Another Noob Hood Question

admin

I have read several other threads, mainly focusing on what is the Top Dog hood, somewhat regardless of price. I find these extremely informative, adding to my knowledge base. Thanks to all for taking the time to share your wealth of knowledge and experience.I just started welding over the last year or so, taking VOTEC classes. I'm focusing on stick just because they say its the hardest but the best way to get the fundamentals. I tried the mig enough to get the feel of it, and will try to get the barest basics of tig down over the next few weeks. I got the HF AD knowing it was a starter. $38.98 with a sale and a coupon when they used to let you stack them.I'm a hobbyist with a few home and auto projects and repairs to complete, which justifies the cost and time of the classes to the Warden as well. I am approaching the minimum level of proficiency. I got a couple 7018 burns on my right arm last night through my cotton army field jacket while overheading some T-joint fillets. I'll be damned if I'm gonna flinch before I finish my pass. In an odd way I kinda hope they scar.I hit some real nice 1/8" root gap 6010 single bevel butt joint vertical passes too. Real nice penetration out the back too. Not pro consistency along the whole 6", but nice. I was ecstatic. My vertical practice beads are looking pretty good, but I have trouble seeing and maintaining my line. I also find it hard to concentrate and be steady of hand when I have to pee. What can I say, I'm learning.I always wanted to learn since my brief OA experience in high school metal shop. Now I'm looking for a reasons to weld stuff because I am fascinated with the actual act and the coalecense technology that goes with it.Anyway, is there a much better helmet choice than what I have for around $100.? Maybe upwards of $150. If not, am I in a eye safety issue? To be clear, I want to be safe, but I am asking more specifically about weld pool proximity clarity.I am looking for better visibility as well as faster reaction time, as I do feel some eye fatigue after class. Some may be due to the reflected light coming from under the chin and ear area. I'm closer to 50 than 40, but I can see pretty well at the typical sight distances as far as eyesight, not hood visiblity restrictions.Thanks Forward.Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 and WP17. 75A AC is for pipe thawing!HH 140 - new addtion 9/2012.I didn't agree, but hoped for Hope and Change.I got change for myself and my family: for the worse.This is the reality of: Barackalypse Now. Again.
Reply:I got my AD hobart hood from sears for under 100. Haven't had any problems with it at all.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:i have used the hf hoods and had no issues with them except there is no way to install a diopter in one without a little ingenuity. i would to hate to go back to one though. there reaction time is rated at 1/20,000 of a second so if that is correct that is comparable to my speedglases and digital elite. the optics is nowhere near as clear but for hobby use they are ok. i would suggest trying a shade darker than what you using now and see if that helps with the eye strain. also if you have been using the hood for awhile especially with flux core and stick take the inner and out clear lens covers off and clean them on both sides and clean the AD filter on both sides using an optic grade cleaner and cloth. the problem with the cheap hoods is that they don't have gaskets to seal the smoke and fog from getting to the surface of the AD filter and it will get hazy from the buildup. just make it routine maintenance. i doubt you will find any more quality in a hood for under $100. save your money and spend the big bucks for a top of the line hood down the road.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:I just scored a "new in box" Speedglas 9100xx on ebay for $213.00 shipped. I hope its legit. If it's not  I am still navigating 'splainin this purchase to the Warden. I wasn't looking to drop the $200, but the best price I've seen is about $370, and I couldn't pass it up.Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 and WP17. 75A AC is for pipe thawing!HH 140 - new addtion 9/2012.I didn't agree, but hoped for Hope and Change.I got change for myself and my family: for the worse.This is the reality of: Barackalypse Now. Again.
Reply:I think a lot of these super-expensive hoods are gee-whiz marketing hype, like buying expensive golf clubs or tennis rackets.  I have an auto-darkening hood with adjustable darkness I bought about 5 years ago for $49.95 at Harbor Freight.  It works just fine, and I have neither the desire nor a reason to buy another one.
Reply:No more different than a china socket compared to a williams huh?A hood is another tool, roll with what you want, but you don't see me posting in the harbor junk section either Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:Originally Posted by jtcnjI just scored a "new in box" Speedglas 9100xx on ebay for $213.00 shipped. I hope its legit. If it's not  I am still navigating 'splainin this purchase to the Warden. I wasn't looking to drop the $200, but the best price I've seen is about $370, and I couldn't pass it up.
Reply:Originally Posted by DR87I've got the 9100xx with the side view windows and it's by far the nicest hood i've used. you won't regret it especially if all you paid was a $213. I would suggest that you avoid using it for overhead especially with stick welding, that a good way to ruin that hood. I use my 9100 for almost everything but when i have to run some overhead I still reach for my sugar scoop with a #10 gold lense.
