new gear advice on helmet and gloves pelase

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well i posted a intro but im needing to get some welding gear or my school class. they dont have enough helmets or gloves for everyone so i figured id go ahead and get my own stuff being i am going to be making money with welding in a few years and working on things at the house ( flat bed for truck )  ... haha but anyways i for sure am wanting a auto darkening helmet ive been looking into miller, speedglass, and jackson. i dont mind spending the extra money upfront being im going to buy one sooner or later.. so im just wondering what helmet i should lean towards im really liking the miller elite and found one for 271 brand new which im fine with spending that. but id like to know some opinons that others have. also on what gloves to get. doing mostly mig welding
Reply:i buy leather gloves from the LWS for about $7 a size small and wet them down and work them for alittle while. next day, they are stretched and dried out and good to go. They last me about 3-4 weeks before coming apart. Most always on the left hand. I hate bulky gloves. I also never work without gloves. these gloves are for mig welding which is most of what i do. If im running a torch, i'll wear burly gloves. I have the digital elite. Love it. until TLD comes out with a welding series helmet, I'll keep this hood for sure.
Reply:thanks jimmy and as of now in welding class i dont have gloves so im really needing some haha. and im seriously considering the miller elite. and what dose TLD stand for i know it may sound stupid me asking but im new to the welding world.
Reply:I still like my fixed shade hood. I have a couple of auto darkening that I use especially when doing a lot of short welds and tacks. If I really need the best view of what I am trying to do I grab either my straight front Jackson or my short front Blue Point (Snap-On) with the big lens. Both have #10 gold lens in them. Really good gloves are a must have item.Making as much progress as a one legged duck in the middle of a pond, just going in circles.
Reply:Welcome. Most LWS offer discounts to students if you show your school ID.I hope I say this the right way. A "Great" fixed shade hood with a couple of gold shades are not only amazing in clarity, but cheap.  Most every professional has a fixed shade in their tool box. This is the one I recommend to my newbies. But again I am an old guy.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:yea i need to find a local welding store that i can go to. but yea only problem i have with fixed shades is that i have trouble starting my weld in the right place and it would be nice to be able to grind with the helment on too. but i got some money for school ( thanks government ) that will help me get a welding helment and some tools for diesel so i really dont have a problem spending the extra cash. but i will try to find a local welding store and see if i can get a discount
Reply:Originally Posted by ArcAddictioNyea i need to find a local welding store that i can go to. but yea only problem i have with fixed shades is that i have trouble starting my weld in the right place and it would be nice to be able to grind with the helment on too. but i got some money for school ( thanks government ) that will help me get a welding helment and some tools for diesel so i really dont have a problem spending the extra cash. but i will try to find a local welding store and see if i can get a discount
Reply:I paid my dues with a fixed shade. Nuff said. I am on my 2nd auto darkening and I can tell you that if you go this route, do yourself a favor and get a big window. When I bought my first one, I had a big window helmet, but the auto fit into the window, but the actual viewing area was a normal size, not a big window. This time around, thanks to POWER, I got a Lincoln Viking Motorhead. It is sexy. I looked at the Miller and the Jackson and I can't remember which one had it, but one of them had a digital display. That looks spiffy to me. But just another thing to break, I guess. I honestly think the brand makes zero difference. If you like the style of the helmet, or as some say, hood, go with it. Then find the auto dark lens you want. I didn't care about the helmet, I wanted the optics. Hope that helps.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:i like the look of the lincoln online im just going to have to head to my local store this week when i get a chance i have college every day all day so we will see... but i like the price of the viking too. and the lenes size like you mentioned and  i like being different most people in class have a miller.
Reply:It is worth the effort to learn how to get set up to start and then drop the hood with a little nod of your head. Then start in the right place. When I went through welding school in the mid 80s about all we had was fixed lens. There were a few AD hoods starting to show up but they were very expensive.Making as much progress as a one legged duck in the middle of a pond, just going in circles.
Reply:yea i hear yea and im sure i will learn but when i buy a helment i just kinda wanna buy one ya know? instead of getting a fixed then upgrading later but i might pick up fixed cheap one to mess around with at the house and practice with it. next thing is gloves though  whats a good pair that will last awhile?
Reply:Originally Posted by ArcAddictioNyea i hear yea and im sure i will learn but when i buy a helment i just kinda wanna buy one ya know? instead of getting a fixed then upgrading later but i might pick up fixed cheap one to mess around with at the house and practice with it. next thing is gloves though  whats a good pair that will last awhile?
Reply:gotch ya thanks for the help yall..ill try to get to my local store this week.
