[WildWestWelder]

I presently have a Jackson Nex Gen helmet that I've had for a few years and it just doesn't seem to be doing it for me as good visibility. I'm 67 and these ol' peepers ain't what they used to be. So, having said that, can you hot rods make some recommendations for a superior helmet? I am not too concerned about price, just better visibility.

Thanks

[Olivero]

Well, you came to the right place.

Let me give you some options.

THE lincoln Viking series are well known for their larger viewing area, clearer view through the lens and the fact that no green tint is present, some people love them, other's hate them.

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/eq ... -3350.aspx

THE new Miller T94 looks fantastic, this is the first helmet Miller made where the green tint is not present.

I personally use a Titanium 9400I and have been for 2 years doing all kinds of odd work and its served me great, still haven't had to change the battery, its clear enough for me to see very well.

https://www.millerwelds.com/safety/helm ... ent=online

There is Optrells Panoramaxx which is due to be released soon and seems to be hottest chick in the show at the moment, chekc out their spec sheet, it looks pretty sweet.

http://www.optrel.com/en/eye_protection ... anoramaxx/

There is also Esabs new helmet, the Sentinel which is more like a jet pilot helmet it looks like but it also does not have the green tint and seems to be pretty cool.

http://www.esabna.com/us/en/products/in ... Code=12526

These would be my choices, lots of people like Jackson and Speedglass but I don't so I didn't list them, they do exist though.

[WildWestWelder]

Thanks Ace for doing that legwork, it's appreciated!

The Optrel and the Esab look real nice but I'll bet the replacement plastic, because of it's unique shape, is expensive. I think I'll wait for the Optrel to see its price and the reviews.

[exnailpounder]

I have a Lincoln Viking too and I love it but I hear rumours that there are better hoods. I like mine so much...I couldn't care less about another hood.

[Farmwelding]

I use a miller digital infinity and absolutely love it. Use it somewhat daily and is clear as day. Is would definitely reccomend. If you know any one who owns one of these goods near you ask to try them or see if your local welding supply store has some you could test.

[Olivero]

Yeah, its really just your own opinion that matters, the style and features you want, Lincoln's got the 1/1/1/1 rating, Millers is 1/1/1/1 but Optrel 1/1/1/2 and so is Esab from what I remember.

Optrels Panormaxx has got me smitten, looks awesome and has a bunch of interesting new features.

But I also get my hood custom painted so I am a bit odd in some aspects

Do you have a need to grind or cut metal a lot?

[exnailpounder]

Yeah, its really just your own opinion that matters, the style and features you want, Lincoln's got the 1/1/1/1 rating, Millers is 1/1/1/1 but Optrel 1/1/1/2 and so is Esab from what I remember.

Optrels Panormaxx has got me smitten, looks awesome and has a bunch of interesting new features.

But I also get my hood custom painted so I am a bit odd in some aspects

Do you have a need to grind or cut metal a lot?

Don't we all need to cut and grind? The grinder can be the shitty welders best friend. Does anybody really wear their flippin hood on grind mode or just take it off and grind in your safety glasses? I would tell my workers comp doctor I was grinding with a hood but the truth might be a little different

[Olivero]

Nail,

I don't think everyone does, some people get it easy.

I would never grind in grind mode..... That's why I got a hood with a flip up lens for that 180* viewing area through a clear lens.

That's why I am asking.

I cut and grind a whole lot but that's cause I fab, if ya don't fab or do repair's a whole lot and just assemble and weld stuff then you don't really need that feature.

[Farmwelding]

Yeah, its really just your own opinion that matters, the style and features you want, Lincoln's got the 1/1/1/1 rating, Millers is 1/1/1/1 but Optrel 1/1/1/2 and so is Esab from what I remember.

Optrels Panormaxx has got me smitten, looks awesome and has a bunch of interesting new features.

But I also get my hood custom painted so I am a bit odd in some aspects

Do you have a need to grind or cut metal a lot?

