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Sellstrom vs. Harbor Freight auto helmets

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Ignoramus10756

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Dec 30, 2009, 11:05:25 AM12/30/09
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I have come across a Sellstrom automatic welding helmet. This is a
fixed shade 10 model, narrow view port.

Comparing it with a Harbor Freight helmet, I think that my HF helmet
(I actually have two, one for me and one for my son) is not really any
worse in any respect. The HF helmet has adjustable shade. Also the
Sellstrom has a funny button that needs to be pressed to activate the
automatic feature, and the HF one "just works".

i

cncmillgil

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Dec 30, 2009, 11:29:32 AM12/30/09
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On Dec 30, 10:05 am, Ignoramus10756 <ignoramus10...@NOSPAM.

What shade of lens should be used for mig welding?
I bought my son a HF chicago elec. mig & helmet for christmas. I
noticed on American Chopper, the guys just using yellow sunglasses?

Thx.

--

~g~

Bob La Londe

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Dec 30, 2009, 11:33:59 AM12/30/09
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"Ignoramus10756" <ignoram...@NOSPAM.10756.invalid> wrote in message
news:LbOdnQFjV6bY56bW...@giganews.com...

I have two HF Automatic Helmets. Both "just work" as you put it. The
cheaper one was a gift from a friend for doing multiple repairs on his boat
trailer. He breaks it, and I fix it. The one thing I do not care for with
the more expensive one is it takes a substantial time to go light again
(almost a full second) after the arc shuts off. If I am doing stacked tac
welds on light sheet metal this can be a big pain in the wazoo.

Anyway, both of my HF autos work so well I can not imagine using anything
else. The plastic lens shield does seem to cludge up with smoke and spatter
more easily than my old helmet, but I can live with that. My old one is so
old the shield is glass I think.

Bill McKee

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Dec 30, 2009, 3:27:21 PM12/30/09
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"cncmillgil" <mil...@cin.net> wrote in message
news:de44d2b6-6e81-4334...@k17g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...

Thx.

--

~g~

My welding instructor hates American Chopper and Myth Busters because of the
crappy welding and welding safety.


dan

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Jan 1, 2010, 9:06:30 AM1/1/10
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What's that Lassie? You say that Ignoramus10756 fell down the old
rec.crafts.metalworking mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue
by Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:05:25 -0600:

>I have come across a Sellstrom automatic welding helmet. This is a
>fixed shade 10 model, narrow view port.
>
>Comparing it with a Harbor Freight helmet, I think that my HF helmet
>(I actually have two, one for me and one for my son) is not really any
>worse in any respect. The HF helmet has adjustable shade.

The harbor freight ones are a great value. I got mine when I was
helping a friend fence off her 10 acres out in Arizona just before the
Katrina hurricane. It just now has started to have a slow response.
I think the internal battery is dead/dying, but there is no way to
replace it. I have ordered another one from northern tool, should be
here in a week or so.

--

Dan H.
northshore MA.

sta...@prolynx.com

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Jan 1, 2010, 8:31:06 PM1/1/10
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Even those supposedly "sealed" units can be opened, the battery is
usually a standard lithium coin. You just have to cleverer than the
factory, not too hard.

Stan

Andrew VK3BFA

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Jan 1, 2010, 10:21:02 PM1/1/10
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On Dec 31 2009, 3:29 am, cncmillgil <mil...@cin.net> wrote:
>
> What shade of lens should be used for mig welding?
> I bought my son a HF chicago elec. mig & helmet for christmas. I
> noticed on American Chopper, the guys just using yellow sunglasses?
>
> Thx
>
> ~g~

I was wondering about this one - don't own a MIG, (would like to, but
too expensive to run) but did a course at school on how to use them -
lovely machines. Trouble is, the arc is so bright that my usual auto-
darkening helmet which is FANTASTIC for stick welding is virtually
useless as I cant see the weld line. Tried different ones at school,
including the old fashioned "normal" helmets..same problem.

Is there a solution - someone, somewhere, mentioned there was a marker
pen that became fluorescent when exposed to the MIG arc, so you could
see where your going. Havent been able to track one down, anyone got a
clue about brand name and its "proper" name that a shop would
recognise?

Andrew VK3BFA.

Grumpy

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Jan 1, 2010, 11:46:42 PM1/1/10
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"Andrew VK3BFA" <VK3...@wia.org.au> wrote in message
news:3d157c7b-9c06-42c7...@j19g2000yqk.googlegroups.com...

It used to be available at Bunnings about a year ago, but I havent seen it
since. You had to put a red lens ( came with the kit) in front of your
normal lens.
Since I am getting a little long in the tooth, my eyes aren't the best for
Tig welding, so I got a set of clip on magnifying lens's. It has inproved
the vision, but hasn't taken the shake out of my hands. At least I can see
what I am stuffing up.


