Which hood do you perfer?

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I'm looking for a new hood. It has to be an auto hood, I do alot of out of position welding. I have a cheaper one now that is ok, but alot of times I block the sensor with my arm or get it behind a piece of steel and I get flashed.The local shop has Miller's new big window elite for 246.00. And they have an Optrel(???.. I think it was a Speedglas). I'm gonna stop by to look at them. The guy at the welding supply house said the Optrel had more features, but I'm not a bells and whistles kind of guy.Does anyone have an opinion on these? Or another suggestion..Miller Trailblazer 301D. 30A Spoolgun, 8VS Suitcase Mig, Thunderbolt Buzz Box
Reply:Just purchased a NexGen by JacksonIt is a auto dark, has big lens with four sensors one on each corner.  Does have all the bells and whisles and it works real fast.Tileman
Reply:me like Speedglass 9000XA true democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for lunch.
Reply:The Jacksons that we have at school are nice but for certain SMAW applications I got ghost images and weird light relections/refractions with it. That never went over with me so I just stuck with my normal old regular hood. My teacher has one of the Miller/Hobart ones with the American flag and Bald Eagle on it and he really likes it.Lean mean TIG weldin' machineSquarewave 175
Reply:Agree with the NexGen by Jackson.  Top notch.  Big lens.  Fast.  Love it.
Reply:Ditto on the Next Gen.
Reply:Love my Satellite.  Wouldn't have anything else now.  I do wish they made one with a larger window, but it is still the best helmet I've ever used, and I've used the Nexgen, Speedglas, Miller/Hobart, etc.
Reply:I'm with Aaron. the Optrel Satellite is the best helmet on the market in my opinion.
Reply:What's the word as far as replacing the original lense with one that has better range...ie the orignial 10-11 with one that goes from 9-13?
Reply:Which unit are you referring to?
Reply:I have the Optrel Mira Plus fixed at 10-11
Reply:We bought the nexgen for out of postition stuff on account of the four sensors. So far I have been very happy with it, and have never had problems.Lol
Reply:http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/we...pot/ADFSV.htmlwell look what I found!Hey Oregon Aaron, where did you get your helmet?
Reply:that thing cost $226 Ryel !! for another $5 you could buy a satellite. would that thing even fit your Mira ?
Reply:Dude!  Think about what you're suggesting!Jack is right (again).  Spend the $$$ for a Optrel Satelite, and keep the other as a spare for the inevitable bystander who wants to watch.
Reply:YOUR RIGHT ON WITH THAT ADVISE
Reply:I also have a Speedglass 9000x. Unlike the Optrel, the controls are on the inside so they are protected.
Reply:For convenience store and bank robbery, I preferr black leather.The girlfriend preferrs the studded black hood.For welding, Jackson with a gold filter plate.  It's gonna be a real COLD day in Hell when I blow a hundred bucks for a welding helmet.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:My opinion is that a good helmet is like a good woman Go for comfort. And it should stay on your head  till you want it off
Reply:I'm with Franz on this one....Give a good, "ol fashion" hood thatyou have to "nod" down.   I agree it's a pain in the *** sometimeswhen you're "out-of-position",  but it's cheap...and you never have to wonder if it's going to darken or not !I'll be the LAST one to let you down !
Reply:Optrel Satellite for me. Comfortable,good optics, adjustable.Steve
Reply:speedglas 9000v works for me.
Reply:Orgalmeister !   Just read your profile.  I started playing at age 7,(which was MANY years ago).   My opinion is that G. Donald Harrison was the greatest american organbuilder of our time.(Aeolian-Skinner).I'll be the LAST one to let you down !
