Can't see when welding

[Hilbilly]

A while back I was having a real hard time seeing the puddle and finally figured out the lens was covered with smoke (I guess I get my face too close to the work area). After cleaning the inside and outside I found that I was not going blind and things cleared up a lot. I too have issues with not being able to see under some circumstances, like not enough ambient light in the work area. So if I'm working in a dark or shaded area and can't see the weld location very well I use a flashlight and lay it down pointing onto the start of the weld. After the arc starts the light from the arc is usually enough to see what's going on. I find that with stick welding I have to turn the lens shade up to about a 10 or 10.5, depending on the amperage and ambient light. With the Mig I pretty much always have the setting at 9 (my lowest) and even then sometimes a need a background light or re position myself to get a better view. Sometimes I also find visibility better when pushing the weld instead of pulling. I'm not a weldor by any means but these are based on my experience.

 

[Shield Arc]

Don't hold me to this. But it seems as I remember reading AWS recommends you replace your clear lenses after every 4-hours of welding.

 

[Oldpath05]

Don't hold me to this. But it seems as I remember reading AWS recommends you replace your clear lenses after every 4-hours of welding.

That sounds about right, sometimes when I weld over head, 2 hr., flat 2 days.

 

[Big Barn]

Being a hobbyist, I imagine Shield Arc is STILL on his first clear lens....

Terry

 

[oldpilgrim]

The helmet I've been using doesn't have 4hours on it and I've had the problem since it was new. I've tried my stick welding fixed shade mask and it's no better. I'm hoping on great things happening with the new helmet, which I've been notified, just shipped.

Time will tell and I will too.

 

[Shield Arc]

Being a hobbyist, I imagine Shield Arc is STILL on his first clear lens....

Terry

I gotta learn to keep my face out of the smoke! :laughing:

 

[sd455dan]

The helmet I've been using doesn't have 4hours on it and I've had the problem since it was new. I've tried my stick welding fixed shade mask and it's no better. I'm hoping on great things happening with the new helmet, which I've been notified, just shipped.

Time will tell and I will too.

noticed this thread,- been putting more time in on the basic Antra model and thought i would reply here to.

in the other thread, the Hf helmet was really,really dark mig welding - even on the lowest setting I could not see the puddle let alone the work.
i finally tried some mig welding last night and the antra is much better than the HF but, of all the processes -TIG MIG SMAW plasma cutting and Acetylene the MIG is the only one that probably could use some extra external light.

I tried it on the 5-9 setting and set at 8.6 the arc is a little bright and the work area could probably still use some extra light.
On every other process I am extremely happy with the antra- especially tig, where my Harbor Freight is just dangerous... also Like some others here I wear transition lenses and some times use (need) a cheater lens which this helmet accommodates.
There may be a perfect mig welding helmet out there that needs no extra light, but, with the antra I may start to use some external illumination .
Which is something for mig welding i always HAD to use with the HF helmet and still could barely see the puddle.

So i am still very pleased with the new hood - will be interested in your take on the upscale model.

 

[Jorville]

Don't hold me to this. But it seems as I remember reading AWS recommends you replace your clear lenses after every 4-hours of welding.

Back when I did production welding on automobile bodies we would change every morning before we started the day. We had good drag out ventilation, very little smoke. The man fans helped a lot also. At that time I, and a few others would burn up a 35 pound spool of wire in a day.

 

[petegoud]

I'm 64 years old, and have been having troubles seeing all but the weld arc. Recently I modified my Miller Elite helmet by attaching a LED lamp (Costco variety) that I used for clam digging to illuminate the area where I welding. Attached it using velcro to the top of the helmet. Still working on it, but it does give me a little better illumination of what I'm welding.

 

[npalen]

Now that's an idea!