Reply:Originally Posted by ArcAddictioNthanks jimmy and as of now in welding class i dont have gloves so im really needing some haha. and im seriously considering the miller elite. and what dose TLD stand for i know it may sound stupid me asking but im new to the welding world.
Reply:I have a Miller Elite and like it. I've also tried the Jackson Nexgen and it was quite nice as well. the Speedglas I tried was very nice, but the head gear didn't feel as comfortable as the others.When I 1st started learning, the instructor wouldn't let any new student use an AD hood. His thoughts were at some point almost every one needs to end up using one, even if it's only as a backup. I keep my old fixed shade, large window Jackson in the truck FT as a backup, and was using it yesterday at the house because the Miller got left up at the shop. You simply learn to deal with flipping down the hood.If you get an AD hood, after about 2-3 months, invest in a spare set of batteries or a fixed shade hood. One day you'll pull out your hood to find the batteries are dead, even if it has a solar function. It will have gotten left on, or it's sat for a while in the dark and didn't recharge etc.. and you are now stuck. I usually rotate the "spare batteries into the hood and then get fresh replacements to toss in the bag. Also pick up at least a 1/2 dozen inner and outer cover lenses. They get dirty and scratched and you will need to replace them.  I get more when I'm down to the last 2 to be safe, plus I always keep a spare "dirty" one just so I have something to toss in if nothing else. AD lenses themselves are expensive, and all it takes is 15 seconds near a grinder and your unprotected lens is trashed. I had someone borrow my old AD and he pulled out the cover lens because it was dirty and was too lazy to replace it, then laid it down to grind and blew sparks all over the lens and trashed it with a ton of pits. After that point there is no way to "clean" it.As far as gloves, I like the Tillman 42's IIRC for mig. Light enough for decent feel, but more heat protection than my thin mig gloves. I need a medium to fit my smaller hands, and I have to get my LWS to order them in. I get 3-4 pairs at a time, and reorder when I'm on my last pair. Tig gloves are Tillman 24's, and for stick, I use the house brand the LWS carries. Best bet is to find some and try them on and see what you like. After than you can order them online if you want. I must have tried 10-12 different pairs before I found the ones I like, but I still try on different ones when I get the chance to see if I find something better.You probably also want to look at investing in decent hearing protection as well. I wished I'd used it more when I was younger because I now have partial hearing loss. I keep at least a dozen pairs of cheap plugs in the glove box of both trucks, plus the muffs. Give a choice, I'll use muffs, but if I forget to toss them in the truck for some reason, or if I need to use them under the hood because of background noise, I've always got plenty of spares incase I need to run out to the truck to grab them. I'd suggest buying them in bulk, like the huge jars of 1000 or so. Expensive up front but way cheaper in the long run.Lastly you probably want to invest in a decent leather jacket if you are doing mig or stick. When you get to vertical and overhead, you will need one. I have one of the light weight flame resistant green shirts for tig, but one good session with mig or stick will trash it pretty quick from all the holes. Also some sort of cap is a good idea. I've got 2-3 cheap ones the LWS was giving out at their open house that I keep in the bag for when I run vertical / overhead.A note on PPE in general, whether it's you jacket, gloves, boots, hood etc. Fit is #1 above all else except maybe safety. If it doesn't fit well, chances are you will not wear it. At that point, it doesn't matter if it protects you from everything including bullets, it's useless if it's in your locker. All it takes is a second to screw yourself for life.Last edited by DSW; 08-25-2012 at 11:14 PM..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:DSW thanks for the information a ton of tips for me and experience with gear thanks! im going to the local airgas and hoping they will have both miller digital and the lincoln on display so i can try them out. and i was also going to order a few pairs of gloves. i was also planning on picking up a cheap fixed helmet as a backup like you said incase the other one is left or whatever at least id have something. thanks again for the help!
Reply:I buy the Tillman 850 elkskin gloves. I do a fair amount of welding with MIG spray and dual shield. When you're running past 300 amps things get hot.  They last me 6 months or more.Tillman also makes a fiberglass backhand pad. those help a lot to keep the UV rays from eating up the back of my left glove. Probably not necessary for someone just starting out. you might find those backhand pads to be annoying.It also helps that I only use them for welding. I pull them off and use $1.50 driving gloves for everything else. I buy generic gloves 6 at a time so I always have some around. II don't do a lot of TIG welding. Small stainless parts mostly. I bought some low-cost "MIG welding gloves" from the LWS. They're pretty thin leather.I have a Nexgen helmet for the last few years and love it. I've never had problems with it so far. The battery may need replacing at this point but who knows?  One thing about the millers and 3M speedglas is I've found getting the front cover plates is kind of annoying. Like DSW said you should always buy cover plates in bulk. You'll need to replace the cover plates less often of you treat your helmet gently and don't set it face-down on anything.
