Constructive Criticism Please!

[PTvor]

It's been a bit since it was discussed. Electronics gets cheaper for better functionality e.g. digital cameras and maybe the pound's stronger than a while ago.

It looks to me as if the lenses/electronic gubbins are the same in several of those models. The shells are a bit different. You could always contact the seller and ask what the difference is.

Anyway, it's a well-established fact that everyone welds better in a helmet with flames, bare ladies, skulls and lightning bolts, than in a plain black one, so it's no wonder they charge more.........................

 

[Onoff]

Anyway, it's a well-established fact that everyone welds better in a helmet with flames, bare ladies, skulls and lightning bolts, than in a plain black one, so it's no wonder they charge more.........................

Not only would the ladies have to be super fit but there'd have to be more than one, doing "things" to each other for me to stand a chance of welding better!

 

[PTvor]

There's such a thing as over-egging the pudding.

You can't weld well with your mask steaming up, your hands trembling and your whole system hyped on adrenaline.

 

[Kent]

Are you going to shine a bright light on it to illuminate the problem, or did you want to ELIMINATE it

heck both!

 

[wheresmejumper]

An auto shield is an unnecessary cost at present for someone about to buy a new welder.
the welds almost always start good for 2-3 inches,and an auto helmet is f all different once the arc is lit.worse in fact.a standard lense,or a €5 gold lense gives a much better view of the weldpool than almost any auto

 

[Bill Edwards]

To be honest, i'd sort of agree with wheresmejumper.

I like auto helmets and it's my mask of choice, but I couldn't say it's making any difference to my work.
OK, i've been welding for a lot of years rather than as a newbie, but it is true that once you have the arc going it's no different.
Much of my welding for years was with only a handheld mask.

I'd say that it's up to the OP really - they're nicer to use, but don't be disappointed when you buy one and still end up looking up after a weld for the flock of pigeons...

 

[Kent]

Jeeze so much fuss over a visor, it was quite usual to use a hand held visor for stick not that long back and most guys on the job were pretty darn decent at it. There is still much to be said for the "pipeliner" type visor as a nodding top as it gives excellent coverage from all angles, never gets its sensors tricked (coz it don't have none) and rarely does the inside light up.
Your welds wont improve with visor choice, unless you need glasses your issue isn't in the optics dept.
You know I took part in some tests of the auto darkening visor when it came to the UK and none of us wanted one for another 4 yrs or more and nobodies welds improved.
In fact I just convinced myself I need to go back to an old school one for some of my own work, as you can even drown them

 

[Onoff]

Postage will be peanuts with hermes on parcel2go... send the ****** back!

Thanks for those names. Looks like it'll be a about a tenner.

 

[PTvor]

A good quality hand held passive welding mask for a tenner plus or an auto dark for about £20-£25 off ebay, which a lot of people on here have found perfectly fine.

I know what I'd go for and it wouldn't be the hand held thing.

 

[PTvor]

Thanks for those names. Looks like it'll be a about a tenner.

Sounds like you may have found it but Myhermes have a web site

https://www.myhermes.co.uk/

You can use the website to find the nearest local agent, which might well be a convenience store.

 

[Kent]

A good quality hand held passive welding mask for a tenner plus or an auto dark for about £20-£25 off ebay, which a lot of people on here have found perfectly fine.

I know what I'd go for and it wouldn't be the hand held thing.

Depends on use some jobs you just wont get done with pretty much anything else and you can leave them outside and accidently drop them in the water, fish them out, dry them off and carry on. Try that with a £25 auto darkening not that I actually disagree with you entirely

 

[Richard.]

The only real advantage to ditching the hand held would be to allow you the use of both hands which when learning and struggling with arc length and angle of attack it will help you out to free up your second hand. As said above a fixed shade is fine. Once it's lit up you'll notice no difference to an auto shade.

 

[Richard.]

A good quality hand held passive welding mask for a tenner plus or an auto dark for about £20-£25 off ebay, which a lot of people on here have found perfectly fine.

I know what I'd go for and it wouldn't be the hand held thing.

Yeah I'm sure about that either. I have a hand shield shade 11 and it's awsome. I use it for those quick stick occasions where everything is pre tacked in position and ready to be stitched up. I use both hand and head shields as they both serve a purpose.

 

[Onoff]

Well........

The BiL had a go with it this morning. Tried my new 2.5mm rods, my old 3.2mm rods and some of his own 2mm rods. His initial comment was, "The weld starts OK............". On the deep V he confirmed what I found. Did the first bit seemingly OK but then the weld went "one sided" for some reason. He seemed to feel "the heat" tailed off. Going to package it up and send it back. Then maybe look at that inverter from weldequip, the "Parweld XTi 160 Inverter Arc Welder":

http://www.weldequip.com/parweld-xti160.htm

 

[Onoff]

All packaged up and arranged with Hermes. Just got to take to a local pick up point. Emailed the seller and explained that the "performance" tails off / is erratic so figure it may be faulty etc.

 

[davidjohnperry]

I've been following this for a bit I'm not the most skilled or amazing welder fabricator but stick welding is not the easiest the only things I can add is when your learning a auto mask helps like said before gives you a free hand and you can see a little more clearer

Rod angle is a definite the right angle and the correct amps.

Get comfortable if your not then get fatigued cramp up blind spot ect

And the one thing a old welder I learnt from realised I held my breath so started good and went to heck so long down the weld I never even noticed he suggested chew a price of gum or something it all helps I hope my advice is good I hope it helps

 

[Onoff]

I've been following this for a bit I'm not the most skilled or amazing welder fabricator but stick welding is not the easiest the only things I can add is when your learning a auto mask helps like said before gives you a free hand and you can see a little more clearer

Rod angle is a definite the right angle and the correct amps.

Get comfortable if your not then get fatigued cramp up blind spot ect

And the one thing a old welder I learnt from realised I held my breath so started good and went to heck so long down the weld I never even noticed he suggested chew a price of gum or something it all helps I hope my advice is good I hope it helps

I learnt when I was 16 and still have somewhere the test plates I put together that were then cut in half and dye tested for penetration. They looked really good. All done with a non auto mask. The BiL said I can pop over to his this week and use "the big orange one". I'll take a pic as to the make etc.

Have ground out all the welds in the wacker plate earlier ready for then. Will post pics after.

Cheers

 

[Kent]

Just to make you feel better these is some "farmer welding" I saw last night

 

[Kent]

This is the best bit of advice I was given when I first started
Keep your upper arm and elbow close in to your ribs

it's not like all joints and welds can be done like that but flat on the bench it works and you don't need to hold your wrist with the other hand, in time you learn your stances and most things and positions feel natural without thinking about what your actually doing ( a bit like rifle shooting if you have done any) early days and you feel like a pig holding a shovel. Auto masks? sorry in the case of stick I just cant agree with an auto helping MIG? yes as it starts with a switch, in many ways we could argue for the hand held visor being better for the learner working flat on a bench keeping his elbows in

 

[Onoff]

Well........welder dropped off today at the Hermes collection point. Let's see if the refund goes OK.