Welding Helmets Tips and Tricks

I started welding with an oxyacetylene torch in the late 1960's, moved on to technology work, and am just coming back to welding again. I did a little stick welding while in college, as well, as part of an industrial engineering course. In those days, a welding helmet was a hood with a dark glass you looked through. My helmet is now about 60 years old (got it used). No one seems to explain how these new units work, but as I recall, the purpose of a helmet lens was to stop you from going blind from the high intensity ultraviolet light of the weld arc or torch flame, while still making it possible to see what you were doing, and were just dark glass. These new helmet lenses appear to be some kind of active LCD or some such, with the darkening controlled electronically - basically a variable density filter-based glass. What comes to mind is why the technology popularized by cell phones - i.e. a camera and an LED display screen - wouldn't be the obvious choice to replace filtration lenses. The cameras are autofocus and autoexposure, so they would autodarken in response to the area focused on, and the display would only emit in the range of the visible spectrum that is not dangerous to the human eye - just like you can see the IR emitter in a TV remote if you look at it through a cell phone. Are there such helmets? Certainly, a battery would be needed, but it would seem that the electronics required would be far less than required for a cell phone, so the batteries (removable/rechargeable would make sense) would last far longer - especially if a solar recharger panel were attached to the front of the helmet to capitalize on the high-intensity light emitted while welding. There are many videos on YouTube that talk about helmets and welding, but none I've seen so far that talk about how the helmets accomplish darkening and sight protection. It seems to me that for people new to welding, who haven't been taught by a pro, it would be valuable to discuss this so that they wouldn't make a mistake that costs them their eyesight, while also adding value to their understanding of how things work. I'd be interested in knowing if any of the commentors have seen a video that describes this kind of stuff.

i cant afford a super nice helmet but i make do with what i got just a 30.00 kobalt fixed shade from lowes. But if i could have any helmet that i wanted i would just want one signed from Jody because you have made me more confident in my welding and you are set out to help as many people as you can in the world and to me that makes you a hero. so thank you for all your time that you put into these videos and your passion for helping people.

My tips for seeing the puddle are having clean lenses all the way thru, being comfortable, always keeping your head way out of the fumes which usually are directed up from the weld, and trying a low + magnifier lens. It can help even with the best of vision. Also don't look at the arc, look at the edges of the puddle.

When i learned how to weld i used the green autodarkening helmets, but now i bought an ancient fibre metal pipeliner helmet with a gold #10 and i'd never use anything else. i LOVE the gold lens and the clarity that it gives you.

l weld on alot of cars, and lighting can be a problem so l have a small hikers light mounted on top of my helmet,this helps to see what your looking at with the helmet down before striking an arc,

Good idea on the give away notification. I'm watching this in 2020.

All about welding helmets...Let me know what helmet you like to use. Also , if you like what you saw here, hit that thumbs up button. Or maybe even subscribe to make sure to catch the next video.

I run a viking 3350 as well, I love it! Coming from a cheap $50 princess auto auto-darkening helmet to the viking was an incredible difference.

I'd say head position plays a huge part in puddle visibility. Especially in newbies learning the ropes. Moving your head not only changes the perspective of the puddle, but also makes a difference in how the light plays across the bead. Lighting is a big deal, we all learn to do without, but artificial lighting helps you "see the road". But a lot of us have had that "too much light" moment -- maybe working outside -- when the glare hits the inside of your hood from behind (like the sun). That's a no-go. Sometime pushing or pulling can make all the difference. If you're in a position where pulling isn't giving you good visibility, try pushing. Practice, practice, practice -- that will help you the most. Sometimes you can work through a bit of time where you can't see well, based on feel, sound and rhythm. Welding by Braille if you will.

