Reviewing All The Welding Lenses I Own

I discuss my thoughts and opinions on 6 different welding lenses I own and even let you take a look through each one.

[@JustinTopp]

I have a lens collection that totals well over $1000 and I will say, the cheap ones work but if you do a lot of welding, invest in a good lens. It’s well worth it.I have only noticed that thing with the radnor lens on a Chinese cheap 6$ lens. Has a similar view too. Most of my auto lenses don’t have too much use though, I like passive most of the time. My variable shade techniweld 2.0 is great. Shade 5, 8-13 variable with all sorts of settings for speed and sensitivity. And it’s just as thin as any other single shade auto lens not thick like most other variable shade lenses. And it’s got buttons not knobs too so you don’t need fancy inner clear lenses. I also have a tefuawe gold lense I paid around 90 for. Shade 10.5 and I love it. It’s an excellent lense that’s held up well Vintage view are my favorite passive. Super good quality. Especially the black dahlia. I just got the new Lincoln Viking 2x4c passive to try out. No arc shots of it or really reviews of it so we shall see how it is I guess. Hope it’s good at around $100

[@Noah-er9on]

How are you liking the Lincoln lens?

[@theend8091]

We need an update on the Lincoln lens breh

[@SolarSeeker45]

I'm fairly new to this but I'm pretty impressed with the Mr Blacksmith welding helmets from rural king. They're comfortable and have good visibility, which is what really matters at the end of the day.

[@Parttimeweld]

I’ve never heard of that. I’ll definitely look into them. Thanks for the recommendation

[@alexandernelson477]

I've been welding 12 years and I've only used 2 auto darks. The Viking you showed, which was company provided. And the 3m speed glass. The Viking was trash. The 3m was decent until it broke and was 500 to replace it. So I've been using my grandpa's hood from back in the day that's older than me. Put a new head gear on it. Replaced the front cover and lens for less than 20 bucks. I'll never waste money on a auto dark again.

[@Parttimeweld]

$500 bucks wow! I didn’t know they made lenses that expensive

[@alexandernelson477]

@Part Time yeah. The 3m hood was around 500-600 dollars. I ended up with a little crack in my lense and it was relativity new still so I just wanted to replace the lense, it cost just as much as a new 3m hood..

[@rabs2020]

I used speedglas 9100xi which is around 450$ when I bought it and the newer one from speedglas g5-01vc $900 lol this one is set up for ppar it has variable shade you can change it’s weld color output which i use all the time depending on material I’m working on lol yes this the most expensive helmet in the market I believe 😂

[@shapezula]

I have the Viking and I like mine

[@TimurSulutdinov]

Thanks for sharing your experience. What if we create the welding helmet with built in laser illumination system for the best image quality? Just like our welding camera has.

[@FlyWeldinGuy]

Finally! Thank you a video that actually talks ab lenses

[@BlackwaterDSM]

My Weldcote Ultraview Plus is pretty damn clear and has the tint more on the blue and white scale, which is suuuuuper clear! The whole hood was like $175. EDIT: I use this hood primarily for TIG, and different processes will have different needs, but it is super clear for me and I use it more than my $450 Miller.

[@kevtech733]

Thanks for the video. I have used the Tafua…. Bought their adjustable lens(not their stainless model). I found it was slow to darken and I got a fast flash every time but it was clear while welding. The company emailed me after my review and said that their adjustable lens with the stainless cover is much faster. This would be a good one to get a decent review as their is not a good review on KZbin for the speed of the darkening. I use the Lincoln 4C adjustable and it has been the best one I have tried and I have tried all the top brands with except the Tradesman.

[@Parttimeweld]

Thanks for the suggestion. Ive been using the 4c as well and love it!

[@fattyballaty3424]

Very informative review, thanks! Do you know if the Arcone Tradesman is any good for low-amp TIG?

[@brianneftalicontrerassanti3091]

I like the ArcOne singles 240, best I've ever seen 👍

[@chubbyflood]

I'VE NEVER WENT WRONG WITH SINGLES....16 YEARS AND I'M STILL USING ONE. 2 IN 16 YEARS... SHADE 9 OR 10.

[@Gnomesteader22]

I have the tefuawe lens. That exact one. I love it. You can low amp TIG weld with it and I feel like it’s a really solid lens. I will say after about a year I noticed the auto darkening time slowing down slightly which I didn’t like.

[@whyiseverythingonfireagain1190]

This tip sounds stupid, but it took me 5 years to figure it out, so I'll post it anyways: Clean your lenses! My welding improved night and day after I cleaned my lense,esp the fixed lenses that have two layers, cleaning between them made the image 10x clearer even tho the lens didn't look that dirty. Between spatter smoke building up on the glass and just dust from the shop, you don't realize how dark the image has gotten over the years

[@Parttimeweld]

Great tip! How do you do it? Those individual lens wipes?

