Harbor Freight Auto Hood

Nope, if you wait a few weeks chances are it will go on sale for $40.

I've been using one, one day a week for a period of 4 hours each day for 6 months now.

Works great.

Actually, I got one last week, but a few comments in a forum recommended against it. I haven't used it yet, and if it's a real POS, I wasn't going to start.

--- Rich

I was looking at them some time back and I think one of the specified that it was good for TIG and another did not. Not sure what the difference is, but I'd be sure I had the right one. The few times I've used mine so far it has done VERY WELL.

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Glenn wrote:

I bought the blue one, as a Christmas present for myself. I also paid the extra $8 or so for extended 2 yr warranty. I think the total was $50 or so tax included. I loved it. Then it died last month..wouldnt darken. Took it back to a HF 200 miles from the point of purchase, the guy behind the counter handed me a new one and the old lens covers (get both of them), and never even asked for a receipt, paperwork nada.

Im just tickled shitless with the Blue one and its operation. I do tend to leave a nose print on the inside cover glass..but it works marvelously both inside and outside, in full sunlight or at midnight.

Gunner

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

Similar story: I got one from HF, and it worked quite well for the first few weeks. Then, it started blinking on-and-off as I was welding. I sent it back, and they sent me a new one with new lens covers and new warranty card. The replacement hood seems to work well again. Hopefully, it was a defect in manufacturing, not a design defect.

You get what you pay for, and for me it's a good value for the money.

-- Ilya

If you've got one in your hands, why would you not even try it? Mine works fine - certainly well enough for me to suggest that you give it a trial run.

Peter

I like mine, the only nibble is that it's a little slow to turn on sometimes, I get a very minor dazzle.

I don't have the blue one but the one I have has an adjustment for how far it sits from your face. I used it for over a year before I realized it could be adjusted so you might want to check yours.

The holes in the headgear where it mounts to the helmet are slotted so all you have to do is loosen the pivot knobs quite a bit and the headgear can be slid in or out to suit you.

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Mine is so fast that I had to turn the controls to Slow and Low as even wearing it while grinding a weld would darken it.

I particularly like the "Blue" ones sensitivity and delay controls, plus the fact that I can be bent over welding in the sun and not have to wear a towel over my head to keep the sun from blasting in and reflecting off the inside of the lens. A big problem I had with a wide windowed Jackson regular hood.

I took every hood HF had for a test drive, and am quite happy with this unit. I believe the Blue one is the only one with the particular combination of hood style and controls that I like.

I live in oilfield/ag/hotrod-sand rail country, where at least one house on every block has some sort of metalworking area in the garage/back yard and welding flashes on summer evenings could mark the town from orbit . Some evenings it looks like massive heat lightning all over town.

This particular hood, Im starting to see on oilfield welding trucks a lot too. Seems its one of the most popular.

Gunner

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

Thanks Keith, Ill have to check mine. I dont mind much, as the helmet is quite light, and blocks external light very well and gives me decent periphrial vision, which is one of my personal bugaboos.

Gunner

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

I've used mine quite a bit in the welding class I had recently, for about 7 hours at a time each Saturday. It worked great, never had sore eyes or anything. I'd recommend them to any one new to welding. I'm sure if you weld all day, five days a week, you might want a different one, but the solor powed, knob on the side HF worked great for me.

The only draw back was the little knob for the headband adjustment got pulled out of adjustment easier than I'd like. Still, for $40--$50 it's a great deal.

i have a western safety one from maxx tool, about same quality as the HF ones (i think).

however, mine has some issues staying dark when i get out of position with TIG torch and even though i have a bright arc going the sensor does not get enough arc light.

the better helmets (hobart, jackson, etc) have 2-4 sensors.

i'm ok with what i have now since i dont weld that often.

was it one that has solar panel charging? if so try leaving in direct sun for 10min and see if that helps the blinking problem.

This will be used pretty much exclusively for stick... at least until the bug bites me harder and I decide to change careers :)

--- Rich

Yes, it was the solar one. So, you think the internal battery simply got discharged? If it happens again, I'll try leaving it in the sun. Thanks for the tip.

-- Ilya

"Kryptoknight" wrote: | i have a western safety one from maxx tool, about same quality as the HF | ones (i think). | | however, mine has some issues staying dark when i get out of position with | TIG torch and even though i have a bright arc going the sensor does not get | enough arc light. | | the better helmets (hobart, jackson, etc) have 2-4 sensors. | | i'm ok with what i have now since i dont weld that often.

I have the HF one (blue) and overall it's worked well. The only problem with it is what you mention, its lack of multiple sensors. As you move closer to the pool, the work piece, your hand, or the fixture more easily blocks the sensor, causing flashes. Fortunately, even open the lens has a high (14? 10?) UV and IR rating so it's not full fledged blast.

This trait reared its head when I was repairing a small crack in a bike frame. The bead was about half done and I moved my head to the side for better visibility among the tubes, and the sensor got blocked. That's not the time to discover this... ha ha!

Hummm ...my Blue one has two sensors. One on either side of the solar panel. I had to go look

Gunner

Lathe Dementia. Recognized as one of the major sub-strains of the all-consuming virus, Packratitis. Usual symptoms easily recognized and normally is contracted for life. Can be very contagious. michael

Are you referring to the helmet with the blue flames?

Peter