BEST welding helmet?

OK guys, I have been welding for over 20 years. I have had several helmets from my old Jackson to HF auto-dark.

well, I've lost my favorite wide glass Jackson helmet. My Habour frieght autodark took a E36 M3 last week. ($12.00 in new batteries didnt fix it?)

So my parents want to know what i want for Xmas!? I WANT A NEW WELDING HELMET!!

but which one do i want?

I want a name brand auto-dark large window that will last me another 20 years, discuss...

I've been using a Northern Tool auto dark for over a year now and like it.

I had a Jackson that cost something like $175 new (in year 2000 dollars) take E36 M3 on me and I went out and bought the new Chicago Electric HF model so I could finish up what I was working on...

Honestly, I can't tell the difference except $69 - 20% coupon is a whole lot better than $175 when you have to toss it in the garbage. My eyes don't itch and I've been using it a lot lately.

I've had a couple of these. The first one still works, but I build a lot of roll cages that involve stuffing my head into odd corners, and the headgear got broke, and I chipped a corner of the autodarkening lens, which left a small bright spot. It was cheaper to replace than repair those two parts.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/welding_protection/head_face/helmets/digital-elite/

I'm a Miller guy and have a new Digital Elite for $240, yet to use it much tho. Too much plastic E36 M3 to last 20 yrs.... but they all have too much plastic E36 M3.

hope they keep replacement parts in the pipeline

I finally replaced my 12 year old Blue Point 1st generation auto-darkening last summer. I was getting ready to a lot of fussy TIG work on the race car and it was time. After a lot of research I ended up with a:

Jackson Nexgen 14989

List is north of 4 bills, but cyberweld has them for about $300.

It's wonderful - clearly the quality of my TIG work has improved as a result. Also - I added a -2 diopter "cheater" lens which is a big help as well.

Toyman01 wrote: I've been using a Northern Tool auto dark for over a year now and like it.

Me too - I've had mine for quite a while. Nice field of vision, very quick response. I've been very happy with it.

Several of us are content with our Harbor Freight helmets

I have just completed my first semester of welding at the local college. I have the Harbor Freight auto darkening helmet, as do several other students. As a group we are happy with these bargain priced units. Several of the more experienced students have the bigger window, bigger dollar units. I have tried several of these others and I do like the bigger window. Maybe next time I will get the big window unit.

I have a miller digital elite. I love it.

Couldn't go back to a HF helmet.

The sensors are bigger faster. Shade control. And no more accidentally flashing myself due to part of the car shading the top only sensor on the hf helmet.

Oh and it fits so much better. Not to mention better protection and big glass while still being smaller to help see in tight spaces.

I can't compare to other real helmets.

ronholm wrote: I have a miller digital elite. I love it. Couldn't go back to a HF helmet.

I really have to lay hands on one of these modern top end lids for a comparo... my old Jackson was top end circa 2000 and so I was surprised that the new wide face HF ($69) lid was a massive improvement but it kinda makes sense. Electronics have come a long way in the last decade. To jump from $69 to $399 in 2013 dollars is HUGE though. I have to wonder how much better it can be.

EDIT: OP said "Best"...

There's absolutely no way I'll entrust my eyes to anything sold by Harbor Freight. I've got one pair, and while they're not great, they're all I've got.

And as an aside, my old astronomy professor said "Never look directly at a solar eclipse with your remaining eye"

motomoron wrote: There's absolutely no way I'll entrust my eyes to anything sold by Harbor Freight. I've got one pair, and while they're not great, they're all I've got. And as an aside, my old astronomy professor said "Never look directly at a solar eclipse with your remaining eye"

I have to say... it's not bad. even if it does not darken beacuse it's broken - it's "Stock" setting is safe for a flash. It might be hit or miss at the ol CHI electric company QC dept but I am so pleased with the one I got that I'm doubling down and buying another in case they change chinese vendors and the next batch is a magnifying glass to look at the sun.

I picked up one from Home Depot to try out - it had about a quarter second response time. Guaranteed to flash your eyes every time. I'll bet they just put it back on the shelf after I returned it, too.

I have an older Morsafe that I bought from Eastwood probably 12 years ago, it still works great. Haven't flashburned the ol' peepers yet.

Another vote for the Miller Elite, i got the big window and its hard to use others.

The HF ones are ok for mig, start to do some tig and you will understand how slow they respond with a monster headache.

Paul_VR6 wrote: Another vote for the Miller Elite, i got the big window and its hard to use others. The HF ones are ok for mig, start to do some tig and you will understand how slow they respond with a monster headache.

I'm using it for TIG'ing aluminum. It's fine. Really. I'm as shocked as anyone - I only bought it to finish a project I was in the middle of when my Jackson took a E36 M3 but I've been using it ever since and I see no reason to go drop a big nut on a brand name now. Bonus me.

I have a welding shop and use an Optrel (Satellite, but they have cheaper versions. I had a Mira Plus I liked too).

That and the Speedglas helmets (many different versions...I'm not really too familiar with them) are going to be the top of the line, IMO

My employee bought a HF and it flickers too much with tig, otherwise not bad. More green than I like.

I've had problems with other peoples Miller Digital Elites. Didn't like them at all, esp. the headgear. They have since improved that, apparently. It flickered with tig as well. Didn't like that I had to turn it on, (Optrel is always on) and the controls were tiny.

-James

Funny I have flashed myself with a few different HF ones. Maybe you got the one that went through QC!