Helmet "Cheaters"

[Rustyiron]

This may be old news to some, but the other day I went in to get a new bottle for the MIG and was pokin' around in the store and found these magnifying "cheaters" (lens) that sliped right in the welding helmet. WOW, I's funny how easy it is to lay in a pretty bead ... IF YOU CAN SEE!! I'm not an everyday welder, but I got the welding bug back in high school and do pretty good for a farmer welder, and I was seriously questioning my skills lately.:thumbsup:
I'm sure that some of you know that anymore, You need plenty of light and your pocket glasses to see ****. Neither conditions are available under your helmet.

 

[Shield Arc]

I went through this a few years ago. I hadn't welded in years, retired bought a Mig welder, and for the life of me I could not get it set. After a very frustrating couple days it hit me, I couldn't see. Went in the house grabbed a pair of my wife's reading glasses. Wow I hadn't forgot how to weld, I just went blind over night! :laughing:

 

[IslandTractor]

Cheaters are great. Miller makes them in various strengths. I have several at different strengths so I can choose how close I want to be to the weld. I find it easier to be close with tig and a bit further away with mig or even further from the puddle when outside using fluxcore or stick. Much better than wearing reading glasses as you are not "blind" when you are walking around the shop when not welding.

 

[Jim in ICT]

Beats trying to look down through the lower half of my bifocals!

 

[crash325]

What I need is bright light. Welding in sun light I do OK. Welding in the shade, I have no idea where I'm welding or how it going. Want to get a real bright bulb or light to shine on my welding. Its the same with self darkening or regular old helmet.

We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.

 

[EastTexFrank]

Thank you gentlemen. I finally have an explanation as to why my welding SUCKS.

I need to check out those "cheaters". To be honest, they probably won't make it any better but at least now I have an excuse.

 

[moored4]

What I need is bright light. Welding in sun light I do OK. Welding in the shade, I have no idea where I'm welding or how it going. Want to get a real bright bulb or light to shine on my welding. Its the same with self darkening or regular old helmet.

I had a similar problem lately. I could not see to start. I cleaned my lens, checked my auto helmet, nothing was helping till I realized I had put a roof out over the welding table and area about 3 mounths ago. Put a work light out there and I can see.

 

[IslandTractor]

I picked up a magnet mount work/task light from HF which solves the light issue nicely.

 

[dmay]

I found the same thing. My low light vision sucks. I wear contacts for distance but close up and small text, out come the reading glasses. I tried wearing reading glasses under my helmet. Just was not working. Half way through my welding class I was thinking this just isnt for me. I simply could not see what I was doing. I decided I'd give a new higher quality helmet ($189 on sale) with a built in mag lense holder at try. Started with a +2.0 lens (cost $9). WOW. What a difference when you can 'see' what your doing. Finally laying some not too bad welds and thinking welding might just be ok.

 

[Perplexed]

I've seen those lenses for welder helmets. How do you deal with the "split" that runs down the middle of the lens? Maybe it was only on the one lens I saw, but it was made by Miller, and when I looked through it, I could see a big linear blur right in the middle of my FOV.

 

[Shield Arc]

That line down the middle of the cheaters drove me crazy, I used the cheap reading glasses from the dollar store for awhile. Now I have prescription glasses.

 

[yomax4]

Most cheeters have no wide line down the middle. look at the space between your lenses on your glasses. You don't see the nose pieces. If you see the line between the lenses on the cheater..It is too far from your eyes.

 

[Shield Arc]

Most cheeters have no wide line down the middle. look at the space between your lenses on your glasses. You don't see the nose pieces. If you see the line between the lenses on the cheater..It is too far from your eyes.

You're correct, but think about your statement. Eye glasses set on the bridge of your nose. Without drilling holes and moving the headgear forward in your helmet how are you going to get the welding lens that close to your eyes where you won't see the line? And then what are you going to do with your nose? It will be pressed up against the lens, which it's will get burned. :laughing:

 

[IslandTractor]

There are two types of cheaters. Both types have a vertical line down the middle separating the left and right magnifying lenses. That line really should not bother anybody except a cyclops. Looking straight forwards you cannot see the line at all. I suppose if you are looking to the extreme left or right without moving your head you might see the distortion associated with that line but more likely you are just seeing the distortion of the magnifying lense that is designed for forward vision not sideways.

There is a second type of "bifocal" cheaters that have a horizontal line halfway that runs all the way across the insert. The upper lens is +0 or normal and the lower portion is +1, 2 or 3 etc depending on the pair. I tried those and found them uncomfortable because of that bifocal need to tilt my head forwards or backwards to get the weld puddle into the sweet spot of the magnefication. Maybe that is what the poster complaining about lines is referring to. I dumped those in favor of standard cheaters.

One other point. I bought a pair of cheaters that was really too strong and forced me to stick my helmet almost into the weld to get in focus. That is not comfortable either especially for stick or MIG welding. I didn't mind being that close with TIG and almost liked it especially with thin gauge welding. I subsequently got a new pair of cheaters that are less strong and find the working distance more comfortable. Cheaters only cost about $7 a pair at welding supply stores so it isn't going to break the bank to get a few pairs of different strengths to see what works best. It is a bit hard to tell while in the store what will work best and I would not necessarily assume that your reading glasses prescription will translate directly unless you always weld at about 24 inches or so from your face.

 

[Shield Arc]

That line really should not bother anybody except a cyclops.

That must be my problem, I'm blind in one eye. Child hood accident.

 

[jake98]

I think I got my cheaters at Lowes for under 3 bucks?

 

[Perplexed]

There is a second type of "bifocal" cheaters that have a horizontal line halfway that runs all the way across the insert. The upper lens is +0 or normal and the lower portion is +1, 2 or 3 etc depending on the pair. I tried those and found them uncomfortable because of that bifocal need to tilt my head forwards or backwards to get the weld puddle into the sweet spot of the magnefication. Maybe that is what the poster complaining about lines is referring to. I dumped those in favor of standard cheaters.

Sorry. I should have been more specific when I said "down the middle" - the kind I was talking about had the vertical line. Like was said previously, when I held the cheater at a distance approximating its location on a welding helmet, I could see the line. It was a bit of a distraction, but I'm sure one could get used to it.

 

[dmay]

As stated I use a mag lense and I do not see the vertical line at all. Lots of different helmet styles out there. If you can see the line I would guess it is because the mag lens is too far away from your eyes.

 

[Shield Arc]

If you can see the line I would guess it is because the mag lens is too far away from your eyes.

Can't get much closer than these.

Sarge's Pancake Welding Hoods

Wendy's Pancake Welding Shields: offers three different lenseholders: auto, chita and regular

Zeke?s Pancake Shield | Welding Hoods Pancake Welding Shield | Amarillo, Lubbock | Oklahoma City | Tulsa | Beaumont Texas | Birmingham Alabama Lafayette Louisiana | Mobile Alabama | Atlanta Ga | Miami Fl | Dallas Texas | Nation Wide

 

[jake98]

What's the reason for only one side covered?