Do auto darkening welding helmets work? Are they worth buying?

[Kram]

No, I have not seen it on ebay under 60, I did look, particually trying to find sellers that may have outer lenses. There are others, but generally this is the cheapest decent true colour.

 

[God mode restorations]

I honestly don't see all the fuss. All this auto dark crud. Pussies! I have the perfect cheap solution.

 

[Arche]

No, I have not seen it on ebay under 60, I did look, particually trying to find sellers that may have outer lenses. There are others, but generally this is the cheapest decent true colour.

Again that must be the case with the welders. I saw some welders on eBay was priced about 30-40% lower than Amazon for the same makes and models.
I got my IGBT Welder for £40 including delivery from eBay. The same one is going in Amazon for £85.
Not same situation with welding helmets I guess. It just depends on what they are, and one must shop around if wanting to grab bargains.

 

[Arche]

One of these, best lid under £100 in my opinion, for £35

Review - Ginour true colour mask

I've had this two months and think its great, heres a mini review of it. I managed to get out in daylight yesterday, but only just, 4:30pm, so got some photos Phone looking through the ADF is very clear, very little tint. It goes down to shade 5 but 9-11 seems to suit my work best at 40-150A...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

Even that helmet has negative reviews just like all other helmets of all price tag.

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[Arche]

This is negative reviews for an £85 welding helmet, and it sounds unacceptably poor item.

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[Arche]

When I read negative reviews like that on £85 welding helmet, it makes me feel, oh blimey I better just do with my freebie welding mask, or £10 Silverline helmet with manual flip dark glass.

 

[GavJ]

I bought a chaepie from ebay about 5 yrs ago, works fine but Im not using it every day. One I had before died after about a year but I think that was because I kept it in a bag to keep the dust off, battery went flat I suspect, uses a solar panel to charge. If I was welding every day I would buy a more expensive one........

 

[Kram]

Ah so you hadnt seen it cheaper, you just saw everything is generally cheaper on ebay, so I must be wrong?

Even that helmet has negative reviews just like all other helmets of all price tag.

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The guy is making a big stink about the battery type and sounds like he has not tried to use it. The battery should last for 10 years so it is irrelevant.

 

[minimutly]

Ah so you hadnt seen it cheaper, you just saw everything is generally cheaper on ebay, so I must be wrong?


The guy is making a big stink about the battery type and sounds like he has not tried to use it. The battery should last for 10 years so it is irrelevant.

Should last for 10 years - they don't, normally. So to avoid dissapointment get one with replaceable batteries. My £110 one lasted just a year, another I bought kills its batteries every 3 weeks, so I remove them when not in use.

 

[Gareth J]

I used to reckon not - Iiked the clarity and crispness of a new glass/protector. Which was easily and cheaply renewed.

But auto darkening ones can be had so cheap and they're so convenient - am a convert!

 

[Mart63]

Bought a cheap one and loved it (£15 from eBay). Further down the line I bought a better one from eBay (£38.00) and loved it more. I now have the GYS Alien XXL True Colour (£95), well worth the extra money.

 

[Seadog]

I bought a £25 SIP, Amazon or eBay,I can't remember which. A very good buy and instantly improved my welding. I.e. I could start the weld where intended. Not an inch away.

 

[paulo1974]

My welding instructor told the class the best option is a passive mask with a 11 shade lens. Let´s SEE if i can SEE a thing!
Pros- rugged,cheap. I thie to get a 98*100 lens i have a 58*101 and i have trouble fitting the helmet .
I have a lidl auto darkning helmet and i tried tig and for 2 weeks i had eye problems. Cause the tig flare is too costant to trigger the sensor. I bought a bolher welding mask.

 

[Cobbler]

I bought an eBay special, about £20 from what I recall & it lasted about 10 years & was fine for home type use. The adjuster band eventually broke on it so I put the filter unit into a fixed shade mask as a spare. I’ve now got a true colour one, but it cost a lot more.

 

[minimutly]

My welding instructor told the class the best option is a passive mask with a 11 shade lens. Let´s SEE if i can SEE a thing!
Pros- rugged,cheap. I thie to get a 98*100 lens i have a 58*101 and i have trouble fitting the helmet .
I have a lidl auto darkning helmet and i tried tig and for 2 weeks i had eye problems. Cause the tig flare is too costant to trigger the sensor. I bought a bolher welding mask.

A guy in work was welding a kit car. His welding was atrocious. I offered to help, watched him, had to shout for him to stop. His filter was so dark he couldn't see the joint!
Masks are important, right filter, reliable, spares availability (or just buy amother).

 

[tom2207]

Never scrimp on protection.

 

[Arche]

Ah so you hadnt seen it cheaper, you just saw everything is generally cheaper on ebay, so I must be wrong?


The guy is making a big stink about the battery type and sounds like he has not tried to use it. The battery should last for 10 years so it is irrelevant.

He was also complaining about the build of the helmet saying, it is too light, fragile and difficult to control.

 

[Kram]

He is wrong. There is always one idiot that doesnt like a product and will say anything. See his other reviews... Recommending a wood circular saw blade for mild steel safer than angle grinder apparently. Also the sort to buy the plastic bosch drill and then incapable of using a keyless chuck...

Check out this Amazon review of Saxton TCT Circular Wood Saw Blade 210mm x 30mm x 80T for Festool Bosch Makita Dewalt fits 216mm Saws

described as a wood saw it will also cut mild steel

www.amazon.co.uk

Check out this Amazon review of Bosch Bench Drill PBD 40 (710 W, Maximum Drilling Diameter In Steel/Wood: 13 mm/40 mm, Drilling Stroke 90 mm, In Cardboard Box)

CHUCK LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED NOW MACINE IS UNUSEABLE

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[fizzy]

Anything that makes your life easier as a beginner is well worth having.
I really don't know how people cope without an auto helmet.

 

[zzr1200]

I honestly don't see all the fuss. All this auto dark crud. Pussies! I have the perfect cheap solution.

View attachment 336412 View attachment 336413

Mmm looks familiar to me...