Just can't see where I'm going

[user.69169]

If any of you've never welded your workpiece to the vice, just wait.

Dat's a spostahappen. Times when you got no choice. Sorta like weldin to a porch Easy to minimize wid right slop painted on vise jaw first.

Thing here is I ain't lookin thru yer eyes and ya ain't lookin thru mine so describin problem pretty important.
(removed) so into weldin he had eyeball welded by guy wid lazer & lab coat. Little gal who took bunch of pictures first real cute & friendly, taught me lot about taking real high detail pictures close up. Bein gigolo according to my sister I talk wid little darlin bout how enthrallin her eyes are.

Most weldin shops not well lighted fer fitup & assembly, and dark shop sorta helpful when runnin big weldment.

New cob LED has high kelvin temperature and my experiments usin my eyeballs tell me bein close to UV end of spectrum good for seein till arc lights up especially wid autodark. Nice part, little emitter size of postage stamp throws ton of light from helmet and battery pack good for 4 hours. Bad part dem little suckers give off lot of heat. Still workin on heat dumping mounting.
Cheap too, less den buck per emitter.

 

[Rustyiron]

If any of you've never welded your workpiece to the vice, just wait.

:laughing: never welded anything to a vice, but sure have welded a few vice grips to my work :thumbsup:.
I also add as much light as possible to the situation. It helps a lot.

 

[Jstpssng]

Like others have suggested, I also have found that drawing a line with white chalk where I want my bead helps.
My auotdarkening helmet also has helped.
Then again, I don't even have enough experience to be called "green."

 

[al3]

High output halogen lights on a tripod help me out quite a bit. Had to abandon the simple auto darkening helmet when using them. Bought one with a EMP sensing something-or-other, now I can use the halogens without the screen going dark prior to arc initiation.

Do really bright LEDs cause auto dark to trip? If not I need to upgrade. Halogens do warm up the shop in winter though.

 

[stuckmotor]

:laughing: never welded anything to a vice, but sure have welded a few vice grips to my work :thumbsup:.
I also add as much light as possible to the situation. It helps a lot.

I ammended my comment to include locking pliers.
Once, I flipped up the hood to see a weld on a flat piece of metal not even touching the joint I was trying to make. It was one of my better looking welds.:confused3:

 

[stuckmotor]

(removed),
"spostahappen"
I like that word.

 

[dragoneggs]

That's exactly the problem I am having too. I tried all the things you have tried, but nothing helps.
Some of my welds look like I weld while drunk.

Well if all else fails, maybe try drinking? :laughing:

When you havin trouble seein?

Before arc light off I can understand, After arc establish you lookin into more dang light den you can stand.

Put chalk or soapstone little ways off from where you want to weld and follow de line.

I think the issue is more about the high contrast (dynamic range) making it tough for 'old' eyes that don't see in the dark so well anymore. The area beyond the arc is too dark compared to the arc light. I definitely do better with a lot of ambient light thrown on the intended weld area, along with using cheaters in my helmet.

 

[user.69169]

(removed),
"spostahappen"
I like that word.

One de great advantage of Coonazz is we got some very technical words de eenglish and de french don't. De frenchy don't even got number system past about 8 or 9, no wonder dey never become much.

Halogen I hate. Waste too much electric as heat for starter. Lousey location in color spectrum too.
Think bout it, you gonna be welding wid arc at blue end of spectrum, you best served by eyes getting accustom to dat end before arc starts. LED at blue end of spectrum if you buy "Cool White" LED.

Over de years (removed) been jacuse of bein cheap by some. I figure I work fer de money I get to decide what I do wid little bit government don't take. Got bunch of dem halogen people threw out cause dey not read instruction on keep finger off de bulb. Saw picture of LED light, looks pretty much same as Halogen so I got screwdriver and Chinaman got LED Cob emitter. 3 bucks later (removed) got LED light puts out all de light I can use and don't get hot as he!!. Not only dat keep money in (removed) pocket, (removed) now GREEN, keeping planet ssafe fer dimbulbs to protest and throw crap on ground.

