[TheForge] autodarkening SHIELD! really

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

Is there any general consensus as to which is the best, most durable, 
large window shield ?  pf

Mike Spencer wrote:
> AG> ...so I finally bought a Miller shield with a large window and
> AG> adjustable everything, for only about $200- and a magnifying
> AG> insert to go with it.
> 
> It got so I just couldn't hardly weld at all because of bifocals but
> at a weekend workshop where I was one of the designated welders, I
> used one of the auto-darkening jobs. Sold!  So I promptly bought a
> Miller large-window.  It cost quite a bit more in CDN$ than $200 but
> I'm real happy with it.  I had to order special and wait a while to
> get one that was just black, no flames or other cute paint job. [1]
> I'm expecially happy that it works at ambient winter temp in my
> unheated shop.  Lotsa electronic stuff goes wonky at anything much
> below freezing.
> 
> That would have been about 3 years ago and the batteries just died
> this January.
> 
> Now that I think of it, I have an El Cheapo (C$100 from Princess Auto)
> here somewhere that belongs to my daughter-in-law (who wants to resume
> welding lessons this summer, lessons that were postponed in order to
> avoid any possible risk of toxic fumes during pregnancy.)  I should
> dig it out and compare its performance to mine.
> 
> 
> - Mike
> 
> 
> [1] I dunno.  Maybe some stuff is sooo tacky that it becomes ironic?
>     Or something like that. :-o
>