toplessHO
Well-known member
Not much excuse when the price is $150 for the Lincoln blue light lens as a drop in
auto dark in standard size.
My Hawk helmet is the lightest hood Ive seen and it works perfectly for me.
Welding Helmet Recommendations
- Thread starter VOH
- Start date
auto dark in standard size.
My Hawk helmet is the lightest hood Ive seen and it works perfectly for me.
danski0224
Well-known member
There have been mentions of the Lincoln Viking hood. I had one.
There is a significant weight difference between a Miller Digital Elite and a Miller Digital Infinity and the Lincoln Viking (the Viking is the heaviest of these three, and I have owned all 3).
The Digital Infinity is still heavy enough that the hood will not stay up unless the adjustments are CRANKED tight. The Viking is better in this regard though.
My Digital Elite is old, the new ones have much better color/clarity/lack of tint when off. I should have just got a new one of those.
I wanted the bigger opening, but it isn't all that great when the hood is quite noticeably heavier. I am not a pro welder, and even so, it was very noticeable.
Trying/using before you buy is a problem too.
Definitely pay attention to the weight specs. It's only a matter of ounces (don't remember off the top of my head), but it makes a difference.
whateg01
Well-known member
Weight is a factor, but it's not the only factor. I think the Viking is lighter than my old Optrel, but I am not sure. The headgear is the best I've used, IMO. It will stay up until I nod my head and then it falls as it's supposed to. It also is very adjustable. That said, weight was the reason I opted not to go with the newest version of the Viking hood. The light and battery add 4 oz according to the web. That 1/4# was more than I wanted, though I did consider getting it and just not putting batteries in the light, since the clarity is supposed to be better. In the end, I chose to buy a second 4C version and I don't regret it at all.
danski0224
Well-known member
I didn't get the light, but will agree on the Viking headgear being very good and thoroughly adjustable. Wasn't enough to keep it, though.
Personally, my eyes are worth a lot and I don't mind spending $500 dollars plus for a welding helmet that will protect them. I took a Tig class from Justin (The Fabrication Series) in Las Vegas and he turned me on to the Optrel Crystal 2.0. This helmet will change your life! It is made in Switzerland which is a part of China I have not heard of before. Check it out if you think your eyes are worth $500. You and your eyes will never regret the investment.
As a full-time welder and someone that welds way too much in my time off at home. Your eyes aren't all you should be looking out for. The day I got my first papr at work was the greatest revelation/salvation of my welding career. It wasn't more than 30 days and I purchased a second for welding at home with. And within a year of that I purchased a mobiflex fume extractor (at an auction for 1/5 the price of new). Anyways your lungs are as valuable as your eyes look out for them. I have the speedglas 9100- fx I think at work and the g5-01 at home. The g5-01 has the better lens. Yes they are spendy and heavy buy in my opinion worth every penny.
sweetk30
Well-known member
Love my new lincoln 3350adv helmet . But i do have a few complaints.
#1 . It should have a time out setting to auto go back to weld mode . . If you are in grind and forget to go back to weld you get blinded with flash
#2 . Flashlight should have a time out also . If no weld flash showing after so long it auto shuts off . I have already gone through 3 AA batterys .
#3 . All the memory's and options between grind and weld there needs to be a more adjustable option between the 2 for stuff like brazing or plasma cutting .
Other than these 3 things i love the big screen and clear color view no more green .
#1 . It should have a time out setting to auto go back to weld mode . . If you are in grind and forget to go back to weld you get blinded with flash
#2 . Flashlight should have a time out also . If no weld flash showing after so long it auto shuts off . I have already gone through 3 AA batterys .
#3 . All the memory's and options between grind and weld there needs to be a more adjustable option between the 2 for stuff like brazing or plasma cutting .
Other than these 3 things i love the big screen and clear color view no more green .
whateg01
Well-known member
Yesterday, during my welding class, I used one of the student's yeswelder hoods to see how it behaved. It worked as it should. Nothing remarkable about it, but it costs a lot less than my 3350s. The biggest difference was the fact that it's not a big window lens. I don't generally need the bigger window but it was interesting just how restricted the view felt without it.
gayler
Well-known member
BigMike782
Well-known member
Viewing size is like TVs.......one company makes one a little bigger and then everyone that welds has to have a 36" wide by 18" high viewing area even if they are welding on a bench or right out in the open.
Personally one of my all time favorites is my Huntsman 211P with a VINTAGE Harris gold lens. I emphasize vintage because this is a gray lens with gold and they are not made anymore. The lenses made now are a common green plastic lens with gold added.......totally different view.
willymakeit
Well-known member
Im thinking about a Optrel based on reviews.
Im not really satisfied with my Miller. Tho Im going to add a light before I buy to Miller just in case.
Im not really satisfied with my Miller. Tho Im going to add a light before I buy to Miller just in case.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I tried on the Optrel Panoramaxx at Fabtech and I was really disappointed with the ergonomics of the helmet.
I wear glasses and the inside of that particular helmet is contoured to fit around your nose and very close to your face. I kept hitting my glasses on the helmet, and it would push the lenses painfully against the bridge of my nose.
No fault of Optrel's, but as a youth I broke my nose and it healed crooked, so it also caused issues with the fit. Not dramatically, but noticeable. Can't hold that against them though.
I really want to like Optrel, but they just don't fit me like other helmets.
I wear glasses and the inside of that particular helmet is contoured to fit around your nose and very close to your face. I kept hitting my glasses on the helmet, and it would push the lenses painfully against the bridge of my nose.
No fault of Optrel's, but as a youth I broke my nose and it healed crooked, so it also caused issues with the fit. Not dramatically, but noticeable. Can't hold that against them though.
I really want to like Optrel, but they just don't fit me like other helmets.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I weld daily for work and I use a Miller Elite helmet, but I modified it to accept the headgear out of a Jackson shadow.
I prefer a Jackson shadow with a passive gold lens for TIG work, but the auto dark is convenient for lots of tacks or when I need to really go dark with higher amp MIG or flux core.
I prefer a Jackson shadow with a passive gold lens for TIG work, but the auto dark is convenient for lots of tacks or when I need to really go dark with higher amp MIG or flux core.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
Gold lens makers exist, they just charge a MINT.
Phillips Safety makes a glass lens with a gold coating in a few different colors, but they're several hundred dollars.
whateg01
Well-known member
Most headgear allow fore and aft adjustment. That said, I was never really happy with the headgear on my optrel. I like my Lincoln headgear better.
toplessHO
Well-known member
for the light Im happy with a cheap gearlight clipped to the helmet
www.garagejournal.com
need a brite compact flashlight for welding
Im currently using the cheapy HF ones but they aren't so bright I would like to find one about the same size but brighter. Bonus if its rechargeable
www.garagejournal.com
evildky
Well-known member
Did you check the battery in your Vulcan? I replaced my Miller with a Vulcan a year or two back and its much nicer than my Miller, which in its defense is several years old. My Vulcan didn't darken when I went to use it last week, I replaced the battery and its back to working great.
not-required
Well-known member
Still using my Speedglas 9100. It's over 10 years old now and still going strong
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have one of those at the summer place, it's a good helmet. ~$100 at Tractor Supply. (Not a lot of choices on a Sunday in the AZ White Mountains when you discover you need a welding helmet now....and don't want a HF helmet.) I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it is.I like my plain black Hobart Inventor with 9.3 inch window
I did add a light to it, $5 impulse purchase at the Cal Ranch checkout counter. Half the time I forget to turn it on, but it makes a great handle for removing the helmet with gloves on.
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