50$ welding hood comparison: Yes welder, Arc captain, Harbor freight

In this episode we are going to look at 3 $50 welding helmets and see how they compare.
0:00:00 Intro
0:01:11 Harbor freight inspection
0:04:18 Arc Captain inspection
0:09:23 Yes welder inspection
0:14:32 Safety check for UV
0:17:40 Light state comparison
0:22:15 Arc color clarity
0:24:29 Obstructed view test
0:29:55 Conclusion

[@daveosland3199]

Here's my 40 years as a welder insight- 1) Look for 4, or even 3, arc sensors in the helmet as opposed to 2. They are the little square "bits" located in the corners of the lens face. 2) IF you can find them in the helmet specifications, look for a 1/1/1/1 clarity rating, as opposed to the 1/1/1/2, common, optical rating. Many makes won't list them. 3) Cost doesn't always mean better. I had a $350 Lincoln helmet that died a month after the warranty expired. Whatever helmet you have, clean the lens frequently and keep a few lens covers on hand!

[@arccaptain-weld]

Actually, our product was not this narrow when it was first produced. I think It might look a bit narrow due to transportation （slightly squeezed）, but don't worry, it shouldn't affect wearing it. You can adjust the headband to find the perfect size for you! And also the helmet features top 1/1/1/1 optical clarity lens. Thanks to Greg for the honest feedback, glad we stood out haha. :)

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

This will be used for updated info: Per Nilomyki the battery on the arc captain is replaceable, which is good. Thanks for the update on that. Per psilocin9533 you could solder a new battery in the others if the helmet stops working due to a battery issue. The battery acts as a storage for the auto darken function. It charges via UV light. If it stops working try putting it outside in the sunlight for a bit and try it again. It doesn’t require much power to stay dark, most of the power to keep it dark is generated by the arc.

[@joesteffens613]

Hoods, welders, there’s a price range for everyone. You don’t need the best of everything to get started so buy what you can afford now. Then get better stuff later. I would appreciate the other new hood unless someone else doesn’t have one yet. My Hobart is 25 years old but it’s still kicking. It was an inexpensive hood when I bought it. I don’t use it everyday so it’s lasted me this long. Good info Greg. Thanks.

[@Boodieman72]

I got an Arccaptain welding hood when I bought the MIG200 as the full kit.

[@StylesToHate]

Dude my MiG200 has been killing it , hope it’s working out

[@InertiaEFT]

On the Yeswelder: I'm using their "truecolor", with the bigger/more view windows. You are right on their headband, they are comfortable, but they fail quick. I've had my Craftsman helmet for years, but I've had to replace the Yeswelder one twice, because of the plastic gears stripping and it doesn't lock the size that well. At some point I'll look for a higher-quality headband and attach it to the helmet.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

You would think it would be fairly easy to make a headgear (that lasts) for cheap, but it’s apparently harder than it sounds lol. Nothings more frustrating than having an issue keeping tension, falling out of adjustment, or flat out just not working.

[@herrgerd1684]

Auto darkening hoods are super common here in Germany (and the EU in general I guess). You can buy true color ones with a huge field of view for like 50 to 60eur :) Everything else, especially power tools are much more expensive though... Btw: Love your content. I call you the AvE of welding :)

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Thanks for the kind words, I like making stuff for people 😀. AvE has my sawzall believe it or not lol. I did a trade with him a while back. Once I gain a bit of confidence in the fact I won’t get shadow banned for jokes and stupidity, I will include more humor into my videos lol.

[@JonDingle]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg Stay away from politics, health, war, climate, BIG tech, global organisations and of course criticizing countries, religions and cultures. That is what got me shadow banned and turned over by GYT. I have 425 on this channel but they are no all private and all my community page posts have been deleted. I heard it's called censorship, as far I know, that's a setting on my welding helmet!

[@mkearn724]

For a home hobby limited use hood I’m sure any of these hoods are suitable. If it’s going to be used daily to earn a living then you gotta find what your are happy with. I couldn’t see myself using a hood with adjustment knobs on the outside. Often times in putting my hood in a bucket and I’m pulling it up or lowering it down elevations , so I’d be concerned with bumping the adjustments. I use a basic fibre metal 2x4 flip up hood with a Lincoln 2x4c lens. I have the option to adjust shade for different processes/amperage, and the clarity is pretty good. No need to constantly hit a grind mode button bc I can just flip up the lens. The downside to that lens is that it goes through batteries more often than any hood I’ve ever owned. Probably the biggest reason why I use a 2x4 is bc most of my employers will probably new clear lens covers. I have a variety of hoods ranging from an old Hobart auto, a speedglas 9100, Jackson insight, an older Miller elite, and a Miller auto dark weld mask. I always find myself using the 2x4 or the Miller mask when there’s very restricted tight places. I just had to replace a fibre metal hood not too long ago bc it took a two story fall and cracked the whole top of it. Thankfully the Lincoln lens was unaffected.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Good to know that eats batteries. It must be because of its lack of ability to produce much power via solar. I picked up that exact lens since I have to fabricate a ton of stuff on site out doors and it makes more sense due to control over backlight.

