Hood Choices

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Can anyone recommend a good auto darkening hood for under $100Miller Dialarc 250Miller Bobcat 225Hobart Oxy/FuelCouple of Dewalt and Milwaukee GrindersJET Bandsaw and Drill Press
Reply:Not sure if that's possible. Maybe a used mask for a 100$
Reply:What about this Wel-Bilt helmet from Northern Tool. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...5271_200485271Miller Dialarc 250Miller Bobcat 225Hobart Oxy/FuelCouple of Dewalt and Milwaukee GrindersJET Bandsaw and Drill Press
Reply:Pretty sure that is the same mask HF sells. You will get what you pay for most of the time right?
Reply:Like anything else, you get what you pay for. I use the blue flame HF mask that I picked up for about $40, and while it prevents me from going blind or getting burned it does leave a lot to be desired in terms of optical quality and response time. I'm keeping my eyes open for something to replace it.At the $100 price point you're probably getting a low-end name brand, which probably isn't much better than the HF one. You might find a decent used one around this price, but I'm not sure if you'd want used. I think you'd have much better options if you increased your budget to $200, which is around where most of the "good" masks start.
Reply:I can tell you what one NOT to get. I'd avoid the HF unit at all costs. I've used any number of those students bring in when they are trying my Miller hood. Optics suck, sensors react poorly, and high frequency tig messes with the electronics ( it's not rated for tig if you read the fine print). A lot of the no name cheapies also tend to mirror what I've seen with the HF hoods.Lower end name brand hoods seem to be a bit better. Optics aren't as nice as the better units, but are a step up from the bottom end cheapies.  Usually you have 2 sensors vs 4, so it's easier to block the sensors and get "flashed" compared with better units. They aren't bad for basic work, but piping and so on where the sensors get blocked regularly can become frustrating.My fixed shade Jackson has optical qualities that rival the best of the AD hoods I've used. Not too shabby for $35, plus maybe a bit extra for a quality fixed shade lens or two, or possibly a gold lens. I doubt even with the extra shades, exempting my gold lens, that I have more than about $50-65 complete in my big window Jackson. AD's are nice, but if you ever plan to be serious about his, you'll want a fixed shade hood as a back up. Might as well learn how to use it..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 have been happy with one of these:http://www.usaweld.com/Striker-CFB-S...0131-flame.htm4 sensors, good viewing area.  Good down to the low amperages. Much clearer than my $50 class helmet.Hobart 210 MVPHTP Invertig 221 + coolerEverlast SuperUltra 205
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWMy fixed shade Jackson has optical qualities that rival the best of the AD hoods I've used. Not too shabby for $35, plus maybe a bit extra for a quality fixed shade lens or two, or possibly a gold lens. I doubt even with the extra shades, exempting my gold lens, that I have more than about $50-65 complete in my big window Jackson. AD's are nice, but if you ever plan to be serious about his, you'll want a fixed shade hood as a back up. Might as well learn how to use it.
Reply:I have a Jackson WH-40 "Smart TIG'er" that I got off of amazon for ~$80. It has the blue lens and their Balder technology. I love it. I use it for Stick, TIG and MIG. Much better visual quality than any harbor freight or tractor supply AD helmet. Almost as good as a fixed shade lens for clarity.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Originally Posted by Louie1961I have a Jackson WH-40 "Smart TIG'er" that I got off of amazon for ~$80. It has the blue lens and their Balder technology. I love it. I use it for Stick, TIG and MIG. Much better visual quality than any harbor freight or tractor supply AD helmet. Almost as good as a fixed shade lens for clarity.
Reply:Just keep watching Amazon, they go up and down...and sometimes they are only on sale for an hour or two. In hindsight i would have bought it even at $160. Its that good.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Mine's an ancient Jackson Shadow I believe, in blue. It was the first hood I bought and now must be over 25 years old. It's still pretty much as good as when it was new, other than occasionally having to replace the head gear. Newer ones would be like the Jackson HSL 100 or the W10 with the large window. Price of the hood is around $35. Honestly it's not the hood itself that makes a huge difference. As long as it fits you well and is comfortable, that's what is important about the hood itself. It's the fixed shade lenses you stick in it that determines how well you see.I buy good grade glass lenses, not the cheap plastic ones, and keep them protected with the cheap disposable cover lenses. When the cover lens gets scratched or dirty, if I can't wash it, I'll just trash it and replace the cover. Same goes with my Miller AD hood..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:Fibre Metal Pipeliner hood with an Arcone Tradesman lens. Far above and beyond the HF or other Chinese hoods for right around $100. I bet if you shopped around a little you could get it under $100.
Reply:I find that plastic cover lens transmit light thru the edges.The light gets thru the gaskets so that could be the cause of sore eyes.You can see the light getting in if you watch some one welding.I use a black marker on the edges.I use glass covers now.No more plastic.
Reply:Originally Posted by Sharon NeedlesFibre Metal Pipeliner hood with an Arcone Tradesman lens. Far above and beyond the HF or other Chinese hoods for right around $100. I bet if you shopped around a little you could get it under $100.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmwelderCan anyone recommend a good auto darkening hood for under $100
Reply:Have the Kobalt, not a bad helmet for the money....I have really bad eyes, legally blind, hyper sensitive to light and I see layers of everything, eyes were damaged in a blast in Iraq.....I use some special made low vision glasses under the hood but the hood seems to work as well as my pals high dollar Miller.  However the head gear comfort level is much better with his miller...Have also added a drape cover to keep the back light out, but I would need that with any helmet that in conventional design...Many Idealarc hours with the Kobalt, well worth the $90 bucks I paid.
Reply:USAD: Thank you for your service to our country and I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your vision while in Iraq.  Guys like you are hero's in my book
Reply:That helmet isnt that bad. I had it for awhile but it doesnt have a grind mode on it.
Reply:Recruit:Thanks, I have learned to live with it, but having trouble seeing the puddle the way I use too...Type:My Kobalt has a grind mode, if you are refering to them