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I'm not a professional welder. Just been a rookie a long time. I got my first auto hood for Christmas about four years ago. I freakin loved it! It lasted about four months until the liquid display leaked out.If I were a pro and I made my living welding, it would be a no brainer. I'd spend what I had to spend and feel fine about it. I'm not a pro and it's only part of a demented passion, but welding is a necessary part of it, and I am smitten by autodark hoods.Two years ago I bought a Hobart. It was perfect, for a year and a half. Now it has the nasty habit of flashing me during a weld, and taking forever to turn off after the weld. A new insert costs $50 and I really don't want to throw good money after bad. It was actually a low end Hobart at Northern Tools for $90. Not at all the $300+ "real" ones.OK, what now? I really don't have $300 to spend on a hood. Before I go back to nodding my head and saying to hell with it, I wanna try one more.I was in a Lowe's today and looked at their name brand Kobalt hood for $130. Now, before I waste another $130, is there another brand that will do what they say it will do for not a big bunch of money? I think if I try hard I can accumulate around $200-250 to buy one. Any feedback on the Lowe's $130 Kobalt one or should I spend more money than I should and get one even better? Or should I say to hell with it and buy a top of the line standard hood with the big filter and keep nodding my head? I welded a long time before they even made autodark hoods. It didn't kill me and my welds are still holding as far as I know.
Reply:Hey Beezer,Since you indicate you're more of a hobby welder, here is a helmet I use and it works excellent. I have 2 of these and 2 of the blue flame ones that are on sale for $49 right now. The large window really makes a difference and this one works great for TIG. I've had these for 4 years now with no problems. This way you can save for a really good one.... a Speedglass or an Optrel.... Dennyhttp://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94336Complete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:I was looking for one too, I think I might go with that one, or the Kobalt ones are on sale for $99 and Lowes I think.
Reply:You can get a Miller Pro Hobby $130 shipped from ebay....
Reply:If you want to spend real money, I highly recommend the Jackson EQC variable lens hood. Lowe's also sells them with the Lincoln name on them, and there are other places that sell them with their own name on them too. HTP (www.htpweld.com) calls theirs the Striker, but it's a Jackson. I have used my Jackson EQC for 4 years now of very high volume production welding, as well as using it at home and now on the road. No problems whatsoever and I'm surprised it has lasted this long with as many thousands of arcs as it has seen so far. It was very well worth the ~$250 I spent on it. I fully intend to replace the lens with the same one whenever it does finally give up the ghost.I bought a Harbor Freight auto hood before I got the Jackson and took it back cause it didn't darken consistently and the view was blurry. It also went clear when it wasn't supposed to. I deemed it not good for full-time use and spent real money on the Jackson instead. No regrets.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Bought a Lincoln (Jackson) at Home Depot about 3 years ago for less than $100. Used steady for over a year and a half. Retired again a year and three months ago so I haven't used it a lot during that time. I used it last Friday and it is still OK. It is battery powered but they last a long time. I bought it because I knew I wouldn't work that long. My son has had two from Harbor Freight and both have quit. He just bought the hi dollar Jackson and says he should have bought it first and not wasted money on the cheapies.
Reply:Well last night after I posted that, I got to thinking. I could probably add up the money I've wasted buying cheap auto hoods but I'd rather not. I think to buy one of any substance I'll need to spend at least $200. That's gonna be about the same price as a top of the line professional one when you add that to what I've already spent. I'm gettin' off this merry-go-round for the time being. I know I spent many a day using the old flip down hoods and the ones with the larger filter lens was a real luxury back in the day. Even a good name brand auto hood could fail. I know if I buy a simple good name brand flip-down hood it'll work out of the box. It'll still be working fine in ten years as well. When I tig weld with one it's as simple as laying the torch on it's side while I flip it down. For mig and stick welding, hell I've done it for years. It won't kill me to continue. Last night I ordered the Jackson big screen hood from Cyberweld for $28 delivered. I'm perfectly happy with that one. I truly appreciate all the input and time you guys took to chip in and offer advice. Thanks. Dance with the one who brung ya.
Reply:I know what ya mean, I used a fixed lens Jackson big window hood for well over a decade before I decided to try an auto dark model. I still have that old hood and still use it once in a while and it will probly be with me for 2 or 3 more decades and still work fine at that time too. I think I paid about $25 for it then and I guess they still go for about that now.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Change has been happening a lot lately. Some of it isn't fun at all. Some of it actually sucks. But I gots a new welder and life is rejuvenated. Sorry to bore you old timers but I'm pumped about this aluminum stuff. Aluminum was always a sexy expensive girl my lowly *** couldn't afford. I can do now and I don't know what the hell I am doing. I have a machine that is smarter than I am.Expect stupid questions from me.
Reply:I believe my post #9 is in error. I think the network took a dump and put that old post of mine there. I know I didn't. Glad to see this network is just as messed up as my regular one. I did not post #9.
