What's new
By:
Filters

Welding Helmet: Pipeliner w/ AD lens vs $$$ ?

89Breaker

89Breaker

Around
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
793
Messages
143
Need some help from experts on welding helmets.

Bought my own welders (primeweld M180 & tig 225) and starting to buy gear for working on jeeps, house projects, etc.

I'm neck deep on internet searching and think I've narrowed it down to ESAB A50, speedglass 100 or 9002NC, lincoln 3350 or miller elite.
The ESAB has good reviews but looks like rounded shield might be problem with mig...and more expensive covers.
The higher end speedglasses get good reviews and LWS carries radnor but not sure if lower models are good.
The lincoln 3350 edge and miller are very close; miller gets edge on clarity and miller with X-mode sounds helpful.
I can't justify the infinity with larger lense and think the edge would be good also.

These helmets are also higher budget for a hobby welder but if they help AND save me getting flashed then I'm interested.

BUT, then I thought about old school pipeliner with a lincoln 4C AD lens.

Would this work or am I missing something?

I do wear bifocals so this may be a factor on lens size.

Thanks!
 
Still love my cheap ol save phace.
Nice and narrow/low profile
Standard 2x4 lens.
The outer cover lens dont last forever and are about $4-5ea
There is adjustable modle but preffer the single shade ad.
Will accept magnifiers.

$60-130 on amazon.

Screenshot_20221125-214543_Chrome.jpg
 
I have a TOOLIOM TL-M800D, got it about a year and a half ago and really like it.
The headgear took some adjusting to get to fit right, but once adjusted it has been great.
The big viewing area makes it easier for me to see how badly I am messing up the weld 😁
Link: https://a.co/d/6CU6kvF
Screenshot_20221126-075643-373.png



Aaron Z
 
Getting flashed has more to do with making sure your work-piece isn't casting a shadow on the sensor than the quality of the helmet. Until you start getting into $$$ professional stuff they all have the same sensor location so save your money and buy a cheap helmet. I'm still using a HF helmet that's 5yr old.

All the autodarken helmets block 100% of the UV making getting flashed only an inconvenience.

If you buy a helmet that has an off/grind position on the dial you will get flashed 100x more from forgetting to turn it on than you will from anything else.

I wouldn't buy a nice helmet until you've been welding a year or three and know what you want.
 
Buy the Miller, as you've already said X-mode is worth it.

I think I've said this in every welding helmet thread for the past 8 years. I was going to buy a cheap one too, Jewels reminded me that I only have the two eyes and she didn't want to be stuck taking care of blind me when we're retired, so BUY A GOOD HELMET.
 
Lee said:
Buy the Miller, as you've already said X-mode is worth it.

I think I've said this in every welding helmet thread for the past 8 years. I was going to buy a cheap one too, Jewels reminded me that I only have the two eyes and she didn't want to be stuck taking care of blind me when we're retired, so BUY A GOOD HELMET.
Click to expand...
LITERALLY ALL THE HELMETS BLOCK LITERALLY ALL THE UV.

It's a coating they apply to the lens that does not let that wave length through. The point of the darkening is so that the human eye can see WTF is going on in there.

Pics of wife?
 
arse_sidewards said:
Getting flashed has more to do with making sure your work-piece isn't casting a shadow on the sensor than the quality of the helmet. Until you start getting into $$$ professional stuff they all have the same sensor location so save your money and buy a cheap helmet. I'm still using a HF helmet that's 5yr old.
Click to expand...
The one I linked above has a little different color to the lens than the harbor freight specials that it replaced and I find it easier to see through it.
That helmet also has four sensors not two so it is slightly less likely that they will all be blocked.

Aaron Z
 
arse_sidewards said:
LITERALLY ALL THE HELMETS BLOCK LITERALLY ALL THE UV.

It's a coating they apply to the lens that does not let that wave length through. The point of the darkening is so that the human eye can see WTF is going on in there.

Pics of wife?
Click to expand...

I think most of us know that. Still no one wants to get flashed, and straining to see through a cheap lense is not doing you any favors. I don't do gas station sunglasses either, if you want something else to yell at me about. You do you.

Miller's X-mode triggers from the electromagnetic pulse of the arc not the flash of light. You can shield the light sensors and it still works. Works a lot better out in the sun too.

