

It used to be that the screens were unreliable and had to be small because of high power demands. Not anymore, the screen can be as large as the largest single tint lens and actually lighter! Instead of tinted glass, it's an LCD quick darkening screen.

Of course, the "big brands" (lincoln, miller, 3M speedglas) are REALLY good screens and nice light well fitting helmets. You also pay for that..... Speedglas can be had in a small size for about the same price as this helmet ($197 shipped) but the speedglas screen in this size is nearly $400...

 

[245stroker]

Yeah, I've tryed a couple different brands of auto helmets. We have a guy from the local welding supply place that stops in once a week. After tig welding for so long using my rod hand or nodding my head to flip the helmet down isn't a big deal for me

 

[sicivicdude]

Yeah, I've tryed a couple different brands of auto helmets. We have a guy from the local welding supply place that stops in once a week. After tig welding for so long using my rod hand or nodding my head to flip the helmet down isn't a big deal for me

I guess, once you're "used to it" it isn't a huge deal....

Not for I though I was always upset that my mig gun would move a little bit when I flipped my helmet down so I bought a auto-darkening helmet and haven't looked back.

 

[Blaaster]

I suppose the reason I stick with the old style is because I am able to use a magnifying lens in it.

 

[sicivicdude]

I suppose the reason I stick with the old style is because I am able to use a magnifying lens in it.

The new helmet has a holder for a "cheater lens"

 

[Blaaster]

The new helmet has a holder for a "cheater lens"

You have convinced me!

Looks like its out with the old, and in with the new!I:I

 

[sicivicdude]

You have convinced me!

Looks like its out with the old, and in with the new!I:I

You have to check brand to brand and even screen to screen. This particular screen (the Arcone X540D screen) does have the brackets made in to hold the cheater lens.

 

[sicivicdude]

I have been welding "old school" for over 50 years and you have now almost convinced me that I should move onwards.

I wonder what good brands are to be had in Aussie.

Arcone Vision X540V Black SH 5-13 Auto-Darkening Helmet

^^^^ that's where I got it. You could probably send them an email and see if they'll ship overseas OR contact Arcone and see if they have any international dealers.

Just one word of caution. Arcone makes about 50 different helmet/filter screen combo's. It's kind of confusing and if you're not paying close attention one could think they're "getting a deal" but really just be buying a helmet with a smaller/slower/not as adjustable screen for less money. This screen (the X540D Xtreme) goes the gambit of all popular functions (grind mode, 5 amp tig starts, 1/25,000th of a second light to dark, DIN 3 off, adjustable from DIN 5-14, full sensitivity and delay adjustability) you'll find in really high end auto-darkening helmets. Basically the reason why this helmet is less expensive is because of the helmet, not the screen. The screen has ALL the bells and whistles... the helmet is just a fairly plain black helmet....

 

[slickerthanyou]

Yeah, I've tryed a couple different brands of auto helmets. We have a guy from the local welding supply place that stops in once a week. After tig welding for so long using my rod hand or nodding my head to flip the helmet down isn't a big deal for me

That's what i thought too until I bought my Jackson halo x nexgen, so much nicer!

I suppose the reason I stick with the old style is because I am able to use a magnifying lens in it.

That's like using stock blaster shocks!

Arcone Vision X540V Black SH 5-13 Auto-Darkening Helmet

^^^^ that's where I got it. You could probably send them an email and see if they'll ship overseas OR contact Arcone and see if they have any international dealers.

Just one word of caution. Arcone makes about 50 different helmet/filter screen combo's. It's kind of confusing and if you're not paying close attention one could think they're "getting a deal" but really just be buying a helmet with a smaller/slower/not as adjustable screen for less money. This screen (the X540D Xtreme) goes the gambit of all popular functions (grind mode, 5 amp tig starts, 1/25,000th of a second light to dark, DIN 3 off, adjustable from DIN 5-14, full sensitivity and delay adjustability) you'll find in really high end auto-darkening helmets. Basically the reason why this helmet is less expensive is because of the helmet, not the screen. The screen has ALL the bells and whistles... the helmet is just a fairly plain black helmet....

Super nice helmet bro!
Make sure you buy a few of the clear protector lenses on the outside and the on inside be surprised as to how much better welds you can do when ya see clear! <<<<<<< experience, i change mine out about every three months of usage as the film that gets on them will scratch it and make it harder and harder to see. The protective clear lexan i get is very inexpensive and i buy a few at a time at the local welding store. Nice score!!

 

[sicivicdude]

Make sure you buy a few of the clear protector lenses on the outside and the on inside be surprised as to how much better welds you can do when ya see clear! <<<<<<< experience, i change mine out about every three months of usage as the film that gets on them will scratch it and make it harder and harder to see. The protective clear lexan i get is very inexpensive and i buy a few at a time at the local welding store. Nice score!!

This helmet is nearly identical in features to the Nexgen except that the screen is 4" tall instead of 2 3/8" (nominal difference really)

It also uses standard 5" x 4" lexan sheets inside and out (available at any welding shop) and it came with a spare. Just for good measure (and because you KNOW my momma didn't raise no dummy) I bought 5 spares from the company at the same time as the helmet to make sure I had a GOOD supply!

 

[Prime]

Sweet helmet! I still weld with a standard helmet....This is making me consider investing in a auto-darkening helmet.

 

[sicivicdude]

It doesn't take a HUGE investment to go auto-darkening. The "$50" helmet from harbor freight/cummins/eastwood/northern tool isn't terrible. My old is still working but after 4 years the internal battery is getting weak and it's taking a split second longer to go dark than the arc is to strike. I flashed myself just a tiny bit twice the other day while I was working on the lower a-arms and decided that a nice helmet was in order. Of course, I'm not all about paying for a brand name so I found this Arcone helmet for about $100 less than the brand names with all of the features.

Believe it or not, on the tag inside the helmet it says "Assembled in the Unites Stated from domestic and foreign components". It was not completely made in china!

 

[DUALSTROKE]

Nice looking helmet James. I also just use a standard helmet but have been thinking of getting the cheap harbor freight aotu darkening helmet to try it out. Any experience with them?

 

[Awk08]

Nice looking helmet James. I also just use a standard helmet but have been thinking of getting the cheap harbor freight aotu darkening helmet to try it out. Any experience with them?

seeing as how i only have a little stick welder, aquired in a trade with slick, and generally only use it for welding brake pedal extensions, so far.
i just got the harbor freight el-cheapo auto darkening helmet
and i must say, it made me a way better welder than the old......
get stick close - flip helmet - hope your striking the right place helmet
for $40, it does what i need it too !!!!