[AT] TIG welding--a little OT

[Greg Hass]

I have owned a self-darkening helmet for over 10 years.  At that time I 
paid $350 for it.  It is a solar-powered helmet made in Switzerland.  I 
really like it, however the adjustable lens only goes down to a #10, which 
is really too dark for a wire welder in poor light (especially if the lens 
is a little smoked up).  My brother bought a new one last year for 
approximately the same price, but it has several added features.  These 
include the ability to lighten the lens down to a #5, and it has a grinding 
mode which goes down to about the darkness of sunglasses.  It also has a 
setting so that the brightness of grinder sparks will not cause it to 
darken.  It has the new rounded lens, which (according to our welding 
supplier) will deflect the smoke better without clouding up the lenses.  I 
cannot justify the cost on a strictly economic basis, however tools are my 
hobby and I like to have nice ones to work with.  I can buy quite a few 
tools for the price of a snowmobile, a jet-ski, or even a good set of golf 
clubs.

PS - Before my brother had purchased the $350 helmet, he had gotten one 
from Tractor Supply, but returned it after having used it for only one 
minute because he determined the lense was too dark for him to see 
adequately.  He is a tool and die welder in a local factory so he knew 
immediately that te $100 helmet from TS did not meet his needs.

Greg Hass
Bad Axe, MI