welding helmet?

[harvey2011]

hi all this is my first post ive recently got my self a maypole 190 turbo mig with the idea i can teach my self how to mig weld and then set to doing a few repairs on my land rover discovery

i have a few questions if any1 could help
1st .
does anyone have any advice on a helmet as i don't have one i am thinking of an auto darkening one but thers loads on ebay and i don't know what ones are any good .

can anyone recommend any for me i am looking to pay around £25

2nd.
at the end of my handle / gun were the tip is in the shroud the brass looking tip is not in the Centre its as if it is bent can this be fixed ???

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome to the forum.

My helmet was about £25 from ebay and works great, think they are all about the same, Chinese made...just check the feedback and you should be fine, they are obviously not a professional helemt but are fine for a hobby welder.

On a lot of MIGs the shroud is just a snug push fit and can be wiggled about to put the tip in the centre.

 

[vuego100]

I had a cheapy one and when I didn't use it for a while the batteries packed in and it stopped working, so for hobby use like me I recommend not putting it away in the dark when not in use but keeping the solar cell charging up the batteries.

should last you a while then.

I keep reading all sorts of ideas about the shroud, it should be flush with the contact tip, it should be set back from the contact tip, it should be forward...etc.etc. tried them all and it didn't seem to make a difference my welds are still crap.

 

[Oldbanger]

I recently bought a clarke auto dim helmet , paid £60 for it and tbh Ive seen the cheap chinese ones and they seem to have more features. Id try and get one that is both battery and solar powered , heres a link : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WELDING-HELMET-AUTO-DARKENING-NEW-/190583633220?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c5fab7544

 

[Blurk99]

i got a parweld helmet from t'ebay, cost me about £40 a few years back? i'm unsure what the difference is with all the 'no-name' gear, they all seem to be clones of eachother

jim

 

[weldequip]

i'm unsure what the difference is with all the 'no-name' gear

After sales back-up? Oh, and a guarantee that it conforms to safety standards if you buy from a reputable company (as you did). "CE Marked" doesn't mean it is...you can print a sheet off from t'internet & stick em on a batch of ell cheapo helmets brought in through the back door! Full of em on aution sites. Where do you think those companies will be when there's a loss of sight claim for a few hundred grand?!

 

[mike os]

personally I would go for one of these

http://www.weldequip.com/swp-welding-helmet.htm

 

[weldequip]

Have you got one then Mike?

 

[mike os]

Have you got one then Mike?

I have... very good value for money imo, comfortable, fast, good view & low current sensitivity. Far better than a couple of "cheap 'bay" masks I have had in the past

If I welded full time I might want something better but for occasional use it is good, even for a couple of days full time

 

[Windy Miller]

I have... very good value for money imo, comfortable, fast, good view & low current sensitivity. Far better than a couple of "cheap 'bay" masks I have had in the past

If I welded full time I might want something better but for occasional use it is good, even for a couple of days full time

^^ What he said - had mine for over a year now, and I'm happy with it. If I'm being fussy, I could say that it's not the most comfy thing in the world, but it's nothing that a bit of extra padding won't sort out!

All in all it's a good bit of kit.

 

[kelsham]

I bought a cheap helmet and it seemed to work well. In its second year the battery failed, probably because I left it in the garage through the freezing winter.
I broke it open and bodged a new battery into place with flying leads. It worked for a while but became erratic.

I bought a Draper helmet with replaceable battery. It is one hundred percent better than the cheapy. I can see the weld more clearly.

Makes me wonder what an expensive helmet would be like.

It seems sensible to be able to replace the battery, you might like to consider the above before purchasing.

Regards Kels.

 

[pedrobedro]

I was looking at expensive helmets but I bought the SWP from weldequip and it has worked perfectly right down to 10 amps when tig welding.

 

[mike os]

I have used speedglass helmets in a couple of places... nice kit, but I cannot justify the cost for what I do