• RME Gear & Apparel

Welding Hood you love?

cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
I need a new welding hood. My auto-darkening hood is well over 20 years old and rough. It owes me nothing. I've got a couple newer freebie hoods that were likely from Harbor Freight? and are hammered too and never did any better than my oldie so they sir collecting dust.

Anyone have a recommendation in the $100-500 range?
 
Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
www.rme4x4.com

Shop / Tools - Need a new welding hood

I have an old, small window Lincoln auto-darkening hood and it does the job, but I have zero shade adjustment and am finding that while welding, I can't always see the joint as I progress the weld. Since I'm currently welding up a cage, being able to see the joints is pretty important! I need a...
www.rme4x4.com www.rme4x4.com

I ended up with an ESAB Sentinel and love it, Grind mode is valuable. - https://amzn.to/4aWSOMN
 
_Auzzy_

_Auzzy_

Web Wheeling Extraordinaire
Location
Richfield Utah
Greg said:
www.rme4x4.com

Shop / Tools - Need a new welding hood

I have an old, small window Lincoln auto-darkening hood and it does the job, but I have zero shade adjustment and am finding that while welding, I can't always see the joint as I progress the weld. Since I'm currently welding up a cage, being able to see the joints is pretty important! I need a...
www.rme4x4.com www.rme4x4.com

I ended up with an ESAB Sentinel and love it, Grind mode is valuable. - https://amzn.to/4aWSOMN
Click to expand...


Ive got this one and the miller imperial saved in my cart, both look like great hoods
 
Corban_White

Corban_White

Well-Known Member
Location
Payson, AZ
I just picked up a razor weld RW8000x at my local welding shop on clearance:
www.firstindustrialsupplies.com

Automatic Welding Helmet - 4.04" X 4.04" Viewing Area 5 Sensor Digital Auto Shade Adjust RW8000X

The RW8000X Automatic Welding Helmet provides protection to your face and eyes from spatter and UV/IR radiation. This helmet features a 1/1/1/1 classification, the highest possible classification for optical clarity. Fitted with 4 arc sensors, the RWX8000 Welding Helmet features 5-13 Shade...
www.firstindustrialsupplies.com www.firstindustrialsupplies.com
And I also got a RW7000 for my son. I'm really picky about headgear, mostly preferring the old school style with only one strap over the top, but I really liked these ones. I haven't used them very much yet, but so far I have been very impressed. Much better (like 10x at least) than my old speedglass. Super clear view and pretty comfortable as well. The 8000 has a pretty cool feature where it lets you set the shade to auto and it will adjust on the fly based on the arc intensity. Really like it so far.
 
SoopaHick

SoopaHick

Certified Weld Judger
Moderator
Location
Eagle Mountain, Utah
I have both a Miller Infinity and a Lincoln Viking 3350 and really love both of them. The Miller is definitely the better of the two, but if you go through lenses like crazy the Viking replacement lenses are definitely cheaper because they don't have any weird form or shape to them.

The are both on the pricier side of what you're looking for but their lens tech is awesome and you can see everything. Especially if you're going from an older helmet. If you're gonna be down in Lehi anytime soon let me know and I can let you try them both out and give you a tour of the shop.
 
cruiserhead81

cruiserhead81

wiggam wheeler
Location
morgan, ut
I also have the Miller Infinity and Lincoln 3350. I prefer the Miller as the viewing area is larger and in the more conventional horizontal rectangle viewing layout.
The Lincoln optics are equally good but the viewing area is smaller and is laid out in a vertical rectangle viewing layout which I found hard to use due to the narrow field of view.
 
SoopaHick

SoopaHick

Certified Weld Judger
Moderator
Location
Eagle Mountain, Utah
cruiserhead81 said:
I also have the Miller Infinity and Lincoln 3350. I prefer the Miller as the viewing area is larger and in the more conventional horizontal rectangle viewing layout.
The Lincoln optics are equally good but the viewing area is smaller and is laid out in a vertical rectangle viewing layout which I found hard to use due to the narrow field of view.
Click to expand...
I agree with this. The Lincoln is also much heavier, which for the hobbyist isn't super noticable, but if you're wearing it for awhile it definitely wears at your neck.
 
1969honda

1969honda

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
Cache
I've got a couple versions of the miller digital hoods I picked up cheap off KSL for home use. One was brand new, other commercial level T94 I had to put new sweat pads/head gear in.

$75 one that was new off KSL

On my work truck uncle buffet paid for a new Miller Digital Elite Blue Rage II with the new style head gear, worth it. The padding and the way it cups the back of your head is awesome.
 
Last edited:
S

STAG

Well-Known Member
I have a Jackson TruSight 2, and I love it. Guarantee it improves my welds by being able to actually see what I’m doing.

That said if I were to replace it I’d probably go with the Esab Sentinel like @Greg.

______

Something I thought was cool is some of the new welders have Bluetooth connectivity to new welding hoods and they will actually trigger your helmet to auto darken a fraction of a second before the arc even sparks, that way you’re pretty much guaranteed to not get any bright flashes on your eyes.
 
Kevin B.

Kevin B.

Not often wrong. Never quite right.
Moderator
Location
Stinkwater
I have a Miller Digital Performance. I like the grind mode a lot and love that it gives you a blinky red light in your FOV when it's on. My last hood had the grind mode but not the reminder and I fried my eyes several times. I do wish the button were on the outside.

Anybody else have this hood and the Elite or Infinity and can comment on what I'm missing? My welds need all the help they can get but the price of a better hood makes me wanna curl up in a ball and cry.
 
Kevin B.

Kevin B.

Not often wrong. Never quite right.
Moderator
Location
Stinkwater
Greg said:
www.rme4x4.com

Shop / Tools - Need a new welding hood

I have an old, small window Lincoln auto-darkening hood and it does the job, but I have zero shade adjustment and am finding that while welding, I can't always see the joint as I progress the weld. Since I'm currently welding up a cage, being able to see the joints is pretty important! I need a...
www.rme4x4.com www.rme4x4.com

I ended up with an ESAB Sentinel and love it, Grind mode is valuable. - https://amzn.to/4aWSOMN
Click to expand...
They killed your link, is this the one? https://www.amazon.com/ESAB-0700000800-Low-Profile-Resistance-Infinitely-Adjustable/dp/B06XRYV3N3/
 
The_Lobbster

The_Lobbster

Well-Known Member
I’ve been dying to get a new hood, and this YesWelder unit had a 20% Amazon e-rebate when I eyed it yesterday, so I pulled the trigger, ended up at roughly $60.

YesWelder

LYG-17800F-ST​



Used it today, and I love it so far, seems very well built, and the screen is huge.

Then again, maybe it’s because I came from this old piece of junk pictured below and I’m just not used to anything even slightly better 🤣



IMG_4586.jpeg

IMG_4587.jpeg

IMG_4585.jpeg

IMG_4594.jpeg

IMG_4595.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top