[@moseskongi4746]

@@Parttimeweld Lens wipes to clean your expensive wens lens? FUCK NO. That shit will fuck up the lens by taking off material. What you need to do is go buy some eyeglass cleaning cloths and some eye glass cleaner spray.. The fucking things are cheap at walmart. Spray your weld lens and take the cloth and very softly clean that mothafucka.

[@mainesteam4636]

I had a radnor and didn’t get blurry I’m pretty sure they are the same as the singles by arc one, same laboratory name on the lenses

[@jerrymartinez2160]

I’ve done a lot of research on lenses and have narrowed down to these two lenses in this video. Which would you prefer over the other? The arc one versus the tefuawe auto lens??

[@Swizzlestik]

opticool fixed shades, vintage view welding lens are two really good fixed shade lenses.

[@nativerockstar7651]

Snakebelly and Rod Shield make some good ones, I own both and use them daily. Especially the Snakebelly lense, it's an adjustable 2×4 lense

[@Parttimeweld]

Yeah I’ve seen that snake belly lens on outlaw leathers website. It got me interested. Thanks for the comment!

[@nativerockstar7651]

If you want man, I actually made a few videos on my IG showing the lenses on stick and Flux core wire if you want me to share sp you aren't spending too much

[@Parttimeweld]

@@nativerockstar7651 yeah what’s your IG?

[@nativerockstar7651]

Nativerockstar666

[@cwg1998]

Rod shield lenses suck yeah they are clear but i bought 3 of them for me and couple of my buddys and all of them started fucking up after a month

[@dereksuperstrong1210]

I think the singles 2:40 is just waterproof so if you sweat in it it doesn't ruin your lens or if you leave it out in the rain or something you know how we like to leave our Shields out or forget about them during quitting time

[@christiantripp1926]

i personally have one of the cheap just regular ole fixed shade in my pancake and i’m a fan of it. if ur weldin overhead you’ll burn through the clear lense eventually and id rather have a few backup $6 lenses rather than a couple $50+ lense. i don’t really care for the color of the puddle i’m just tryna lay some beads some beads

[@Parttimeweld]

Good point. I’ve never used a pancake but is it a pain to just swap out a new clear lens?

[@mainesteam4636]

I’ve used dozens and the best I’ve found is the Lincoln brand I use the 2x4 size because I’m a pipeline welder and wear a pancake

[@derikmalone5360]

Been a huge fan of arc 1. Bought the hd 240 and was amazing. Upgraded to the arc 1 bff weld hood and is the best ever. I highly recommend it with the biggest view and super clear.

[@Parttimeweld]

That’s good to know. I will definitely check it out. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@weldhub2738]

Arc one had the best lenses hands down. So clear!!

[@knightrider1545]

Recommend Arcone 240 Duo, I use 11/12

[@agomez846]

What machine and rods were you using in this video?

[@Konro0120]

I just bought a cmr pancake hood with a shade 10 arc vision lens but it keeps flashing when i weld, know any fixes or things i can try to fix this issue? One thing im gonna try is to leave it in the sun when its not cloudy💀

[@Parttimeweld]

The only thing I can think of is the hood is obstructing the sensors or the sensors need to be cleaned but I doubt that it’s either. If it’s new it could be a defect. I know every generation says “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” but I think for these past few years its been more true now than ever.

[@kirstenspencer3630]

Arc 1 has historically had Quality helmets and lenses. I mostly use for stick a pancake with a fixed #10 american optical lense. No fogging with the pancakes.

[@Parttimeweld]

Do you have a flip adapter on your pancake? I ask because you run a fixed lens isn’t it pretty hard to strike up?

[@kirstenspencer3630]

@@Parttimeweld No, as a # 10 lense using a light sealed " box " around the eyes allows your eyes to adjust to the dark and I can see the area to be tacked and welded. I am welding at less than 130 amps with this setup so no need for an 11 lense that might NOT be able to see with. My Wendy's pancake is stuffed with a seal gasket, glass cover plate, gasket, american optical shade # 10, gasket , glass magnafier 2.25 diaopter, gasket, is plastic cover plate, thin metal spring from an 80's fibre metal helmet. This thing is stuffed. On the end where you put the lenses in I covered the access slot with 3M blue painters tape to keep the fine dust out. I put my name on it using address lables that are hard to remove just in case. I own near a dozen helmets most fixies but have higher end millers and even a cheap harbor Fright for visitors and customers. I actually like it but not for daily use. It jas become something of a joke that I seem to have so many helmets but each one has its place. Every one is modified for a specific task. Also cross pollinated head gear. Don't need expencive adf, but the right viewing for the task at hand.

