Miller helmets

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School me on Miller autodarks .I am shopping for a new hood and have kind of come to a choice between two miller units . Either the classic vsi   http://store.cyberweld.com/miweheblc...pdItemDataTabsor the pro hobbyhttp://store.cyberweld.com/miweheblp...pdItemDataTabsNow i am no account as a welder , rather i am a farmer/rancher  who is reclaiming a place that has had nearly no maintenance in years. A good portion of my welding will be outside and miller bills the xmode of that classic model as a benefit for sunlight .  Is this just marketing hype  or does it really work well to limit " false activation "  or something . My cheapie autodark that i just ran the hell over was an annoyance all the time on that it seemed but i sure have problems with the old standby fixed lensed nowadays too . I am kind of leaning towards the vsi due to the x-mode and the flip up capibility to use it as a grind shield with no tint at all  at this point. I cannot tell if it comes with the newfangled headgear but since it is arcarmor  i presume (hope) it does as i have worn enough hardhats in the past to really value good headgear . As far as the two helmets go  if you have a preference  which one , and why?  or what other bucket would you recommend bearing in mind i am truely a poor boy right now .
Reply:I am a hobbyist and have a Miller Digital Performance AD helmet. For the most part I am happy with it. Since I don't weld all day, every day I tend to get a stiff neck some times, but that goes with it I guess. I have used it at the ranch and I had to adjust the sensitivity all the way down so that I wouldn't get "false activation". Once I adjusted the sensitivity it was fine. I've compared mine to a Jackson-Balder and am not unhappy with my choice. Some things I would recommend. 1) Have plenty of the clear, plastic lenses that go in the front on hand. They quickly get dirty and can make it difficult to see through. They're not expensive and are easy to change. 2) Consider some kind of auxiliary light source. I've noticed, especially when outside, that shadows can make it difficult to see prior to starting your weld. Some kind of clip-on flashlight or spotlight or something shining in those dark places can help a lot. Best of luck to you. Let me know if I can be of any more assistance.Brian
Reply:I've got the Pro Hobby, and it's a decent helmet, I suppose. I always seemed to get too much light coming up underneath the helmet, which made my eyes tired by the end of class. There's only 2 sensors, and picky ones at that, so make sure you get a clear view of the weld. Personally, I went to a Jackson fix shade and love it. Weld on!"I fully know my place in life, and it's behind a welding helmet...." - Jesse JamesIG: @weldakota
Reply:I have the Miller Elite. I prefer the larger viewing area. Here's my local supplier if you want to do a comparison.http://www.weldersupply.com/products...elding+Helmetshttp://www.weldersupply.com/productd...&ID=32&pID=501http://www.weldersupply.com/productd...&ID=32&pID=338
Reply:Thanks for the replys .  The elite series is no doubt nice helmets  but are pretty much into the more than i am willing to spend category at least at this time .  I dont weld every day , or as a hobby at this point  so i want to keep fairly low on the financial food chain with my welding purchases .   Its not that i dont enjoy welding but there is only so much that i can have on the plate at one time .  I hope to have the ranch house liveable by the first of the year  and that will vastly speed  the rehab of the rest of the place
Reply:I have the miller performance helmet, I think it was $192? Good helmet for the price.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:I picked up the elite. And for the outside x-mode it's awesome. I have used it all summer and fall. Even using it right now (waiting for the awning guy to come measure my frame to build he canvas). The only time he sun messes with it is when you have to pretty much look at it to weld. And even then it's not that bad. I agree on the price being steep though but I thought it was worth it. I paid $340. A week later they dropped it down to $300 . But I have seen them online in the local classifieds and other places just randomly searching from 200-300. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
Reply:Thanks joe  the xmode on the vsi classic along with 3 sensors rather than two just makes it look like a bargain to me.  It appears to me to be about 90% of the titanium at a third the cost. I am not real sure about the flipup grind shield but then I dont have to use it if I don't like it.
Reply:Ive been running the elite for 10 years and love it , very good hood.
Reply:I use a performance every day. I'm not really impressed after welding with it every day for 2 years...
Reply:Well i went ahead and pulled the trigger on the classic vsi from cyberweld . I sure hate to buy without coonfingering  but the only one i could find in colorado  was in denver which is a 5 hour drive , and airgas wants full retail . Whatever it turns out to be its got to be more handy than the old fixed lensed jackson that i am using right now .
Reply:Originally Posted by FarmDadWell i went ahead and pulled the trigger on the classic vsi from cyberweld . I sure hate to buy without coonfingering  but the only one i could find in colorado  was in denver which is a 5 hour drive , and airgas wants full retail . Whatever it turns out to be its got to be more handy than the old fixed lensed jackson that i am using right now .