Half the guys in our workshop use them and half dont. I am coming up 63 years old and have had a self tinting helmet since 1996. I think they are great, and probably would help with your confidence when learning to weld.I would start with a $100.00 one , and see how you like it. Take care of it, ie; dont drop it all the time and I'm sure you will like it.
bexx13,
Sep 12, 8:35am
Spend good money and get a decent product. I use a Cigweld brand for work and its a beaut. It has adjustable sensitivity and shade. I have a mate who works for a large engineering firm here at the Mt and he reckons they nearly all use them at his work (although his cost a fair bit of dough).I wouldnt go back to the conventional style of helmet. Get 1 and it will be 1 less thing you have to try and concentrate on while you learn. Practice practice practice.Just my 2 cents worth.
tnt423,
Sep 12, 8:46am
Most guys at my work use auto darking helmets at work, only the older guys don't, Speedglas is what most of the guys use or Miller, i've had mine about 6 years cost about $600, you can get cheaper ones with only shade 9 for about $250 - $300. It won't make you a better welder just makes life easier when doing lots of tacks.
toppo1,
Sep 12, 9:16am
Have had one in the past and didnt really like it, but each to their own, My advise would be to keep practicing , dont worry about the helmet it wont make you any better. Time with the handpiece will
snoopy221,
Sep 12, 9:23am
First **leg up** here is CHECK what damn lense ya running-if ya can't see.AND Personally i wouldn't recomend a 9 splitting hairs some might say-however a 10 would be my recomendation.[And if ya running a dirty clear and an old 15(Commonest).well cheap as chips for a new lense and a coupla clears-and blow some rods.] Biggest prat with auto helmets is the reaction time-very slow on cheapies.
snoopy221,
Sep 12, 9:26am
Actually other *leg up* here is set ya helmet up-so the lense is ALWAYS down and the helmet is comfortable down-and **leg up** you can shake ya head and it will flip down nicely and be comfortable. I.E. don't have one hand on the stick and the other on the lense-Kapeesh!
wellabolla,
Sep 12, 9:57am
Ive been welding for 20 years.I used to hate the auto lenses.They were big and ya couldnt get into tight places.I used to use an 11 lense coz i used to get head akes.Any hoooo.i got a late model slim type helmet about 5 years ago with my new mig.Now i wont weld without it.Its fast ans reliable It doesn't need battery's (like the old ones).i also have a shaded lense so if something is in the way of the sensors and it doesnt darken,then there is still some protection there.
cathair,
Sep 12, 10:37am
DON'T BUY A CHEAP ONE! I bought one last year from Repco and it lasted about 7 welding jobs before the auto darkening function ceased to work. Didn't even bother taking it back. The auto darkening feature IS way too slow and can damage your eyes in the time it takes to darken. Bite the bullet and get a decent one that has a very fast reaction time. It is after all your eyesight that you are toying with. BOC have specials on helmets quite frequently and they sell nice ones that are up to standard. I have a Speedglas from them
oramac,
Sep 12, 10:44am
Not a problem, just blink your eyes. I haven't used a miller, but would highly recommmend Speedglas.
tigertim20,
Sep 12, 11:08am
I like them. dont buy a cheap one, they tend to be less accurate in terms of adjusting them for the type of work you are doing. handy to not have to flip the little lid thingy all the time when on finnicky jobs.
mk3zephyr,
Sep 12, 11:15am
I bought a Spedglas one a few years back now, owned it for about 2 hours until the wind caught it and took off with it while i was doing a welding job on a Fishing trawler, Its at the bottom of Nelson Harbour if anyone wants it
unclejake,
Sep 12, 1:00pm
I have to agree. I have the cheapest one and it is arse as I can't see much. I used a friend's $500 one and it was great.
I understand why experienced welders want to have nothing to o with auto helmets, but if you (like me) MIG only once every few months then the auto ones make sense.
Just make certain you buy a decent one. The $170 one I have (from the Tool Shed I think) is awful to look through.
dinosaw88,
Sep 13, 12:36am
I dont trust them. You wont know its stopped working until you start welding and then you'll be blind.
jono450,
Sep 13, 12:47am
BS ive used mine for 7 yrs straight with no problems it has a red led to let you know if there is low battery also most are solar charged , mine stays dark if battery is low so there is no chance in getting flashed.
paull,
Sep 13, 3:38am
yea its either you like them or not, i started with a huntington helmet, i think thats the name it had a lens 4.5 inches x 5.5 inches was fantastic and i stil own it til this day, i used to buy these gold lenses but i cant find them that size anymore so just use a 9 tint and its a great comfy helmet and i have lent it to others and there hooked aswell cause you can see what your welding, also my mate has purchased a magnified lense and that is quite cool aswell but not my cup of tea as it takes a bit to get used to
thejazzpianoma,
Sep 13, 3:50am
I have an auto darkening helmet that I quite like. It is a $150 cheapie but is nice to use. I do get slightly sandpapery feeling eyes after long jobs for a few minutes so perhaps could be better. I would quite like to try an Accu-Strike chin operated helmet to see what they are like. This guy seems to get on well with his! http://www.youtube.com/watch!v=pz150o_r9vU
saki,
Sep 13, 4:59am
If you are doing multy tacks on car type restorations they are magic.
lookoutas,
Sep 13, 5:22am
Like having another hand.
unbeatabull,
Sep 13, 7:05am
Ive found them helpful with Gas Welding, but I wouldn't use one for Mig Welding, that split second it takes to adjust is plenty of time for the light from the Mig to burn ya eyes.
i-n-horz,
Sep 13, 7:07am
As long as you've it dialed in correctly it'll definately help with seeing what you are doing before hand and after.as for improving your welding I guess time will tell.
mugenb20b,
Sep 13, 7:08am
Really! I can't say I've experienced any problems.
i-n-horz,
Sep 13, 7:09am
Set up right you shouldn't have a problem using it with a mig.been using one with my mig for nearly 7yrs now.
fhpottery,
Sep 13, 8:17am
Thanks guys/ladies. (non gender people) & others. I don't want flames onmy helmet, that looks camp. Is there a standard to look for! ie: NZS/AS or are they all imported mass produced crap! [like the jug I got recently]. I'd rather get a Trade Quality brand. Or do real welders not need these sort of things. Just curious as I am from an Industrial background and can't imagine a pulp and paper welder using one of these. Or do they! Thanks.need to know. Too many trade me disasters lately.
richardmayes,
Sep 13, 8:30am
I'm not a welder, but I work around a lot of "real" welders on sites, and a lot of them use these helmets.
Remember "real" builders didn't use battery drills for a while when they were new; useless Father's day presents fit only for suit-wearing girly men I think they were once regarded as.
biddy6,
Sep 13, 8:32am
Half the guys in our workshop use them and half dont. I am coming up 63 years old and have had a self tinting helmet since 1996. I think they are great, and probably would help with your confidence when learning to weld.I would start with a $100.00 one , and see how you like it. Take care of it, ie; dont drop it all the time and I'm sure you will like it.
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