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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Miller Elite
- - By medicinehawk01 (**) Date 09-28-2007 01:03
Well, I finally forked over the dough to get a miller elite welding hood. It has all the bells & whistles except I got the plain black instead of the fancy graphics. It does have the larger window though. Does anyone use one full time? I can hardly wait to try it out. Hopefully it'll help save my neck since I won't be bobbing the head to make the hood go down any more. I had a Spedglass 9000V, but I didn't care for the small window and it seemed "hot" in that it engulfed my big face so I felt smothered. Anyway, if anyone has pros & cons to comment about it, please feel free to tell us about it. Thanks,
Hawk
Parent - By Lawrence (*****) Date 09-28-2007 01:23
Pros

I love how the Miller hoods feel and adjust.

They are light and sporty and I don't know anybody who has had problems with how the auto-dark functions.

Cons,

I think any hood that costs as much as the Miller brand hoods should be rated for overhead welding... The small print inside most of them say.."do not use in overhead welding operations"
Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 09-28-2007 04:49
Hello medicinehawk01, I also have the Elite, I would definitely concur with what Lawrence has said about the hood. I would throw one additional item in there as well, in my case I am at that juncture where the old cheater lenses have become a necessity. As far as I am concerned the Miller hood has the best system for holding these aids in place, also, unlike other hoods, if you happen to break this holding system you don't have to change out the entire auto-darkening unit like other hoods, you don't even have to change out the hood, just order a new bracket and put-er-back-together. Enjoy it and best regards, aevald
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 09-28-2007 08:09
Allen,

Just a note about the cheater lenses...all the Jacksons I have seen of late have a separate cartridge sleeve from the actual lens/electronics  which has a neat slide in retainer for cheater lenses and allows for a range of placement.
Parent - By aevald (*****) Date 09-28-2007 14:36
Hello Tommy, the item you mentioned in your post must be a fairly recent change for them. I have a 3-in-1 that is the old style and my partner has another one that is about 1 yr. old and it is still the older version where the safety plate or cheater still snap into the back of the filter cartridge itself. I'm glad to hear that they got smart and seperated that. Best regards, Allan
Parent - - By jarsanb (***) Date 09-28-2007 13:12
Use them, love them. Problems I've had with other brands were related to the head gear. Have'nt had any problems with the elite in a year and half now. Think I've only replaced the battery twice, compared to my huntsman which was once a week. Now my wish would be they would mimic the fresh air capabilities of the Speedglas Adflo....anyway, good hood.
Parent - - By medicinehawk01 (**) Date 09-28-2007 18:53
Thanks guys, it was alot of money (to me) and while I did some research on hoods of this type, I decided to go with the brand that has been at it (welding) for awhile, I cannot wait to try it at work.
Be well,
Hawk
Parent - By awill4x4 (**) Date 09-30-2007 10:17
Hawk, perhaps one thing to consider is where the ratchet system connects to the helmet. You will notice it is a 3 position point where you can place the helmet either closer or further away from your face. I've found on my Saf helmet which is made in the same factory as the Miller Elite that the centre point isn't as robust as either the closest or furtherest away points. My advice is to use either of the end points and not the centre point.
Regards Andrew.
Parent - By Wrench Tech (**) Date 09-30-2007 16:03
I bought one about 3 months ago and think it's great.  I've used an auto darkening hood for years but it quit on me one day in lthe middle of a job - that was fun.  The things I like about the Miller Elite are the larger view and the fact that there are four sensors instead of only two like my last hood.  With my old hood I could quite easily get in a situation where I could see quite well but the sensors were in the shadow of something and it'd flash me.  Doesn't happen with the Miller Elite.  I like the fact that I can turn it off for grinding and cutting. Haven't used cutting glasses since I bought it.  I like it.  Money well spent!
Parent - By ryancbr Date 05-08-2008 07:23
Anyone get this helmet and notice the corners do not dim? 
Parent - - By Kix (****) Date 05-08-2008 13:58
These are one of the best hoods I think I've ever worn.  I wish I could get my hands on one and you bet your butt I'm trying.;-)  That hood is so light and when it's in the up position, it feels like you have nothing on at all.  Very nice hood!  I'm trying to score one of those U.A. paint job models.
Parent - By Shooter71 (**) Date 05-08-2008 14:06
To get around the cr@ppy headgear and special cover plates I just stuck the auto cartridge in a huntsman. same size as standard big window.
Parent - - By CHGuilford (****) Date 05-08-2008 16:22
I've gone through a few Millet Elites in my time.  Oops! Never mind - those were Miller Lites.  My mistake.
Parent - - By jwright650 (*****) Date 05-08-2008 17:00
No Chet these are the internet versions...Miller eLites.....LOL
Parent - By CHGuilford (****) Date 05-08-2008 21:16
Well.....those are certainly less filling but I can't say they taste great.
Parent - - By jrw159 (*****) Date 05-08-2008 23:22
I can not find the tap on my laptop. But that sure makes them "less filling"

