Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Recommend A Welding Helmet

What a lot of guys don't know is how long guys have been using them. My grandpa used them in the 80's. The ones made now days are much better, but they have definitely been around for a while and are quite handy. For quick fitting, you can leave your hood down and it saves a lot of time, if you are into efficiency in your job. They do have their advantages, for sure.. And, yes I have used other non darkening hoods for more than 20 years, so I know all about those too.. The autodarkening blows them out of the water. The only place I'd opt for a flip down non darkening hood is if I were welding overhead for weeks on end. That is only because I don't want to burn up my $300 hood..

I've been in the trade for 30+ years and I know that doesn't mean much here but I'll toss in my $0.02.

I've used all of them. I have some cheap Antra helmets from Amazon that were $50 and they are decent but the color and clarity isn't the best. If you go that route, or any route, get something without buttons on the outside of the helmet. Worst idea ever unless you're just sitting in a booth and too lazy to flip your hood and adjust it. That goes for any and all brands. Them things snag on everything.

I recently purchased four Lincoln FGS hoods and am very impressed. They are supplied air hoods because we weld some nasty stuff but the lense is the same. The good and bad on them is the side shield. They are a shade 5 which is awesome for a little peripheral but I get flashed when welding inside stainless or aluminum tanks which is a bright weld and shiny material.

I'm going to purchase a couple more of the Lincolns without the PAPR for regular use. Yes they are a little out of your budget but you are only as good as your tools. Check ebay as there are some smoking deals there.

If anyone is still reading, I need a cheater to see decent. I hate them because they are never in the right spot and hard to remove when I'm welding at arm's length. I bought some cheap oversized reading glasses from amazon and they work much better. I have them laying all over the shop and put them on or off as needed.

Good luck with your hobby.

I don't know what the situation is with your vision but the main reason I went with a flip front is to get the cheater lens out of the way when I don't need it. At arms length, I really don't need much correction.

Just putting that out there.

I felt the same way
After I had a job were I had to weld over 1000 1 inch welds my neck was finished before the 1st day.
I went to my weld supply shop and told them I wanted the best auto lens they had in stock
I picked up a NexGen with a Polycarbon shell and fell in love with it the very first day.
I had it for a couple years and dropped it killing the lens.
I went 2 days with my old helmet and went back and picked up another NexGen
I do not know if they even make them anymore but I will only go back to a standard hood for a back up.
I only have around 10 hoods that I have acquired over the years so a back up is a bit hard to find

HA HA

I do a lot of spot welding on wire mesh security screens at the present time and I can buzz the the welding real fast by not having to lift my hood between welds to line up the frame and mesh before the welding.

Good luck with what you choose sometime you get what you pay for and a Harbor Freight or Northern Tool grade helmet is not for me. It is your eyes so choose what is best for you.

By the way my NexGen accepts the Cheaters. I use them because of my old eyes.

I thought getting wedded meant you didnt have to wear a helmet any more?

I swear I can see the instant before an auto changes. I get way more eye strain at the end of a day with an auto than a passive lens.

The cheap autos from HF and the like are junk, once your eyes are shot they’re shot so spend the money on quality glass.

I have a Lincoln Viking that’s the best auto I’ve used, I like it better than my dad’s Miller Elite. Problem I have with both of them is they’re heavy. I switched back to the Fibremetal Pipeliner and my neck and head are much happier now. My work hood has an ArcOne auto lense and the hoods I have around the shop here at the house have old Lincoln Supervisibility glass lenses.

Nothing moves faster than light. Do the auto helmets darken during the interval between when the light hits the front of the glass and when it leaves the rear of the glass? I see some say they will darken in 1/20,000 sec but a lot of light can get through during that time.

My cheap auto helmet crapped out on me a couple months ago so I'm using my old manual. I've been watching this thread before I get a new one.