Reply:Originally Posted by RuarkI think a lot of these super-expensive hoods are gee-whiz marketing hype, like buying expensive golf clubs or tennis rackets.  I have an auto-darkening hood with adjustable darkness I bought about 5 years ago for $49.95 at Harbor Freight.  It works just fine, and I have neither the desire nor a reason to buy another one.
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1To an extent, sure but they also offer features that you don't get in a HF HoodI have a HF Hood and an Optrel Satellite - the Optrel can dial down to a shade 5, The HF can not. The clarity is much betterGrind Mode- eh, it's ok to have but not a big deal to not have it.My business partner picked up a Miller Performance Series hood and I really like it the most out of the 3
Reply:I looked at the online manual on these HF hoods and do not see a optical classification.Is it on the box?What one considers clear could be different to another and then there are optical dependency in auto lenses.The optical classification will tell you if the lens has dependencies and what the ratings on each are.Another thing to consider is the construction of the internal electronic.One thing that doesn't work for me on any hood is external controls. In my line of work they wouldn't last a week.Last, but not least, I don't buy china. It has been proven that they have horrible quality control on just about everything they make. Sure one item may be to standard, but the next 20 do not conform.This has been proven in everything from the lead paint in their kids toys to the truck load of steel plates that was tested at DuPont. So I'm especially not going to chance using a safety item from them.Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:Many moons ago, I played a lot of paintball.  Decided to buy my own gun but on a budget.  The guy behind the counter suggested that I pass on the gun and get my own facemask first.  Wow what a difference.  I could actually see what I was shooting.Same thing for welding.  Get a good hood that you can actually see what you are doing.  The helmet should be safe, comfortable, and fit (properly adjustable) with clean lenses.  Top that off with a comfortable set of gloves.  If the school has leather coverals, use thiers because they invariably get dirty as hell.  Fireproof, light jacket to wear under.  When I took classes I used everything from the school.  I remember trying to get the dust out of the helmets to try to keep the glare down... constantly fiddling with the tension screws etc.   My first personal auto-dark was like a breath of fresh air.  How did I live without it?As for Chinese vs. non-Chinese hoods.  Lets just say HF doesn't buy stuff from China because its better quality.  In this case, spending money not only protects you, but could potentially help you learn faster by giving you better visibility.  I would say buy a good quality hood and buy the Chinese welder rather than the other way around.  I'd rather buy used stuff from a pawn shop than spend the same money for new stuff at HF.  The best thing about HF is that it gets tools in the hands of people to get them to actually do/build/fix stuff.  When the tool breaks, they have incentive to buy something better (Chinese tools from Home Depot  ).Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DX
Reply:A few years ago, when my youngest daughter was about 14, I thought I would have a conversation with her about purchasing foreign items, especially china items.I didn't get 2 minutes into the conversation and she began to educate me on why we shouldn't buy china junk. I knew she was good to go and ended the discussion there.I am glad they are teaching these kids in school, probably economics class, that if they want to have future jobs in America they have to be producers. You can't be a producer if you are not consuming the items you produce.She was only 14 and got the picture.A wise man once told me "A education is a costly thing in life." Now it took me a little longer to get my wife to "see the big picture", but now she looks where items are made prior to purchasing. Every time something she just bought would break I had to show her where it was made, China.She said "I guess the few bucks I saved weren't really saved after all, was it?"Ta-da!  She finally saw the light, but like I said, she's not that smart I have seen guys at the barber shop complaining about the lack of work; bills, etc.When I leave and walk by their trucks, I see all the china tools and shake my head and think, 'you don't get paid in Yuan or Yen, why buy Yuan or Yen."I guess they just don't get it either.Best of luck to you, your kids and grand kids future.Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:Did you show your daughter the things that DIDN'T break and where they were made?  Just because it's made in China doesn't mean it's "Chinese."  They're American or Japanese designs and manufacturing processes, just located in China to exploit their cheap labor (that's a different topic).  High-end Nikon cameras are made in China. Guess they're junk, eh? Chances are the Dell laptop you're typing on was made in China, as well as the HP printer on your desk.  All junk, of course.  And of course those cheap iPhones, iPods and iPads, all junk, all made in China.  And that $200 spinning reel you like to fish with. Let's see... yep, the Logitech wireless mouse I'm using was made in China. Well.... you get my drift.  Again, I don't like it any more than you do, but to avoid HF because they "sell cheap China stuff" is utterly without basis.
Reply:I have a Lincoln AD hood that I use a good bit. Still find it hard to leave it down when moving and restarting. Just does not feel right. I even catch myself giving the little nod to drop the hood before starting and its already down (comes from years of using a traditional hood). On thing I dont like about the AD hoods id not having my gold lense. I havent found anything that gives as clear a picture as the gold lense. Does anyone make a AD lense that has the gold plating? Still like my old faithful Jackson straight front with the #10 gold lense.