:-)
Parent - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 05-09-2008 03:02
Think about that, the ability to eMail a friend a beer. Whoever comes up with that technology should be able to make more money than Microsoft.
Parent - By Tnwelder (**) Date 05-09-2008 23:31
medicinehawk01 i have the same helmet you do but mine is the digital elite. And the best part is i paid nothing for it.  I just started a job where all of it is stainless steel exhaust welding.  I was in talking to a vendor from Valley gases and my boss walks up. Ask me if i needed a new welding helmet told him maybe. He got to looking at the helmets and told me to pick one out.  So, i did and it was the miller elite. So he told me it was mine. It is a great helmet, I welded with it today and it did awsome. Hold on to that helmet it is a great product. Dont know about the overhead welding in it, but i was welding pipe with it in the 5G position and it did great under the pipe so not sure about that.
Parent - By KENNY629 (**) Date 05-25-2008 13:41
i have a miller elite myself with the fancy skull on it! its awsome and its very light on your head, good luck bro.
Parent - - By Jenn (***) Date 07-07-2008 19:18
OH yeah?!?!? This may not be up long, but this guy is rigging  up the Miller Elite with cooling fans, spikes AND speakers for Ipods, lol.

Thought you guys would have a field day with this one....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-Brand-New-Miller-Elite-Welding-Helmet-Ipod-Fans_W0QQitemZ160258830652QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item160258830652&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

Jenn
Parent - - By RonG (****) Date 07-07-2008 19:44
Enough with this "Miller Elite" and lets get back to the Miller Lite.
Parent - - By Jenn (***) Date 07-07-2008 19:46
So sad to report that I sir am allergic to BEER!!!! I know a tragedy....... it's just not right. I should get disability or a lifetiime supply of xanax to deal with the depression and anxiety that it causes me, lol!!

Jenn
Parent - By RonG (****) Date 07-07-2008 19:51
Allergic to BEER??????  OMG that's just wrong wrong, wrong. You have my heart felt sympathy.
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 07-08-2008 03:41
Jen, in that case You should drink rum. Better Tasting, Less Filling & Faster Acting.
Parent - - By Jenn (***) Date 07-08-2008 10:17
Rum does work, but I'm on a 3 drink limit anyways due to migraine meds - it's just an all around tragedy really. I had a break awhile back where I was on no meds for 3 months. And lets say I consumed a few bottles of rum, and maybe some Cuervo gold too while I could get away with it :) Liquor's quicker, lol! Oh well, I despise hangovers, and the spins.
Parent - By Pipeslayer (**) Date 07-08-2008 19:45
I had to respond to this. I'll drink One no two for you after a hard day at the shop.Anyway ho ho ho and a bottle of Rum, drink enuf and it'll get it done.
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 07-09-2008 05:03
I was teasing someone with a hangover, I said "Do You know what the best thing to drink Your rum with is? MODERATION" Back when I did drink some, I found it best to stop drinking a few hours before I was going to bed. As the effects were wearing off I slept well & woke up without a hangover.
Parent - By Jenn (***) Date 07-09-2008 14:28
Ha ha, my father used to not care if I drank when I was younger ( I know, not father of the year trust me). But to get back at me, he'd wake me up at the crack of dawn stuffing a HUGE pile of food in my face, telling me I HAD to eat it. Tons of smelly stuff, eggs with jalepeno peppers, and all kinds of bacon and junk. Razzing the heck out of me, playing his guitar with the amp as loud as it would possibly go. It was a big deterrent!! :) Probably more effective than any lecture would have been.
Parent - - By Metarinka (****) Date 07-08-2008 13:31
those fans are goofy, I would be worried about them sending some nice chipped slag or molten metal onto my temples. I use a miller elite. works well except for the "underhead" position I.e when you are on your stomach and you're looking straight down or more than straight down. I find it wants to float up on me if I do that.