[@Parttimeweld]

👏👏👏 well said. That is very interesting. I’ve never used a pancake before and I absolutely agree that every hood has its place and it’s totally okay to have dozens of them! Lol

[@artemiorodriguez9079]

What a good lens for flux core welding

[@Parttimeweld]

Any auto darkening lens is good for flux core. You can buy a hood that already comes with one from any brand or you can get a hood like the sugar scoop or tiger hood that fits a 2x4 1/4 lens that way you can try different lens without buying a new hood every time. Of these lenses the tradesman and tefuawe are a couple of the more affordable but great ones.

[@monarchlifestyle6299]

What shade wens lens did you get ? I usually weld with a 9 so should I stay with 9?

[@Parttimeweld]

I use a shade 10. I guess it just depends. My eyes are too sensitive for 9. If it works for you I think you’re good

[@LouisianaSpey]

My cool blue is my favorite by far

[@Parttimeweld]

I need to pick up a new one soon. I miss it lol

[@tefuawe]

Thanks for purchasing. The video is amazing💯💯

[@Parttimeweld]

I appreciate that! Great lens

[@ohsweatbret]

I keep seeing yall recommended with the gold 5813 and flip up sugar scoop. I’m definitely picking one up soon

[@speedracer87]

You should really try the Viking 3350 4c lens. It’s the best hood I have found but I’ve never used the ultra wens lens. I would love to see a comparison video

[@rabs2020]

I also use that wens lens shade they suck lol I don’t know but mine has glare so bad Ive also used that arc one and the tradesman I like the tradesman better. I been welding for quite sometime now I’ve used a lot you name it from optrel to Jackson Hobart miller but no other helmet in the market is better than speedglas they simply is the best

[@desiloomis403]

I personally have the tradesmen lense and it’s the best lense I’ve used by far would recommend

[@Parttimeweld]

Thanks for watching and commenting. It’s really helpful to all of us!

[@fabsdr69]

@@Parttimeweld Me too, Tradesman and 240HD are my fav over 4C ans speedglass. I want to try Tefuawe

[@Parttimeweld]

@@fabsdr69 I’ve been testing out the 4c lately and I really like it a lot. I’m curious what you like about the tradesman over the 4c other than the price? Can’t beat the value of the tradesman.

[@freezonefreegamer6449]

@@Parttimeweld Hey part time. Question. How did that tefuwawe lens hold up for ya?

[@Parttimeweld]

@@freezonefreegamer6449 going to be honest I haven’t used it much cause I got a 4c lens and have been loving it lol

[@ValeIpi]

One question would those lenses be able to fit through my original sugar scoop/pipelined hood lense?

[@Parttimeweld]

Yes they all fit the sugar scoop with the exception of the lincoln viking of course.

[@ValeIpi]

@@Parttimeweld ooh that’s very good news,and oh really?the Lincoln Viking lense would too?and keep up the amazing content is so helpful and amazing!!!

[@christopherbooth1772]

I have a shade 10 tefurawahahehsjur and i realy like the lense but i must say i get flashed a lot with it due to my own stupidity as its very clear i forget to flip and took a bit to get used to the blue puddle as apposed to the standard green view overall good value 1.5 years in and still working (hobby use)

[@Parttimeweld]

Lol not going to lie, I’ve flashed myself a bunch with that lens too. Thanks for the comment!

[@timmayvns]

yes cameras do show light that we dont see . the longer the exposure time when taking a photo , the more light it takes in .. this is how cameras pick up the clouds of the milky way surrounding the earth and nebula like orion and horse and flame . just one quick pic wouldnt show much but take lots and stack them or a long exposure will highlight this .

[@Parttimeweld]

Thanks clarifying that. That makes a lot of sense

[@LukeA_55]

​@@Parttimeweld have you tried zooming in for the Arc shots? That might help the camera focus on the puddle rather than all the sparks and flames My classmate in welding school wanted me to video him doing oxy welding and at first the flame was overexposed and it was hard to see what he was doing but then I zoomed in on the puddle and it looked like a legit arc shot. It was pretty impressive for a phone camera

[@Parttimeweld]

@@LukeA_55 thank you man that’s a great idea. I’ll try that out for sure

[@dereksuperstrong1210]

You need to check out the port of shell welding hoods they're very light they're just like a pipeliner but those lift lens that you add to the pipeliner makes them weigh 10 porta shell doesn't weigh anything it's kind of like the old Huntsman paper Shields I think it's made by Northern Tool Porta shell and port a shell baby

[@dereksuperstrong1210]

The only thing I like about the Radnor is that it Shades down to 2.5% all other shade down to three

[@unionwelder598]

Truarc blue or gold with the pipeliners cloud carbon fiber sugerscoop chopped.

