Welding Helmets To Auto Darken or Not?
 

Hello All,

Today my very first welder arrived off the back of the courier truck. It is a multi-function MIG - TIG or MMA. The kit comes standard as a MIG. If you want the other functions you have to by their TIG or MMA kit.

I learnt how to stick weld and oxy-weld when I went to Agricultural College and undertook the "Farm Machinery" course. That was three decades ago and it is probably the last time I stick welded.

So - this comes down to the what type of "welding helmet" question. An old fashioned permanently tinted lens or the more modern Auto Darkening type?

What are the pros and cons of each type?
If you have used the Auto Darkening ones would you go back to the other type?

Kind regards
Lionel

I have used the auto darkening helmets now for 20 years, and would never go back.

I like my auto darkening lid. Much easier to see before you start and fast enough that I've never been flashed.

Some seem to be confused by ambient light (or reflected arc) from behind you to stay at full dark mode but that can be addressed by attaching a cloth (or better leather) drape to the back of the helmet to cover the gap between helmet and head at top and sides. Also, sometimes I would prefer to have a bit lighter shade available to better see the metal around the MIG arc.
Overall, I like.

Auto darkening Lionel. You won’t regret it. Also Allows you to use both hands to weld and hold things instead of flipping down a helmet.

Auto darkening. It will be like you found religion. My only issue is that if my helmet is in my unheated workshop and I use it before it warms up there is a delay in darkening and I get a little eye flash.

I have used auto darkening ones for many years and my current one has two adjustments on it, one for delay and other to adjust the darkening. I would never go back to the old type.

You will never go back
 

Hi Lionel

I went to auto darkening atleast 20 years ago, and would never go without. Just be careful not to drop your helmet they tend to be fragile I've had to replace mine. Of course while I was waiting for the new mask to come took the broken one apart and fixed it. Nice to have a second one when you are showing someone how to weld.

Like Grant suggested add a leather drape to the back to cover the back of your head and shoulders, not having light come in the back and reflect of the inside is a real advantage, particularly if you are welding outside

Now to take your welding comfort to the next level, consider taking your helmet with leather back drape to the next level with supply air. Cool air on your head, the screen doesn't fog up, no smell, no toxic vapor in the helmet. My system is home made using surplus or repurposed components. Total cost probably under $200 and that includes a grinding and sanding helmet with air supply. Little more work to add a supply air painting mask.

Cheers Phil

I'll dig out photos of how later today, the purple of the leather has faded a lot over the years, it started out a very bright purple. The last photo is of some of the other masks for the system.
Attachment 112981Attachment 112982Attachment 112983Attachment 112985
Blower is mounted up on the 2nd floor of the shop on the north side so it is pretty cool air.


Word of caution with supply air to welding mask, be sure to have a smoke detector in the shop. Once set fire to my sleeve and didn't know it until my arm started getting hot.

Hi Lionel,
Just a point about MIG welding if you are new to it, is that it does not function well outside, unless it is a very still day, as the gas shield is disturbed by any air draught.

I’ve on,y ever used the auto darkening style so I can’t compare. However I do love it for all the reasons stated above. Sometimes after sitting in the drawer for a long time there is a delay for darkening. I just know to keep my eyes closed for a second then it’s fine.

I was also given one of the older style ones but have only ever used it when someone else wanted to see some welding. I got bored one day so painted it up. My wife (gf at the time) tried it out. She’s a keeper and good sport for a laugh

Lionel, auto darkening all the way for sure, with a couple of caveats.

The old school style are good to keep as a back up. There are some jobs that it is worth having an analogue version.

Get one that has a variable shade setting and a grinding setting, that is very useful. Know what settings are for what if you dont know laminate the chart and put it on the wall. Various process types are brighter than others, like humans.

A welding helmet is PPE and very personal, I keep mine in a cloth bag and ensure it is not hung up to collect dust like many do.

Clean it regularily.

If you work outdoors and it is sunny then the sun will trip the darkening function depending on day etc. Having a leather drape as descibe by other is useful.

As per Richards comments the shielding gas gets blown away in the wind and that is why MIG is more suited to indoors.

Just a comment, one of my welding teachers always cautioned if doing repair work to understand why the part failed before welding it up to fail again for the same reason.

Welding is a skill and it needs to be practised. Soldering and brazing are also good repair and original fabrication processes and much under utilised or valued today in the instant world, consider them as they were the technology used years ago.

9/10ths of the welding success depends on knowing the best process and sequence before you start welding. Positioning and being able to rotate the assembly to your advantage aids a good outcome heavily.

Remember, welding processes from the 1940s were crude and often not acceptable by todays standards, spatter and undercut can be brutal.

Community college night school classes are well worth investing in for skills development.

Likely way more information than you wanted.

Good luck

Another option for outdoor welding is flux-core wire. Run it in your MIG with the polarity reversed and no shielding gas. Popular among hobbyist for it's budget and simplicity (no gas bottle) and farmers for being able to work on stuff out in the wind.

I'll let you do your own research on the details. But I'll just say that it looks like a big steaming pile until you hit it with a wire brush and not the slag off, then it looks like a proper weld.

YouTube is great for learning.

Matt

I have a confession. I used argon shielding gas with my MIG for years. Then I tried resin core and became the world's worse welder (sometimes approximating poor wartime welds adding authenticity but that's not the point). Once I cottoned on to the need to reverse polarity my welding is much better and I'm now a fan of resin core for most basic fabricating. A little splatter perhaps but that can be dealt with.

I have been issued with a couple of the small lincoln 140A welders over the past decade that welded like absolute crap. Same deal on both of them....they had been wired backwards.

Personally, I prefer the inert gas over the flux.I also prefer a minimum of 175Amp for the little semi-portables. My next machine though is going to be an Esab Rebel....I have heard a lot of good things about them.