Welding helmet

AKnate

AKnate

Icehole
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Messages
1,860
I searched a bit but search on here (or me) kind of sucks.

Been running a few Amazon specials but they don't last.
I ran a Miller XLI for years, around 2004 to 2018ish till my pup pulled it off the weld bench and chewed the headgear up. The replacement Miller headgear, and eventually a complete new XLI sucked. I don't think it's even made anymore.

Gone through 3 Amaxon units... Headband ends up stripping out or the swivel doesn't work right or breaks.

This one keeps self adjusting so it either falls down or won't fall down. Got pissed last night and put it back up with a **** you and something broke off it.

Has a rechargeable light which is handy for welding in dark areas but I could do without or mount it on another helmet.
The actual eyeball protector section works fine, least I have no complaints other than it eats batteries (mostly me forgetting to turn it off)

The back rag thing is beyond awesome. No more sun or lights backglare, no more sparks down my neck or burning my hair. Not sure what model it's for, it's Lincoln an I made it sorta fit.
I used to tape a red shop rag till one caught on fire while welding.

Sooo..

Auto dark and adjustable tint (mig, tig, various outdoor lighting, plasma, sometimes grinding)
Non ****ty headgear
Doesn't eat batteries
Can fit the bag rag.

And ideally under $250...
20240707_123224.jpg
 
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The Lincoln Viking helmets are the best I have ever looked through.
They meet all your criteria except the last one.
Buy one, you will love it long after you forgot what it costs.
 
I have a Lincoln Viking and an ESAB Sentinel A50. The ESAB is the most comfortable helmet I've ever owned, it also has a grind mode switch outside the helmet that makes it easy to switch back and forth between grinding and welding. The Viking is set up on a hard hat so I can't comment on the head gear, it's great to weld with though and has less **** going on inside than the ESAB (Dials vs a screen for settings).
 
I have an older 15 years?
Lincoln cheapy, once I got them to give me a new cartridge ( the oem one had a non replacement battery) it's been good...
 

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buddy has an esab and loves it, bought cheap crappy helmets for years and says he should have bough a nice one years ago. He welds daily with it.
 
get a Jackson pay for it once, and use it for 20+ years
get a #10 gold lens and be done with it forever

the new generation needs all this speedy electro bitch helmets that requires batteries for everything
 
Have been pretty happy with a Miller Digital performance. Head gear seems to last me about 1.5-2 years. Having a cut setting is ****ing nice. Dunno bout the bag rag
 
SomeGuyFromOlympia said:
get a Jackson pay for it once, and use it for 20+ years
get a #10 gold lens and be done with it forever

the new generation needs all this speedy electro bitch helmets that requires batteries for everything
Click to expand...
Yea but.....
:flipoff2:
 
I have a Lincoln Electric VIKING 3350 Mojo Welding Helmet with 4C Lens Technology - bought in 2017. Been through 3 batteries and about 440lbs of wire.
 
Steve300xcw said:
shutup boomer
Click to expand...
I went from auto to fixed for years and then back to auto. I agree having a solid fixed lens is a good thing to have.
What happens when the batteries die and you don’t have any?
What happens when you drop it and get a ****ed up spot in the middle of the big window?
What happens when you need a new cover lens and don’t have the same one that Home Depot sells?
Are fixed shade hood for everyone? No.
Are they cheap? Most are.
Should you have one as a backup? Yes

2x4 shaded lenses are cheap
2x4 clear lenses are cheap


As for the original question
There are multiple posts about what hood to get. The answers vary from miller elite(or whatever they are now), Lincoln Viking , esab, optrel, others. Find what fits your head and has the features you want.

I have
Miller big window digital elite
Viking 3355 or whatever it is
Huntsman slider with a fixed shade 11
Jackson 2x4 auto lens
I use the Lincoln at work. The miller stays at home. Huntsman and Jackson are usually at work too
 
Brad said:
Should you have one as a backup? Yes
Click to expand...

I'll give you that

Brad said:
What happens when the batteries die and you don’t have any?
Click to expand...

Why dont you have any?
Brad said:
What happens when you drop it and get a ****ed up spot in the middle of the big window?
Click to expand...

Never had that happen yet
Brad said:
What happens when you need a new cover lens and don’t have the same one that Home Depot sells?
Click to expand...

Again..Why dont you have a couple spares?
 
Grendel said:
I have a Lincoln Electric VIKING 3350 Mojo Welding Helmet with 4C Lens Technology - bought in 2017. Been through 3 batteries and about 440lbs of wire.
Click to expand...
I picked up the 2450 with built in LED. Was a Amazonian warehouse deal for $300. Plus 5% off with their card, so $285 total.
Smaller lense than the 3350, but was about $100 cheaper.
Can't say I've felt any lense to be small, so don't think I need the huge one.
 
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Steve300xcw said:
I'll give you that



Why dont you have any?


Never had that happen yet


Again..Why dont you have a couple spares?
Click to expand...
Batteries-m rarely go dead BUT I’ve had them die when I “thought” I had some..I didnt

Dropping it, falling off whatever you put it down on, etc. It either had happened or will at some point. Sucks when it does.

Clear lenses you forget to buy more because I “thought” I had some.
You can see I have a ****ty memory😂

BUT
My suggestion would be a Lincoln Viking 3350 4c whatever auto hood. They changed the grind mode button to the outside so now you can’t pull the whole assembly out which is a bitch. It’s been a good hood. Has done delicate 35 amp pulsed tig work to 300 amp stick, 600 amp carbon arcing and haven’t had problems with ****ing up, aside from batteries being dead at the wrong time🤦🏻‍♂️ buy the plain black one. It’s usually cheapest and you can put your own stickers on that will melt and peal off

Side note: you(but mostly me) WILL undoubtedly forget to switch back to weld mode 75-90% of the time, which sucks
 
AKnate said:
I picked up the 2450 with built in LED. Was a Amazonian warehouse deal for $300. Plus 5% off with their card, so $285 total.
Smaller lense than the 3350, but was about $100 cheaper.
Can't say I've felt any lense to be small, so don't think I need the huge one.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I added my own light... and they make a rear cover for them, too.
 
I like the Viking's larger window, but Miller's X-mode made me go Digital Elite. Edit, plain black Digital Elite was $250-ish when I bought it, they're $320+ now. :shaking:

no-ragrets.jpg
 
Sellstrom

Amazon

Best lid for the money. No junk here, same parent company as Jackson. Big window, good headgear,this one has all the features. They make some lower optioned units as well.
 
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