Upper end of the hobbysits masks

[BrokenBiker]

Looking to upgrade my mask shortly.

I've had god knows how many cheap Chinese ebay specials, then a few cheap sealey and currently a SIP from screwfix that claims to be true colour and as much as it is much clearer to look through and no annoying green tint, it's not as true colour as it could be and welding today it just seemed darker than it usually is, even set to shade 9 it was a struggle to see anything except the arc, usually it is really clear so I assume its on its way out.

So im looking for something with a bit better quality, but still not stupidly expensive like a pro mask.

Don't care about grinding mode, never used it on the masks ive had that have it, must be adjustable shade auto dark and I'd prefer a wide viewing area.

Any suggestions? Up to say £80?

 

[RichardM]

Been happy with my Parweld one, it does have a grinding mode though. Not air fed but does have a replaceable battery.

 

[Jack Pattenden]

My deliberations have lead me to the ESAB Savage A41, £99 on weldtech.co.uk, if you can stretch to that?

 

[indykid]

My deliberations have lead me to the ESAB Savage A41, £99 on weldtech.co.uk, if you can stretch to that?

I landed on a Savage A40 in 2020 (looks like the A41 has a lot of superfluous LCD indicators and digital buttons that no doubt eat batteries) but I really rate the A40 as a hobby helmet. A big step up from the R-Tech helmet I had before in all features.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Been happy with my Parweld one, it does have a grinding mode though. Not air fed but does have a replaceable battery.

Do you know which one it is? There's a parweld on ebay for £60

 

[skotl]

RTech have a sale on currently, with two truecolours under £90

Welding Masks | RPE Welding Helmets & Goggles | R-Tech Welding

High quality auto darkening masks, helmets and goggles suitable for all welding jobs. Air-fed and light reactive welding masks, next day UK delivery

www.r-techwelding.co.uk

 

[Turbo]

According to a certain forum member these cheaper masks are all junk and you should be spending £180 on a speedglass!

 

[BrokenBiker]

budget can stretch to £120, just picked £80 as it would be twice as much as any other mask ive had really.

so far, i have in my basket, a parweld 938, a parweld 942 and a parweld 943 with a flip up type of thing for grinding, and an esab savage a41...the 938 is 60 quid, the rest are all around the £110-£120 mark...will see which gives me the typical offer in a few days from them being in the basket without being bought.

According to a certain forum member these cheaper masks are all junk and you should be spending £180 on a speedglass!

what have i missed? if i spent £180 on a mask it will have cost more than most of my welders ever have

 

[RichardM]

Do you know which one it is? There's a parweld on ebay for £60

Parweld XR938

 

[Turbo]

what have i missed? if i spent £180 on a mask it will have cost more than most of my welders ever have

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/r-tech-masks.144732/

 

[northwest]

My deliberations have lead me to the ESAB Savage A41, £99 on weldtech.co.uk, if you can stretch to that?

I have the ESAB A40 as my mask in the fab shop and the only issue I have is I have lost the grind button as the mask hit the floor. I have an Optrel Crystal as my Tig mask and although it is the clearest mask I have ever used the headgear is not as good as the ESAB Sentinel which I really, REALLY rate as a helmet. Did I mention I like ESAB masks?

 

[Turbo]

I have one of the lidl true colour masks and I am continually impressed by it.
It has a large clear viewing area and provides a decent view during welding.
It also has settings for grinding and plasma cutting. The controls are outside the mask so easy to adjust with a gloved hand.
It also has plenty of room to wear a respirator under it, another thing to think about when choosing a mask.

Whatever mask you get make sure it uses standard flat plastic protector glass.
There was another version of the lidl mask I have that used a bent wrap around clear plastic outer cover. When I looked into it you couldn't buy spare covers for it as they were unique to that mask. They will get scratched and discoloured during use so replacements are essential.

 

[BrokenBiker]

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/r-tech-masks.144732/

did he work for speedglass?

 

[BrokenBiker]

I have one of the lidl true colour masks and I am continually impressed by it.
It has a large clear viewing area and provides a decent view during welding.
It also has settings for grinding and plasma cutting. The controls are outside the mask so easy to adjust with a gloved hand.
It also has plenty of room to wear a respirator under it, another thing to think about when choosing a mask.

Whatever mask you get make sure it uses standard flat plastic protector glass.
There was another version of the lidl mask I have that used a bent wrap around clear plastic outer cover. When I looked into it you couldn't buy spare covers for it as they were unique to that mask. They will get scratched and discoloured during use so replacements are essential.

hadnt thought about the flat protector glass...that has norrowed it down a bit...the mask i have now is curved, but protectors are readily available...at the moment...flat seems a better choice though

 

[BrokenBiker]

right...its between the parweld 942, or the esab savage a41...both around the same price, both do the same things...see which one offers me a deal on ebay first

 

[trigger3]

According to a certain forum member these cheaper masks are all junk and you should be spending £180 on a speedglass!

they are all junk. op by his own words said he went through several china crap cheap helmets. now he wants to buy another ? that strategy makes zero effing sense what so ever. obviously he doesnt learn his lesson. should of bought a speedglas in the begining

 

[trigger3]

if you guys were smart you would listen to the people that use welding equipment every day. theres a good reason i only use speedglass stuff. i dont have time to mess around with cheap crap that doesnt hold up. $180 seems like a bargain for a mask that lasts 10yrs.

 

[Keithmac]

I bought my Speedglass over 20 years ago now (probably 25), and it's still going strong.

It was a lot of money even back then but it's more than paid for itself over the years.