Reply:miller digital elite, titanium series, or speedglas are excellent options. you can get them from cyberweld.com for way cheaper than your LWS. we use miller gloves in my shop and everybody loves them. they are a few dollars more than the cheap gloves but i never understood sacrificing comfort and quality for 5 bucks. AD hoods and quality safety products are designed to make you more comfortable, which results in you being able to focus on what your are trying to accomplish better. some welders do not want to trade in their fixed shades for new technology, which is fine and understandable - but if you are starting out you might as well start out with the latest and greatest and give yourself an advantage that the older welders never had
Reply:I just got another brand new Jackson Boss, my 3rd one, I love the new headgear in this one. I had one for Tig and the other for everything else.  The one for everything else ended up getting a big crack right across the middle of the screen. It was cheaper to just by a new hood than replace. Like DWS said, its a good idea to pick up a cheap fixed shade and keep it as a backup. Autos are pretty tough and reliable in general. But if you weld every day eventually it will break or go dead. I keep my old Huntsman large lens fixed shade around just in case. The other day, when I got my new hood, one of the guys at work said something about me being spoiled and not being able to use a fixed shade after years of using a AD. So just to prove him wrong I blew the dust off my Huntsman and used it the rest of the day. It was like working with an old friend you haven't seen in years. If you cant fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem."Boy, everyone starts with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck is empty."-Grandad circa 1990ish
Reply:I have a closet full of hoods - priced from 25-450 USD, While in general you get what you pay its not always true.  Different hoods for different purposes - just because something is not great for one application does not mean it wont work somewhere else.I know a lot of pipeliners like pancake hoods - most of my work is heavy equipment and a cake would kill me, I just cant see it being quite right for burning big carbons.Everyones eyes are different - I used a Miller DE for a long time, it was a nice enough hood but was never really 'comfortable', I prefer a big window fixed gold - yet I have gotten used to autodark.  I am now a couple months into a Jackson Tru-sight and it is by far the best hood I have ever worn - the amber/gold lens works well with MY eyes, YMMVWhen any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, "This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know," the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives.
Reply:im really looking at the miller digital elite  still and the lincoln 3350. hard choice going to my LWS this week but i can get a good deal on both helmets off ebay around the same price.Last edited by ArcAddictioN; 08-26-2012 at 07:55 PM.
Reply:bet you a dollar you use the Grind mode once  and then switch to a clear face shield fer all yer grinding after that.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:you might be right haha... but dose anyone have the speedglas 9100xx? is it worth the extra money over the lincoln and miller? seems like it has tons of good reviews and a huge viewing aera and i like the features it has like how it lets you breath and pushes the air out though the side of the mask to keep fogging down. and the side viewing aera. seems like a nice hood but its for sure at the top of my spending money
Reply:We (bakersgas.com) have created this comparison chart to help with this debate.Welding Helmet ComparisonLincoln helmets provide the most value.  Miller and Speedglas both have "2nd generation" headgears that provides much better fit and comfort then the traditional headgears. If you are going to be welding for long periods of time I would recommend a Miller or Speedglas because of the headgears.  We have heard positive feedback on both units.  I would check out the Titanium Series from Miller as well.  It has a grind mode button on the outside of the helmet so you can easily switch from a "welding" shade to a "grinding" shade.As far as gloves go, I would recommend the Miller MIG Gloves.  We just did a comparison test between Lincoln, Miller, Tillman and Revco MIG Gloves but haven't posted the article yet.  The Miller MIG Gloves were the clear winner [email protected]
Reply:I personally think auto dark's are a waste of cash. My digital elite was something close to 300 bucks. l set it to X-Mode shade 9 and never ****ed with all the other high falootin' functions. l forgot it one day and used a really cheap Jackson that i got from school and was surprised how well l could see. The next day l bought a 30 dollar Miller helmet that looks identical to the digital elite. Threw a passive gold lens in it and that's all l use. It's ten times lighter, l can see so much better, it's a nice natural orange puddle as opposed to that ****bird green that you get with the auto darks. That and l don't have to worry when l drop it…oh **** did l break my 300 dollar helmet?  In retrospect that wouldn't mean jack because l doubt l'll use it that much if at all anymore.Granted they do have there place, advantages, and people really like em…..l just wish l never bought it.You're thinking too hard on this man. How are you in school and don't have gloves?? Just a select few got hooked up and you got hosed? You obviously want an auto dark so just buy one. They're all the same if u ask me. Get a set of stick and tig gloves then again in another 2 weeks when you trash them up.The Jackson Truesight is the best AD helmet I have ever used.  Very clear and easy to see the tig puddle.  Image isn't green like most of the other AD helmets.  More of a gold or orange.  It's been comfortable to wear too.  Battery life is outstanding.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonWelcome. Most LWS offer discounts to students if you show your school ID.I hope I say this the right way. A "Great" fixed shade hood with a couple of gold shades are not only amazing in clarity, but cheap.  Most every professional has a fixed shade in their tool box. This is the one I recommend to my newbies. But again I am an old guy.
