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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Kogan, Qld
    Age
    83
    Posts
    7

    Default Advice on welding helmets

    New to the forum so a bit of background, I am a self taught welder (had a useless instructor) did quite a bit of welding building crushing plants and general heavy equipment repair welding, but that was 35 years ago, today in my dotage I only do repairs to my mowers and make tools for my lathe and other bits and pieces.

    All my welding was done with stick welding and I have had a small stick welder that has served me for the last 30 years, I recently upgraded? to a small gasless MIG machine, now comes the problem with the helmet, I have an old one I used for years with a 13 lens and sometime ago bought an auto helmet 9-13 auto lens, with the auto it is not dark enough and I can't see the weld puddle, tried the old helmet and it was no better, the supplied hand held face mask is OK - 13 lens, transferred that lens into the old helmet and I can see with it OK.

    Problem is my eyesight ain't what it use to be and I found the auto helmet better, as I need one hand to hang onto something or I fall over (lost sense of balance, shut my eyes and I fall over) and by the time I get set up and the lower the mask my point of reference has moved and I end up spurting out a heap of wire as it misses the weld area.

    A bit long winded, but now to the question, does anyone know a good cheap auto helmet that works OK for MIG welding? I don't do enough welding to justify spending hundreds of $ on a helmet, so I am open to suggestions, not the sort of thing you can get a try before you buy on, so buying another is pot luck.

    Thanks for wading through all this drivel and hope for some suggestions.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Hi Koganite,

    First things first.
    Welcome to our MetalWork Forum. You have landed among a fine body of metalworkers amatuer and pro and all points in between.

    Of course there's more here than just welding, so to have a look around the place, do this:

    Goto the top LH side of this page and click on the FORUM box with the white down arrow.It will produce a pulldown menu that reads Forum Home on the top line. Click on Forum Home and a page that you can scroll down is shown.

    At the top are our rules-Terms of Use- please read them. The rest of the page is help areas and our different sub forums- enjoy!

    Now as far as helmets go given you are on a budget do not go too cheap. At least select one that has adjustable shade and replaceable batteries.Cheap sheilds are not cheap when you have to replace them. They electronic ones will all fail at some point and basically the more you pay the better you get and the electronics will last that much longer.

    The welders will being along shortly to give you their recommendations.

    Grahame

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    1,656

    Default

    I bought a Promax 500, for what I do, home use, some times I don't weld for six months I have had it nearly 2 years still on the batteries that came with it and it has enhanced colour 9-13 I was even using it with cataracts, now that problem is fixed it is almost like looking through clear glass it was less than $200 a mate ex ASC says it is as good as his $800 Speedglas.
    I can remember the days when you could go into CIG and test before you buy, arc welders, helmets. gloves etc.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Something i nearly forgot,
    Since you in our age group where eyesight can be at times less than perfect,consider this.

    Some shields can be fitted with diopters ( available in different magnifications )

    Its good to check the shield you want has the capacity to fit a diopter lens.

    The units look like thick clear lenses.

    here is a link

    https://www.boc.com.au/shop/en/au/le...pter-454010boc

    Grahame

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Kogan, Qld
    Age
    83
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by China View Post
    I bought a Promax 500, for what I do, home use, some times I don't weld for six months I have had it nearly 2 years still on the batteries that came with it and it has enhanced colour 9-13 I was even using it with cataracts, now that problem is fixed it is almost like looking through clear glass it was less than $200 a mate ex ASC says it is as good as his $800 Speedglas.
    I can remember the days when you could go into CIG and test before you buy, arc welders, helmets. gloves etc.
    Thanks China,

    Will check them out, just a little apprehensive of spending heaps and finding I still have the same problem, cost becomes a factor when on a pension and you don't use the item all that much.

    Had a quick search and found one for $165 have to check the piggy bank

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Kogan, Qld
    Age
    83
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    Something i nearly forgot,
    Since you in our age group where eyesight can be at times less than perfect,consider this.

    Some shields can be fitted with diopters ( available in different magnifications )

    Its good to check the shield you want has the capacity to fit a diopter lens.

    The units look like thick clear lenses.

    here is a link

    https://www.boc.com.au/shop/en/au/le...pter-454010boc

    Grahame
    Thanks Grahame,

    Had a look, only snag I have a cataract in one eye and any magnification only exacerbates the problem, I recently had to quit my main hobby of repairing watches because of it got to the stage I couldn't tell a screw from pivot, a real pain because I enjoyed the hobby, hope to take it up again if I ever get the cataract removed.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    1,656

    Default

    Just for your interest Promax 500 does accept magnification lenses, however you will most likely find you will not need this when the cataract hss been sorted out these days they replace them with prescription to suit
    some people have no need for glasses after the surgery

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Kogan, Qld
    Age
    83
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by China View Post
    Just for your interest Promax 500 does accept magnification lenses, however you will most likely find you will not need this when the cataract hss been sorted out these days they replace them with prescription to suit
    some people have no need for glasses after the surgery

    Yes getting rid of cataracts makes a big difference, my Wife had both eyes done a couple of years ago, she still has glasses but sees better than she had for decades, meanwhile I wait for my number to come up!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Bundoora, Victoria
    Posts
    20

    Default

    While I don't have cataracts, I do wear bifocal glasses and find them difficult to weld with. I use a Speedscreen helmet and a pair of the cheap reading glasses close to my reading prescription. That way you don't have to push your glasses hard against your head so you can see through the reading section.
    Under the circumstances, it would be easier to get a helmet with a larger lens but I don't weld often enough to justify it.

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