How do I choose a welding helmet?

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I'd like to appologize in advance for starting what must seem like the millionth welding helmet, but I've been reading opinions and reviews for ages and can't seem to get anywhere. So far I have been using equipment borrowed from a friend and it is really time to buy something. My future use case is likely mostly mig, some tig (still learning) and a tiny bit of stick in my hobby shop. My eyes aren't the greatest, so clarity is important to me. I've also seen enough industrial accidents that I'm more than willing to pay for quality.So, for those of you that have been around this block, could you help me out?
Reply:The options are endless, if your on a budget I just picked up a save phace, I like it but the replacement cover lens are a little pricey. Speed glass is nice if u got the $$$ or you could just go with an old school pipeliner with an Arcone lens or Flip front+passive (I've used this shield my whole career, never an issue)
Reply:You really can't beat a good fixed shade hood for the money. There are plenty of quality models out there, in both large and small window models. At worst you have have to change out the lens for something a bit better than what comes stock, but most are reasonably decent. Some are partial to the Fibermetal pipliner hoods, I'm partial to the large window Jackson Shadows myself. Mine was around $35 or so.  Plenty of other ones out there as well. many like the gold lenses over the greenish ones. Just be careful with the gold ones. If you scratch the gold film, you'll leave a light gap. I always make sure to use a clear cover lens to protect the gold from scratches.As far as auto darkening, avoid the least expensive ones on the market. Expect to spend at least $100-150 for a reasonably decent unit. Much less than that and it's not worth it. With these you get what you pay for on average. You'll get better optics in a $250-300 hood than you will in a $100 one..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I would agree, the options are endless. I was thinking something like a Jackson W40 seems like it would work for me, but I really have no reference to make that call. The budget is less important that just finding something that will work long term.Edit: I'm currently using a fixed shade helmet and I would really like a variable shade. I've never come across a pipeliner style in person, so I really wonder how heavy they are.Last edited by TheCollective; 04-19-2016 at 08:23 PM.
Reply:Go buy a fixed shade like DSW suggested. 20-30 bucks spent and you very well could be content the rest of your life with it.
Reply:If you are going to tig with a AD helmet,get one that works with low amps (5)
Reply:Yeah. That's been beating.
Reply:Sorry beaten. Sorry I'm french
Reply:what's to choose? get a fibre-metal flip front and use it till you need a cheater then keep on using it.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:it may seem like a simple, "newbie" thread to start, but, in my opinion, is a question still without answer, soooo. i actually enjoy these threads as there are lots of opinions and often people that havent commented before will have a new opinion to add and it all helps in the "collective knowledge" idea that i believe in so much.i'll start at the beginning and give a short review on the hoods that i remember. im a "newbie" myself at nine years, and i dont mean that in any sort of sarcastic way, there are folks on here that been welding much longer.jackson "cheap as they come" (20$): standard lens size with whatever filter came in it. used it in high school up through my first couple years career. decided the melted and bubbled front was thrashed after learning to spray-arc. hit the can still "useable"jackson "cheap as they come" (20$): bought a "cheap as they come" auto lens (80$) and promptly threw in the trash and used the factory filter. met a welder who gave me a scratched up gold lens and threw that in the trash after learning it made my eyes hurt.miller elite (300$): great hood. before "digital" and was the envy of the shop. headgear ended up breaking but was super-glued back together. harder to find cover lenses, but company started buying after most people in the shop started using that hood. still have it.huntsman cardboard fixed (40$): bought when i left the shop and was upset at the weight, size, and cost of the miller. i "retired" the miller because work got too rough and i didn't want to break it, nor wear it up a ladder. easy to lose or strip "flip-tension knobs" on the huntsman, but easy to replace with 1/4"-fine thread nuts. left neck exposed to arc flash, but very small and easy to squeeze in odd places. a coworker of mine has used the same basic hood in the "slider" version for many years and has also rednecked some jackson headgear to it. he uses nothing else. i still have mine.fibre metal "pipeliner" (60$ w/ real headgear): bought because i ran into a job that required hard-hats underneath hoods. hard to find adapter for huntsman. miller was just wayyy too heavy with hard hat. threw glass, gold plated lens into it that i found in a truck i bought around the same time. magic combination. bought a "Phillips Safety Athermal" lens to compare and use it now.  bottom of hood interfered with collarbone so i trimmed it. left neck exposed so i riveted tig-glove cuff to it. headgear started slipping so i custom bent "ratchet spring". headgear started breaking so i replaced with off the shelf headgear. my daily driver. light, simple, common, and possibly bulletproof.lincoln "cheap as they come at home depot" (35$): my first, fixed shade, large window hood. showed up to a plastic welding job without a hood and had to go buy one pronto to weld ss bands, that hold plastic together, as it is being welded. slight mis-communication. original lens is fine, and also makes a good, large mirror, which is it's primary use aside from that one job. flip-tension loosens up with flipping and is annoying to say the least. headgear still intact despite being burried by tools in the bottom of the bin.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:What are the thoughts on the Lincoln single shade then? The fibermetal looks like it is $130 to import.Edit: Thanks 92dlxman. I think the hurdle here is that most of these recommendations aren't availible here. If I'm going to go to the trouble and cost of importing something, I want to be sure it is worth it.Last edited by TheCollective; 04-19-2016 at 09:48 PM.