Don't we all need to cut and grind? The grinder can be the shitty welders best friend. Does anybody really wear their flippin hood on grind mode or just take it off and grind in your safety glasses? I would tell my workers comp doctor I was grinding with a hood but the truth might be a little different

Grind mode! What a joke. It's basically a guarantee of flashing yourself with a shade 3 on. I've only used grind mode 2-3 times and every time I flash myself. Unlike some of us here I have to use a face shield due to the insurance company the school uses doesn't like cutting wheels and grinding wheels in the face.

[Poland308]

Lots of construction sites require face shield with a clear shield and glasses or goggles. They will write you up for using grind mode on your hood. 2 write ups and you get unemployed.

[homeboy]

I just have a basic cheap Princess Auto "special" which works ok and it does have the grind mode. Welder and plasma cutter are on the same cart so I use grind mode for the plasma but never for grinding. First I have heard of non tinted lenses which sounds interesting and worth looking into. Contrary to rumour eyesight does not improve with age so at 67 a little boost would be nice.

[Farmwelding]

The titanium series from Miller is cool. Flip up the auto dark and have a grind shield. I'm gonna get the 1600i soon. Passive shade with the grind shield. As for construction sites and helmets with grind modes. I thought they were up to snuff with osha and all the other alphabet organizations?

[cj737]

One thing that has been unmentioned is to install a cheater lens in your hood, whichever you buy. You can source them in varying degrees of strength, 0.25 all the way up to 3.50. Its like a reading glass lens that covers the lower half of your welding lens, from the inside. I use a 2.00 and it makes a huge difference.

I am also a huge fan of a Miller Digital Infinity helmet. I have the Digital, Digital Elite, and now the Infinity. It's a noticeable difference in the viewing area, the auto-sensing is spot on whether inside or outside. Its lightweight, and the head straps are extremely comfortable. Its a little pricey at $250, but for me its money well spent on comfort, safety and effectiveness.

[Farmwelding]

One thing that has been unmentioned is to install a cheater lens in your hood, whichever you buy. You can source them in varying degrees of strength, 0.25 all the way up to 3.50. Its like a reading glass lens that covers the lower half of your welding lens, from the inside. I use a 2.00 and it makes a huge difference.

I am also a huge fan of a Miller Digital Infinity helmet. I have the Digital, Digital Elite, and now the Infinity. It's a noticeable difference in the viewing area, the auto-sensing is spot on whether inside or outside. Its lightweight, and the head straps are extremely comfortable. Its a little pricey at $250, but for me its money well spent on comfort, safety and effectiveness.

One thing to add. If you are going with a cheater lens, go either the digital elite. It is the same and the infinity but smaller. You don't need extra viewing window if you are only using a cheater lens. The lens limits where the helmet can sit compared to your head so you are stuck looking out of a 2x4 space instead of the whole helmet

[cj737]

One thing to add. If you are going with a cheater lens, go either the digital elite. It is the same and the infinity but smaller. You don't need extra viewing window if you are only using a cheater lens. The lens limits where the helmet can sit compared to your head so you are stuck looking out of a 2x4 space instead of the whole helmet

This is not accurate. Trust me, I use a cheater and have used the cheater in both helmets. The cheater is for focus during welding, on the puddle. The larger viewing area is not within the focal plane of your eyes, and instead the peripheral vision is in play when looking beyond/outside the cheater. And the cheater lens is not always in use when welding. You can find yourself in a position where the distance is too great to use the cheater, so the larger viewing area is a major benefit for older eyes.

Case in point: Friday I was TIG welding a bush hog idler wheel bracket back together. Why TIG? Because the bracket needed to be welded inside and the gap was only 2.5" wide by about 4" deep and the plates were 5/8" thick. Beveled, and welded back to the existing brackets. I had to weld standing over the joint, looking straight down, TIG torch vertical up, rod from above. No possible way to "see" what I was doing otherwise because of obstructions. I was much farther away than the cheater would focus, so I used the extra area the Infinity provided to give me ample peripheral vision.