[@randybrotzman984]

I would love a newer helmet. I retired about 4 years ago and decided to start welding again. My first job out of high school was a welding position at Highway Manufacturing in Edgerton WI (the company is long out of business). My brother gave me an old Lincoln tombstone welder and an old Lincoln helmet. I’ve found my old skills are still there and I have successfully welded several decorative plant hangers for my kids.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Glad to hear you’re still in the game. Skills get rusty, but they will come back fast. 😀. I will put you in the running for the hood.

[@VashStarwind]

"Yes, welder!" Said the Arc-Captain. As he was on his way to the Harbor of Freight. lol

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I lauged a bit too much at that lol.

[@ezelk1337]

Great comparison video. Yes I would like you to try all three of these brands that are their higher end models. I haven't tried them yet but the look pretty good for the money. I will check around to see if someone has a used Lincoln or Miller. You only have one set of eyes. Take care of them. Thank you for all that you do Greg.

[@ericarachel55]

maybe I'm just too new but another channel had a great way to test the auto feature of the hood, just point and click a TV remote at the helmet screen and it triggers the helmet

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I am sure that would work, but that’s not the best representation of its sensitivity 😀

[@jheissjr]

TV remotes are IR which is 940nm. UV is on the other end of the spectrum around 350nm. I don't think that is valid unless they are using IR instead of UV.

[@ericarachel55]

@@jheissjr I tried it and it triggers the hood, thats all I know about it

[@almostretired67]

I have one of the cheap Yes welder helmets I use at my camp and have not had any trouble with the sensitivity, you may have a defective one. My main helmet (I'm just a garage jockey) is a Metal Man, which seems to work great.

[@JonDingle]

Weight and firm headgear are my main concerns. Floppy chincy headgear is annoying and I bought a new Parweld last year which I have binned the fancy overly adjustable flexi headgear for a twenty year old Jackson Translight headgear. I recently bought a "billy basic" £150inc VAT and its great, true colour and external grind mode. The screen is the item that adds the weight, so the bigger the screen, the more the helmet weighs. I use grind mode for gas cutting too and no doubt some safety troll will whinge about that. Lower end helmets are good for mobile work where it doesn't matter if it gets lost or damaged. It is always good to see what is available and as usual young man, you have done a great review. Just an idea for consideration in the future, Mig torches. I find there is big difference between a cheap nasty one I bought once and a quality Binzel item.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

There is definitely a huge difference between cheap and better mig setups. I run a binzel and Bernard at work, I have a tweco at home. Any of them are way better than the no name ones or generic euro style many welders come with. And they tend not to melt lol.

[@VashStarwind]

Cool of you to hook someone up with one of those. I just ordered a new one that will hopefully be here soon. Otherwise Id totally want one! haha

[@user-yq3oh9js6h]

It would be nice to have a better helmet to weld with the one that I have. Thank's to Greg we all have a better world to do the thing's that we love.

[@michaelwhiting878]

For a new person learning to weld, seeing clearly what you’re welding would seem to make a difference. Combine that with your recent video of having Brad perform some welds with the Chicago Electric, I wonder if having a novice welder just learning could produce better welds with a comparison to these type of inexpensive hoods as compared to better helmets like the the recent high end hoods. I know I struggled with welding because I started off with a cheap HF hood.

[@colinhudson3723]

Thanks for another good vid . I used really cheap helmets for years . Still use a cheap one ..lol Esab Savage but it's a damn side better than what I've had . Worked for a company once that didn't supply PPE , had arc eyes so many times that the pharmacy would give us tetracaine over the counter because our eyes looked so bad . Did a lot of damage

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Man sorry to hear that on the arc eye. It’s no joke. Many of the cheap hoods work really well, I bet that savage is quite a bit better then the Amazon specials. Honestly the extra weight and clunkiness of many of the bigger higher dollar hoods can really wear on a person.

