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Auto Darkening Helmet ?

Hello I am going to do some very fine SS welding via TIG and will need both magnification and a auto darkening filter in my helmet , am looking at the Miller Performance , Jackson Next Gen and Optrel helmet's , wondering if anybody has an opinion on any of these helmets , as I said , will be using it for Bench work in a shop and very tiny parts , some threads on the net seem to indicate a lack of clarity or resolution with the Lens on some models . Thanks Phil Lohiser

Reply to
Phil
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I have the Miller XLi, which used to be the designation for the what they are now calling the Performance series. I really like it, and found it to be much better for my eyes than the HF one I started out with.

For low amp TIG you want multiple sensors and higher sensitivity. I was able to get 'cheater' close-up lenses at my welding supplier, which was Airgas, I think...

Reply to
Emmo

I've got the Jackson EQC Executive HTLS and I've been quite happy with it for my hobby work with my Syncrowave.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

The Nexgen is an excellent lens for TIG. If you buy one, order it in the Huntsman 951P hood. The stock Shadow hood doesn't deal as well with the weight of the lens.

Jackson has a new lens out called the Boss. It has the largest window in the industry. However they went back to tiny knobs on the top edge of the lens so it is not for me. I like the Nexgen and the Speedglas 9002X for their pushbutton controls, easily operated with gloves on.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

I have an Optrel satellite and a Nexgen and they're both nice, but.... The stock headgear that comes with the Nexgen is total crap! (As Ernie indicates elsewhere, you really should get the Huntsman hood) beyond that, the filter is great and the big window is hard to beat. A wide variety of cheater lenses are available too.

The Optrel has a great headgear unit as well as a few other adjustment features, and a grinding mode which make it great to use but the window is small and cheater lenses for this hood can be hard to find.

I use the Optrel for mig & stick work and the Nexgen for tig.

Sellstrom also makes a big-window hood that I believe will use the Nexgen filter?

Try them all on (and put the headgear in a bunch of positions) before you buy!

Good luck!

Reply to
utahparx

I can see clearer from my Jackson EQC than my HF cheapie

Reply to
Stupendous Man

This set-up works for me. You can buy the Nexgen lens without a hood (I got mine on ebay).

Reply to
RogerW

I have a miller, it's good, but I wonder if any lens will ever surpass the optical clarity of glass.The glass lens I speak of is the gold coated glass. Also for the cheater lens, it might be cheaper to buy reading glasses. I too, do some low amperage work and sometimes the auto hood is hard to work with at lower amperages, say below

20 amps.

Richard

magnification and a auto

Next Gen and Optrel

said , will be using

to indicate a lack

Reply to
Richard

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