Reply:I'm with most everyone else here.. Don't care for auto dark unless I'm running the tig machine.. I've had 2 hobarts at the house crap out on me within 6 month of each other and had a miller that got destroyed... All in all a ton or money wasted. I have an old Jackson that has been through 15+ years of abuse and it's still holding up.. If you do go with an auto dark the miller elite is a fine choice... If not find a $40 hood and buy a good lens.If you have a good bracing position and are set up well. It's nothing to swing a hood all day! I even snap my head down when I go to pull my sun glasses down in the sun (usually they hit the ground), force of habit!! Then my buddies look at me like I just had a seizure or something ! LolA good arm sleeve is also worth the world when welding for long periods, it keeps the inside of your elbows from greeting sunburnt!Real welders know how to penetrate!(Equipment)Whatever can be used to beat my opponent into submission!
Reply:Originally Posted by DougAustinTXThe Jackson Truesight is the best AD helmet I have ever used.  Very clear and easy to see the tig puddle.  Image isn't green like most of the other AD helmets.  More of a gold or orange.  It's been comfortable to wear too.  Battery life is outstanding.
Reply:I just bout a Jackson true sight on eBay for 200 bones. Hell of a steal. It's the best helmet I was skeptical about ordering from eBay and really liked the x mode on the digital elite but the true sight has exceeded all of my expectations. I'm almost positive the guy I ordered it from has more to sell for the same price. I can send you a link or check if you want. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:I meant to say the best helmet I have used. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:I am only a hobby guy so take this with a grain of salt.The best AD glass on the market is the Balder filter. You can get it in a Jackson or a FibreMetal/honeywell helmet. Jackson has better headgear and it is cheap to replace. Look up the filter on balder.si. The ADC technology was invented and patented by a slovenian guy who sold out to Jackson/kimberly clark.I bought my welder used. It came with an old Jackson eqc autodark helmet. It crapped out so I ordered a balder. But i had to wait awhile to get it. So in the meantime I put some new style jackson headgear and a fixed gold lens in the old Jackson shell. When the new helmet came I found I prefer the fixed shade. Live and learn but the gold lens throws a bunch of arc light back onto the work -no autodark does that.My advice is get a fixed shade Huntsman with an Athermal gold lens unless you are doing a bunch of small part production work. You end up flipping the automatic hood all the time anyway and they are not worth the extra 250 bucks. The AD hoods are also heavier than a fixed shade, which wears on your neck. When you start you think you need the expensive stuff, but figure out what sort of welding you will do before shelling out the big bucks.
