I saw a bunch on Ebay for $25 buy it now. I was thinking I don't want to trust my eyes to that. I'm wondering if anyone has one of those.

I was leaning toward getting one more like around the $50 range off Ebay - many many options in that price range and the lens looks to be larger and of higher quality.

I have done a tiny amount of welding in the past, but I'm getting a MIG welder for Xmas, and need to get a helmet to use it.

if it were me.. i wouldn't trust it. even for 50. my neighbor insisted i try his autodarkening helmet from harbor freight and they are around 50. in about 3 minutes i could feel the flashburn on my eyeballs. the lenses on those cheap autodarkening helmets just aren't dark enough. i would spend the extra cash and get one that has shade control so you can adjust it to your welding conditions.

ive tried 2 of the cheaper auto darkening helmets (one was like 50 and the other around 75 i think, and both sucked ass, i then bought a 3m speedglas helmet and loved it untill i ran over it with a tractor :mad3: now i use a miller big window elite and love it. the speedglas and miller have had/have never failed me, but they were a little pricy.

x2 on the miller elite. Get a big window helmet.

You get what you pay for. Picked up one just to have as an extra/backup and that's exactly what it is-no way I'll use it on a daily basis. Out of all the AD hoods I've tried , Hobart,Speedglass,Miller...I like the new Jackson big window the most. Never get flashed and has tri-mode which is very handy for plasma cutting.

Oh and on a lot of those cheaper ebay helmets, some have really oddball size covers which you just end up having to modifying something else to fit. PITA

Easy question - how much are your eyes worth to ya?

Man those helmets have come a long way in the past few years. I spent around 175 for a killer deal on mine about 8 years ago. I got it from HTP, but I think it is the same as the old Jacksons. I borrowed a brand new one a few months ago and can't believe how much better I can see through it than in mine in both the regular and dark modes. Im saving my pennies for a brand new speedglass.

The new one I got from Snap-On is great, but alttle high, like $450.00:shaking: But anything goes wrong with it and they replace it for free.

I have one of the cheap ones, it's pretty nice for quick stuff. I didn't feel any flash when welding all day. But the dimming broke within the first 2 hours, so now it's just dark, haha. But it works.

I got a cheap one from Northern Tool (manager threw it in for free); Its a 'Weld It' fixed shade, made by Hobart. Ive only got a few hours on it but I definitely like it. No problems with my eyes so far. Only problem Ive had is welding outside, it will darken sometimes without striking an arc...like if sunlight reflects off something shiny like chrome; not to big a deal.

That said, whenever I could afford it, I would probly buy a more exspensive AD helmet with more features like adjustable shading, battery, bigger window, ect...

I picked up a Speedglas Utility helm with my 175 and in the bit of welding of welding Ive done on 2 projects and plenty of practice before and inbetween Ive grown to really like the thing.

Ive only been flashed when I accidentally covered the sensor with the exhaust pipe while working under the truck. Let me just say that flashburn on the eye's is one of the more irratating, performance reducing injuries Ive ever had. It made me really, really appreciate the use of my eye's and they only burned and were hazy from weeping for like 2 days.

well i got one of those.. and worked good.. and it got a lot of welding done for me.. lasted about 6 months.. of hard welding.. would have lasted longer if i took better care of it..

but i used a high end miller helmet.. and there is no comparision.. wow.. really nice.. but for the money.. i got my bucks worth out of that helmet.. and never had a problem with it... my eyes are still 20/15.. i am now using a non auto dark.. but thats just what i had left over.. still can't afford a really nice one...
but if you have the cash.. then get it.. i have only used the high end millers.. and they are awesome... if not.. and you do just some weekend projects.. you will get your monies worth out of that ebay helmet.. i did..

I used a HF/cheapie one for a while but I was tired of it staying dark if I didnt leave it in the sun(solar batteries or some shit). So I stepped up and bought a Miller big window, it was great compared to the other POS one. I used it for school and work and home use. I bought a Jackson 2x4 ADF one for work and I love it more than my big window. When it comes down to it, I like the Jackson better. Once the big window darkens you dont see everything in the view area unless you have it on 9 and are using a LOT of amps. I think the Jackson was 160 or so retail but I got mine for 140 through work. If I had to do it again I would get the one with the flip up lense since we are required(thank you OSHA) to use faceshields when grinding. Swapping hoods is a PITA sometimes.

if you want to save money get a standard hood, a nice one is not that expensive then.

I don't weld for a living, just my own junk, so the HF auto works fine for me.

OK everyone,one question,, na maybe two, 1 how much are your eyes worth? 2 If the lens do not protect your eyes or the helmet breaks can you get your eyes replaced???

You get what you pay for, I weld the wife welds on our trikes, I would not let her weld without a good helmet, and she has a smaller head than I do so it was time for a new MM auot now we have two, at a little over $400.00 each, hell guy's you can't even get a good set of specticals for that!!!

I buy at Harbor Freight, but watch what I buy, no welding helmets..

Mike

I bought a HF helmet to try a couple years ago.
It's always worked 100% for me since then, no flashburn, even when welding all day.

I recognize that I'm a little older than most of the folks around here and have had my share of flashes and sun(welder)burns. I've had chuinks of metal cut out of my eye under emergency eye surgery and I was wearing safety glasses.

I'll stick with my old-school helmet and practice "The nod". For a fraction of the cost of the cheapest AD helmet, I can get a nice old-school helmet and never worry about batteries, switch settings, etc.

If I drive over it again, I can go to just about anywhere and get another one for cheap and be confident I'm protecting my eyes.

PT