MrElectric03

iTrader: (71)

Thanks for the input guys. My snap on dealer finally got me most of my money back so I can order one. I think ill be going with a miller elite.

Silverback

I like my miller elite, when it works. Like someone else said, when I'm doing something complicated it has a tendency to shut off too soon, and worse for me, it seems to kill batteries. I seem to go through batteries at least once a year and they're not cheap.

I also have one of the cheap HF ones that everyone raves about, it's good for most people but I've found that for whatever reason I can see the flash before it darkens (my brother can't, so it's not something with the helmet). For a while I got used to shutting my eyes for a split second when I start the arc but that got annoying.

Honestly if I'm just reaching for something I'm surprised how often I end up with my old school, large port cheepo single shade CH flip down. I haven't replaced the batteries in my Miller for close to a month now and just used this thing instead.

I just got one of the accustrike helmets,
http://www.accustrike.com/
but haven't played with it enough to tell if I'll like it. It has some nice headgear in it, but is not as nicely constructed as my miller. I've found that just sitting around and playing with it I'm not sure that the chin thing is as convenient as it could be... I'll see if I get used to it. I did upgrade it with one of the gold #10 lenses and I will tell you that that's the clearest lens I've looked through so far.

xfactor_pitbulls

iTrader: (16)

I have the original 9000 series and hate it to this day because of the horrible head gear. Always like the lens though. When the new head gear came out I demo one, and loved it right away. The 9100x is my dedicated TIG helmet. For mig and sick work, my whole shop uses a base Jackson hood with drop in solara lens. 9 or 10 shade. For roughly $125 it is a very durable setup that last quite a while. I wouldnt use a $300+ helmet for mig or stick work. Dont really need it, and the wear and tear is more than needed.

jetsbaby

X2!! I am a TIG welder for a living and this helmet is the great..Alot of the old school welders that I work with have speedglas helmets that are 20 plus years old and they function like new..

bqueenielouisa

I have used quite a few different helmets and so far miller elite has been the best. It has the large foam pad on the back of the headband which makes it extremely comfortable.Plus, a large overview is good for auto darkening helmet.

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auto darkening welding helmets

pearsonmx6

I love my miller and if it ever needs replaced it will be with the same thing

BADD SS

iTrader: (4)

Ive Got 3 Miller digital elite's in my shop, wont use anything but.... I ran 1 for 10'hrs straight once, mig welding a 3/8" thick 316 stainless tank.... I weighed a couple pounds less when done from water loss I would imagine, ate 5 contact tips, 2 sets of gloves and the helmet kept on chugging..... Ahhh the importance of deadlines....

Metallifan

Why spend $300+ on a hood?... Complete waste of money in my eyes. I use a $30 Miller MP-10 with a $10 Gold lens and the $20 headgear used on the Miller Titanium series helmets that swaps right over. It's amazingly comfortable and has a huge viewing area (standard lens). It weighs literally 1 pound. I find it funny how I weld just as good/better and just as fast/faster as someone with decades more experience and a hood that cost 10x as much. Keep your $270, and spend it on gloves/tools/jackets/boots.... Spend it if you don't want to have to bob your neck a tiny bit/be lazy.

All of our stick welders at work use standard helmets and the lazy *** MIG welders use their expensive autos. I'm the only MIG welder in the shop that uses a standard helmet.

BADD SS

iTrader: (4)

Then you don't do a ton of production. I find them best for tig welding but, still, they save a ton of time, not having to flip the helmet up down up down up down....... Same reason as why GMAW, or FCAW has surpassed SMAW in almost every aspect..... SPEED, time is money. How do you know that you weld as good or better as me or others that posted? Or faster? Purely speculation, of which, I can almost guarantee is wrong...

Mind you I am not talking hot glue gun mig weldors.....

Metallifan

Yes I do. I'm not saying I'm faster/better than you or anyone here, I'm talking about my workplace. Which is Ohio's biggest producer of oil and gas separation units, gas production units and oil and gas drips. I have proven to my coworkers time and time again that I can do the same job faster with my helmet. A head flip takes very minimal effort and time. Not having to do that is not worth $300 to me. That's all I'm saying. You can get whatever you want, and I won't tell you NOT to get it, but I will tell you my opinion on them.

uptownAce_

i weld for a living and i must admit u cant beat an auto ...period....u can get a good auto lense for abt 60 70bucks...but itll be a fixed shade....the highend autos like the miller elite and speed glass units are so expensive because of there flexibility....variable shade and varaible sensitivity is a must for me since i dont work in a fab shop or anything i work out in the refineries ...different situations require different shades and that flexibility is worth 400 bucks to me...and really come on thats what? a days worth of work?

Metallifan

All I'm saying is that, in my situation, it just isn't worth it for me. I get along just fine. I don't hate using autos, It's just an unnecessary expense for me. Especially unnecessary for someone with just a hobby shop or occasional use.

Edit: I will agree that they are a huge convenience. One of the few times I wish I had one is when I'm plasma cutting or torching parts and could easily switch to torch/grind instead of having two seperate helmets. But, again, I'm not about to spend that much for that. Also, a lot of guys here have reliability issues even with the newest Speedglas and Miller Titanium hoods. They have great warranties, though.

TrendSetter

i have had the same 3m speedglas for..... 17 years?
its awesome and i highly recommend it. you can get replacement clear lenses for inside and out. mine looks like its been through a war and it still works great.

SLOW SEDAN

iTrader: (13)

I wouldn't get the super cheapy HF unit, it'll work but this one is a lot nicer for only a few dollars more (sometimes its on sale for $70-80): 9.3 sq. in. Auto Darkening Welding Helmet (harborfreight.com)

gjohnsonws6

iTrader: (12)

Optrel and speedglas are the only ones I would consider if you want to get something that will be quality and last. Another option that’s pretty popular is the Viking/Lincoln 3350 if budget is a concern. I’m still old school and use a cheap Jackson with gold lens which has been working for me since the mid 90s.