Gold-tinted #9 lens in stick-weldig hood?

[Shield Arc]

I've seen the A/O cool blue lenses go for over $500.00 a piece on ebay!


Here's a chart that might help some of you.

 

[sandman2234]

#9??? I tig with a 14 and stick weld with an 11... but it's your eyes, so make it light on yourself. I wonder if the fatique in your eyes after welding all day was caused by too light a lens and not the auto darkening feature?
David from jax

 

[Willl]

I use a 10 at work doing GMAW. 9 is to bright for me, 11 and can't see my puddle.

How much time do you guys spend actually welding per week ? I mean actually burning wire time ?

I'm at about 30 to 60 minutes of actual trigger pulled time. 99 percent at work.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I dont weld for hours on end at home, but when I worked as a welder it was 10 hour days and at least 8 of it was with hood down. I worked mostly in weld out yards and fab shop so it was hood down all the time. I used a shade 10 lens as most of the weld out yards were outside open air. If I worked inside on fab table tacking and running beads. I used a 9. Never had a problem with burned eyes. I used a penlight to check my gaskets every day after I changed clear lenses to make sure everything was seated right. 99% of the time when someone gets burned eyes it is from leaks around the lens gasket or from backreflections from shiny objects behind them. I have seen pipeline welders weld all day long with #8 lens and not get eyes burned. Most folks dont run more than 150 amps welding unless you are working in a shipyard welding 7/32 or 1/4" Jetrod then you could need an 11 outside or 12inside. I have never seen a #14 lens. I doubt you could see the arc of a 3/32 or 1/8 rod with a #14 as you can barely see it with a 12.

 

[easygo]

#9??? I tig with a 14 and stick weld with an 11... but it's your eyes, so make it light on yourself. I wonder if the fatique in your eyes after welding all day was caused by too light a lens and not the auto darkening feature?
David from jax

It was something with the AD hood. It was set on #10. Felt like I had a bit of a sand in my eyes after a long day. I don't have the same problem with the fixed lens. The largest electrode I use is 1/8 7018 and run it around 130-140amp. According to the chart Shiled Arc posted I'm in the safe zone. I will see if #9 is too bright if that is the case I didn't spend an awful lot.

 

[easygo]

Gary,
Thanks for the post. I don't know where I got the idea originally to try this lens but it could have been in one of your posts in the distant or not too distant past.

 

[Shield Arc]

Felt like I had a bit of a sand in my eyes after a long day.

You know sometimes I would get that, come to find out it was more from grinding dust, than from welding. For some reason fiberglass dust really bothers my eyes.

 

[monckywrench]

For some reason fiberglass dust really bothers my eyes.

You aren't the only one. Grinding and polishing kick out lots of nasties.

I use a gold shade 9 and like it fine.

 

[deereman75]

I've seen the A/O cool blue lenses go for over $500.00 a piece on ebay!

Man what is so special about those lenses. Do they cost that much because they are collectable, or because they are really nice to use?

 

[rjmack]

those gold tinted lenses are illegal up here, have been for decades.

i heard it was something to do with cancer... don't know for sure.