[@slowb4lls1]

Brother get yourself the harbour freight Vulcan arc safe helmet, not the newest style but the main older one, it’s not expensive and it’s literally an almost exact clone of the Lincoln Viking 3350, I’ve seen videos of guys who weld 24/7 for work and they have like ten helmets and at the end of the day, they said the Vulcan for the money the Vulcan is the same thing as using the Viking and you can get 3 of them for the cost of a Lincoln Viking, I love the headgear it comes with too it’s more comfortable then my buddies new Miller elite

[@colinhudson3723]

@@slowb4lls1 Unfortunately here in South Africa things are limited . A lot of the stuff is hard to find and when you do it costs a fortune. I've learnt to get by without but would love to try out some good hoods . PS I don't do structural more on site repairs and basic gate fab , gate automation, time and attendance systems ect ... Security is big here .

[@isaacctll]

I would love the yes welder helmet. I currently only have the Harbor Freight helmet. Had it for a few years now. Can confirm the headgear sucks lol. It gets the job done, but I've been considering getting a new one for a while now.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Haha the headgear leaves a lot to be desired. Believe it or not there is worse out there. The local stores sells a “k-t” brand fixed shade hood. I bought one and had major Issues. I am not joking, I went through 3 head gears in a week and then just asked for my money back lol. I will put you in the running for the yes welder 😀

[@JD-526]

I would like the yes welder helmet

[@paulhudson4792]

I have that Yeswelder, and I don't have that problem with the sensitivity. It took me a long time to figure out the headband, and yeah, all those little parts on the mounting/pivot are tricky when you take it apart. I'll take your Yeswelder helmet for my wife so she can watch when I'm welding. 😁👍

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

When I pulled the headgear apart I almost lost all the parts lol. It seems like it has about 3 parts too many on each side lol.

[@steeveejee4647]

excellent video 👍 I commented on another video of yours about the yes welder with the side windows. It lets in more light cause it has side glass and once you dial it in it works nicely keep in mind i only really mig or fluxcore weld. anyway I got it on sale for like 49.99 and in the reviews it said its a great helmet but the head gear sucks so i got it and the head gear truly did suck so i mounted an led head light on it with 3m tape and I replaced the head gear with the recommended Lincoln head set from the reviews and it is pretty awesome .but I've had a harbor freight helmet for like ten years (the red design idk the exact model) it always worked well and unless im seriously welding with long straight beads and just a quick weld I will always reach for that cheap hf red helmet. it just works period. also the yes welder eats cr 2032 batteries really fast. I don't think i ever changed the one in the hf helmet I'm not loaded so i cant afford to test better ones lol send em this way they will get good use lol

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Thanks for the thoughts on their multi window and how it eats batteries. As much as the hf isn’t that great, I know they are reliable atleast. Almost everyone know has one in their garage and they all work still lol.

[@jheissjr]

Which HF helmet do you have?

[@wisdomfromthewoods3638]

TRQWH CLEAR VIEW. at $70 has a crappy head gear But is Awesome other than that. True View is biggest change I have experience in welding. cost more than $40 but it is well worth the price to me. I had an old head gear and put that in it, Good info Greg,

[@doncampbell1961]

I would like the yes welder helmet please., good video . just bought the yes welder, lol

[@Cptnbond]

I wonder if you could comment on the available space for a respirator under these hoods. Cheers.

[@nilomyki]

@35:50 Yes the ArcCaptain is indeed a tight fit especially with my Pyramex Behind-the-Head Earmuffs, and a very minor obstruction with my 3M 6503QL.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I wonder why they chose to make it so narrow. If it was a bit wider it would be better. Not as wide as the harbor freight though, that sucker is like a shovel lol.

[@bradleyyounger8499]

I remember the first time i tried an auto helmet.. i think they had just came out.. i want to say it was around 1991 or 92.. i got flash burnt so bad that i still haven't tried another one, lol. I had both eyes patched for 2 months and my right eye for 3. Never felt pain like that in my life. I just picked 1 up to give it a try again but haven't lol. I do think they have probably came a long way in the last 30 years and im no longer welding 12hrs a day

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

They are worth it and very safe now. Even with the hood in the light state it completely blocks all UV light. They make it far easier to do things like tack weld and position things before welding. I won’t run a fixed shade considering how well the modern auto darkening hoods are now. I can’t imagine how bad that eye pain would have been. I had about the mildest case of arc eye and that was bad, what you described is unbelievable 😮.

[@RenegadesGarage]

Making mistakes with Greg.. I would like to have the YesWelder helmet.