Reply:I started off with a fix shade Fibre Metal Pipeliner I think with a flip up shade. Hated it, of course I was young and dumb, and hated most things. I saved up my pennies and splurged on a Miller Elite (Original Elite)that is beautiful, but to be honest the head gear isn't all that great, and I have found I don't like the green lens. After read several thread here I tried the Jacksons large window fixed shade, and tried several gold lens and finally the Jackson W60 auto darkening lens which kind of an orange color. I love the head gear, and I also love the auto darkening, and the ability of using the gold lens which I also like. The thing is the Jacksons helmet is wonderful, great price, and value. It works extremely well, and gives you a lot of options. The Jackson is what I recommend for best all around value.
Reply:Trillions of dollars have been made by welders with various passive helmets and they are 100% reliable, and 100% cheap.I used a lightweight Jackson large window fixed hood for 10+ years with a gold lens, awesome clarity, helped to block the heat from big amp dual shield wire I ran a lot of building big weldments for industrial machinery. The helmet no longer has any original surface texture, it's all glass smooth from being subjected to long hours of HIGH heat. I doubt any electronic hood would have lasted. The best $20 I ever spent for any welding tools or equipment. I still have it and use it sometimes. When I moved to a different company they gave the boxy Optrel OSC's to their guys, it was pretty dang good. For the extremely delicate TIG repair work we were doing on plastic injection mold it was very much appreciated. Being able to strike tiny arcs EXACTLY where necessary without screwing up someone's $50,000 mold is less unnerving. They were WAY better than ANY of the other auto dark helmets, particularly the $peedgla$$ which in my opinion were completely worthless pieces of crap.Then I moved to Miller Digital Elite a few years later when my dad passed away and I had some money. I had one crap out just out of warranty and replaced (thanks Miller), then another one crap out a year out of warranty. Both were my helmets and babied, not dropped, kept clean and warm/dry. I have another Digital Elite, a newer Optrel and Miller's weld mask. Yes, the original Miller headgear was crap, but the newer versions (there are two, the first revision is the headgear, the second revision is the headgear + new pads) They are better than any other headgear I have ever tried. I only "bought" another Miller Digital Elite because it was "free" with a rebate. I would also highly recommend the new Lincoln Viking 3350 auto hood as well. Personally, I have never liked any of the Speedglass hoods and still don't, especially the new ones with the tinted side windows, I find them very distracting. I STILL have 2 passive helmets, oxy/fuel flip goggles with shade 10 lens and a leather hood, and I still use them because they are still needed. Passive hoods will always be clearer, always work, batteries never die. And you have a plethora of lens options/colors/mirrored surfaces which are cooler.You want the best clarity, find some retired old pipeliner and TRY to buy his Fibermetal hood with an AO Safety Weld Cool glass lens. They are no longer available from AO Safety and are hard to find under $500 for JUST THE LENS. Phillips now has some passive lenses that are supposed to be as good or better than the Weld Cool ones but I haven't seen any around to try. Magenta or Super Blue (behind a green lens) and Alloweld (stand alone). Has anyone tried them out?If you're learning, spend $30-50 on a good comfortable passive hood. It will be the best money you ever spent.Remember it's 95% the WELDOR, maybe 5% welder (or hood/tool etc.)Last edited by xryan; 04-19-2016 at 11:47 PM.RyanMiller Multimatic 200 tig/spool gun/wireless remoteMillermatic 350P, Bernard/XR Python gunsMiller Dynasty 350, Coolmate 3.5 & wireless remoteCK WF1 TIG wire feederMiller Spectrum 375 XtremeOptrel e684Miller Digital EliteMiller Weld-Mask
Reply:Originally Posted by TheCollectiveWhat are the thoughts on the Lincoln single shade then? The fibermetal looks like it is $130 to import.Edit: Thanks 92dlxman. I think the hurdle here is that most of these recommendations aren't availible here. If I'm going to go to the trouble and cost of importing something, I want to be sure it is worth it.