Reply:i had the kobalt one from lowes when i first started welding. i actually melted the display out of it using a carbon arc. i now have a speedglas and love it.i honestly cant see not spending the monet because taking an arc sucks..my eyes hurt for days.its not worth it for to NOT have a good auto helmet
Reply:I would like to know if any one has got a NexGen. Autodark helmet do you like it. What is your opinion. Thanks for the input. Dan Why do you put two cents in when its only a penny for your thoughts? Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC Millermatic 150
Reply:I'll stick with my old reliable Jackson small lense flip front helment.......REASON: cover lenses. There are approximately 261 working days per year.I do heavy industrial MIG welding 99% of the time & am behind that hood 7 hours of every 8 hour shift. In order to see where I am placing the weld that requires a new cover plate daily.Standard cover plates are apx $90.00 per year. Cover plates for the Jackson auto dark are $312.00 That doesn't include batterys about 3 changes per year at around $4.50 per change. that is if they last the 800 hours they are supposed to.
Reply:The batteries last about 3 months of daily use, in my experience. Of course that depends on the quality of batteries you buy and how fresh they are when you put them in. My lens uses standard AAA's. I replace the cover lens once a month to once every 2 weeks, depending on what else I'm welding besides the stuff at work, more if I use it for stick welding (usually not).MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:At least part of my problem with having to change so often is I wear cheater glasses because I'm 51 years old & without them I'd have to weld at arms reach. they get a coat of dust the inside cover lense gets a coat of dust then the outside lense gets heavily coated several times per day with smoke that simply put has to get wiped off. Ususlly with a dirty welding glove. I'm sure a handy spray mist bottle & a box of tissue would go a long way towards saving cover plates. I get paid by the piece not by the hour. I just don't want to take the additional time to really care for the higher tech hood.I also have a welder on payroll. They usually take "0" care of anything. I finally even gave up on trying to get them to lay a hood down face up to keep crap like grinding grit, fire etc. from the inside of their shield. Getting them to hang it up properly is entirely out of the question. There is rarely a day goes by when I have 2 welders on payroll that I don't hear at least 1 welding shield hit the floor. I think the auto hoods are a great thing. For TIG work almost a must, not just nice to have.And more to the subject to this thread I would take the $50.00 - $80.00 the cheap ones cost. Then pick up enough aluminum cans alongside the road to come up with enough money to buy a good one. The Jackson & others are avalible online at http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/we...er_image=.html for around $235.00. They also have good quality consumables (parweld brand) at a better price than most places for most any gun you can imagine. The Parweld anti spatter spray is as good if not better than most on the market too. I usually can give my contact tip & nozzle a coat & be good for an entire 44# roll of wire. The build up will literally fall off the nozzle for the first 1/2 roll of wire. after that a slight tap or 2 will let it fall off.
Reply:I bought the Jackson standard non-auto hood with the large lens from cyberweld for $28. Used it first time tonight. For thin aluminum I'm using an .040 tungsten at some very low amps. I can hardly see. For thicker aluminum I step up to a 3/32 tungsten and it's bright enough. That's using the #10 that came in the hood. If I do much thin aluminum in the future I'll at least have to get a lighter shade, but I doubt I will. The good news is that if I decide to go back to auto I can cough up the $250 and put Jackson's module in factory fit. At least now I know that if I do get the more expensive module, it'll be professional grade and be around a while. I'm tired of messing around with cheap autohoods. Millman, I read your second post. You posted it while I composed this one. I'm editing it now. No one with an ounce of common sense would argue the point you make. If I were in your shoes I'd do exactly the same thing. It's a shame your guys don't care more for their company equipment. That's a whole nuther subject though. I'm no longer in a heavy industrial environment. In my younger days I was a millwright. That was non-union work which meant I did everything. The precision stuff and the foundation busting and dumptruck loading, everything. That included welding boiler plate machine bases for half of a month long job. Those were my younger days and I have cleaner easier work now. My only welding is at home. I've built some bikes and a trike and several trailers and a belt sander, disk dander, lathe base.... Small personal things. My main problem in my shop is dust. Fine sand. I think I either need to bring my hood up to the house or put it inside a bag when I'm not using it. Maybe I just need a bag tied to the side of the machine to keep it in. Bottom line is that I understand your gripe. I'd feel the same way myself. This is just me though, and I'll take care of the stuff that I pay for. I doubt I do one tenth the welding you do in a year.Last edited by Beezer; 01-27-2008 at 09:31 PM.
Reply:Sounds like a good plan Beezer!Milkman, Yeah they scratch up quickly wiping with a welding glove. I use my t-shirt. One of the other welders takes his hood to the bathroom to wipe the lens with a wet towel and his lenses last longer than mine. I know what ya mean about not having the time. Thanks, I'll keep that in mind about the Parweld spatter spray. When your guys start buying their own hoods, they'll take better care of them.Last edited by DesertRider33; 01-27-2008 at 09:37 PM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op |
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发表于 2021-9-1 00:03:22