Something i am curious about...

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TO all you professional welders.  Just how many of you actually use autodarkening helmets?   If you do what brand?I had one of the first Jackson auto helmets, but was hell to keep batteries in and got to be a hassle trying to keep batteries on hand if I needed them on a jobsite.     Was thinking of getting a newer one, but not sure if its worth the expense.  thanks for your opinions.  ~JacksonI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:I'm not a professional, but I use a Speedglas 9002x and love it.  It uses a battery, plus photovoltaics, so the battery life is pretty long.-Heath
Reply:I use a Huntsman 430 P w/ a flip-up lens. I lift the lid 'bout half way to tack, looking under the lid and its easy to hold the fit-up with out needing to nod your head to tack. I don't really like auto darks because they don't go clear, just to a 3 green, and sometimes it's too dark. (tight spots).
Reply:I use an Optrel Satellite.I also have a jackson and an old Fibre Metal flip up.Since I got the Optrel the others are collecting dust or are there if anyone wants to put it on to watch.Here in the Great White NorthMosquitoes can't fly at 40 below
Reply:Sorry to rain on one's parade but the last time I saw a guy bring an auto into the shop was two years ago. He took it home after a couple of weeks.  They are much too fragile for heavy shop work.   Drop it off your ladder and you are crying all day... I have seen that.
Reply:No professional here, but I do a fair bit of TIG work and things got a lot better for me once I got my Miller Big Window Elite.  Bitchin' helmet, for sure.It's also great for repetitive-tack MIG work, and the viewing area is damn well huge compared to my last (cheap!) auto-dark.MR
Reply:Miller Big Window Elite as well (the red flame one).  I only use it for light duty work with mig or tig.  If I'm pouring rod or heavy wire I go back to my trusty Fibre-Metal.  However, I've only seen one miller helmet melt.  It was one of my guys who was Arcair gouging with 1/2" electrodes.  The thing pretty much liquified, although so did a couple other helmets as well.
Reply:I use the MILLER XLI auto dark. I like it. Still not used to not nodding. I agree with Blowin Breakers about the  repetitive-tack MIG work. its also good for plasma cutting. i used to plasma with a dark face shield but I think the hood gives a little more protection from splatter. the millers are expensive and this hood was a gift. I am not sure if I would spend so much on a hood if I was buying. In the trailer repair work i do hoods get punished. To sum it up the auto dark feature is useful for some things in my opinion.
Reply:Rob - I agree with you on the cost; my Big Window Elite was a gift as well (a much hinted-at gift, but a gift nonetheless) from my mother/now-ex-gf.  Wouldn't have spent that much on my own, but they know how much I enjoy metalwork (and especially laying down TIG beads) so I figured it'd be a great gift idea if they were stumped.MR
Reply:I've had the speedglas 9000v and a Miller something or other but I've gone back to the old standard helmet, I found the auto helmet's not as clear as the standard and when your doing tie-in's you might as well throw them away. They just don't work when your trying to see around corner's and your only looking at part of the weld. Expensive lesson for me!Stephen
Reply:Thanks for the advice guys.  The majority of the work I do is in the equipment repair areas.  All of my equipment has it tough.  I may be in a swamp with a skidder one day and then on top of a cotton picker the next.  So it would have to hold up pretty well.  another thing is the small veiwing area that all of the ones I have looked at have.   When you get used to using a hood with a 4X5 plate it will drive you nuts trying to use the smaller ones.   Looks like I will be sticking with the old Jackson.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Hammack_WeldingIf you are working in some very tight places, need to position a piece and hold in place or are in some awkward position (especially in field repairs) you can't beat an auto-darkening helmet.  Get a solar powered one if you hate mucking with the batteries.  Downside is the veiwing area is only the standard 2 x 4½".In a shop or on table welding the choice is more personal preference.Here in the Great White NorthMosquitoes can't fly at 40 below
Reply:I have a horneel speed glass with battery's. It was spendy but the boss bought it. I had to make 1000 spot welds threw a 1/2" washer embedded it a 4"X4" tile. I think it payed for itself on the first job. The salesman demonstrated it by kicking it across the shop. I have dropped it twice more than 20 feet plus the normal falls. It did get a little confused when I drooped into a elevator shaft with a foot of water in it, but it settled down about a hour later. battery life is a year +. It's the only one I have had so I can't compair.  Small lens but a great helmet. I have had it for five years and it looks rough but still working fine. Not good in tight places the censor is blocked some times.Last edited by digr; 09-08-2005 at 10:36 PM.