>>> AUTO-DARKENING WELDING HELMET ??<<<

[Dargo]

I tried one of the HF helmets when they first came out.- It made my eyes burn every time I used it, but I did a lot of welding.

Our welders at work use "Jackson helmets" and they are great!- Their also made in the USA.- I've been using one for 4-years now and haven't had a problem with my eyes.

The helmets will cost you $$$$.- But my eyes are worth it!

Jackson Welding Helmets

I noticed the same and have posted here on several occasions. It's disheartening, but some people who frequent this site place saving a buck over saving their eyesight. I come from a family of professional welders. I'm the only one who welds for personal use. However, after a half day of welding with my 'new' Horrible Freight AD hood my eyes hurt a considerable amount the next day. I returned it and got another. In only about an hour's worth of welding, it too made my eyes hurt. I promptly smashed the lens and tossed it into the trash. My sister is a professional welder (yeah, I know, my other sister is a big time corporate attorney) and she has had to have surgery in both eyes for not only cataracts, but also replacing her lens in her eyes. When the light hits her just right, it's rather creepy to see the reflection in her eyes.

She and a few other workers at George Koch and Sons tried using the cheapo hoods from Horrible Freight and each have had to have eye surgery. They have to pay for their own equipment, so they do want to buy the least expensive that works. By the time you realize that the HF hoods are junk, permanent eye damage is done. But we live in the U.S., no unsafe product can be sold here! Go ahead and get in line to sue a Chinese company who can list no assets anytime they please. You'll just be out attorney fees besides damaged eyes.

Again, I'm quite aware that a pretty good percentage of people who frequent this board proudly purchase the cheapest product that can be found. That's fine and I hope it works out for them. However, when I only have one set of eyes to work with in my lifetime, I'm going to spend another hundred bucks or so to properly protect my precious eyesight. I've been bluntly told here by some that it's not worth that much to them. That's their choice. They are your eyes; the only ones you'll get. If it's worth $100 to put them at known risk, and you're okay with that, go for it. Personally, my eyesight is worth considerably more to me. Also, to be realistic, we're not talking about $30k difference in buying a higher quality brand tractor over a cheap import that sells on price alone. We're talking about about $100 between the worst junk and high line equipment. Only you can decide what your eyes are worth.

 

[Bedlam]

Mine works great also. seems like all positive posts here so far. I would get it you'll like it once you try it....

 

[JustGary]

I too have an HF helmet, and I love it. I keep it set on the darkest setting and have not noticed any issues over several years of occasional use. My welding got much better after I got it since I could see to start the arc. I won't go back either.

I have gotten flashed with it once, but I quickly realized that I was leaning over a frame to weld and had completely shielded the sensor from the arc. When I moved my head and tried again, it worked fine. This can happen with any of the auto helmets, so just be sure to not let your work keep them from working.

By the way, as somebody mentioned, you can test them by quickly looking at nearly any light. I just look up at the incandescent bulbs in my shop, or glance toward the sun if I'm welding during the day.

Regards,

- Just Gary

 

[flusher]

Please share your experiences with this or similar welding helmets :

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=91214

I have never used an automatic helmet and am not sure that I trust them.

Please enlighten me.

Thank you.

I've used one of these AD helmets from Harbor Freight for about 3 years for stick welding with my Hobart LX AC/DC. No problems. I generally use the lightest setting (#9).

 

[yomax4]

Guys, I used to sell the AD Hoods. The damage from using a Cheepo hood will not be noticed for several years if ever. It is not something that you will know right away. Most Change from dark to light 3x faster than the speed of light so that part is safe. If your hood bothers your eyes it may be because you need a Cheater Lens to stop eye strain. Or go to a darker shade. The Delay feature is the opposite of what some said on here. The delay means that it stays dark for a couple seconds after you break the arc to let the puddle freeze so you dont have to see that white hot weld. Lastly,, The " Good " Hoods turn dark when the batteries fail or if all is not right to prevent a Flash. When you turn them on They go to shade 3 for the good ones and 4 or 5 for the cheepies. All the hoods out there are approved by our government specs so they all should be relativly safe.

 

[glc24]

I have a Jackson that I bought in 2005 with my welder for occasional use. I got the biggest window they offered, and I would never go back to a non-auto darkening helmet.

I too use one of these at work. Love the large window,IMO,you can't beat it!
Once you get used to an auto helmet,there is nothing better

 

[Dargo]

Guys, I used to sell the AD Hoods. The damage from using a Cheepo hood will not be noticed for several years

True. By the time you notice, you've already ruined the only pair of eyes you're going to get. Enjoy the hundred bucks or so you saved. It may go towards surgery or a cain.

All the hoods out there are approved by our government specs so they all should be relativly safe.

Um, no. Quality control on the cheapo Chinese Horrible Freight hoods is non-existent. You will positively have no U.S. government agency help you one bit if you go blind from using a cheapo HF hood.

Again, guys, it's your eyesight. I don't sell hoods and, at the risk of sounding rude, don't give a rat's patoot if you go blind. I don't know you and I won't have to lead you around if you go blind nor will I have to pay for your eye surgery. I'm just constantly amazed at how little value is placed on safety here on TBN when it comes to the chance of saving a buck. This site is interesting because nobody is allowed to flat out call a total piece of junk tractor exactly what it is. There will be dozens of people talking about what a great price it sells for. The same goes for many other junk and plain dangerous products that lack any quality. Again, at the risk of sounding rude, there are pieces of equipment, tools and machinery that are nothing but pure junk that should never be sold to anyone or ever imported. Still, I constantly see people here afraid to tell someone that they should cut their losses and buy something with far better quality.

I'll just flat give up on trying to advise people against practices that are not only dangerous, but stupid; stop explaining that there is most certainly a quality difference in a cheap knock off imported item and the original and give up on explaining that sometimes it just flat costs more to buy something that is high quality. If you roast your eyes, set your hair on fire, buy a tractor that never runs etc., just think of the money you saved over a similar item that costs more.

 

[Low Bucket]

Guys, I used to sell the AD Hoods. The damage from using a Cheepo hood will not be noticed for several years if ever. ">It is not something that you will know right away."<

Since you used to sell "AD-Hoods".- You must know that they "will cause" damage to your eyes ?

With your statement.- You know that it will take a while, "But it will happen."

You'll wake up one morning and everything will be dark because your blind, and then it's too late.

Not me.- I'll pay $300 for a good one and have good eyes.

All the hoods out there are approved by our government specs so they all should be relativly safe.

Our Government don't care if a "HF Auto-Darkening Helmet" is safe.- Half of "them" don't know what one is.

China= Lead in toys for our children.

I seen these HF Hoods in a sale paper today for $49+tax.- A year ago they were $89+tax.-That tells a lot right there!- Cheap and bad for the eyes.

A person should look up "Welders eye" on the web.

Another thing a person should have on their "hood" is a flap to keep the flash from coming in the back/top, and it helps if your welding in the sun.

Spend the extra "$$$" to keep your eyes.

 

[Willl]

I've been using my HF auto for about 2.5 yrs, paid 50 bucks for it.

Love it, no problems what-so-ever.

 

[Low Bucket]

I've been using my HF auto for about 2.5 yrs, paid 50 bucks for it.

Love it, no problems what-so-ever.

.......................... 1/2 year longer?
Will,

Your eyes must not have seen the post by the guy that sold the "Cheapo AD-Hoods."

The damage from using a Cheapo hood will not be noticed for several years.- That's what he said.