I even did testing wid KillOWatt meter, 50 watt LED delivers much light in yard as 500 watt Halogen or 70 watt Sodium dat really 94 watt so I get pencil & paper cyphering. Swapped out Sodium in yard light wid LED, plenty light and save enough endangered electrons to pay for LED emitter in 6 months. Little teenage girl wid head warped by UNION teacher curious so she ask what LED is. I explain how saves de electrons and turn her into 1 girl light converting factory for Halogens. Much easier on Art Ritus fingers, I just make up aluminum plate dat carry heat to housing. She so happy she takes convert to school & tells how she saving planet.

Only problem wid de LED is technology advancing faster den chinamen can deliver to US.

LED real good fer in cabinet lights too, and great fer toekick lighting in bathroom & kitchen. Run on 12 volt DC so dey easy to put in and can be emergency lights when power goes off.

 

[user.69169]

Well if all else fails, maybe try drinking? :laughing:


I think the issue is more about the high contrast (dynamic range) making it tough for 'old' eyes that don't see in the dark so well anymore. The area beyond the arc is too dark compared to the arc light. I definitely do better with a lot of ambient light thrown on the intended weld area, along with using cheaters in my helmet.

Relax. Rest in rocking chair & drink lot of liquids. Labs at (removed) Teck division of (removed) UniverCity are on it almost around de clock. Just remember, get out of rocking chair before you pee. Ruin yer day sitting in wet pants like dat Slash guy.

 

[the old grind]

Halogen lights work for me, but not well enough. I bought chalk to use both.

 

[California]

One remedy I haven't seen mentioned yet: this site owner also has a new welding-specific site. 'WeldingSite'.

An experienced welder on there, recommended put a dark drape over the back of your helmet to block backlight in there. You could try an old black t-shirt. If it helps, then make a drape with heavier fabric attached with Velcro.

 

[arrow]

Here is a light or two to go on to a hood.Best Welding Helmet Light: 4 to Fit Any Hood • WelditU

 

[user.69169]

My ribs hurt when I read dat "Welding Site" hard laughin do dat to me.

Miller sell anyting chinee prisoners make till bean counters at ITW figure out profit percentage not enough. Go to Miller welding board and read all about overpriced busted welding machines need fixin and no help from Miller. Once fine company whored to bottom of bucket by holding company.

BUY is evil vulgar 3 letter word. Men build girls buy. Real men look at catalog & steal design!

 

[chim]

One remedy I haven't seen mentioned yet: this site owner also has a new welding-specific site. 'WeldingSite'.

An experienced welder on there, recommended put a dark drape over the back of your helmet to block backlight in there. You could try an old black t-shirt. If it helps, then make a drape with heavier fabric attached with Velcro.

One remedy I've used when welding outdoors is to wear a hoodie and flip the hood up over the back of the helmet.

 

[oosik]

Not so strange ......... I've had this same problem when trying to plow my driveway in a blinding snow storm.

 

[dragoneggs]

But make sure your hoods or drapes are not of flammable fabrics.

 

[the old grind]

I was welding on a FEL maybe 10-12' from where a bit of ?? landed on the windshield and stuck. It's about the size of a grain of salt, only shows when the wipers are going, and an ice scraper won't budge it.

I've used a blanket to 'make dark' when working under a car hood in bright daylight.

 

[WranglerX]

I was welding on a FEL maybe 10-12' from where a bit of ?? landed on the windshield and stuck. It's about the size of a grain of salt, only shows when the wipers are going, and an ice scraper won't budge it.

I've used a blanket to 'make dark' when working under a car hood in bright daylight.

I ruined and fixed a side window on my Jeep, when I accidentally threw grinder sparks at it.... Lesson learned keep automobile glass away for any thing that created sparks...

Dale

 

[crazyal]

Don't know if it was listed but make sure both sides of the glass are clean on your welding helmet. You would be surprised just how much that matters.

 

[WranglerX]

Don't know if it was listed but make sure both sides of the glass are clean on your welding helmet. You would be surprised just how much that matters.

Replace front and back plastic "spatter" guards when they become cloudy to a point they can not be cleaned....

Dale