Hawke

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Jan 2, 2010, 12:41:42 AM1/2/10
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>> Comparing it with a Harbor Freight helmet, I think that my HF helmet
>> (I actually have two, one for me and one for my son) is not really any
>> worse in any respect. The HF helmet has adjustable shade. Also the
>> Sellstrom has a funny button that needs to be pressed to activate the
>> automatic feature, and the HF one "just works".
>
> I have two HF Automatic Helmets. Both "just work" as you put it. The
> cheaper one was a gift from a friend for doing multiple repairs on his
> boat trailer. He breaks it, and I fix it. The one thing I do not care
> for with the more expensive one is it takes a substantial time to go
> light again (almost a full second) after the arc shuts off. If I am
> doing stacked tac welds on light sheet metal this can be a big pain in
> the wazoo.
>
> Anyway, both of my HF autos work so well I can not imagine using
> anything else. The plastic lens shield does seem to cludge up with
> smoke and spatter more easily than my old helmet, but I can live with
> that. My old one is so old the shield is glass I think.


I have a HF helmet but I haven't used it in ages. As usual, when I got
it out the other day to do some welding it wasn't working. So I will be
getting another one. I don't remember if mine was the cheaper one or the
more expensive one. But are you saying that after using both you like
the cheaper one better? I'm going to get another one soon and would like
to know which one to get. No sense paying for the more expensive one if
the cheap one is actually the better of he two. So which HF helmet is
the one to get?

Hawke

Hawke

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Jan 2, 2010, 12:41:57 AM1/2/10
to

>> Comparing it with a Harbor Freight helmet, I think that my HF helmet
>> (I actually have two, one for me and one for my son) is not really any
>> worse in any respect. The HF helmet has adjustable shade. Also the
>> Sellstrom has a funny button that needs to be pressed to activate the
>> automatic feature, and the HF one "just works".
>
> I have two HF Automatic Helmets. Both "just work" as you put it. The
> cheaper one was a gift from a friend for doing multiple repairs on his
> boat trailer. He breaks it, and I fix it. The one thing I do not care
> for with the more expensive one is it takes a substantial time to go
> light again (almost a full second) after the arc shuts off. If I am
> doing stacked tac welds on light sheet metal this can be a big pain in
> the wazoo.
>
> Anyway, both of my HF autos work so well I can not imagine using
> anything else. The plastic lens shield does seem to cludge up with
> smoke and spatter more easily than my old helmet, but I can live with
> that. My old one is so old the shield is glass I think.

Bob La Londe

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Jan 2, 2010, 12:10:34 PM1/2/10
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"Hawke" <davesm...@digitalpath.net> wrote in message
news:hhmmb7$n4p$2...@speranza.aioe.org...

I would not say one is better than the other. The cheap one has one
adjustment only (shade) and the batteries are not replaceable. The more
expensive one is adjustable in almost everyway, and the batteries are
replaceable. It is just slow to go from dark to clear when the light stops.
Most of the time I use the more expensive one, but if I am stacking tacs for
thin sheet metal I use the cheap one.

Bob La Londe

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Jan 2, 2010, 12:12:49 PM1/2/10
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<sta...@prolynx.com> wrote in message
news:cee964d6-ce38-47de...@k23g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...

Yeah, I kinda figured when mine died I would break out the Dremel, mini
pliers, dental pics, crow bar, slide hammer, and sledge hammer as needed.

dan

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Jan 2, 2010, 2:32:09 PM1/2/10
to
What's that Lassie? You say that sta...@prolynx.com fell down the old

rec.crafts.metalworking mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue
by Fri, 1 Jan 2010 17:31:06 -0800 (PST):

>On Jan 1, 7:06�am, no...@privacy.net (dan) wrote:
>> What's that Lassie? You say that Ignoramus10756 fell down the old
>> rec.crafts.metalworking mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue
>> by Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:05:25 -0600:
>>
>> >I have come across a Sellstrom automatic welding helmet. This is a
>> >fixed shade 10 model, narrow view port.
>>
>> >Comparing it with a Harbor Freight helmet, I think that my HF helmet
>> >(I actually have two, one for me and one for my son) is not really any
>> >worse in any respect. The HF helmet has adjustable shade.
>>
>> The harbor freight ones are a great value. �I got mine when I was
>> helping a friend fence off her 10 acres out in Arizona just before the
>> Katrina hurricane. �It just now has started to have a slow response.
>> I think the internal battery is dead/dying, but there is no way to
>> replace it. �I have ordered another one from northern tool, should be
>> here in a week or so.

>> Dan H.
>> northshore MA.
>
>Even those supposedly "sealed" units can be opened, the battery is
>usually a standard lithium coin. You just have to cleverer than the
>factory, not too hard.

Sure. As soon as I have another helmet that one will be opened up.
I just wasn't sure I could do it without breaking it. I'm sure it
will be simple once I can see what's inside. But for now I just have
to blink when I strike an arc.

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