[Farmall] Auto Darkening Welding Helmets

[Mike Sloane]

I agree with Mark. I don't do much more than occasional wire welding and 
maybe a rare stick job, so having the ability to vary the darkness is 
essential. Before I got the HF auto darkening solar powered helmet, my 
welding was terrible. Now, with the new helmet, it is just mediocre. :-)

The only thing I noticed was that when I have it set on the lightest 
setting for wire welding, if I am outdoors in bright sunlight and face 
towards the sun, it goes dark before I strike the arc. So I have to work 
with my back to the sun. No big deal. As others have said, I don't know 
how I ever managed before I had it (badly). As far as the timing, all of 
the auto darkening helmets have a certified speed listed somewhere in 
the specifications.

Mike

Mark wrote:
> I have a solar powered auto dark and I wouldn't have anything else. The 
> auto dark feature, if you've never used it, makes welding much easier - 
> and more comfortable than ever before. The battery powered units have a 
> bad habit of flickering dark and light when the battery gets low - just 
> not worth it. You'll of course want to make sure the shading can be 
> adjusted to or is set at the correct level for the type of work you do 
> (and your personal preference). My helmet adjusts from 6 to 14 and that 
> makes it nice - I use it for plasma cutting, torch cutting as well as 
> welding since I can adjust it lighter when needed. I'm not sure but I'm 
> guessing the cheper units might have a slower reaction time as well. I 
> believe my helmet changes in 1/25000th of a second. If it's a slow 
> change or reaction, that can mean flashes to your eyes and fatigue over 
> time.
> 
> Just some thoughts and input.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <RogerKIWI at aol.com>
> To: <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 1:35 PM
> Subject: [Farmall] Auto Darkening Welding Helmets
> 
> 
>> Hi Guys and Guyettes
>>
>> Recent Harbor Freight catalogs have had listings for auto darkening 
>> welding
>> helmets as low as $50.
>>
>> http://order.harborfreight.com:80/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp?ts=Tue%20N 
>>
>> ov%2023%2006:13:18%20PST%202004
>>
>> shows 12 such helmets (if that doesn't work, go to harborfreight.com and
>> search for
>>
>> auto welding helmet
>>
>> in keywords.
>>
>> Does anyone have any experience with these things? Are they as good as 
>> the
>> sound like they should be?
>>
>> And pitfalls? Advantages of Solar powered ones over non solar? I"m 
>> presuming
>> they have a battery in them, and the solar powered ones get auto 
>> recharged and
>> the others need the batteries changed?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Roger
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>>
> 
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> 

-- 
Mike Sloane
Allamuchy NJ
mikesloane at verizon.net
Images: <www.fotki.com/mikesloane>

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always 
so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. -Bertrand
Russell, philosopher, mathematician, author, Nobel laureate (1872-1970)


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