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Another welder and helmet thread

Balaclava and mask setup , so if you need to cram into a tight space or wear a hardhat. I absolutely love this. I still use a helmet but it's rare. If you wear glasses its manageable but i needed to bring it with me to make sure the frames fit. The controls change easy with gloves on.
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I can't recommend a welder. I have had blue red and yellow.
 
Bacho said:
At first, I had a lot of trouble with mine, it seemed it would not stay in the up position at all. Finally realize you had to raise it until it made a clunk. Then it stays up pretty solidly from there.
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Guess I have the older version, but mine never stays up no matter what.
 
Just ordered another Optrel Vegaview 2.5. Best hood I've ever used hands down. I had the old on for many years with no complaints, it was just starting to get a bit old and starting to show it's age.

Plus they are only $270 at Cyberweld at this time.
 
My digital elite infinity is excellent, except the headgear sucks. No matter how I adjust it, sometimes when I flip it down the damn thing about falls off. I have uses a dozen or more over the years and this is the only one I can't figure out. Also, there is no easy switch on the outside to switch to grind mode, which in modern times seems inexcusable
 
71PA_Highboy said:
So I picked up the Viking 3550.

Wow.

And I haven't welded yet.

Just unboxed it and started playing with it in the living room. The head gear feels ridiculously comfortable... I am wearing it, typing this in a dark room, watching TV and can see everything clearly...

I realize I am gonna have to actually read the manual on this one to make sure I understand how to set it up and then find a source for consumables.

Since I am a cheap bastard, it is black, so no comments on the custom paint offerings.

I will provide an amateur's review once I get a chance to use it while welding and not watching TV.

Thanks for the input... I probably would have cheaped out and just got another HF ...

That said, the 'humming' I was hearing was the gas valve staying open... which is weird since the power switch was off. Gonna trouble shoot that this weekend... now to find a schematic.

More on the welder later....
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Well, it's been a few years. Do you still recommend? Would it be worth the scratch over a Jackson?
 
I have a Viking 3550 and it’s awesome. Worth the cost to me.
 
I still like my Miller Digital elite but the headgear is a meh I’ll give credit where credit is due to those that called it out.
 
ANGRYBLACK said:
Balaclava and mask setup , so if you need to cram into a tight space or wear a hardhat. I absolutely love this. I still use a helmet but it's rare. If you wear glasses its manageable but i needed to bring it with me to make sure the frames fit. The controls change easy with gloves on.
42f-190b292b182d.__CR0,0,1200,1200_PT0_SX220_V1___.jpg

I can't recommend a welder. I have had blue red and yellow.
Click to expand...

I started sweating just looking at that. I think I'd take my chances listening to the occasional buckshot landing in my ears.

Just the goggles/strap would be handy though. I'd buy something like that.
 
gt1guy said:
I started sweating just looking at that. I think I'd take my chances listening to the occasional buckshot landing in my ears.

Just the goggles/strap would be handy though. I'd buy something like that.
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Well, I dropped the fucka about 45 mins ago and cracked the lens. For crawling under shit and in tight spaces i still love it. Its not as hot because the material breaths. When you can't get your eye on it with a bulky helmet they are tits.

But Im getting time on a cheap tekware or whatever it is amazon helmet. It puts my Esap Helmet to shame.:beer: I hope it helps my welds be less shityt!
 
You know those green rubber torch goggles that take a piece of glass?

You can put a #10 in them instead of the #5
I've even got one with a #7 in it for the plasma. I keep that one hidden, can't replace it if it gets lost or damaged.
Sometimes I just use a bare piece of #10 glass held in my hand in the really tight places.

You do get sunburn on your lips if you do enough welding like that though.
 
I really need to pick up something better than the HF autodark I've been using for years. It's fine as far as eye/flash protection goes, but the headgear is absolute shit and it flops around and just generally annoys me.

Benchmark started selling theirs not too long ago and I've been really tempted to pull the trigger. Listed for $330....can get it for a tad under $300 with discount. It's kind of modeled after their grinding hood, which I already have an like. And this one flips up and doubles as a grinding hood.
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And I just noticed they sell dark lenses for the grinding hood now....gotta pick up a set of those so I can stop blinding myself wit the plasma. :shaking:
 
Drooped soe coin on this cheapie from Amazon. I bought a few years ago for a small team and they loved them as throwaways. Well those guys were impressed so i got one to replace my Esab helmet that had a habit of eating batteries when its off.

I need to order a few extra clear lenses for it. I should have an idea of how it handles mig and tig soon. I have some crappy old 6010 rods that i wanna try on my Eastwood Tig/Stick welder to see how it works outside
 
A while ago somebody here recommended this helmet and for the almost 2 years I've had it, it's been solid. For burning rod and MIG its great, it will fit a respirator underneath and has a decent amount of viewing area. Only downsides are 4x5 lense protectors are a little small and the headgear isn't the greatest. If you need a second or third helmet I would recommend it.

TOOLIOM Welding Helmet, True Color Auto Darkening 1/1/1/1 Large Viewing 3.94"x 3.27" Welder Mask Hood with Weld/Grind/Cut Mode for TIG MIG/MAG MMA Amazon.com
 
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