Since you asked, I've shared this one on the old site.
20170709164526-06092924-me.jpg
 
Lee said:
I think most of us know that. Still no one wants to get flashed
Click to expand...
Until you pay $$$ to get one of the ones with multiple sensors you're gonna get flashed in all of them.

And when you do the dark AF cheap lense will hurt less :laughing:

The reason to get a mid-range helmet is for the lighter lense IMO.

aczlan said:
The one I linked above has a little different color to the lens than the harbor freight specials that it replaced and I find it easier to see through it.
That helmet also has four sensors not two so it is slightly less likely that they will all be blocked.

Aaron Z
Click to expand...
Yeah, the higher dollar lenses are way less dark when "off"
Lee said:
Since you asked, I've shared this one on the old site.
20170709164526-06092924-me.jpg
Click to expand...
With a pic like that she might as well be a dude. Try harder. :flipoff2:
 
I bought the Lincoln 3350.

Most comfortable helmet I have ever worn.

I weld so much better now because I can see what i am doing.

Not a pro, so everything that makes my welds better is appreciated.

Buy once, cry once.

Would not trade it for anything today. in 5 years who knows.
 
Last edited:
i've used a harbor fright ad for 15 yrs and have never been flashed
you can spend hundreds on a helmet, but why bother?
probably the same guts in hf, jackson and lincoln
 
I am a fan of good quality hoods and don’t believe there the same as cheap ones. Some hoods come close in quality to HF hoods but the brands trying to build a good hood like Lincoln Miller ESAB ect they are far better.

I have had a few of these big name hoods given my way through work a few jobs back including a Radnors high end hood, Miller Platinum, A few Lincoln hoods before they went true color a few years back and a few different verities of speedglas hoods. While they where all great hoods and probably would serve someone well I feel like my Speedglas hoods took way more abuse through the years. In my opinion it’s the way to go if you want a auto darkening hood.

I do have A True arc 2x4 lens in a sugar scoop hood for the trail setup in a shade 10. So far it’s been used little but it works well for mig or stick.
 
Stokes said:
While they where all great hoods and probably would serve someone well I feel like my Speedglas hoods took way more abuse through the years. In my opinion it’s the way to go if you want a auto darkening hood.
Click to expand...
The Speedglas hood I bought in 98 lasted 19 years, I almost ripped the pocket off of my jeans pulling the cash out for a new one!
 
I like my millers, have to admit the view through the new lincolns is better. I will fight you if you try to take away my miller PAPR hood. Its a little heavier, but you can flip the lens up and have a clear view, which i think is the same at the speedglas and other PAPR brands as well, was sick for a couple weeks and having the powered respirator vs a half mask under a regular hood made it all bearable. I lnow that the lexan alone is what protects from uv, the metals in the lense protect from any radiation, and the shade protects from visible light, but the cheapies freak me out.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
I just clicked on your link expecting a few hundred dollar price tag. That's cheap as hell for what you get!! :smokin:
Click to expand...
I have been very happy with it, initially I did not like the head gear, there's a large pad in the back that can swivel to match the contour of your head and I didn't have the strap across the top long enough for it to sit properly, once I got that all straightened out I like how it sits and I love the view through it.
I think someone on here may have recommended it?
The only downside is that at a year and a half it's already gone through a battery, but I don't know what kind of quality the original battery was. It came with the second one which is in it now.
The battery drawer just pops out so it wasn't a big deal to change.

Aaron Z
 
A good pipeliner or tiger hood with a good lens is better than any auto and you should have one around regardless so I'd start there. I like phillips lenses and glass cover lenses.

For auto

Jackson Trusight 2 or Lincoln viking 3350 under $500 The Miller elite and infinity are okay and x mode is great those would be third choice.

Optrel crystal 2.0 under $1k great optics but they're fragile things

Speedglass g5-02 is the best but most $

I personally use the G5-02 for tig, The jackson trusight 2 for average shop stuff and a chopped and modified tiger hood for everything else.
 
Jmmorriso said:
I like my millers, have to admit the view through the new lincolns is better. I will fight you if you try to take away my miller PAPR hood. Its a little heavier, but you can flip the lens up and have a clear view, which i think is the same at the speedglas and other PAPR brands as well, was sick for a couple weeks and having the powered respirator vs a half mask under a regular hood made it all bearable. I lnow that the lexan alone is what protects from uv, the metals in the lense protect from any radiation, and the shade protects from visible light, but the cheapies freak me out.
Click to expand...
The visible light will still fuck you up on cheap hoods. The guys that like them don't burn enough to have the issues associated with them.
 
