Auto-Dark Welding Helmet.......

[Scotty370]

.....in a Harbor Freight flyer mailed to the house. Reg 69.99 for $38.99. You need the coupon in the flyer, but maybe you can pick one up at the store. In the Welding Threads, people seem content with them. At that price, (the cheapest I've seen), I might get one for the visitors I get, that say: "Can I watch?"! ~Scotty

 

[JoelD]

I own that helmet and works great, purchased one for my brother, he likes his.

That is the best price I've seen, I purchased on sale for $49.

I don't think you can go wrong.

Joel

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I bought the one for $49 two years ago, and when I'm using a 'MiG' welder it works great.

last week i done some heavy welding with a 'stick welder' for 3 days, and my eyes was blurry for days, and felt like sand was in them... I laid around with potato slices on my eyes.

I don't know if the helmet was the problem because i have used it like that before, and i have mine turned all the way up, and the switch is on fast.

I still don't know want the problem was.

 

[Scotty370]

The 'sand' syndrom, or white spot in your vision are nothing to fool with! I'm not endorsing, just thought I'd bring it to the attention of folks that are still 'head-flipping' with one darkness grade! I couldn't weld at all without our SpeedGlas, well some people say I can't weld at all with it!!

Exactly Scooby!

 

[Scooby074]

I bought the one for $49 two years ago, and when I'm using a 'MiG' welder it works great.

last week i done some heavy welding with a 'stick welder' for 3 days, and my eyes was blurry for days, and felt like sand was in them... I laid around with potato slices on my eyes.

I don't know if the helmet was the problem because i have used it like that before, and i have mine turned all the way up, and the switch is on fast.

I still don't know want the problem was.

Its THe helmet. My eyes feel the same way when i use princess auto (canada's hf) helmets. I use a miller Big window elite. My eyes are never sore now. My eyes are worth more than 38.99, Hope yours are too.

 

[JoelD]

Interesting responses, I've used my HF auto dark helmet with no ill effects, I've not welded super long, but a good amount.

How would I know if there was a lack of darkness? I've got mine on full dark and fast.

I feel no discomfort, but don't want to mess with my eyes for any amount of money.

Thanks,
Joel

 

[Tom_Veatch]

...How would I know if there was a lack of darkness? I've got mine on full dark and fast....

I don't think it has anything to do with amount of visible light transmitted or blocked by the various darkness settings. As I understand it, the damage is primarily caused by the UV/IR component of the welding arc light and the darkness control doesn't affect that. Adjust the darkness control to allow you to read the puddle comfortably. If your eyes burn with that setting, the glass isn't blocking the UV/IR effectively.

I'd be very happy to be corrected, if I'm wrong in that understanding.

Edit: Part of the reasoning behind my understanding is contained in this quote from the "Airgas" webside:

Note: As long as you are wearing your helmet with auto-darkening filter you are protected from UV/IR (ultraviolet/infrared) rays in the dark and light state and every shade in between.

 

[flusher]

I don't think it has anything to do with amount of visible light transmitted or blocked by the various darkness settings. As I understand it, the damage is primarily caused by the UV component of the welding arc light and the darkness control doesn't affect that. Adjust the darkness control to allow you to read the puddle comfortably. If your eyes burn with that setting, the glass isn't blocking the UV effectively.

I'd be very happy to be corrected, if I'm wrong in that understanding.

There should be no UV coming through the glass in the helmet regardless of the darkness control setting, which is there to control the amount of visible light that's transmitted to your eyes. And the UV hitting you in the chest should be absorbed by your welding jacket.

I'd check for scattered UV off whatever jacket you're wearing that's getting inside your helmet. You may have something reflective like metal buttons that are scattering UV into your eyes.

I have one of those HF auto darkening helmets. Works fine. Never had any eye discomfort. I wear a blue colored welding jacket and wear my work glasses with polycarbonate lenses under the helmet when I weld.

And I've had welder's eyes before (sand in the eye feeling) when gas welding with a badly fitting pair of welding goggles.

 

[BrentD]

Another common entry point for UV/IR is from behind the helmet. Some people will make a leather flap that rivets to the top edge of the helmet, flips down over the back of your head, and overlaps the sides of the helmet to keep the light from getting in back there.

I was working on a project one time where I had to spend long hours in a building working on some electronic components of the project while another person was welding some framework, and even though there were commercial UV shields set up all around the welding area and I was facing the other direction I still had the "sand" feeling to my eyes for a couple of days.

