Broke my mower

[Gary Fowler]

If all else fails, try marking the weld edge with some soapstone. The white lines really help you keep up with where you need to go.

 

[Marks481]

Next weld bringing out the work lights and lets see what happens....

I find that that makes a huge difference. It seems counterintuitive... I mean what back lighting could help out when you are staring into the sun.

But it does really help see what you are doing through the hood. Without backlighting, I feel like I am welding almost blind.

Pro tip: don't use florescent lighting as back light... my auto darkening helmet catches the flicker of the florescent tubes and auto darkens sometimes...

 

[MossRoad]

Well, here's a problem about lighting.... if the lighting is behind you, it can shine past your head onto the inside of your helmet, making a glare on the inside of the glass, making it harder to see once you strike an arc. I find that problem a lot when welding outside with the sun at my back. I have to turn the work so the sun is in front of me.

For small welding, I use a pair of dime-store reading glasses in front of my regular glasses, then my auto-darkening helmet. I have to get pretty close to the work to focus on the puddle. The wire-feed is so much easier than a stick welder for small stuff.

 

[cmore]

If it holds, its a good weld!

 

[cqaigy2]

If it holds, its a good weld!

:thumbsup:
I don't have problem seeing where to weld, it's more like seeing the puddle. My visual acuity has gotten pretty bad so differentiating the flux from the molten metal has become an issue with me now. I'm really not trying to be a smart alec, but moving your head to a different position to see where you are going to be welding might help as well. And there is just the issue of repetition, the more you weld, the better you get.

But when it's all well and done, like cmore says, 'If it holds, its a good weld!"

 

[MossRoad]

If it holds, its a good weld!

And if it breaks, it wasn't! :laughing:

 

[ponytug]

I also recommend good (bright) lights. It does make a big difference for me. Lightening the helmet is not the way to go. You need your eyesight to be able to see. What is needed is more light on the weld, so that you can see the puddle and where you want to go.

All the best,

Peter

 

[SpringHollow]

in my case, I really did need to lighten the helmet to even see the puddle reasonably well. If I remember correctly, I was using shade 12 and I now use 11 and sometimes 10 with MIG.

Ken

 

[cqaigy2]

in my case, I really did need to lighten the helmet to even see the puddle reasonably well. If I remember correctly, I was using shade 12 and I now use 11 and sometimes 10 with MIG.

Ken

12 is pretty dark. Used to use 12-13 for welding big building members with a "wire" feed. Only it's wire was almost the size of a pencil.

 

[BobRip]

Thanks for the tips. I have to try these.