WESTOF7 said:
The visible light will still fuck you up on cheap hoods. The guys that like them don't burn enough to have the issues associated with them.
Click to expand...
Makes sense, I only burn 10-15 pounds of rod a year, so I am not a heavy user, but there is a noticeable difference between the HF helmet and this one when I am working on a project vs just doing one or two welds (to be fair, the HF helmet is 15 years old, the battery is probably dead and I need to clean the lens as there is smoke/dust between the layers).


Aaron Z
 
aczlan said:
Makes sense, I only burn 10-15 pounds of rod a year, so I am not a heavy user, but there is a noticeable difference between the HF helmet and this one when I am working on a project vs just doing one or two welds (to be fair, the HF helmet is 15 years old, the battery is probably dead and I need to clean the lens as there is smoke/dust between the layers).


Aaron Z
Click to expand...
No matter the auto helmet I still blink when lighting up otherwise I get headaches.

Even do this with the g5-02

There's always a delay
 
I use a cheap ass hood from princess auto, with a Miller 2x4 auto lense in it. Guys I know who run their own trucks or shops seem to all use ESAB, and the guys who work in big shops use more or less the same set up as I do, so when it gets stolen or has shit dropped on it, it's another $40 for a hood, and the tool crib hands you a lense.
 
Squamch said:
I use a cheap ass hood from princess auto, with a Miller 2x4 auto lense in it. Guys I know who run their own trucks or shops seem to all use ESAB, and the guys who work in big shops use more or less the same set up as I do, so when it gets stolen or has shit dropped on it, it's another $40 for a hood, and the tool crib hands you a lense.
Click to expand...

So, just saw a video on ESAB Savage that gave great reviews. Said it had same optics as their more expensive hood, just less fancy wrapper. Local NAPA has them 25% off, so sub $150 which is good for my wallet.

I live in Hawaii so hate buying nicer things online without local return option, returns become a PITA real quick and airgas is only LWS option.

Any thoughts?


Edit: One concern is the shade range seems limited at 9-13.
 
Last edited:
aczlan said:
Makes sense, I only burn 10-15 pounds of rod a year, so I am not a heavy user, but there is a noticeable difference between the HF helmet and this one when I am working on a project vs just doing one or two welds (to be fair, the HF helmet is 15 years old, the battery is probably dead and I need to clean the lens as there is smoke/dust between the layers).


Aaron Z
Click to expand...
my hf helmet is probably that old too. before i use it i'll look at a bright light, if the helmet doesn't autodark, i lay it out in the sun for the day. it must be a rechargeable batter off the light sensor/solar cell. or i'll just randomly lay it out to charge
 
_ogre said:
my hf helmet is probably that old too. before i use it i'll look at a bright light, if the helmet doesn't autodark, i lay it out in the sun for the day. it must be a rechargeable batter off the light sensor/solar cell. or i'll just randomly lay it out to charge
Click to expand...
No (at least for mine) its a standard 2032 battery, not rechargable.

Aaron Z
 
Hobby welder here, and older eyes made me look beyond my 15-20 year Speedglass. I have never really liked it for weld vision. I have never been able to see the metal with the Speedglas. Steel or Aluminum. Mig or Tig. I weld aluminum mostly so that was what I used for testing. I borrowed a couple helmets and one of the cheapies told me that there was better for vision. I settled on the Lincoln as it fit my "eyes" better. I think the Lincoln gives the arc a blue hue which is better for me. I wish I had moved up years ago. A flash has always been my fault. Budget was not a consideration until I knew what I wanted and then went shopping. The helmet is black so goes OK sitting on the blue.
 
One thing that drives my crazy about helemts is there 2 standard lens and then a few variants.

Most of you guys are saying you like the lens x or sensors blah blah blah. Most of those are standard 2x4 and can go into just about any helmet.
"The xx helmet had the blue lens" you can buy that lens or a filter layer and again, put it in just about any helmet.

You want a pancake? You always gona be able to have the protector side up? Not on vehicle welding.
You want a pipeliner/tiger hood? Hope you got long arms cause theyre huge and dont fit for shit when youre trying to in position weld under a veh.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh