Welding helmet

bucky

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I currently have a KT auto darkening helmet and run a Hobart Ironman 230 welder. I have old eyes and need glasses to see both far and near. My problem is that I have difficulty seeing the pool and surrounding area properly when I’m welding and as a result it’s hard to keep my welds on track. Is it me or would switching to a more expensive helmet improve my ability to see a brighter view where I’m working? What is the difference between a $100 helmet and a $300 one?

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If it’s adjustable, you can adjust the amount of light, my Lincoln 2450 had dirty lenses which really made it hard, bifocals may help some also
 
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I cannot remember the make of my helmet, but it allows on inside for clip in "cheaters" to magnify. The bifocals never focused the right area. The magnifiers inside made a huge difference.
 
I usually use readers when I weld. Just trying to get the weld area itself brighter and still have UV protection. I have no issues seeing with my dark glasses when I gas weld but you do not need the same level of protection. It is like deciding on a lift I do not mind spending the money if it is going to work for me. Unfortunately none of my friends weld so I can’t test what they use. It is just frustrating when I pull out the welder. The welds are strong but not very pretty.
 
I had an older Hobart auto darkening that they discontinued the lenses and stuff for. I upgraded to the Lincoln 3350 and holy shit, it's so much nicer to use. The headgear on it is so much more comfortable. The viewing window is a lot larger compared to my old hood and it's really clear to see through, though my old hood was on the original pitted lense, so probably not the best comparison.

If you wait for black Friday, Bakersgas.com had a deal on it and mine came with a bunch of extra consumables for free
 
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I also have this and love it. But I haven't tried all the comparable ones out there, I have tried older crappier ones and it's night and day different.
Yeah I was tempted to try some of the other similar priced options like the optrel, but for the type of work most of us probably do, I don't think you can go wrong with the 3350, and it's a pretty safe bet that consumables will be available for a long time
 
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I think it likely depends on what $300 you're talking about but YES a good helmet makes a MASSIVE difference in seeing the puddle. I have a Optrel Crystal 2.0 it is literally night and day difference vs my $80 amazon helmet. It's really quite amazing. Unfortunately it's not the miracle worker in my welds but at least i can see how shitty they are. I still like to add a light for under jeep welding.
 
I have an ArcOne hood now and it works great. Always heard nothing but great things about the 3350 and it was always gonna be my next step up if/when i get to that, the larger glass would be so nice.
 
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Look into the Speedglas 9xxx series shields. You can get magnifiers that clip into most shields, but these have great viewports on the side that helped me. The lower priced speedglas models allow the magnifiers also, but no side ports.
 
Are you not wearing your reading glasses while you weld? That's what I do and it works well. I prefer them to bifocals (which I thankfully no longer need) since the entire lens on reading glasses is usable for close-up work as helps while welding.

And I found it interesting that my cheap Harbor Freight auto-darkening hood works better for me than my 5X as expensive Hobart auto-darkening hood does.
 
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I need to put a set of readers in my welding kit. I have progressive lenses that work great 99% of the time. Wife keeps stealing my readers. Before I lost my far sight I had readers stashed everywhere now I can’t find 1 pair. Costco trip for me.
I try to weld outside in the sun when conditions allow. I’m too lazy to set up a light unless doing a substantial amount of welding.
Birthday next month and that Lincoln 3350 looks like it may be a good fit with the cheater attachment.
Upgrading from a Hobart 140 to the Ironman 230 made a big difference in the quality of my welds. I took a welding class at my local community college a few years back but my eye site has gone to shit since then,

Thank you for all your input it sucks sometimes when you get old but it beats the alternative.
 
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I have enough trouble trying to get my helmet to fit right as I weld. I couldn't imagine trying to wear glasses and weld. But I have a cheater lens in my helmet.
 
I have enough trouble trying to get my helmet to fit right as I weld. I couldn't imagine trying to wear glasses and weld. But I have a cheater lens in my helmet.
Still working on my welding skills, but the cheaters just worked 'ok' for me... using readers is what made a bigger difference... cheap 3 pack for $19 on amazon. I have like half a dozen of them, one in each vehicle, a couple in the garage lol... wife laughs at me and says they are piling up.
 
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i use a Jackson at the shop. a big lens helps i hate the 2x5 crap. cheater lens is a must for us old farts.

try and position the gun and your wrist to have the nozzle just ever so slightly hide the point of arc letting you follow the illuminated path forward. it's not a big area and easy to loose if the arc is in your eye.

if the welder is set right and you can lay a straight bead. you don't need to watch it you need to watch where your goin let your pace tell you it's welding right and let your eyes find that tiny spot just ahead of that nozzle without having to see the arc.
 
Still working on my welding skills, but the cheaters just worked 'ok' for me... using readers is what made a bigger difference... cheap 3 pack for $19 on amazon. I have like half a dozen of them, one in each vehicle, a couple in the garage lol... wife laughs at me and says they are piling up.

I've not had good luck with readers but the VA does give me new glasses now and then... I'll try some out but like I said I have enough trouble so wearing glasses under my helmet just seems like more of a pain.
 
I have a Miller digital elite, I can tell a massive difference in this vs the others I’ve tried of buddy’s. It’s pricy, but the quality of life is worth it to me. Part of why I got this one was Covid supply issues, there weren’t many of the cheaper ones around - so I had an easy justification mentally.
 
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