I am a hobby welder at best. In a previous life I used a Harbor Freight auto dim and it served me well. Is that still a good alternative? Are the name brand more expensive helmets really worth the expense?
I haven't used them all but I really like my Lincoln Viking 3350 and I enjoy having working eyes so I try not to put them at risk
TNHEADDUCK
TJ Enthusiast
I use a ARC ONE Hawk series helmet, its a light weight no frills helmet that just plain gets the job done. I put a cheater lens in it and weld on, I have been using these helmets for over 20 years.
I bought quite a few cheap helmets from Amazon and I could never really see (I could see the puddle but not where I was going). The harbor freight was actually better than any other cheapy on Amazon. I then bought the Viking and I will never go back, it is so nice to be able to see. My 18yo son says he doesn't have the same problem with the cheap helmets, so it may just be my eyes.
I bought a Kobalt auto darkening one from Lowes maybe 5 years ago for a fairly cheap price, somewhere in the $100-200 range. It worked fine when I was using it a few time a week. I was using it mostly for TIG at the time, and many of the cheaper helmets didn't like to work with TIG for some reason. It sat on a shelf for a year and quit working. I wouldn't buy another one.
WV Native
Member
I’ve got the same helmet and like it for my table top welding jobs. I’d recommend it.
I used the $40 HF one for a while but the window was just too small. I went to this and I like it a lot better.
Hobart 770890 Auto-Darkening... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MKRYWMD/?tag=wranglerorg-20
can't speak to HFs higher level options. But I suspect that beyond its reliability to auto darken, having a clean, scratch free and reasonably sized viewing area are more important than the brand name.
Hobart 770890 Auto-Darkening... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MKRYWMD/?tag=wranglerorg-20
can't speak to HFs higher level options. But I suspect that beyond its reliability to auto darken, having a clean, scratch free and reasonably sized viewing area are more important than the brand name.
Get the biggest viewing area you can. A 220 dollar investment in a good lid will improve your welds dramatically
TNHEADDUCK
TJ Enthusiast
I never really bought in to the big lenses craze when it came out in the 80s, the area you should be looking at is no larger than a quarter. But then again I was slow to change over to the auto dimming lenses hoods and still weld with my old fixed small lenses Lincoln hood from time to time especially when I am stick welding JMO.
You may only look at a small area but dependent on position that area may move a bit.
I still remember my dad with one of those "helmets" that you hold with one hand and a welding rod in the other lol
TNHEADDUCK
TJ Enthusiast
And 1.5 magnifying lens for the inside ( or at least that’s what I need)
I've used other helmets and they were pretty good. I like the Lincoln 3350 for low amp tig. It has better visibility at low amps. If you are in the market for a budget helmet, I'd try the HF.
I had a HF helmet for a day. It kept "flashing" me so I returned it and bought a used Miller on marketplace. Functionally they're the same, except for the flashing.
What goes bad on welding helmets? Seems like used is a good way to save some $$ especially for those of us that don't weld very often.
Edit: there are a couple 3350s on MP for $150-$200 right now
What goes bad on welding helmets? Seems like used is a good way to save some $$ especially for those of us that don't weld very often.
Edit: there are a couple 3350s on MP for $150-$200 right now
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I still have one. It's actually handy for some tight areas where even though you can get your head in position you can't flip your helmet up or down. I'm sure others have used the old helmets where just the lens flips up an down. I haven't had one of those for decades ... and that doesn't bother me one bit.
As a hobbyist I have a lot of things working against me when it comes to being a decent welder, including poor workspace lighting, relatively little time under the hood, iffy power supply, etc., and the list used to include a cheap welding helmet. After going through a couple cheap helmets I bought the Lincoln 3350 and love it because the visibility is just so much better and I can adjust it in variable conditions. My theory is that beginning and hobby welders buy inferior equipment and then it just takes longer to get good at it, if you ever do. I can see what I am doing now so much better now, especially when my head is shoved up under the Jeep trying to weld on a bracket or tack something like the exhaust together.