Reply:Originally Posted by 92dlxman the best hood wont make you any better than the worst. all it has to do is shield your eyeballs from excessive light. the absolute cheapest may frustrate you slightly, at worst.
Reply:I hardly ever see Accustrike hoods get mentioned. I had one (left it in Australia) and I actually loved it because it's the best of both worlds between fixed and auto. They are cheap enough $100-130) that they can be a second hood. They look so gimmicky, but they really do cut down on the cussing, and extremely convenient to use. They have a chin strap inside and the lens holder lifts up from a hinge mechanism connected to the chin strap, so you work it open and closed with your jaw. Doesn't take long at all to get used to. You don't have to worry about getting flashed because a sensor is blocked or sensitivity is not set right, and you have a clear lens to look out as opposed to the already shade 5 lens of most autohoods. Throw in the gold lens that you can order with the hood and you're good to go.It's definitely work at least checking out.
Reply:It is but the welding helmet, that will choose you young grasshopperSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:I like my fixed shade.  Works just fine, just not as convenient as an auto darkening!Forney C5 Arc WelderLincoln Idealarc 250-250 Ac/Dc Arc WelderMiller Bobcat 225g PlusLincoln PowerMig 200Forney O/A Rig
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWAs far as auto darkening, avoid the least expensive ones on the market. Expect to spend at least $100-150 for a reasonably decent unit. Much less than that and it's not worth it. With these you get what you pay for on average. You'll get better optics in a $250-300 hood than you will in a $100 one.
Reply:Originally Posted by 92dlxmanit may seem like a simple, "newbie" thread to start, but, in my opinion, is a question still without answer, soooo. i actually enjoy these threads as there are lots of opinions and often people that havent commented before will have a new opinion to add and it all helps in the "collective knowledge" idea that i believe in so much.i'll start at the beginning and give a short review on the hoods that i remember. im a "newbie" myself at nine years, and i dont mean that in any sort of sarcastic way, there are folks on here that been welding much longer.jackson "cheap as they come" (20$): standard lens size with whatever filter came in it. used it in high school up through my first couple years career. decided the melted and bubbled front was thrashed after learning to spray-arc. hit the can still "useable"jackson "cheap as they come" (20$): bought a "cheap as they come" auto lens (80$) and promptly threw in the trash and used the factory filter. met a welder who gave me a scratched up gold lens and threw that in the trash after learning it made my eyes hurt.miller elite (300$): great hood. before "digital" and was the envy of the shop. headgear ended up breaking but was super-glued back together. harder to find cover lenses, but company started buying after most people in the shop started using that hood. still have it.huntsman cardboard fixed (40$): bought when i left the shop and was upset at the weight, size, and cost of the miller. i "retired" the miller because work got too rough and i didn't want to break it, nor wear it up a ladder. easy to lose or strip "flip-tension knobs" on the huntsman, but easy to replace with 1/4"-fine thread nuts. left neck exposed to arc flash, but very small and easy to squeeze in odd places. a coworker of mine has used the same basic hood in the "slider" version for many years and has also rednecked some jackson headgear to it. he uses nothing else. i still have mine.fibre metal "pipeliner" (60$ w/ real headgear): bought because i ran into a job that required hard-hats underneath hoods. hard to find adapter for huntsman. miller was just wayyy too heavy with hard hat. threw glass, gold plated lens into it that i found in a truck i bought around the same time. magic combination. bought a "Phillips Safety Athermal" lens to compare and use it now.  bottom of hood interfered with collarbone so i trimmed it. left neck exposed so i riveted tig-glove cuff to it. headgear started slipping so i custom bent "ratchet spring". headgear started breaking so i replaced with off the shelf headgear. my daily driver. light, simple, common, and possibly bulletproof.lincoln "cheap as they come at home depot" (35$): my first, fixed shade, large window hood. showed up to a plastic welding job without a hood and had to go buy one pronto to weld ss bands, that hold plastic together, as it is being welded. slight mis-communication. original lens is fine, and also makes a good, large mirror, which is it's primary use aside from that one job. flip-tension loosens up with flipping and is annoying to say the least. headgear still intact despite being burried by tools in the bottom of the bin.