And I remember another occasion where I went with some friends to South Padre Island one summer... One of the girls had really fair skin so she wouldn't go out in the sun at all. One day, we convinced her to come down to the beach with us and sit under a really thick umbrella on the beach while the rest of us were in the water. We were there for about an hour and she was completely in the shade of the umbrella the whole time sitting in a plastic lounge chair. When she got out of the chair all of the exposed skin on her back and the backs of her arms was beet red. She got a really nasty sunburn just from the sunlight reflecting off the sand.

 

[Big Bri]

I too had an HF auto helmet. . . and i burnt my eyes after welding some aluminum for a couple of hrs. I now only use fix lens helmets. to tell you the troth i now never buy any cheep (HF. or any other brand) safety equipment.
I don't buy cheep safety glasses, welding helmets, gloves, chains, tires, or anything that could put myself or someone else in harm. For whats its worth i don't understand how we can spend big bucks on equipment ie welders tractors and our other toys and then cheep out on the accessories.

 

[Willl]

Thanks Scotty, I could use a new one.

 

[have_blue]

I really like mine. Fits and works great. Not as lightweight as the expensive ones, but it's very rugged. I'm sure the glass has been tested by ASTM or equivalent body for protection. I wouldn't be surprised if "USA brands" use the same glass, or are made in the same factory as the HF helmet.

About "welder's eyes".

If you're welding a few minutes, no problem. If you will be welding for hours, be careful with reflected light. When welding for hours, it doesn't take much light reflecting off a jacket, zippers, buttons, or something behind you to give your eyes a high dose of UV.

The best solution? A $10 pair of wrap-around UV safety glasses worn under the helmet. They're also great for grinding, hammering, and abrasive sawing.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I have alway heard that all of the auto darkening helments come from the same plant in China and are more or less the same.

 

[Sunkistdds]

I have alway heard that all of the auto darkening helments come from the same plant in China and are more or less the same.

Exactly. HF just takes overruns from plants, same lines. I do some wood working and I have a 4" HF port sander. It IS a Makita... exactly the same cept the difference is 79 v 239. For the same tool. I also have a MIlwaukee (from my days of buying the 'best') hole hawg drill and I paid 300 for that years ago. HF sells the same with orange plastic for 100.

MY HF helmet is great, better than my Lincoln. There is no problem with using it for some heavy welding. You do need to take some breaks and the poeple talking about reflecting UV are correct. Eye damage here comes from leaks.

 

[Scooby074]

I have alway heard that all of the auto darkening helments come from the same plant in China and are more or less the same.

Not mine. Miller BWE's are made in Korea. The HF stuff is Chicom though.

 

[bobodu]

Not mine. Miller BWE's are made in Korea. The HF stuff is Chicom though.

I'm sure glad to know that the Koreans wouldn't use Chinese parts.....just like Harley won't use Japanese front ends.

 

[Scotty370]

My apologies to the group! I just went to HF to pick up that Helmet. The flyer distributed in the store, is exactly like the one mailed to me except the pricing! That helmet is $38.99(MF-my flyer), $49.99(SF-Store flyer). It's the outside 'jacket-sheet' that has the same-items, different prices! Some are quite a difference. IE 10" tile saw MF$189.99 SF$229.99, 10" miter saw MF$89.99 SF 109.99 etc. Sorry, guess it's worth it to sign up, love'em, or hate'em. ~Scotty

 

[Scooby074]

I'm sure glad to know that the Koreans wouldn't use Chinese parts.....just like Harley won't use Japanese front ends.

Shhhh... Nobody supposed to know about the harleys

My understanding is that the plant that manufacturers the LCD's is in South Korea. The LCD in my helmet is stamped Made In Korea.Is there a chinese capacitor or 2 in there, probably, but what can you do?

For what its worth, another good brand,Optrels are made in Switzerland

Id rather buy an American brand and unknowingly support the chinese through the south koreans, than directly support the chinese by buying harbour freight.

 

[have_blue]

Id rather buy an American brand and unknowingly support the chinese through the south koreans, than directly support the chinese by buying harbour freight.

Sounds funny, but makes a lot of sense.

In 5 years, we won't have to worry. China's Capitalism is becoming so strong they will repudiate Communism without a shot being fired.

 

[RobertBrown]

That helmet is $38.99

That's about what I paid for my helmet and it's not auto anything. It's a hobart and i got it at Tractor supply. My eyes don't burn.....