[@johnnavarro539]

i would like yeswelder helmet

[@psilocin9533]

Just so people know, you can replace the batteries on the these if you're careful and are willing to solder in a new one. There are some good KZbin videos on replacing the harbor freight one.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Good to know, definitely worth doing over pitching it 👍👍

[@ericarachel55]

I have the YESWELDER helmet and it is ok, I dont like the head gear though, it never seems to be just right. I thought my eyes were getting worse but then I cleaned the lenses and wow! lol I can see again. I did buy a Lincoln Viking 3350 helmet but I'm going to use the yeswelder helmet till it craps out

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Haha a dirty lens will make a huge difference. Anytime I slip a new one in a hood I can’t believe what I was welding with lol.

[@stevenaylor5163]

When the hood flickers from darkness to clear while welding does that risk arc flash and arc eye?

[@melgross]

It depends on how often it does it and how long it’s clear when it flickers. The short safe answer is yes.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So the hood appears to block all UV light even when it’s not dark. So you would not likely get UV light damage to the eyes. You would experience a very bright light though, which isn’t good. I am with Melgross, the safe answer is it’s not good at all for your eyes and should be avoided.

[@user-ul3vu4ks2p]

I'm in the market for a new hood,I've run the Jackson '100' large window passive fixed shades for almost 20 years,they don't make them with that simple headgear anymore. I'm forced into buying an auto-going for that Miller.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Out of all the hoods I have used/owned, the modern miller and speed glass hoods seem to be the best for general purpose shop use. I have used a Lincoln Viking 3350 for 6+ years and it has been flawless as well, but it goes though batteries fast.

[@nilomyki]

@9:56 ArcCaptain Battery is replaceable and included.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Good to know, I will add that to my comment at the top 👍👍

[@tallyman15]

Sellstrom WHP4000. Best hood at a great price. I have a high end yeswelder hood and no comparison.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Good to know. I have a feeling the yes welder won’t hold up in the long run.

[@fast9881]

Would you recommend a larger window fixed shade over a cheap smaller window auto darkening hood?

[@TheMadHatter626]

I went from a small fixed shade to a large fixed shade to a medium size auto darkening and I like the auto darkening better. I didn't notice the difference in window size. If you're like me and everything moves as soon as you put the hood down, auto darkening is the way to go. Granted I got a used Miller Digital Performance instead of a cheap auto darkening hood, my standards won't let me buy below mid-grade so you'll have to take my experience with a grain of salt.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

If you’re going to buy a welding hood buying one with a good reputation and solid specs are your best bet. I personally don’t use many fixed shades. To me fixed shades are best for fabrication welds where you build a lot of the same stuff and in the same position. They are harder to learn to weld with because many people move a lot at the start, and knowing for sure where you are helps. I can’t imagine doing a job like tacking a roll cage or just tack welding something simple I am making like a grinder stand with a fixed shade. It would be constant up and down with the hood, auto is way faster and less chance of getting arc flash.

[@apatterson8128]

Narrow helmets are probably a better fit for any female welders. 🤷‍♀️

[@fast9881]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg @TheMadHatter626 I guess I'll look for an auto darkening then. It's just that as a just starting non professional welder I find it hard to justify spending 150€ or more for a hood but I really don't trust china with my eyesight

[@TheMadHatter626]

@@fast9881 It sounds like your initial investment is a concern, it's worth considering what welding process you're going to use. Stick welding has the highest chance of getting arc flash due to the stinger always being hot and a long distance between your hand and electrode tip. With MIG/flux core you can set the wire stick out distance and touch the wire where you're going to start welding and hold it while you get your hood down. With Tig your palm would be resting on a solid surface with your torch in position stabilizing your hand. Auto darkening has its conveniences but there's nothing wrong with a fixed shade, with some practice and the right tension on the side knobs and a simple nod will bring the hood down hands-free. I gave it some serious thought on a tight budget I'd take a good fixed shade over a cheap auto darkening hood for the soul fact that I wouldn't be able to stand the "glitchiness." At the end of the day a decent welder, good electrodes, and practice is going to make a bigger impact than some fancy features on a welding hood. Our preference doesn't mean it's the right thing or time for you.

[@GustavoCastillaEtherDreams]

Sr i have a question hope you can spare the time... My welder is a cheap smider amazon, the only rod that i can get to burn is a 6013, any toughts, had a seen your video on 225 before i made my purchase well it is what i have

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

So many rods are harder to run than others. 6013 is the easiest rod to start the arc, and it also operates at the lowest voltage while welding. It’s possible the welder simply struggles to produce enough voltage to run most rods. I have not welded with that specific welder, but I would think it would run other rods (7014, 7018 atleast). 6010 generally is a no go and 6011 will be hard. If the rods are sticking at the start, up the amperage a bit and try again. If the arc just goes out, try to hold a tighter arc. Many cheaper welders have setpoints that are off so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.

