Welding Helmet ?

[beamwalker]

i have 30 dollar jackson with halo on it to go on hardhat. dont need nothing else

[JonnyTIG]

Over the past 12 years I've used a Jackson helmet with a gold plated filter shade. Since I got used to the gold shade, I haven't used anything else. I use a North PAPR with the helmet for the dirty work. I've found using the gold lens shows the colors of the welding environment more true to real colors, handy for tig, and I haven't been able to switch back to standard blue or green shades. One thing that really stands out to me while using a gold lens is that my eyes don't feel as dried out at the end of the day.

[jfsmith]

My metal fiber helmet is several years old, I have many lenses from the 6 to 12 shades. I have the bifocal sets to work with the helmet.

I have an earlier Miller with the auto shade system. Then I bought a auto shade lens for the metal fiber. These both work well and the metal fiber one has lots of extras because it has been out for many years.

If it's a choice between looking cool and more money for a better welder, go for the welder.

[edsonweld]

speedglass all the way!

Personally, speedglass rises above the competition. If you're serious about welding, you need to be serious about your hood. The only concern I have, is that it doesn't cover the ears very good from the arc. So instead of buying and imitation, I added protection to the sides with duct tape.

[WillietheWelder]

I have a 9002x with supplied air and flex view, and the 9002v, i love them both !

[Mark71GTX]

The problem I have seen with the speedglass hoods is the odd shaped clear lens - when you go the the welding supply store they are often out. I used to love the Jackson shadow series, until I tried a Fibre-Metal Tigerhood. Those things are great and inexpensive - especially if you have to wear it on a hard hat - I wear a Fibre-Metal hard hat anyway so it is a great fit! Lots of my friends at work were picking on it because of its size - until they tried it - now many of them own one too. I

[sjmiller]

welding helmet

I got an Optrel last year - I'm not looking any further, it does what I want.

[hellbentrodder]

I love my 9002x with flexveiw. The only gripe is that the headgear sucks, it never stays up. I fixed that buy using an old Huntsman headgear and blocks, a couple of 4-40's, and now the best helmet ever.

[Smokey_]

well i have to say that speedglass makes nice helmets, athough i wouldnt say that there any better than my miller elite. I tried both out b4 i bought my helmet and liked the miller better. Honestly i think that all the top brands are equally good, just make sure u get the big screen as that makes all the differnce and dont ever buy cheap discount helmet, i bought a $50 auto when i started welding and after heavy use my eyes would be sore. With miller i can weld all day and my eyes feel fine.

[Bert]

I have a Miller 9000X and I was happy with it for the 4 years I had it. Now I have to wear a respirator and it doesn't fit. Too tapered. Looking at the Miller, 'cause it has 4 sensors, my speedglass has only 2. When I tig, helmet shuts off and on = I'm blinded! I tried my friends Miller with the 4 sensors and had no problem!!!

[Smokey_]

yeah the 4 sensors are great, never get arced and u really notice it when u watch someone else weld as will go dark/light all the time depending if the arc is totatlly visalbe but never do u get arced. The sensitivey adjustments are ace on the miller elites as well, u can set it up for any condition.

me loves my elite, even if it did cost me $350

[Jolly Roger]

I have looked at the speedglass in catalogs, but have never seen one on the shelf. They look kind of small for overhead. I have and use a 27 year old flip front jackson (it was the very first composite hood they made and I got it for the weight). I have a fibremetal I got for wear on a hardhat that is virtually identical to the old jackson. Now that I don't have to wear a hardhat to weld I mostly use my pancake (it's handmade so I can't tell you who made it, and at least 15 years old) with a shade ten auto lens. I have much fewer headaches using it, there is no glare from any source, and it will fit in places no conventional hood will fit. I am actually considering the new Jackson Boss because of the 6 ounce hood weight, largest viewing area in an autodark, and the 3 in 1 capability. I pretty much have to grind every weld down flush and smooth and use cut off wheels on a 4 1/2 inch grinder a lot and it's a real pain switching back and forth.

[fun4now]

the new Miller BWE's have a grind mode.

i hear you about the grind mode. i wish Miller had put it in their BWE sooner so i would have got it with mine. but at the going rate for the new BWE with grind mode i think i'll stick with my old one for a wile. its about 6 years old and still going strong on the factory battery's so i don't think its going to break and give me a reason to upgrade to the new one, thats a good thing.......i suppose. yea it is, i could never afford a new one now. it would really put a dent in any chance of getting a MM212.

[Bert]

What are you talking about pancake hood? Show us a pic, eh? Ran into my old classmate, he was buying the Jackson Boss, and going to cut it out and rivit it to a leather hood. Never heard of that done either!

[fun4now]

borrowed these pic's from the ask andy site.
here is a link to a maker also
pancake hood