Are all welding face shields created equal? (harbor freight mask is blurry)


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Old 05-19-23, 06:25 AM
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Are all welding face shields created equal? (harbor freight mask is blurry)

I bought a Harbor Freight full plastic face barrier but it's not clear. I figured it gets dirty easily so I windex'ed it down. Still blurry. Repeated this time with a brand new clean microfiber, still not clear. I can't see the details of the work I need to do with this thing but if another mask is going to be the same then maybe I need to find a better way to clean it
 
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Old 05-19-23, 06:30 AM
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Lets be honest, do you think a cheap china anything is as good as a quality Miller/Lincoln mask?

Do you really want to trust your irreplaceable eyesight just to save a few dollars?
 
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Old 05-19-23, 06:37 AM
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Of course welding shields come in several styles but you should select one that meets ANSI standards. I don't believe HFT shields meet that standard.
 
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Old 05-19-23, 07:52 AM
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I wasn't expecting the same quality overall but I figured at least the plastic you should be able to see clearly out of, I'll goto HD and try on whatever they have
 
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Old 05-19-23, 09:16 AM
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I have a Harbor Freight Vulcan welding shield and love it. I even like it better than my Miller shield.

Make sure you have removed all peel off plastic protective film. There are many layers to a auto darkening face shield so maybe there is still a plastic in place somewhere.

Do NOT clean the shield with Windex or any product containing ammonia. It will haze the plastic. Soap & water or alcohol are fine for cleaning.

In the end if you don't like it are you still able to return it?
 
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Old 05-19-23, 09:38 AM
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Is it a welding shield or a face shield? I have both from HF. I don't weld a lot but I've had that welding helmet for about 25 yrs. I also have their face shield, mine gets dusty a lot, I generally just take the air gun and blow it off. You have to be careful what you use to clean plastic as any type of solvent and even glass cleaner can cloud up the plastic.
 
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Old 05-19-23, 10:59 AM
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I don't personally own a HF welding helmet but I've heard enough people say good things about them that I do plan to get one.
I am not positive but if you are still concerned about quality of the lenses, go to a welding supply store & buy a new lens from them that will fit your helmet & make sure its ANSI approved. Make sure that its an auto darkening lens like you currently have... if that's what you want.
When I went to welding school, we used glass lens on the outside & plastic on the inside. I don't know if that's still the preferred application in 2023 or not. We didn't have to change lens as often & the splatter wouldn't stick to the glass lens like plastic lens & were easier to clean.
 
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Old 05-19-23, 11:32 AM
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we used glass lens on the outside & plastic on the inside. I don't know if that's still the preferred application in 2023
That is how mine is although I do not own an auto darkening helmet. Somewhere along the line I had to replace a cracked lens which I bought at local welding store. You'd need to know the measurement to insure you get the correct one.
 
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Old 05-22-23, 08:33 AM
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apologies for the confusion, it is simply a face shield.
I found a second one I had bought because it was so cheap, same make model, I took out of the box and the plastic was clear.
obviously my use of glass cleaner has hazed the original one, I'll use soap and water going forward, thank you
 
 

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