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New welding helmet
Slimy38 - 10/6/23 at 08:34 AM

I think it's about time I get a new welding helmet, I'm still using an Aldi special from at least ten years ago. Over time I've not really noticed how bad it's getting. It still does it's job, auto-darkening as required, but I feel like it's clarity before welding is really bad. It might be my eyesight of course, but I doubt anything will fix that!!

It's also got one of those 'letterbox' lenses that I've been ok with, mainly because I've never known anything better. If I could get a larger viewing lens that would be good, the priority is still being able to see the work prior to welding. Oh yeah, and in old LCB tradition, it needs to be a decent price!!

Has anyone got any recommendations, or things I can Google search for? I saw a mention of 1/1/1/1 for lens clarity, but it doesn't show up in many descriptions. True colour is more common, but can that be trusted?

MikeR - 10/6/23 at 02:02 PM

Have you replaced the front cover screen? It's sacrificial and slowly gets hit with weld splatter making it rubbish to see through.

Slimy38 - 10/6/23 at 03:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
Have you replaced the front cover screen? It's sacrificial and slowly gets hit with weld splatter making it rubbish to see through.


Yeah, it helps a little bit but I think it starts off too dark when it's off.

I did make the mistake of replacing it with a glass screen once, that was an interesting thirty seconds of welding!! Every single spatter just embedded itself in the glass and it was basically unusable extremely quickly. I thought glass would last better than plastic, how wrong was that?

rusty nuts - 11/6/23 at 04:12 PM

A mate recently got himself an ESAB helmet while it was on a special offer from a local motor factor, large viewing area and true colour. I’m well impressed, would have got one but only recently got another make.

indykid - 11/6/23 at 10:03 PM

I bought myself an ESAB Savage A40 in 2020.

Not sure if it's the current model, but it's bloody fantastic. I wanted something with 4 sensors because I kept flashing myself when tigging in awkward positions at low current.

The clarity and the colour is worlds away from the R-Tech mask that came with the welder or the old translight mask I had from 20 years ago. The headgear is way more comfortable and adjustable than on cheap masks too.

It was £82 on offer when I got mine, but I'd be more than happy with it at a bit over £100.

https://engweld.co.uk/product/esab-savage-a40-9-13-black-welding-helmet

Slimy38 - 12/6/23 at 08:56 AM

Thanks everyone, I've gone for the ESAB A40 as it's on offer at the moment.