Reply:Funny you wrote about your while experience with the fixed shade vs the ADF.  I was never satisfied with the brief explanations given by the marketing team od any company,  so,  I beacame a royal pain in the azz to Kimberly Clarke and Phillips Safety. Called them several times taking notes,  asking why the adf only came in this helmet,  what is the difference between this helmet and that helmet vs the other helmet.  Ok,  here is the skinny,  I have an old Jackson HML-2AR thermoplastic 1979 model with a 2x4 M-10-H green lens. Have a spare 11 also but 10 is fine as I mostly stick weld.  8 years ago bought a Miller econo tig for $600 for doing some job,  can't remember but the miller fell under material expenses ao it was free.  Bought a Harbor Freight adf for 65, included a worthless extended warranty.  Impressed a little but not overly. I was welding a lot of ornamental also and was using a large IdealArc 500, 4' high, 4'wide, 4'deep(big machine) loved it and I used that cheap adf for awhile.  Sandy eyes at the end of the day every day. The other day had some fabricating on a Bobcat and the adf quit working,  actually further back. Used the old Jackson.  Hot day,  101° minimum in the shade,  Jackson headgear breaks,  drenched with sweat,  almost finished with a lightening storm 10 miles away and closing with lightening cracking all around. Sounds good huh? My book come out in October.  lolAnyway,  this is my motivation to find out the molecular structure of every freaking helmet these knucklehead lws and suppliers have and i will make my own decision based on the facts,  not some office bound pencil pushers suggestion. I ended up buying a Huntsman/Jackson 451P,  vulcanized fiber helmet with a 5x4 lens.  I ordered same size glass Gold lense from Phillips Safety with the magenta drop n filter. Reason,  the helmet is high heat(not for overhead though) light weight.  And of course you know why concerning the gold glass filter.  The Halo X's were thin thermoplastic not for high heat as is the fibre helmet(got this from a conference call with 2 reps from Kimberly Clarke) Fixed the cheap adf yesterday with two AA battery holders from Radio Shack per instructions on the web.  No brainer.  So to summarize,  I totally agree with you: fixed shade gold.  Adf filters are okay,  (like the balder also as critiqued by that welder guy on YouTube) but even his first one melted on him. Naw,  after that last experience with being out at a job with no Backup helmet made me realize that basic is beautiful. Ordered head gear for my old jackson and waiting for the golds lenses to come in the mail tomorrow. Will Google that Athermal gold lense.  Funny you suggested exactly what I bought.  Thanks man.  Long email but I usually talk shop over a few beers. mik
Reply:Oh by the way,  Kimberly Clarke told me the Balder is still made in Slovenia.  I do like that hemet a lot,  no batteries and a five year warranty.  Just don't have the money for that as I have to take a head off my 7.3l diesel and replace a stuck valve, of course I have to do that myself,  cant afford to pay someone to do that,  especially since I can do it myself.  Have a great Labor Day from the Dukes down here in South Florida.
Reply:Fyi I think Athermal is just the brand name on the Philips/Schott german glass gold lens.
Reply:Yes, you are absolutely correct.  They are called Athermal on the Phillips Safety site. SKU: WLD-G-WFS Cheaper than the one I was looking at on eBay called the AULEKTRO Gold Mirror Glass for $25 plus $3 for shipping.  I didn't see on the Phillips site the country of manufacture,  the rep there said that all were made in house.  I dont know.  I would still like to get that Aulektro from that ebay seller and check it out.  The large lens I ordered is supposed to arrive tomorrow afternoon.
Reply:Fixed shade for me.
Reply:That is what I went with.  Boght a Huntsman/Jackson 5x4 vulcanized w/Gold lens.  #10  Have a cheap adf from harbor(slave labor) freight I bought 8 years ago,  just fixed the battery problem but hate it,  does not darken evenly,  light on the sides.  Still use an old jackson from the 70's. So I bought the new 5x4 huntsman.  what a diff!
Reply:I've got an Optrel Satellite and an E670 in the ADF varieties.  I couldn't tell you what my fixed shade shields are and haven't used them in ages.  I too am a fan of Tilman and Black Stallion elk skin gloves.  When I'm really grinding my teeth I can roast the *ell out of the left hand, it sounds like I'm not alone.  Does anybody else wonder where they get all the elks?  Years ago, I thought it was just me a few select others that were spending the extra bucks on elk skin gloves, they used to be $30+ a pair.  These days they seem much more popular...Last edited by kingston; 09-01-2014 at 10:14 PM.
Reply:I'm looking at the new Lincoln 3350 -2. apparently the auto dark lens is very large and has some of the best optical clarity out there. http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...ng-3350-2.aspx
Reply:Originally Posted by almacI'm looking at the new Lincoln 3350 -2. apparently the auto dark lens is very large and has some of the best optical clarity out there. http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...ng-3350-2.aspx
Reply:Originally Posted by kingstonI've got an Optrel Satellite and an E670 in the ADF varieties.  I couldn't tell you what my fixed shade shields are and haven't used them in ages.  I too am a fan of Tilman and Black Stallion elk skin gloves.  When I'm really grinding my teeth I can roast the *ell out of the left hand, it sounds like I'm not alone.  Does anybody else wonder where they get all the elks?  Years ago, I thought it was just me a few select others that were spending the extra bucks on elk skin gloves, they used to be $30+ a pair.  These days they seem much more popular...
Reply:Lol.  One thing I noticed about this  cheap  Chicago Electric helmet,  when switched to high sensitivity,  a halogen or fluorescent sets it on permanently till switched to normal sensitivity or I walk away from the light source.  Going outside does not trigger the lense, only when i point it at the sun the flicker a shadow over the sensors.  What that means I don't know.  Dont know if the 60 Hertz flickering triggers it or what.
Reply:Originally Posted by atgThere is a huge herd in Jackson Hole. But it could be from reindeer or something