Reply:Yup, Optrel Satellite was the name. He wants 237.00 bucks for that one. The one drawback I saw to the Optrel was that the controls were on the outside, and it was made in Switzerland. He had sold the Miller Big Window model he had, another will be in this week.Miller Trailblazer 301D. 30A Spoolgun, 8VS Suitcase Mig, Thunderbolt Buzz Box
Reply:Be carefull with the Miller/ Hobart hoods. There have been alot of problems with flashing. I would stay away from them.Ryel, we got our nexgen at a pre-Christmas sale at Industrial Welding supply in Corvallis. They have stores throughout the valley, and I beleive their main "showroom" is in Salem. We have always found them great to work with and their prices competetive. What I have really grown to like about the nexgen is the controls. They are simple to operate and on the inside of the helmet. If you roll your eyes just right you can even read the setting without removing it. These autodarkening helmets can sure make easy work out of a lot of skip welds.
Reply:mixerfixer:I have several helmets but I really like my miller american eagle, it's very light and works great. I haven't had any of the problems that I heard about after I bought it. However given the welding you do, you might do better with a nexgen because of the four sensors. Just my 2 cents worth. The other guys have alot of experience and have given you much good advice. Good luck!"All that is required for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing"
Reply:I have a Jackson that is sold by HTP. I have had it for a year. I was tigging (alum.) a week ago and sometimes it does not dim when I first get an arc going. Also, sometimes when I am in use and it does darken it will slowly lighten on me. Yes my arms are out of the way and the batteries are brand new. I called HTP and sent it back. A person from HTP called me today and said there is nothing wrong with it. I told him it is intermitt. So he said he would send it back to Jackson. So in the mean time I burrowed a Miller (the one with the American flag). Again I was TIG welding alum and two times it did not dim when first starting an arc. I think I am just going to get  a regular plain old 12 lens when I TIG. When I MIG it works fine. I am thinking RFI's are interfering with these modules.  T.J.
Reply:I have a/Jackson /ArcOne/Optrel, the Optrels harness that attaches the helmet to ones pumpkin is the best I have ever used.Currently , I only have a non-auto darkening 'galaxy' Optrel, however soon as $$$ comes available a Satellite optrel will be added to my welding helmets.Tacking is just to easy with auto-darkening helmets to not use them on certain projects. Wood-n steel said it " stays on your head"Try some on and lift the helmet up & down. Which one stays where it is supposed to? Do you have to put vice like pressure to keep the damn thing on your melon? Even auto-darkening helmets will get lifted up & down a butt-load-"after a long day of doing nothing...its gooood to kick back" Pumbaa
Reply:I agree with Planet X .. if it won't stay on it's worthless. The miller elites got a good revue on the miller site the other day. When I get one, I'm still leaning towards the next-gen. Untill then my Jackson shadow and #11 gold works just fine.
Reply:Originally posted by TJS I have a Jackson that is sold by HTP. I have had it for a year. I was tigging (alum.) a week ago and sometimes it does not dim when I first get an arc going. Also, sometimes when I am in use and it does darken it will slowly lighten on me. Yes my arms are out of the way and the batteries are brand new. I called HTP and sent it back. A person from HTP called me today and said there is nothing wrong with it. I told him it is intermitt. So he said he would send it back to Jackson. So in the mean time I burrowed a Miller (the one with the American flag). Again I was TIG welding alum and two times it did not dim when first starting an arc. I think I am just going to get  a regular plain old 12 lens when I TIG. When I MIG it works fine. I am thinking RFI's are interfering with these modules.  T.J.
Reply:2.0, most of us KNOW yer nuts.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:Franzie,You're just toooo much.
Reply:Aaron... your right about inverter units allowing the older style e-helmets to flash. Something about the light wavelenght being "steady" and fooling the sensors. Never had a problem with my Econotig but when I got the T/A185, Flash city. Even at over 100 amps. That was with a JacksonEQC. No problems with the Satellite tho'.Markopolo... Skinner was a genious. His patents started long before he set up shop. Most of our work is in restoration, 19th and early 20th century organs. Other than new opus' the "newest" organ thru the shop was a 1916 Skinner installed in the Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC. Got  2 E.E.&G. Hooks in the shop now. One an early G compass and a later 3m 38rank original. Steve
Reply:I have a Miller 180 SD. Matter of fact, it does happen when I am also over 100 amps.   T.J.