One day, Farmer, when you're old like me, you'll see what I'm talking about

[Farmwelding]

Well there you have to I guess. I've always heard that the a large viewing area doesn't do you any good for cheater lenses. I know the most recent thing was Jody on his podcast when he said that no viewing area would help him with a cheater lens. I guess it depends on what kind of work to. Thank you for that bit of info. Happy to be proven wrong

[exnailpounder]

Well there you have to I guess. I've always heard that the a large viewing area doesn't do you any good for cheater lenses. I know the most recent thing was Jody on his podcast when he said that no viewing area would help him with a cheater lens. I guess it depends on what kind of work to. Thank you for that bit of info. Happy to be proven wrong

Now go get your shine box

[Poland308]

The titanium series from Miller is cool. Flip up the auto dark and have a grind shield. I'm gonna get the 1600i soon. Passive shade with the grind shield. As for construction sites and helmets with grind modes. I thought they were up to snuff with osha and all the other alphabet organizations?

For big companies like P&G, DuPont, or ADM. it's not osha you have to listen to. The onsite company safety people are way more strict.

[Farmwelding]

The titanium series from Miller is cool. Flip up the auto dark and have a grind shield. I'm gonna get the 1600i soon. Passive shade with the grind shield. As for construction sites and helmets with grind modes. I thought they were up to snuff with osha and all the other alphabet organizations?

For big companies like P&G, DuPont, or ADM. it's not osha you have to listen to. The onsite company safety people are way more strict.

Stricter than OSHA?!?!?! That has to suck. I thought Osha was bad

[Otto Nobedder]

Yup. I worked on an ADM site. First day was the OSHA 10-hour. Second day was site-specific safety training. Much tighter safety rules. They just use OSHA as a guideline.

On the other side of the coin, I worked a small job on an MSHA site (also stricter than OSHA), where they pencil-whipped an MSHA 48(?) for me and put me to work.

Steve

[WildWestWelder]

Ok, I'll bite. What's a cheater lens?

[Otto Nobedder]

Ok, I'll bite. What's a cheater lens?

It's a magnifying lens (two, side-by-side, actually) in a standard 2X4 size like a small-window welding lens. They come in different "diopter" numbers like reading glasses. They mount inside the hood, over your filter lens.

Steve S

[electrode]

Ok, I'll bite. What's a cheater lens?

It's a magnifying lens (two, side-by-side, actually) in a standard 2X4 size like a small-window welding lens. They come in different "diopter" numbers like reading glasses. They mount inside the hood, over your filter lens.

Steve S

My trick is to wear reading glasses that allow me to see good enough when in the shop. Then I also have a cheater lens in the hood that together with the reading glasses makes it so I can see the weld puddle perfect, but still be able to see pretty good without having to put glasses back on when I lift the hood.

[exnailpounder]

Ok, I'll bite. What's a cheater lens?

It's a magnifying lens (two, side-by-side, actually) in a standard 2X4 size like a small-window welding lens. They come in different "diopter" numbers like reading glasses. They mount inside the hood, over your filter lens.

Steve S

My trick is to wear reading glasses that allow me to see good enough when in the shop. Then I also have a cheater lens in the hood that together with the reading glasses makes it so I can see the weld puddle perfect, but still be able to see pretty good without having to put glasses back on when I lift the hood.

Huh? Do you weld with glasses and a cheater at the same time? I do. I have to have my face stuck in the weld like that but I can see it amazingly well. If I can't get my face in close, I have to take the glasses off. When I mig, I only use the cheater. I wish I could find a good glass cheater instead of the chinese plastic POS's.

[cj737]

Huh? Do you weld with glasses and a cheater at the same time? I do. I have to have my face stuck in the weld like that but I can see it amazingly well. If I can't get my face in close, I have to take the glasses off. When I mig, I only use the cheater. I wish I could find a good glass cheater instead of the chinese plastic POS's.

I wear progressive lens glasses and use a cheater. This allows me the greatest flexibility when I can't get in as close as I'd like, or when I need to stand back (think 6010 rod) and still see. I'll stick with the inexpensive plastic cheaters as they are susceptible to damage and wear and are inexpensive enough to replace. My glass lenses are not. I've had them do their job of protecting my eyes from flying objects and get chipped badly enough to require replacement. Cheaper than a visit to the Ophthalmologist surgeon, but the Optician took her pound of flesh.