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Thread: Welding Helmet

  1. #1

    Welding Helmet

    Ok, finally broke my last remaining welding mask and after taking a look on evilbay I was wondering if anyone knows what I should be looking for in the way of one of those auto darkening ones.
    Bear in mind that last year I spent a whole 24 hours confined to bed with accute arc eye that hurt like hell (hadn't had that for at least 20 years, was welding some special bits for my house and got carried away and didn't use the mask for some long periods ).
    Basically I'm not in the market for a £100 plus unit as the amount of welding I normally do is not that much, the gas bottle costs me a small fortune each year to hire from BOC and I only fill it once every two years or so just to give you an idea as to the amount of welding I do).
    One of the cheap auto dimming ones would be better than what I had but is there anything I should really be trying to get or looking out for?

  2. #2

    Re: Welding Helmet

    Definitely get one with solar panels, my first one was a very expensive early model that used a stupidly expensive (£3) tiny nine volt battery - worked great but ate a battery a day.......I've got a couple of masks I've picked up at Car Boots, and one I bought new at Newark, they all work pretty much as well, and I think I tend to grab whichever one is in the nearest shed......but there's a huge difference in fit (if you haven't got a 'Euro-face' you may find that yoiu get more light leaking round the shield than you'd like) - so I would try out whatever you're thinking of buying. You often get second hand ones on the metal meet forum, usually cheaper than ebay!

    Be careful you don't grind near the mask with the face side up - you'll find that the spatter burns straight into the LCD glass and leaves nasty pits.....
    It's a 52 year old car and everything works, just not always at the same time.......and it's probably about to get jealous!
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  3. #3
    ***Euro-Nova Supporter*** Peter's Avatar
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    Re: Welding Helmet

    If your gas bottle is a std CO2 for MiG welding then it's a LOT cheaper to come to a friendly arrangement with your local pub and do a deal with them for one as they use the same CO2 bottle for the beer pumps. Sometimes you can just ‘borrow' the bottle on deposit and pay for the refill at commercial rates. I did this for years in the UK with my local Bass house.
    The opinions expressed in my posts may not be made in a sound mind and should be taken in the spirit intended, Jack Daniels is fine. Autism isn't something you get or can be 'cured of', it is the way we are wired, differently.

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  4. #4

    Re: Welding Helmet

    Thanks for the info, as for the bottle, I'm using Argoshield and it is now about £70 a year just to have the bottle and I don't even know what the cost of refills is, it just gets paid out of my account when I get a new bottle.

  5. #5
    ***Euro-Nova Supporter*** Spacenut's Avatar
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    Re: Welding Helmet

    Its about £35 for a refill I think. I've got the same deal with BOC. Argoshield is nicer than pub gas though (I use Argoshield Light which is only 15% CO2, the rest is Argon).

    As for helmets, I'm a bit nervous about the LCD types as they can develop faults which can affect the tint on the LCD. I'm sure they are pretty good these days but a friend of mine had to stop work at a local repair shop because he had severe arc-eye from a faulty LCD helmet.

    I'd be more inclined to get a decent flip-down helmet if (like me) you don't do a lot of welding. They're about £15.

    Lauren
    only Pythagoras can save me now!

  6. #6

    Re: Welding Helmet

    I'd be more inclined to get a decent flip-down helmet if (like me) you don't do a lot of welding
    That is what I used to have BUT my hand to eye coordination isn't that good and I was forever getting ready to weld and flip the mask down and start to weld in the wrong place Thought the instant darkening mask might help my welding/hand to eye coordination, that plus less booze before doing any to help stop the shackes a bit.

  7. #7

    Re: Welding Helmet

    Don't mess with pub gas, CO2 on its own doesn't make good welds - stick to your argoshield or you'll think your abilities are much lower than they really are!
    It's a 52 year old car and everything works, just not always at the same time.......and it's probably about to get jealous!
    *Donate to Euro-Nova today!*

  8. #8

    Re: Welding Helmet

    Draged my Mig out today to weld a table, just glanced at the glass and wondered how I could actually see. I ordered a new clear and some spares and a dark glass, also in this weather the inside misted over blocking the view.
    I have always wondered if they were worth it, also is there a great difference between a £25 helmet and a £120 helmet. i would hope so as you only get what you pay for but which gives the greatest value, do they fail much bearing in mind welders like us do not do that much each year.
    http://jimsnova.page.tl/
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  9. #9

    Re: Welding Helmet

    Jim, I've often wondered the same thing. Practical Classics did a test of them a couple of years ago. They all have to meet safety standards and darken at the right rates, all seem to have the same range of darknesses! The differences seemed to be more ergonomic, the positioning of the controls, the ability to do the old handsfree nodding donkey impression etc. I'm thinking of investing in one and it looks like you can get a solar powered one for around £50.
    Follow my Avante Build - Target = Stoneleigh 2012 Definitely!!

  10. #10

    Re: Welding Helmet

    I got a really cheep one (£35) at one of the car shows two years ago it takes 2 X ‘AAA’ batteries and is still on the first set I fitted …True I don’t do a lot of welding as the car is GR.P I found that it did not fit my head … I would skin the end of my nose when doing the nodding donkey before starting …. Yes I know you don’t need to with the solar powered type but old habits are hard to break! I had to modify it to give more room (for my nose? And its not that big? the nose) I still have problems with seeing the job or the weld accurately but that could just be my eyes, I can recommend getting a cheep unit as a trial if you are OK with it spend the money on a good one it’s worth it.

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