Reply:True for you, orgalmeister....Mr. Skinner was indeed a genius.....I didn't mean to take away anything from him.If you're ever in Detroit (my hometown),  stop by Jefferson Ave.Presbyterian....Mr. Skinner's opus 475 is there, almost unadulterated !   Don Harrison just improved on Skinners' genius,and brought it to a pinnacle I'll be the LAST one to let you down !
Reply:Originally posted by Franz For convenience store and bank robbery, I preferr black leather.The girlfriend preferrs the studded black hood.For welding, Jackson with a gold filter plate.  It's gonna be a real COLD day in Hell when I blow a hundred bucks for a welding helmet.
Reply:Originally posted by DDA52 I agree with Planet X .. if it won't stay on it's worthless. The miller elites got a good revue on the miller site the other day. When I get one, I'm still leaning towards the next-gen. Untill then my Jackson shadow and #11 gold works just fine.
Reply:I have a 10 in my flipup lense helmet, and an 11 in the big window helmet.Shade sort of depends on what machine you're using, and how old yer eyes are.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:I need a new helmet, the cheapo Auto I got from the WS store doesn't cut it any more. Plus I can not do the head flip anymore; I go to the hospital Wednesday to have C5 and C6 vert. fused together: Looks like an OPTREL is in my future
Reply:You know guys.....I've been thinking a lot about all this talk on"auto-darkining" hoods.   Let's stop and think about this for a minute..... The only time the "auto-dark" feature kicks in is when you're starting a weld.   While you're welding, a $1000 hooddoes the exact same thing as one from Tractor Supply for $19.95Now let's look at this:  If i'm stick welding, I get the tip close to where I think I want to start, It only takes 2 or 3 seconds to nod the hood down (and all the while, you're thinking where the tip of the rod is)...A quick scratch....and away we go.   I've noticed that when starting a new rod, it takes at least a second or two for the rod to "stabilize", in other words, for the flux to start burning and get a good, stable arc burning.   In the time that that happens, you should be able to get the tip of the rod right where you want to start the bead.Now, let's look at MIG....Very simple....You see where you want to weld ?....Put the tip of the wire lightly against the starting point.You can stand there for 10 minutes.....have a smoke, drink a beer,yak at the neighbor.........When you're ready to actually do a little work, you "nod" down the hood, pull the trigger, and PRESTO !Again, in just the time it takes you to count to 1, you've gone from not welding........ to welding !  And the whole "auto-darkining" agenda is: "HOW FAST"?.....Your hood might darken in a nanosecond,  it takes almost a second for my old fashion hood to drop down......but once we're putting the bead in....We're equal  I'll be the LAST one to let you down !
Reply:AND ONE MORE THING .  . . . .If, for some reason your hood get's knocked off yer' noggin'...and the lens get's cracked.....(I know it's not SUPPOSED to happen),  with a conventional hood, you simply run down to the hardware-store, buy a cheap-*** Forney lens for a couple of bucks, and you're welding again !SIMPLE IS BEST ! ! !...(and that goes with a lot of things in life) !I'll be the LAST one to let you down !
Reply:Thats true exept when you have clamped up multiple weld points and you want to hit them all in the same process. With the auto you just move from one to the next. With the regular that will take a bit more doing.
Reply:Or lay down on your back and weld around a corner.....nodding doesn't help much. Where I use mine alot of times, there is no room to have the hood up, so an auto works great for that. I have a big window Jackson non auto I use also. That's the one I statred with and I still use it.  It has a gold number 10 lens in it. I use that mostly outside in the sun.Miller Trailblazer 301D. 30A Spoolgun, 8VS Suitcase Mig, Thunderbolt Buzz Box