I've been thinking of getting a hello kitty paint job on my hood, simply to deter people from stealing it and so I don't misplace it. Besides no one wants to be put in their place by someone wearing  a hello kitty hood
Parent - By brightblue (**) Date 07-08-2008 14:07
"Besides no one wants to be put in their place by someone wearing  a hello kitty hood."

ROFLMAO!!!!
Parent - - By Jenn (***) Date 07-08-2008 14:32
Yeah, I was thinking the whole idea was goofy. And I have long long hair, and even though I wear a welder's cap, those fans scare the crap out of me on many levels! (tangled up in the hair, sending sparky's into the fringes... oh jeez) There's always those little strays that sneak out on you around the edges. All the weight from all the other junk too would just make me so mad by the end of the day.

Hee hee,  hello kitty. Picturing you beating someone with it in their hands, lol. Gimme my hello kitty hood back! ROFL! That would be awesome, they could never save face from that.

Mine stays in my hand, right next to me, or on my head at all times. Even though I have a cheapie right now, it's still better than most of those kids have in class. I would go so psycho ballistic if someone stole my hood, I can't even imagine - that's such a personal thing. I want an elite, I want that bigger window - and the 4 sensors. The out of position stuff does start to show the weakness of smaller windows and less sensors. It might get engraved with my name and stuff on it so someone can't deny that it's mine.
Parent - - By Metarinka (****) Date 07-08-2008 14:55
Never even thought about tangles in the hair! my hair isn't long but it's big enough that I would be concernced. That reminds me of people doing the same thing with fans on the back of their welding jacket, which actually does seem like a good idea, I've down heavy wire flux-core in  90 deg heat and I've seen welders faint from heat exhaustion.

I've already sketched out my idea.
Pink with a rainbow down the middle, clouds around the temple and a hello kitty on each side, one side she'll have a wrench fixing a pipe on the other side a rosebud and overalls. I'm thinking I might have to a hello kitty nose right below the lens with some whiskers and two ears near the back of the hood.
When I get the time I'll draw it up in adobe elements then make decals, paint my hood up and get it clear coat by the painting department at my job.  It would be good for a laugh! got the idea from a classmate who was an air brush artist had a my little pony hood, complete with ponies dancing on rainbows.

I had a hood stolen once, it was a cheapo fixed shade. I also had a speedglass hood crushed by a smoker a year ago. My elite has been going strong since then I really like it. However I find that after awhile the side tensioners start loosing their grip and the helmet is either stuck shut or will fall down by itself. This is a problem with any hood I've ever used, any one know a solution?
Parent - By Jenn (***) Date 07-08-2008 15:31 Edited 07-08-2008 15:36
You can't just replace the headgear?

{EDIT: or just those parts, I thought you could buy parts individually??  END EDIT}
Parent - - By jrw159 (*****) Date 07-08-2008 13:49
That is a pretty slick hood.
Jenn,
My heart goes out to you. I will have an extra Makers and coke in your honor. :-)

jrw159
Parent - By pypLynr (***) Date 07-08-2008 15:32
I painted a pipeliner with authentic 1968 chevy hugger orange one time and it lasted two weeks before someone needed worse than me. That paint cost me $120 a pint!! Who ever stole it ... I hope they enjoy it! *&^$%#@ 's!  BTW , hello kitty doesn't sound too bad, though. Or maybe 'dora the explora' or even sponge bob? I saw a winnie the pooh once . That chick sure could TIG !!!
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Miller Elite

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