Welding Masks - Auto darkening

[HeavyMetal]

Welding masks are for pussys.



wait....



where'd ya go?

[clean4drxj]

My opinion is try both and whichever you weld best with/are comfortable with, go that route..

[lakailimited06]

A/D makes life a hell of a lot easier...

[Bigbike]

I just got the $50 northern Tool auto darkening helmet. Its pretty sweet, so much easier to start a bead, or tack something on. I recommend it.

[iant333]

I bought one at harbor freight for 50 bucks. It is the best welding investment I have ever made. Period. End of Story.

Works just fine and dandy and the darkness and sensitivity is even fully adjustable

[OWEN]

I have had a lot of masks and at least half of my job is welding. If you are doing anything precision, auto darkening is the only way to go. My favorite lense is the Radnor 24S, they are snappy and never flash you when you are welding.

I have bought a few, the battery ones with a switch suck. Get an automatic solar powered one. I have this one now at work http://www.aeriform.com/browse/produ...ct=RAD64005100 for doing bench jobs and it is really great, for the price. Another key is to have cover lenses over the front and back, so it doesn't get messed up from sparks. Replace them when they get blurry. Being able to see well makes a huge difference!

I also have a North full face respirator with the welding setup, and I have a Radnor 24S for my welding lense in that as well. It is the absolute best setup, it is low profile to get in tight spots, the filters take out harmfull elements in the smoke, and you can flip up to grind and never get anything in your eyes.




In all reality if you have a mask you like now, with a standard size glass lense, order up a 24S and a couple covers and you will have a nice setup.

[CSaddict]

With TIG I would say auto darkening is must. This is what I use.



Big Window, always works. Worth every cent. The cheap ones dont have the advertised response time and will affect your peripheral vision and you may see halos around lights.

[justtorchit]

don't buy a hobart auto darkening mask, i had one and got flash burn the first time i used it

OKAY..... so idk if masks can get old.....

BUT FUCK HOBART AUTO DARKENING HOODS....

it has done me great for about 2 years.... but i was welding a little friday and noticed that after i had a slight burn, but i figured it was just cuz i had the shade turned all teh way down.... so i cranked it all the way up and went to town for about 3 hours yesterday.....

HOLLLYYY FUCK IM IN PAIN!!!!.... my face is swollen and burnt and glossy, my eyes were glued shut this morning, and it hurts to open or shut them...

warning to all.... fuck hobart. this sux.

[grundlepunch]

Is it battery operated? did the battery die? or is it solar?

[Buffalo Phil]

OKAY..... so idk if masks can get old.....

BUT FUCK HOBART AUTO DARKENING HOODS....

it has done me great for about 2 years.... but i was welding a little friday and noticed that after i had a slight burn, but i figured it was just cuz i had the shade turned all teh way down.... so i cranked it all the way up and went to town for about 3 hours yesterday.....

HOLLLYYY FUCK IM IN PAIN!!!!.... my face is swollen and burnt and glossy, my eyes were glued shut this morning, and it hurts to open or shut them...

warning to all.... fuck hobart. this sux.

That's what they call 'Owned in the Face'.

[justtorchit]

Is it battery operated? did the battery die? or is it solar?

solar.
the mask itself works... it goes dark, shade all the way dark..... somehow the devil rays made their way through.... and i doubt it was reflective rays cuz i wore all black with the hoodie on.... the only section that got burned was what came through the window. i dont get it

[Carlleen]

OKAY..... so idk if masks can get old.....

BUT FUCK HOBART AUTO DARKENING HOODS....

it has done me great for about 2 years.... but i was welding a little friday and noticed that after i had a slight burn, but i figured it was just cuz i had the shade turned all teh way down.... so i cranked it all the way up and went to town for about 3 hours yesterday.....

HOLLLYYY FUCK IM IN PAIN!!!!.... my face is swollen and burnt and glossy, my eyes were glued shut this morning, and it hurts to open or shut them...

warning to all.... fuck hobart. this sux.

Wow dude go to the doctor. This is why I only use jb weld. The only thing I worry about is how good I look in my ray bans. No...but seriously you need a medical professional.

[Nick]

The only thing I worry about is how good I look in my ray bans.

That's a true Fairfield concern.

[Buffalo Phil]

That's a true Fairfield concern.

[WickedXJ]

Just weighing in here. I LOVE my miller pro hobby. It is adjustable and solar powered with battery. I have yet to change batteries in this thing welding every couple weeks for 2 years. I also drop the thing on a regular basis from 5 feet up onto concrete and it is still fine. My only issue with it is that because it is a fixed lens, as are all auto-darkening helmets as far as I know, when I am under a car and it is very dark I sometimes can't see as well as I would like to and would not be able to lift the helmet as it is big. I can also fit a good welding respirator under it. I know this may be a sales pitch but the guy I bought this from told me that there is always a delay in an auto-darkening helmet coming on and the miller pro hobby has the shortest delay for the money. He said that when tack welding, especially, you can get burns from the delay. My helmet was almost $300 from Abco but I'm sure you can get them for cheaper.