[@GustavoCastillaEtherDreams]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg thank you Sr. I apreciate your time to respond, i am look8ng to geow my change jar and get the Disposable tool one!

[@slowb4lls1]

I concur wit Greg I think it sounds like your machine might only like to run 6013 or the 7014 rods, 7018 prolly fight you to get it going. You can look up the 120volt mig 130 welder from arc captain bro if your on a budget it’s like 100.00 delivered, and it does flux or stick welding, only runs 120volts and you can run any rod with it except 6010, 6011 even works if you got her turned up. But for the money that little baby welder does good for a travel welder. I’ve got quite of few of their machines now but I rocked the little mig 130 and the arc 50 plasma cutter up at my shop/ storage unit where I keep my Equiptment and I chopped off and installed a new hitch on one of my lawn trailers recently and she cruised right thru it no prob even on 120volts kzbin.infopaEFHyulOfk?si=71-KQWUxAprJXzH-

[@GustavoCastillaEtherDreams]

I am saving to get the 225 fro hf

[@OldGuy70s]

I payed $70 for an Amazon-Chinese Special, and was Complete $hiT... Never even got to use it..... No Refund........ So had to settle for a $23 bk pipeliner flip, with a #10 Gold Lems... with magnifying Lens.......... Btw.., Yes u can change the battery in almost all of them, u just have to take it apart with no directions... But it didn't take long...

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Good to know, it’s worth it to pull it apart for the price of a battery over a new hood.

[@tommywise1702]

Yes welder helmet please.

[@beyondmiddleagedman7240]

Yes Welder battery is low. It stays dark on low battery. (And mine the battery is replaceable)

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The battery on the one In the video doesn’t seem replaceable and the manual doesn’t have anything on it. Oddly enough the updated Amazon listing shows a 2450 battery is needed and is included. Many welding cheaper welding hoods use a rechargeable button cell battery, but they are soldered in. It seems to work fine, just overly sensitive.

[@bladesofglorylawns]

You need to grab the 3350 clone from Vulcan for less than half the price, exact same as the 3350 I ended up getting two of them.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

If I can find one I will pick one up to try. Finding them in stock has been a challenge.

[@bladesofglorylawns]

You ain’t kidding. I finally found one on eBay brand new the one with flames, and then another one off Amazon. The older model arc safe, I cudnt remember the name of them. Theirs a newer model but man get the older version. It’s headgear and screen and everything’s damn near exact same, ogh except it’s like 150.00. 😂 love mine. Actually like the headgear feel better than my boys Miller elite

[@bladesofglorylawns]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg check back for the Vulcan arc safe hood snow man I was at my store yesterday and they were stacked deep in stock now so prolly easy to grab one, your gonna be blown away for 150 bucks bro

[@Trump985]

I couldn’t weld with any of these, the arc glare as so bad you can’t see the puddle. Much better off with a fixed shade gold lens then any of these.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Some of that is simply because of using a camera lens to capture through a lens of the cartridge. Most higher end modern hoods match any fixed shade for color and clarity. For 50$ you will be more limited to what you can expect.

[@1970chevy07]

Yes welder helmet

[@markdeitchman8938]

Jen psaki? (3:35). i dint know she could weld. haha.

[@tdublove9558]

I like my weldcote it was about 160 dollars it's better than Chicago electric and just as light

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Good to hear. A nice light hood is a good thing to have. Especially if it has solid headgear.

[@maxscott3349]

I still think that if you're not going to spend much money, you're better off buying a fixed shade with a decent glass lens

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

A fixed shade will be a solid long term option, especially if it has decent headgear 👍

[@loco0351]

I have gotten two helmets from yes welder and they both cam fine. looks like the shipping company screwed you.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Oddly enough the yes welder box was perfect, the arc captain was knocked around a bit. I think it was just stuffed in the box in a weird way which pushed in the sides a bit. Luckily it still works good, it just needs some use to straighten it out 😃

[@mattsmediasource6238]

“All rise. The U.S. District Court for the weld District of America is now in session. The Honorable Judge Greg presiding.” All participants and observers remain standing until the judge is seated. “Be seated”

[@milanthemilan5015]

How many beers did you gulped? 😂

[@timmarchiando448]

I could use use another helmet.