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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    Perth
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    Default Tecmen welding helmets

    I am interested to know how others tecmens helmets are traveling.

    I bought one of the basic non-adjustable intensity Tecmens ($79?) two years ago. I has worked sort of OK (see below) until a few months back, a part of the clamp/bracket that holds one side of the helmet onto the head band broke. It has held together by just clamping harder but now the other side has broken as well.

    When I think about the design, it is on the urine-poor side of the spectrum.
    The viewing area is a bit too small
    The helmet is too close to my face - probably it's setup this way to increase the viewing area.
    The helmet clamps have never really has been able to hold the weight of the helmet when the helmet is flipped up and the helmet would drift down which led to me tightening the knobs harder which probably stretched the plastic and is why it eventually broke.

    I knew I was getting something cheap but I did expect it (even though it was cheapie) to last for more than two years.

    For anyone that would care to answer questions are
    Has this happened to anyone else?
    Are the adjustable or more ones Tecmens traveling any better?
    What about more expensive brands, how are the clamps on those?
    If this happened to you what did you end up doing

    I'm not an everyday (or even every week) welder so something like a Miller Elite is a bit of overkill but I don't want to buy another Tecmem if the brackets are only going to last 2 years.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Lambton, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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    Default

    Hi Bob, I have the adjustable one, so far so good, it would be about 3years old now give or take a little. Haven't had any trouble with the head gear, there is always duct tape. I gave one to my dad too as far as I know its ok also.
    Instagram: mark_aylward
    www.solidwoodfurniture.com.au


    A good edge takes a little sweat!!

  4. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Claw Hama View Post
    Hi Bob, I have the adjustable one, so far so good, it would be about 3years old now give or take a little. Haven't had any trouble with the head gear, there is always duct tape. I gave one to my dad too as far as I know its ok also.
    Thanks - duct tape - good idea! , and after laughing at me BIL (who several Miller Elites) has suggested remaking the broken plastic bits in ally.

  5. #4
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    Mar 2008
    Location
    Lambton, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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    Default

    You never know Bob on here someone may have an old helmet or some spare bits. Keep your fingers crossed. put a photo of the broken bit so we can see what you need. I seem to remember having one 20 years ago that had a bolt, wing nut and half a wooden cotton real in the side of it.
    Instagram: mark_aylward
    www.solidwoodfurniture.com.au


    A good edge takes a little sweat!!

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay Qld
    Posts
    3,466

    Default

    No trouble with the couple I own, but the ones from high school took a beating, but hey kids don't look after the good stuff.

    Grahame

  7. #6
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Claw Hama View Post
    You never know Bob on here someone may have an old helmet or some spare bits. Keep your fingers crossed. put a photo of the broken bit so we can see what you need.
    Unfortunately the piece that is broken is the bracket that is integrally moulded into the headband.


    Firstly it cracked at the lower half of B, then A broke and now B completely broke. BIL has a nice little piece of black powder coated ally that I can use to fix it. Should keep me going for a while longer.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Quindanning, WA
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    175

    Default

    I have the adjustable one and its going strong after 3 yrs of use. I don't abuse it but then I don't take special care of it either. All the brackets are working fine and the only issue I ever had with it was the side of the head band used to catch and pull my hair. I fixed that by wrapping the sides of the band with some rag.

    I would happily buy another of these helmets.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    400

    Default

    Same thing happened to mine while I was using it at trade school, I just turfed that head band and the teacher gave me a head band from a cigweld helmet to fit to it, from memory I had to drill out the holes (it was awhile ago now)

    I no longer use that helmet anymore.

    The genuine cigweld helmets are pretty strong, there are quite a few copys out there that dont last very long. Usually the adjustment to tighten the head band goes first on the copys.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    kuranda north qld
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    717

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    some of the head pieces from other helmets such as clear visors or even old welding helmets may be able to be fitted? as long as the welding lens is ok .

  11. #10
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    Jun 2008
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    Bairnsdale
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    50
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    I have had one for around 3 years now and still no problems.As some of the others have said I am not rough with it but I am not gentle either.I use it 2-3 times a week and I love it.I seem to use it more than my cig mask.
    Warning Disclaimer

  12. #11
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    I managed to fix my helmet band using some 1 mm thick black powder coated ally plate - It's all good now!

  13. #12
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    Jan 2008
    Location
    Murwillumbah Nthn NSW
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    I,ve fixed a lot of plastic things over the years with a big soldering iron an polly pipe etc as filler rod if required. Even chainsaw kickback brakes, jerry cans etc.Often ends up much thicker and stronger than new but a bit home made looking .

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    14

    Default

    I bought a Tecmen auto helmet from Bunnings the day after my first welding lesson. Flipping the old school helmet up and down was proving to be a real hindrance - I'd either be pecking around in the air trying to strike an arc, or getting an arc flash by getting the timing of closer-closer-closer-flip slightly off.

    I'd read good things about them here, so had no hesitation in swapping it for another when the first one failed to work at all, even pointed directly at the sun. The replacement seemed to work well, and I was enjoying the course ten times more when *FLASH* - the thing turned off mid-weld! I gave it the benefit of the doubt, and tried again, going for another ten minutes at least before the thing turned off mid-weld again. This time I went back to the old school helmet for the rest of the lesson and took the Tecmen back for a refund. I think I'll try one of the CIG adjustable helmets for $100.

    As a plus though, each swap, I accidentally kept the spare shield, so I now have two of these if anyone wants them, as I understand it's near impossible to find replacements for the Tecmen.

    PM me if interested.

    Cheers,

    Mike

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay Qld
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    Hi
    Been there ,done that,and got a tee shirt.
    Before you dispose of the helmet, try this.

    Place the helmet in the sun for an hour or two.I reckon the helmet has an inbuilt battery which needs a charge via the sensors on the external face.Perhaps your helmet has not seen the light of day for a good while.

    I am fairly surethat you will have little trouble after that.

    Also know that the arc has to activate the sensor, so if you put something in way between arc and sensor ,yes it will switch off.

    This has come up fairly regular on this forum.It is a result of the cheap cost of the helmet.better ones have a long life replaceable battery.

    Grahame

  16. #15
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    Feb 2004
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    kuranda north qld
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    i found that i had to clean the lens and solar /starter , and worked fine after . good tip to leave in the sun . cheers Bob

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