[@scripts401]

We’re all my fixed shade boys at

[@Parttimeweld]

Sadly I broke my Wens lens in the making of this video😢 Fortunately half of the lens doesn’t have cracks in it so at least I can film with it in the future.

[@juniorpalomin60]

What shade do you say is the best I’ve heard 11 but what’s your input on that? On the wens lens

[@matrixsk8r43]

That gold lens is the same as what I see with 4c on the Vikings

[@matrixsk8r43]

At least what I can see from the video

[@matrixsk8r43]

Clearer too

[@matrixsk8r43]

Lol literally compares 4c, idk I get more of a blue tint with mine have the 3350 too so giant lens

[@Parttimeweld]

I just picked up a 4c 4x2! Oh my god it’s amazing. I want to use it a bit more before a review.

[@noesmartin19]

I use a ArcOne singles 240 hd on mine. Shade 11👌

[@Parttimeweld]

That one is next on my list. Thanks for commenting!

[@LukeA_55]

@@Parttimeweld I'm thinking about getting an ArcOne but I'm not so sure after seeing how bad the double vision was in this video. Is it normally that bad or was that just from the camera? Also, I really appreciate that you did this video bc I can't find much comparing different welding lenses

[@Parttimeweld]

@@LukeA_55 hey thanks for watching and thanks for commenting! When looking through the lens with the naked eye (not through a camera) and without a clear lens on both sides, there is no double vision. Now… is the a lens out there that completely eliminates that? I wish I could answer that. I will be sure to do a review if I find that lens. But to answer your question it is much more noticeable on film.

[@LukeA_55]

​@@Parttimeweld I just now saw this reply. I ended up getting the Clearview HD auto-darkening lens that WeldTube sells. I think it's originally called the Techniweld Clairvoyant 2.0 The clarity+contrasting colors of that lens are unbelievable. I've tried a few other HD lenses from the guys in my class and none of them come close to it. Though I'm noticing everyone's eyes see differently and you kinda gotta find the lens you see best through It has shades 5+8-13 and it was only 90 bucks. I can't speak for longevity/battery life as I've only had it for about a month but I'm really liking it so far

[@Parttimeweld]

@@LukeA_55 I absolutely agree that everyone is different and not a lot of people keep that in mind when recommending a lens

[@OVERCAPITALIZE]

Best lens is a colored solid glass.

[@Parttimeweld]

Definitely can’t go wrong

[@b2manufacturing]

You’re not a fan of the yellow color of the lens.(the no auto tint)...? That yellow polarization is the reason why it works so well, if it was blue or green or rainbow colored it wouldn’t be so effective. That yellow mirror coloration isn’t for fun, it’s literally the reason why it works so perfectly, it’s not for looks, the yellow mirror is all functional and zero aesthetic. The Radnor one either has a worn out battery or something like that, my Radnor started doing that blurry thing after 2 years of daily welding, as long as you’re protective lenses are clear the Radnor is super clear and you can see more surroundings

[@Parttimeweld]

That’s interesting. Didn’t know that. Thanks for the comment

[@dehved]

set the camera to manual exposure

[@Bless_darealone]

Eagle vision polarized auto lens from pipelines cloud 50.00$ best lens ever

[@weldhub2738]

Maybe try cleaning the sensors if blurry

[@Parttimeweld]

I'll give that a try. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Jordanp126]

@@Parttimeweld FINALLY! Someone else has experienced this, i'm currently watching your video to help find a new lens for my outlaw hood. The Outlaw lens is super good color and image, but about every 15 seconds it looks like the lens gets scratched with a brillo pad, and then snaps back after around 5 seconds to being clear again. 10/10 would not reccomend 😂

[@Parttimeweld]

@@Jordanp126 how old is that lens? Did it do that out of the box or did it happen over time?

[@mattstelken9397]

weld tube high vis fixed lens

[@Parttimeweld]

I’ll have to check that out. $20 ain’t bad either!

[@mojo5040]

Snake belly’s a pretty soild lens they upped the price but it’s gotta purple almost red looking shade definitely one of my favorites

[@Parttimeweld]

I’ve heard nothing but good things about the snake belly. I’ve got to check it out

[@user-yk9jb5zc7b]

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[@mcskifter]

If it looks a lot brighter on camera, it isn't protecting you from IR very well.

[@GlenDoer-gq1rs]

Find gas less is to bright and hard to see the weld

[@Southernvodoo]

I just dropped $130 on a auto 2x4

[@stevepeppers9966]

American optics made the best cool blue quit making them years ago so sad

[@seth3478]

They’re still few and far between. $350 for mine. Shade 12