Finally Bought An Auto Dark Helmet!

[FlashBlind]

I finally broke down and bought a Hobart auto dark helmet and am so friggin' happy I had to post this. I've used a decent huntsman with the big window for the last several months, but would arc burn my neck every time I forgot to use a bandana. Finally added the leather neck apron thing which solved the problem, but hung in my eyes when the helmet was up..
With this helmet, no more flippin it up and down, no more peeling neck, no more missed starts or fishing around blind on the metal surfaces. I just built a fence stretcher bar and cut the time spent welding by at least 2/3, because I could set up all of the welds, tack em' down, then finish the welds without the "Start-stop, flip up, locate the next start spot, flip down, then weld" routine (I caught myself flipping the helmet up without thinking about it ). Anyway it's a great helmet for the money.
I looked through one of the $55 HF Western Safety helmets, but is seemed really cheap and the "Clear" mode was too dark to see out of, which negated any real advantage of having an auto dark lens to begin with. I also looked at an Optrel helmet, very nice but beyond my needs and ability to justify the price. For all of you who have yet to try an auto dark helmet, go for it. You'll be happy you did.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

FLASHBLIND.......... CONGRATULATIONS........... GLAD YOU LIKE IT........WHICH ONE DID YOU GET.......................ROCK
[email protected]

[Jerry]

Hello shaky glad you like it.

I have welded for years and also recently tried auto helmets and I now have two and I fully agree with you they are great for production welding and also in my tool & die welding where my arc start is very critical.

[ChadRat]

Flash,
Sounds good. I really like mine. What have ya been working on?

[FlashBlind]

I bought the basic black one, not so much by choice, but because the vender had them listed so cheap that I couldnt pass one up. Amazing, the little things that make welding easier, just like having a decent assortment of clamping devices, a good grinder, etc..
Chad, Among other things, I've been dabbling in wrought iron, hoping to finish a dog bed this weekend. Will post pics.

[jason]

Yea, they're really nice aren't they! How did we ever get along without them?

Jason
________
herbal vaporizers

[Gary in Indiana]

I bought one of the variable/adjustable darkness auto darkening helmets last fall for my arc welding class. I love it. I ended up with the 'American Eagle' decalling just because that one was actually priced less than the plain black one by $15. It must've been in the store's inventory for a while. Regardless, I'm happy with it.

[reedfish]

I was thinking of buying an auto darkening helmet but after I read Richard Finch's Lincoln Welding Book, "Welders Handbook". I'm not so sure. He said the time it takes to darken if you strike an arc more than 50 times a day will make your eyes burn, since some UV light does get through in the time it take to Auto Darken. TELL ME THE SCOUP GUYS. WHAT IS THE TRUTH???

[vwguy3]

Reedfish

I have been using a huntsman autoview IVXL for just over 2 yrs and have never had any discomfort or concern from burning my eyes. Granted I am not 5 day a week weldor but there are times that I will be using it 6-8 hours at a time and using different processes(Mig Tig Stick) sometimes all in one day.
In other words I have total confidence in this helmet.
Mike

P.S. I just had an eye exam 7/2 and he gave a clean bill of health

[Henro]

Originally posted by reedfish
I was thinking of buying an auto darkening helmet but after I read Richard Finch's Lincoln Welding Book, "Welders Handbook". I'm not so sure. He said the time it takes to darken if you strike an arc more than 50 times a day will make your eyes burn, since some UV light does get through in the time it take to Auto Darken. TELL ME THE SCOUP GUYS. WHAT IS THE TRUTH???

I'm afraid the truth is that these helmets give total protection whether they activate or not.

At the risk of being mistaken, I kind of remember comments regarding Richard Finch's book. I may be completely off base here...not all positive.

If you read the specs for these auto darkening helmets, all the ones I have seen say something like they protect at the same level as a shade 15 lens, whether or not they activate.

So if anyone claims otherwise...either it is BS or they should provied specifics to support their claim.

In the end I would not worry about the protection the helmet from a reputable manufacturer gives you...

Bill in Pgh, PA

[Cyrus-J]

I have a Hornell Speedglas helmet and I hate it. I love the concept but I cannot see my work piece while welding.

All I can see is the arc (even on the lowest setting) even though I have 2 halogen lights pointed on my work.

I paid top dollar for this POS.

[BillC]

Originally posted by Cyrus-J
I have a Hornell Speedglas helmet and I hate it. I love the concept but I cannot see my work piece while welding.

All I can see is the arc (even on the lowest setting) even though I have 2 halogen lights pointed on my work.

I paid top dollar for this POS.

Cyrus,

How long have you been welding? If you are an old-timer then what shade did you use before in a fixed-shade helmet? If you are just starting welding, then new weldors often have a hard time seeing anything but the arc. With practice you learn to see more.

[Cyrus-J]

Originally posted by BillC
Cyrus,

How long have you been welding? If you are an old-timer then what shade did you use before in a fixed-shade helmet? If you are just starting welding, then new weldors often have a hard time seeing anything but the arc. With practice you learn to see more.

I'm a newbie/hobbyist. I stick welded structual steel about 20 years ago for all of 6 months and I've had one welding class. I have a Miller 175 MIG and I mainly weld on cars (I'm building a '90 Mustang drag car).

The thing is I have 2 regular (non-auto) helmets I can see my work just fine while welding with them. I'm not sure on the shade of the the regular helmets.

What really pissed me off after buying the helmet is that it says in the manual to NOT do over head welding. I told my local welding supply shop when I bought the helmet that I weld on cars which means lots of overhead.

The supply shop would not exchange the hemet. If I ever have time I plan on contacting Speedglas.

[Gary in Indiana]

The spec's on my Hobart helmet indicate that it auto darkens in 1/11,000 of a second. I later found that the Jackson offering auto darkens in 1/25,000 of a second. I find it hard to believe that there is protection at a level fifteen on any auto darkening helmet BEFORE it darkens. On mine, for example, there is an adjustment that only goes up to level 13 when it is darkened.

As much as I'd like to believe that I have protection as was indicated, I can't see how that would be. Wanting to err on the side of safety, I'll continue my method of blinking when I strike the arc. Maybe I don't need to do that, but it doesn't cost me anything to do it.

[BillC]

Originally posted by Gary in Indiana
The spec's on my Hobart helmet indicate that it auto darkens in 1/11,000 of a second. I later found that the Jackson offering auto darkens in 1/25,000 of a second. I find it hard to believe that there is protection at a level fifteen on any auto darkening helmet BEFORE it darkens. On mine, for example, there is an adjustment that only goes up to level 13 when it is darkened.

As much as I'd like to believe that I have protection as was indicated, I can't see how that would be. Wanting to err on the side of safety, I'll continue my method of blinking when I strike the arc. Maybe I don't need to do that, but it doesn't cost me anything to do it.

Well Gary,

Did you know that clear safety glasses filter 99.9% UV? It is not the darkness of the shade, it is the material that the UV must try to pass through...

The only thing the dark shade does is prevent you from seeing green spots (and whatever eye damage may occur from staring at bright objects. However, it is NOT UV burn...

But if blinking makes you feel better then stick with it! Have Fun!