Reply:Ok, about that hood: I got it today but it is missing the accessory package which includes the extra outer and inner protection plates and the side window covers. It is supposed to come with a DVD and a sticker, but I am only concerned about the gear.It has the 9100x lensing, not the xx, which is only slightly smaller in viewing area. Not what I thought I was getting.BUT: It is brand new, all the functions appear to work / react as I stepped through the settings. It fits my head and the headgear fit and adjustablility is FAR superior to my HF. The lensing / electronics package is also in another league.I didn't use it tonight in class. I'm waiting to see about the missing pieces, since the ebay listing is for a new item, it is supposed to include all the original packaging, etc. For what I paid I still got a great deal, assuming it performs correctly. So, I can't wait to try it.So, is was my first night of TIG.  My HF keeps flashing me. The instructor is using his spare, an HF Blue Flame (mine is the plain black one). His has a sensitivity adjustment, mine does not. I know some AD hoods are not recommended for lower amperage for the same reason. He says his is fine for hobby or back up or OH stick work, but not what he uses for his full time day job.So, I learned 2 things tonight: I need a better quality hood, and didn't get what I wanted in terms of learning paritially because of same.Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 and WP17. 75A AC is for pipe thawing!HH 140 - new addtion 9/2012.I didn't agree, but hoped for Hope and Change.I got change for myself and my family: for the worse.This is the reality of: Barackalypse Now. Again.
Reply:Originally Posted by RuarkDid you show your daughter the things that DIDN'T break and where they were made?  Just because it's made in China doesn't mean it's "Chinese."  They're American or Japanese designs and manufacturing processes, just located in China to exploit their cheap labor (that's a different topic).  High-end Nikon cameras are made in China. Guess they're junk, eh? Chances are the Dell laptop you're typing on was made in China, as well as the HP printer on your desk.  All junk, of course.  And of course those cheap iPhones, iPods and iPads, all junk, all made in China.  And that $200 spinning reel you like to fish with. Let's see... yep, the Logitech wireless mouse I'm using was made in China. Well.... you get my drift.  Again, I don't like it any more than you do, but to avoid HF because they "sell cheap China stuff" is utterly without basis.
Reply:Originally Posted by skelley521The deal about the bonus package not being included is a bummer, however you're not really missing to much.If you are in tig class, I would go ahead and use it. That way you know everything is good to go incase you have to return it.Did you get the manual with it. They have it on-line in .pdf file also. If not I can e-mail you a copy.So try it out and let us know what you find and what you think.Weld~On
Reply:So, any update on what you think about your new toy Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:I found the automatic hoods too frustrating to use while learning TIG. I got flashed a lot.  Because you can rest the torch on the cup at your desired start position, its really not a big deal.  It's also easier to mount cheater lenses to the fixed hood.  I use the Auto Darkening for stick, but much prefer the fixed hood for TIG.Zip
Reply:Originally Posted by zipzitI found the automatic hoods too frustrating to use while learning TIG. I got flashed a lot.  Because you can rest the torch on the cup at your desired start position, its really not a big deal.  It's also easier to mount cheater lenses to the fixed hood.  I use the Auto Darkening for stick, but much prefer the fixed hood for TIG.Zip
Reply:Sounds like you had cheap hoods because all of my hoods over the years have had built in cheater holders.Manufacturer, model, amps or number of sensors??Operator error comes into play also.Rest what torch, the stinger?Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:I bought my Jackson master just for my Tig class back in the 90's and i never flashed after i started usingAs a matter i was one of the first in class to have one so everybody had to try it including the instructorAnd when i worked *** a maintenance mechanic i loved it for the fact that some parts you are welding cannot be readily clamped and you have to hold them together with your hands and then tack them together and flipping your hood is a pain to do while maintaining your tig torch in position and holding the part together at the same timeWhen i bought my TB 302 AP i bought the new digital elite hood because i liked the bigger viewing area and the grind and cut mode also when using the plasma cutter and i am doing a lot of gouging You just want to remember to put it back in weld mode after ...LOL  Backed my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:Originally Posted by skelley521So, any update on what you think about your new toy
Reply:Originally Posted by RuarkI think a lot of these super-expensive hoods are gee-whiz marketing hype, like buying expensive golf clubs or tennis rackets.  I have an auto-darkening hood with adjustable darkness I bought about 5 years ago for $49.95 at Harbor Freight.  It works just fine, and I have neither the desire nor a reason to buy another one.I just bought a Lincoln wide view, this is a great hood, I've been welding for over 10 years, but finally I'm taking some CC classes, I've got a Lowes AD $99 hood I leave there, I have an older Jackson and a HF Ad hood at home. I've been welding at home more and the Jackson was too much trouble, the HF was just plane crappy, the new Lincoln is excellent, better viewing and more precise control. Cheap helmets will affect your welds, and may hurt your sight, HF welding gear is for Chinese welders.Last edited by 805gregg; 11-13-2011 at 08:09 PM.