Budget helmet for very occasional use

[Astramender]

I have a draper helmet which does not auto darken. I need to weld maybe once or twice a year to patch a mower deck, a cement mixer or a plate for an MOT. I am an absolute novice, I have a Mighty Mig 150 with gasless wire. It is not a hobby, I would rather be fishing! I am just fed up with being let down. Can anybody recommend a very reasonably priced auto darkening helmet.

 

[Trevorleach]

If you were happy with the draper just buy another, they are cheap for a reason.

I have a Lidl cheapie I use a few times a week at work, seems okay.

 

[tom2207]

go fishing and bung your mate a few beers and get him to weld it

thats what my mates all seem to do [ and I dont drink beer }
welcome to the forum though.

 

[Astramender]

go fishing and bung your mate a few beers and get him to weld it

thats what my mates all seem to do [ and I dont drink beer }
welcome to the forum though.

Thanks Tom. I have asked 5 people locally and been let down My mate who is a welder had a car accident and is pretty immobile now. He can't do car welding any more. I can do most things so I may as well learn.

 

[Astramender]

https://www.toolstation.com/sip-meteor-electronic-welding-headshield/p46898 Any thoughts on this?

 

[northwest]

Thanks Tom. I have asked 5 people locally and been let down My mate who is a welder had a car accident and is pretty immobile now. He can't do car welding any more. I can do most things so I may as well learn.

Oh boy another un-suspecting innocent sucked into the vortex known as the Mig Welding Forum, only to emerge triumphant in six weeks time with a fully kitted out workshop, Mig Tig and Arc welders and half a dozen angle grinders!

Get stuck in it's not nearly half a hard as it looks, you are two thirds there anyhow, you actually have a welder. If you want the buy once, cry once scenario you could do much worse than a cheapie from our forum sponsor, at least you will get real support if it goes wonky, it won't. Myself I would buy an ESAB Savage, less than 100 quid and professional quality.

 

[Barking Mat]

The Lidl ones for 20 odd quid are quite acceptable, in my opinion.

 

[Shedendman]

The Lidl ones for 20 odd quid are quite acceptable, in my opinion.

They are indeed,and if it fails after a certain time within warranty you send it back for another,cost effective i'd say

 

[redlig]

I have a draper helmet which does not auto darken. I need to weld maybe once or twice a year to patch a mower deck, a cement mixer or a plate for an MOT. I am an absolute novice, I have a Mighty Mig 150 with gasless wire. It is not a hobby, I would rather be fishing! I am just fed up with being let down. Can anybody recommend a very reasonably priced auto darkening helmet.

Check out the prices and dimensions of auto darkening replacement units . My spare helmet was refitted for about£15.0 works well.

 

[charlysays]

I have a draper helmet which does not auto darken. I need to weld maybe once or twice a year to patch a mower deck, a cement mixer or a plate for an MOT. I am an absolute novice, I have a Mighty Mig 150 with gasless wire. It is not a hobby, I would rather be fishing! I am just fed up with being let down. Can anybody recommend a very reasonably priced auto darkening helmet.

This has been decent.
Leave it in the sun now and again to recharge the battery.
If buying cheap, avoid ones with coin batteries (this one has a rechargeable internal battery). I had two coin battery ones and they both broke for no apparent reason and replacing the batteries didn't fix it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LESOELIL-Electrical-Welding-Automatic-Grinding/dp/B012V719CM?pd_rd_w=aUqJ5&content-id=amzn1.sym.66d7527c-6da1-488a-a4ec-7fb13777a972&pf_rd_p=66d7527c-6da1-488a-a4ec-7fb13777a972&pf_rd_r=XHXRG1TWG0AY2KP390B1&pd_rd_wg=IpCjN&pd_rd_r=cf7e7fe3-bd86-43f6-b416-8ca830678071&pd_rd_i=B012V719CM&psc=1&ref_=pd_basp_bia_rpt_ba_s_1_sc

 

[Shedendman]

Leave it in the sun now and again to recharge the battery.

Here's where i start a bit of myth busting,that not quite true,some do some dont,depends on what batteries are fitted.i guess this is where the debates/disagreements start

 

[Kram]

Search amazon for a true colour welding helmet. 5 mins of looking will get a good one for £30-40.

 

[RonMig]

I got my first welder 10 years ago, with a Parweld helmet which cost around £25 at the time, occasional user too, only on my second outer screen, still original battery (never looked to see if it's replaceable) still works perfect for me.

 

[charlysays]

Here's where i start a bit of myth busting,that not quite true,some do some dont,depends on what batteries are fitted.i guess this is where the debates/disagreements start

You're right, just checked the listing! Ah well, it seems to work well for the price. There seems to a couple of types of chinese generic autodarkening unit fitted to various styles of helmets, one with removable batteries, the other with sealed batteries and ironically in my experience the sealed battery type last years with the ones with replaceable batteries going wrong fairly quick

 

[Richiew]

I've been through at least four cheap masks over the years. They are a bit of a consumable really. Just get whatever takes your fancy or is convenient to buy. It won't become an heirloom.

 

[Richiew]

This was my fave helmet over the years of cheap ones. Finding Nemo, I think. Should have just hung it up and not binned it when it stopped working.