Brought to you in part by:

.


JC Whitney clearance center!
  Mustangsandmore Forums
  Tool Time
  Auto-dimming welding helmets

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Auto-dimming welding helmets
lonewolf
Gearhead

Posts: 307
From: Colorado; M&M #3117
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 02-09-2004 01:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for lonewolf   Click Here to Email lonewolf     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Has anyone used one of these? If so, what do you like, dislike, what to watch out for?

My wife is looking for a birthday present for me and she asked what I would want in a new helmet.

Thanks in advance,

Rick

IP: Logged

SteveLaRiviere
Administrator

Posts: 44921
From: Saco, Maine
Registered: May 99

posted 02-09-2004 01:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SteveLaRiviere   Click Here to Email SteveLaRiviere     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
After using one I'd never want to use anything else. You can actually see what you're doing before you stick an arc!

------------------
'70 Mustang Mach 1 351C 4V/FMX/3.25 Open
'70 Mustang Convertible 250 I6/3 speed/2.79 Open
'72 Mustang Sprint Hardtop 351C 4V/FMX/4.30 Trac Loc
'94 F-150 XL 5.8L/E4OD/3.55 Limited Slip

IP: Logged

n2oMike
Gearhead

Posts: 2680
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 02-09-2004 06:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for n2oMike   Click Here to Email n2oMike     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A buddy of mine bought one of those Harbor Freight helmets for $50 or $60, and it works great.

It's solar powered (never needs batteries) and is solar activated. You don't even need to remember to turn the thing on. It's lightweight, (around a pound) so it doesn't weight you down. It's fairly small, so you can fit into tight places... It gets a thumbs up from me.

His was made by Western Safety.

Go to http://www.harborfreight.com and do a search for 'welding helmet'

Good Luck!

------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/carbedstangs/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220

[This message has been edited by n2oMike (edited 02-09-2004).]

IP: Logged

bob emmerich
Journeyman

Posts: 66
From: Stratford,Connecticut
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 03-11-2004 10:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for bob emmerich   Click Here to Email bob emmerich     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've got one, but haven't had the pleasure of trying it(have to re-build my garage first*L*).

IP: Logged

pmhvps
Gearhead

Posts: 515
From: Lowville,Ontario,Canada
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 03-16-2004 12:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for pmhvps   Click Here to Email pmhvps     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Have one,I agree.... will never go back!

IP: Logged

allford
Journeyman

Posts: 5
From: Virginia Beach, Va, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-11-2004 07:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for allford   Click Here to Email allford     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I got an auto dimming at Harbor Freight on sale for 50.00 (solar powered and uses battery as a backup)...great improvment over non dimming..

IP: Logged

Dubz
Gearhead

Posts: 1888
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 12-12-2004 07:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Dubz   Click Here to Email Dubz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
the one i used was great, couldn't complain about it at all. don't remember the brand though

IP: Logged

SteveLaRiviere
Administrator

Posts: 44921
From: Saco, Maine
Registered: May 99

posted 12-13-2004 08:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SteveLaRiviere   Click Here to Email SteveLaRiviere     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'm amazed at how cheap they are now, I paid $225 for mine a few years ago. They make welding so much easier, don't even consider using any other type.

------------------
'70 Mustang Mach 1 351C 4V/FMX/3.25 Open
'70 Mustang Convertible 250 I6/3 speed/2.79 Open
'72 Mustang Sprint Hardtop 351C 4V/FMX/4.30 Trac Loc
'94 F-150 XL 5.8L/E4OD/3.55 Limited Slip

IP: Logged

66351stang
Gearhead

Posts: 711
From: sayville,newyork
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 12-16-2004 08:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 66351stang   Click Here to Email 66351stang     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
i have had an auto dim for 5 years works great only one problem i had and that was the battery was almost dead (didn't know it) was welding with my mig, and struck the arc and it didn't auto dim....

IP: Logged

Bloose
Gearhead

Posts: 751
From: Milwaukee, WI
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 12-23-2004 04:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Bloose   Click Here to Email Bloose     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by SteveLaRiviere:
I'm amazed at how cheap they are now, I paid $225 for mine a few years ago. They make welding so much easier, don't even consider using any other type.


Actually many of them are still around $200 or more. One thing I've noticed is a few of the cheap ones have a pretty long reaction time, one was .5s. If you do quite a bit of welding that extra exposure to the welding arc could do some real damage. I'm just now starting to look at welding helmets but I think the reaction time is very important. I asked a welder at work about them and he put it like this. "If you eye sight is only worth $50 go for the cheapy, but my eye sight is definitely worth $200". I'd have to agree.

B-loose

[This message has been edited by Bloose (edited 12-23-2004).]

IP: Logged

n2oMike
Gearhead

Posts: 2680
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 12-23-2004 10:31 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for n2oMike   Click Here to Email n2oMike     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bloose:
One thing I've noticed is a few of the cheap ones have a pretty long reaction time, one was .5s. "If you eye sight is only worth $50 go for the cheapy,

I've heard the expression, "A $10 helmet for a $10 head." But as far has those welding helmets go....

The Harbor Freight units have reaction times around 1/20,000 second.

The 0.5 second time you are referring to is probably the 'delay'. The delay is how long it takes to switch back to the light shade after the welding arc disappears.

------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/carbedstangs/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220

IP: Logged

Bloose
Gearhead

Posts: 751
From: Milwaukee, WI
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 12-24-2004 10:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Bloose   Click Here to Email Bloose     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My bad Mike, the helmet that interested me at Harbor was this one,

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2506

Your right, it's not .5s it's .5ms. Which is still pretty slow compared to most of them. I bought a Hobart for $89 in the mean time. It has a fast reaction time but a fixed shade which kept it cheap. Also the veiwing area is fairly small. I like the Arc One's viewing area but 1/2000 of a sec may be kind of long?

B-loose

IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | Mustangsandmore Front Page

Copyright 2005, Steve LaRiviere. All Rights Reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47d

Amazon Honor System Click Here to Pay Learn More

[Acronyms][Calendar][Chat][Classifieds] [Members' Pics]

[ Mustangsandmore.com Bookstore] [ Smokin' Fords] [Tech Articles]