Reply:The lincoln 3350 with the 4C technology(latest model) can be had for around 220 dollars and it have great definition. Jody in welding tip and tricks gave a favorable review of that helmet among a bunch that he tested. He said that is his "go to helmet". Look for his video on youtube.Best price I have seen this model:http://www.bakersgas.com/LINK3034-3....FQ2QaQodEnIPVwLast edited by QCTechInsp; 04-22-2016 at 09:55 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by TheCollectiveI would agree, the options are endless. I was thinking something like a Jackson W40 seems like it would work for me, but I really have no reference to make that call. The budget is less important that just finding something that will work long term.Edit: I'm currently using a fixed shade helmet and I would really like a variable shade. I've never come across a pipeliner style in person, so I really wonder how heavy they are.
Reply:Originally Posted by Sharon NeedlesI respectfully disagree. The Arcone drop in filters have excellent clarity (I prefer my Tradesman to my boss's Digital Elite) and I'm pretty sure most if not all of them are under $100.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWThat's just the lens, add a hood to them and they probably start to get closer to that $100 range.The ones I see most are the really bad Harbor Freight ones many of the students at night buy. After that are usually the ones from a box store, Tractor Supply /Lowes/Depot. None have great optics from what I've seen. better than the HF ones but not exceptional.I will admit that things have changed a lot over the years. My original AD was a fixed shade 10 Lincoln. I forget how many years I had that before the screen started to get blotchy and I upgraded to my Miller Elite. I'm sure a lot of the newer ones are getting better and better as time goes on and the prices are dropping.
Reply:I have never used an expensive hood before and am a hobby stick welder so take this with a BIG grain of salt. I use one of those cheap home Depot helmets. Cheesy flag and eagle on it too. I have used it on smaw, mig, tig, o/a and it has performed well enough for me not to stomp on it and buy a new one. Honestly my only complaint is its like a shade 6 undarkened which helps you not get flashed when you forget you grinder with it last but is a bit dark if you are working in a poorly lit area. My recommendation is get something like that, because an auto darkening WILL imo be easier to use as a beginner. However also keep a cheap flip hood in case the pos auto darkener quits for no good reason. That's what I do. Sent from my 831C using TapatalkYours eye protection should be a critical point with no option for possible damage from long term exposure welding. So do yourself a favor and get a high end one. Don't scrimp and try to save money when it comes to your eye's. I have a couple of 3350 Lincoln Viking's, one's for back-up on jobs. But the fact is this, ask yourself "what are my eye's worth?" My answer to myself is there worth a lot more than $300 dollars that I paid for a Viking 3350 that will last me a lifetime, and protect my eye's for a lifetime. If there's one piece of equipment out there that you should never scrimp on it's a helmet. Believe me you'll thank yourself when you get to that age when your eye's start going out.  Also if you like blue products they have a great high end one, Jackson, 3M etc. This is just my personal opinion.When I die I want to go out peacefully sleeping like my grandfather did,not screaming in horror like his passengers in the car.