Do I need a specialist TIG helmet?

[dubber91]

ive just bought a tig unit, which i'll mainly be using for 2mm ish steel. Ive been told i may need a helmet with greater range than the typical 9-13 of mig helmets. do i really or is it simply someone else trying to make more money off me?

regards

steve

 

[Hitch]

Depends on your eyesight and personal preference.
A shade 9 should be fine.

 

[dubber91]

sweet! my eyesight is 20-20.

anything to look out for?

steve

 

[Paul.]

One of the problems with some auto helmets, and Tig is that they don't work well at low amps on DC, I've had expensive ones that flash on and off at less than 40 amps or so, and cheap ones that are fine all through the range, I'm currently using a a Parweld XR915H, for tig and its been fine, look for something with adjustable sensitivity and delay functions, not all helmets have both,

 

[hotrodder]

'Sensitivity' can be an issue with some masks, read the small print about the masks you're looking at carfully- some are only rated for TIG above 50A, many above 20A. Sensor sensitivity is completely independant of shade

 

[Angusdog]

I've found some issues with my cheap-ish helmet on AC (slow to react or not reacting at all), which is tiresome, but my friend's one (similar price) has no problems at all. It can be the luck of the draw somewhat, unless you buy a brand name item from a walk-in store. My wallet didn't stretch that far but I'm fairly happy with it as I don't to much AC work.

 

[asmeix6g]

stick to a normal flip down welding screen. you can just change the lense as and when you need it. its the most simple way. why mess about with reactorlight screens?

 

[Angusdog]

Nah, auto helmets rock. The new technology is science finally paying off for the common man Your hands move slightly when you flip a helmet down with your head, it's hard to stop start and auto helmets are adjustable for sensitivity and shade.

 

[asmeix6g]

trust me from a pipe welder with multi codes and experience in most aspects of welding. coded in TIG MIG MMA and FCAW. also ive never seen any proper welders on any job with auto helmets. you will find especially with TIG they dont work as you wont have enough light hit the sensors. think about it when your tig welding pipe your looking through a 3mm gap there aint enough light.
not a problem with a flip down!

 

[Angusdog]

Sorry, that's a completely different kettle of fish. I have massive respect for professional welders and understand where you're coming from. But for hobby welders, auto helmets instantly take your abilities up a notch. Steady hands, concentrating on the weld and when MIG welding, you don't have to guess where the start of the bead will end up.

 

[asmeix6g]

to be totally honest with you, i have always found it best when starting out for mma and mig to use a hand held screen and a flip down only for tig. you learn to be very steady welding with one hand if you use a hand held. but it depends what level of welding you want to get to. i wanted to get to the highest standards and was made to learn with a handheld. i cant stress enough how good this is when learning!

 

[runnach]

you will find especially with TIG they dont work as you wont have enough light hit the sensors. think about it when your tig welding pipe your looking through a 3mm gap there aint enough light.

Utter piffle, never read so much nonsense, from thin wall S/S pipe to 2" carbon TIG all the way, using my trusty Lincoln Electric Trackside auto bucket. Angus, I know many pro's who use auto buckets, they will also have their trusty flip up or whatever, just in case battery or solar panel failure as a standby!

Cheers.

 

[malcolm]

I can see how a hand held helmet would help with developing torch control.

But I'm with Angusdog on this one. Many viewers of the forum won't be starting off with the best welders. Some could be starting out and laying their first bead. Many won't have one to one instruction either. An autodarkening lid that sits on your head allowing two hands for torch control will be a useful aid for all but the most determined.

Some DIYers might not even want to reach professional standard. Some might even prep their grooves a little wider throwing consumable wastage out of the window.

Helmets are an easy difficulty to take out of the equation. Next easy (or cheap at least) might be decent consumables, and next a decent welder. Next a load of practice and experience. After all that is the time for party tricks with hand held fixed shade helmets.

 

[asmeix6g]

ahh i see where your coming from but what i mean is, if your starting out and want to be a good welder your better off starting with a hand held screen, you learn a bit slower than someone with an auto helmet with two hands on the torch/tongs but you learn to be very steady and stable. this is essensial to be a top welder and also when you get to high level welding you often need your other hand to hang onto something while you work. i highly recommend a hand held if you want to be really good at welding.

 

[malcolm]

I disagree, but probably a lot of it would be teaching methods. If the student is on hand to advise I would try to get them up to speed on the actual techniques before introducing further difficulties.

If the student is not on hand (often the case when talking via websites like this one), and when the students is buying their own kit from eBay based on price rather than following the course guide, then my theory is everything else should be made as easy as possible. Take as many variables out as possible. Half will give up, but half of the other half might get interested enough to develop.

I wouldn't want to take threequarters out instead of half at the first step - there might be some good ones in there.

 

[eil]

Why would you want to make something harder to learn as well as making you`r progress slower, you've got me there.

 

[runnach]

I disagree, but probably a lot of it would be teaching methods. If the student is on hand to advise I would try to get them up to speed on the actual techniques before introducing further difficulties.

My new learners are kicked off using bog standard fix lens lids, some take to co-ordinating arc up movements ect with relative ease, others can and do struggle. When this occurs, I advise them to ask their employer to supply them with auto lid, or they can purchase from weldequipe. As above, one hurdle eliminated, learner can get down to main ingredients of producing quality welds, learning m/c adjustments ect. Then if they wish they have access to hand held lids to play around with and, show off their new welding skills.

 

[busa]

Hand held screens do have their use, try spending a whole day burning box after box of 6mm iron powders on the flat, outside in the hot sun, sat on top of a large plate which is acting like a griddle trying to roast you alive, the last thing you would want to wear in those sort of temperatures is a full face screen!.........other than that I can't stand them! As far as auto screens go, I don't use them, I have tried a couple but always went back to a standard helmet. I find with auto screens that there is nothing standard, ie replacement lenses are manufacturer specific, not interchangeable and usually cost an arm and a leg. On standard screens there are industry standard lens sizes and they are as cheap as chips.

 

[asmeix6g]

Why would you want to make something harder to learn as well as making you`r progress slower, you've got me there.

I learnt with the handheld because it meant i couldnt pick up back habits like having two hands on the torch/tongs and its worked because when you get to higher level welding you need to be steady with one hand 90% of the time you cant be there with two hands on the tongs. you need to be steady with one hand and its the best way to learn.
granted its harder starting out for a novice but if you learn that way you WILL be a better welder when you learn to do it that way. believe me.
its not about making it harder for novices, its about learning good techniques and rod/torch control.

 

[runnach]

Niner, individuals learn in different ways, so the man/woman at the chalk face has to have the skills to allows these individuals to find their own way, you have learners who may reflect back on what they have just achieved using such and such a method, or type of equipment, if an individual is so keen, then he/she will go far, irrelevant of what type of lid they use. Seriously, this going on about learning with a hand held will make you the mutts nutz is ****** to be honest!

Cheers...........