Smith

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Jan 28, 2011
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Few friends have auto darkening hoods and love them....I haven't welded since high school. Wish I could get back in the hang of it.
 

Cleanoh4

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Aug 27, 2013
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Few friends have auto darkening hoods and love them....I haven't welded since high school. Wish I could get back in the hang of it.

It's like night and day, esp since I stick, I can actually see wtf I'm doing!
My dad went to Lincoln Electrics welding program back in the 70s-80s, so I've always had one around... The same old red buzzbox from 30yrs ago.
 

FTC

Just a dumb welder
Dec 18, 2012
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Hawaii
Maybe I'm old school, but I just can't get used to auto darkening hoods...even in the shop. Never was taught using one, and we can't use them at work anyway, spaces I have to work in are just way too tight, those big ass hoods would never fit anywhere. Plus welding with a mirror is pretty much a daily occurrence where I work, and the sensors will not trigger if the arc is being transferred through a mirror. Just a regular 2x4" passive shade 11 with a flipper for me. I've been making my own hoods for quite some time now out of leather, best hoods money can't buy IMO.
 

FTC

Just a dumb welder
Dec 18, 2012
133
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Hawaii
This is hood I use day in and day out. Since these sit much closer to your face, keeps all the crap from flying into your hood from the back vs ones with suspension. I stick weld probably 80% of the time and the other 20 tig. Prefer this hood any day over an auto and I know positively that I'm not getting flashed however little it may/may not be with an ad. Really would like to get more mig time in at work but we don't use it cause the quality(hard to pass X-ray).


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FTC

Just a dumb welder
Dec 18, 2012
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Forgot pics
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Zach.

Member
Jan 25, 2011
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Bakersfield, Ca
For the longest I was using a pipeliner hood with an AD lense but recently switched to a sarges pancake hood with an AD lense. Should've done it a lot sooner. Wish I would've got the flip up version though.
 
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Zach.

Member
Jan 25, 2011
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Bakersfield, Ca
Yessir. They're awesome. Not much more than the regular ones. The ones at the local welding supply aren't osha/ansi approved so I wouldn't have been able to wear it at work.
 

Cleanoh4

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Aug 27, 2013
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Didn't even know those existed. Flipper is a must for grinding

My one complaint on the new hood. But I don't weld nearly enough to make it more than a minor inconvenience.

Forgot pics
esuhyqu7.jpg

teqyra8e.jpg



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I like that a lot. Looks badass, kind of a primitive modern industrial.
 

FTC

Just a dumb welder
Dec 18, 2012
133
0
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Hawaii
I like that a lot. Looks badass, kind of a primitive modern industrial.


Yup simple really does work the best, as far as out of position welding goes. Which is 90% of what I do, can't flip the submarine over to make it easier to get to a joint. And I wouldn't doubt one of those plastic ADs would melt with the heat I deal with... Carbon arc gouging @1800 amps gets a little warm, can't even touch the flipper bare hand cause it's so hot sometimes.



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Zach.

Member
Jan 25, 2011
637
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Bakersfield, Ca
Bump.

Anyone buy anything lately? Used a lot of the money I got from working out of state to buy misc tools and what not. Mostly pipeline tools. Also bought a full torch setup. Haven't cut too much stuff with it. Still getting used to it. Picking up two 302cf cylinders tomorrow for super cheap. Gonna fill one with argon for tig work and getting the other one 75/25 for mig welding and picking up a new miller 12vs tomorrow that I'll use my TB302 to power. Also looking at buying all the tig stuff for my tb302. Anyone use the CK flex-loc torches? Kind of expensive but look like they would solve 90% of the difficult position welds.
 

FTC

Just a dumb welder
Dec 18, 2012
133
0
16
40
Hawaii
I didn't really care for the flexloc, real cumbersome to change angles/just feels weird with that extra joint in it. Much rather prefer wp-9/ck-9 torch for smaller stuff <125 amps, anything more water cooled is the only way to go.
 

HackMcMaster

Active Member
Jun 26, 2012
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In my limited experience it's not as much where you can fit the torch, but where you can fit yourself, and the pedal
 

Smith

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 28, 2011
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Bump..... Have this machine, kind of just ended up with it so might as well put it to use. Havnt welded since high school and honestly never had to "setup" a fresh machine. Isn't hooked to gas and I don't have a hood or anything so would want to hook it up to use with gas again before using.

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Anyone have any experience with this machine?Mostly would be used for body panel thick type stuff and also stuff like subframe connectors, etc.

Says it limitations are 24 guage to 1/8" think material. Is that good enough for say square tubing so I could built this? Or nah?

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Thanks for any real input fellas!
 
we got some Miller 280's around 2 or 3 months ago at work. Holy shit, it makes tig welding sooooo much easier then the shit i had from the 60's lol

chris, your going to want a bottle of Argon, and check that you have normal wire and not that shitty flux core crap.

then your gonna want to mildly do a trial and error on some scrap similar to what your planning on welding. i dont have a lincoln machine, so i cant help you to much with settings out of the box, as mine doesnt have the same numbers as yours lol.
 

Smith

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 28, 2011
7,167
398
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Louisiana
we got some Miller 280's around 2 or 3 months ago at work. Holy shit, it makes tig welding sooooo much easier then the shit i had from the 60's lol

chris, your going to want a bottle of Argon, and check that you have normal wire and not that shitty flux core crap.

then your gonna want to mildly do a trial and error on some scrap similar to what your planning on welding. i dont have a lincoln machine, so i cant help you to much with settings out of the box, as mine doesnt have the same numbers as yours lol.

Appreciate it man, I'll do some YouTubing on settings, etc once I get to the point of being able to practice. For now I got my hands full studying for nursing but wanted to get a general idea so I can have a game plan when I get the cash.

Machine has the shitty flux core for sure, so def going to need a bottle, new wire, gas hook ups, and a cheap cart to lug it all around on.