I have found the welding caps/masks or the autodarkening goggles very handy for welds in the field where you cannot get a full-sized hood into a tight spot to make a weld. However, make sure to have a stout fr balaclava on to make sure you don't burn your hair/face up. Another thing I have found handy is mounting a rifle flashlight to my hood in low-light conditions. I bought some rails and a rifle mounted flashlight (with a usb rechargeable battery) from amazon and mounted one rail to each side of my hood and boom. It gets me through an 8-12 hour day and it is handy when you have your hood down and need to weld something like a knife lug precisely on a mark in low-light conditions. My 3350 took a lickin and kept on tickin.....until last week. It lasted me 4 years and survived a 5 story fall off a building (my hard hat didn't survive but my hood survived). I'm looking at getting speedglas now.

I bought a Hobart Impact hood for welding school. It's a pretty nice piece. The viewing area is pretty big, it goes from #8-13 shade, has 3 arc sensors, grind mode, and a pretty comfortable head gear... Most of the bells and whistles. Haven't started school yet, so performance is TBD. Just playing around with it at home though, I like it

Hey Jody I've been a union ironworker for 19 years. I've welded lots of stick and Flux core but never had the opportunity to weld tig on the job. Thanks to your videos I've recently setup scratch start tig at home. Your videos have helped me so much in learning tig. Thanks a million!!!

I got a cheap lincoln knock off from the local welding supply store. It looks identical to your preferred helmet but only cost me $75. When I first started welding I used to put a shop light on the other side of my weld and it helped me to see the puddle and line I was welding (or trying to weld). Thanks for the awesome videos, Mike

I have an Eastwood auto darkening helmet and I really like it. I haven't tried any of the really expensive helmets so I don't know what their clarity is like but this one seems very clear to me and the true color feature has helped me see the puddle and where I'm welding much better.

I use the lincoln viking 3350, and i love it, great viewing angle, really clear, and theres so much adjustment in the head gear itll fit just about anyone, plus the mojo graphics look sweet

Thanks for the excellent video which explains why some auto-darkening helmets don't work with inverters.  I never expected that as common sense would suggest that the light coming from the arc would be the same.  Whoops!

Back in the day, when autodarks were crap and crazy expensive, I tried quite a few unique helmets for TIG. One of my favorites was a Bilsom Vision. It has a two stage lens where the whole front is about a shade 4 and is mirrored, then there is an adjustable inset lens that combined with the outer lens takes it to the weld shade level you want. Instead of flipping up your hood, all you had to do was adjust your line of sight to look around the inset filter. It was especially great for tacking things up. And no neck burns like a lot of my coworkers had from using "Shorty" welding helmets. Of course that was back before glasses and cheaters. Now it's autodark all the way with a Balder, and a Jackson Truesight.

Hi Jody, Excellent review for helmets, I've been using a Speedglass 9002X  since it's out may be +/-15 years, I still like it a lot. That series of helmets where probably the first serious auto darkening helmets to come out on the market, just like you say welding machines evolve and helmets are improving. I'll probably keep this helmet for a while. To better see the puddle, first, practice makes better, you also have to bring your sight into a small area focusing mode, excluding the unwanted area far from the puddle, this also comes with practice. A good source of lighting directed on the welding area is also a big plus. Watching the work a little from the side, not so much from behind, will give better perspective. Check if your glasses are adjusted properly, now I'm 60 just like Jody's maybe cheater lenses... And clean lens is a must, when driving, nobody sees when the windshield is full of mud and squished flies...! Thanks, Pierre

Thanks Jody for this video.  I just recently finished a welding class and, since I only see out of my right eye (left was retina damaged when I was a kid), the helmet became the biggest obstacle to me progressing my skills.  I started out with a Harbor Frt auto helmet and after it became apparent I wasn't seeing too good, my instructor recommended the Jackson with a gold 10 lens.  He was a proponent of those standard types because he wanted us to learn to use them first.  I was able to see much better with the Jackson but tacking was a hassle so I researched and bought a Lincoln 3350.  You are so right about that helmet.  I love it!  It instantly made things better.  I'm still building skills but think I have the right helmet to progress.  So, now I have the start of a helmet collection although not as many as you. Thanks

I use a fibremetal Honeywell Pipeliner hood with a shade 10 miller auto darkening lens and i absolutely love it!