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Originally Posted by AZkick-n40
Newb to welding - 1st class tonight at the CC where we actaully get to light the torch.
Why is there such a big difference in the cost of a helmet?
For someone who is a limited weekend warrior welder, what are the important features to get in a helmet vs those that would be needed more for a professional?
I'll buy the best helmet that I need to, but don't want to overbuy.
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Don't worry too much about helmets for now.
The thing is......you don't HAVE to have an auto-darkening helmet. Weldors have done fine without them for years before they were invented and many still haven't crossed the line into buying one, some because they don't trust them, some because they feel fine without one, and some because they're just cheap of course.
As a beginner not sure really how much welding I'd do or maybe not even sure that I wanted to invest in the ability to weld at all I didn't buy an AD helmet. I went to my first class without one and found that they had plenty of non AD helmets for students to use. So I used theirs. I found that it's only a little more to learn in placing the electrodes when starting a weld and a little more inconvenient to have to on and off the glass each time the arc isn't arcing.