Welding Tips and Tricks

Wore out a bunch of hoods down through the years (mostly Huntsman sliders) and have not purchased a new hood in about fifteen years. I do have an old first generation Speedglas that I can't say I ever cared much for. I had been hearing about the new digital elite by Miller and let my fingers do the walking looking at them. Bakergas.com had the best price I found at $221 for the black one so I dusted off my card and bought one. They shipped it the next day and it will be here this coming Thursday. Will update this thread when I get the chance to use it.
Just thought if anyone is shopping for one you might find the price is good. With my luck someone else will find it for fifty bucks less now that I bought one!

I've used 3 of them.

Decent for Tig, nothing much for everything else.

I'll be trying a Yellow Jackson Balder soon, I'll see if its any good.

I don't like Lincoln or Speedglas helmets either.

But, that's just my seriously unqualified opinion.

AKweldshop wrote:I've used 3 of them.

Decent for Tig, nothing much for everything else.

I'll be trying a Yellow Jackson Balder soon, I'll see if its any good.

I don't like Lincoln or Speedglas helmets either.

But, that's just my seriously unqualified opinion.

I'm in the hunt for a new hood, have a Digital Elite from like 10 years ago, looking at the new Miller Infinity or a Spesdglas, they have a new model coming out.

Would be interested to know what Lincoln and SG you had and why you didn't like it. I looked at the Lincoln 3350 series, supposed to be their top of the line.

LtBadd wrote:

AKweldshop wrote:I've used 3 of them.

Decent for Tig, nothing much for everything else.

I'll be trying a Yellow Jackson Balder soon, I'll see if its any good.

I don't like Lincoln or Speedglas helmets either.

But, that's just my seriously unqualified opinion.

I'm in the hunt for a new hood, have a Digital Elite from like 10 years ago, looking at the new Miller Infinity or a Spesdglas, they have a new model coming out.

Would be interested to know what Lincoln and SG you had and why you didn't like it. I looked at the Lincoln 3350 series, supposed to be their top of the line.

I tried a 3350, I didn't care for the yellowish tint. I lit up on my 3G mig and could hardly see a thing. Had to stop and get a different helmet. ( yes it had a near new clear lens.) I tried 10 and 11. Wasn't horrible for tig, but nothing I would give real money for.

Speed glass was a 9002x and a 9100x. Green is a horrible color for seeing anything. Imo
Headgear is nothing special.

I'm sticking to my pipeliner and Arcone lens, and my Jackson boss. Amber gold is my color.

Remember this is just my opinion.

AKweldshop wrote:I've used 3 of them.

Decent for Tig, nothing much for everything else.

I'll be trying a Yellow Jackson Balder soon, I'll see if its any good.

I don't like Lincoln or Speedglas helmets either.

But, that's just my seriously unqualified opinion


I tried a 3350, I didn't care for the yellowish tint. I lit up on my 3G mig and could hardly see a thing. Had to stop and get a different helmet. ( yes it had a near new clear lens.) I tried 10 and 11. Wasn't horrible for tig, but nothing I would give real money for.

Speed glass was a 9002x and a 9100x. Green is a horrible color for seeing anything. Imo
Headgear is nothing special.

I'm sticking to my pipeliner and Arcone lens, and my Jackson boss. Amber gold is my color.

Remember this is just my opinion.

I've read the new SG hoods have better color, but don't know any more then that. A lot of positive reviews on Amazon but I'm not willing to spend that much unless I can return it.
The Miller Infinity is still in the run so I'll consider what to do.

Thanks again
Richard

Eyes react to to different colors, fairly uniquely. So one color/shade does not fit all.
Pays to shop and try different hoods/helmet lens. My optometrist helped me choose.
I use a green tint on DC tig( $140-AD Northren Tool) and blue/silver on AC tig($300 ESAB 613XL-AD).

Used the new Miller digital elite today and wanted to report what I think about it. I welded using four different machines.
1. 110 V Lincoln MIG on 14 ga. using .023 wire.
2. Antique Monkey Wards AC/DC stick machine using 3/32 & 1/8 7018.
3. Miller 250 MIG using .035 wire.
4. Thermal Arc 185 Pro Wave (TIG using 1/16 alum filler.
Welded on materials from 20 ga. thru 3/8 inch steel and .040 thru 1/8 inch alum. in flat and vertical positions.
Unpacked the hood, read the literature, threw that away and put it on my big old ugly head. Hmm - Never saw hinged head gear before, looks like it will take both hands to put it on your head, nice headgear however and after a little adjusting, fits well, comfortable. Ratchet gear works well, adjust's tight and holds well. I like the feel of the hinged headgear and the height adjusting double straps. The hood flips a little hard out of the box but adjusted that to just a little bob of the head to drop it. Seems to stay up OK if you don't bob your head. Sure seems heavy but in comparison to my old fiberglas Huntsman but they are close to the same weight when checked on a set of mail scales. The Miller is weighted more to right in the front because of the digital lense. Like any hood I will just have to get used to it. Used it in grind mode first - that works well if you like to grind with your hood on. Personally I don't, and generally put my hood face up on a little table behind me when grinding.
Response time seems to be very good - never saw a flash at all and the clarity is nice when you go to start an arc. Arc strikes with 7018 are always an ugly thing not to mention stress risers. I've been around long enough I don't leave many pecker marks but going in with your hood down and being able to see your arc strike zone is neat (yeah - I have been primarily using my old trusty Huntsman slider hood mostly).
Arc color and clarity are really good folks. Arc clarity is the best these old eyes have ever seen. Kinda reminds me of the first time I put a cheater in my hood and saw things I had not seen in years. My all time favorite lens is the old AO gold but this new one may just change my mind. Time will tell. Ran thru all the different shades and 9-10 will be where I leave it. Will never get up to the really dark shades as I just don't do any high power stuff anymore. Tacked a little piece of plate to the bench then reached around behind it and drug an arc. The X function works but now that I don't weld tubes I'm not sure what good that will do me. Again time will tell. I did not try it in cut mode but will the next time I fire up the CNC plasma cutter. Didn't get one with all the fancy graphics on it - I wonder about guys with skulls and the like on their hood - age showing again I guess.
Overall impression is that I like it. It is shiny, smells good, feels good, works well, has a good gurantee (reminds me I need to put the sales slip up somewhere - just in case), large field of vision, clear as a bell and for a winky-blinky the price is right at $221.
Think I'll keep it.