MIG Welding. Can't see what I am doing. Is it Just me?

[rsallen]

Last time I got new prescriptions I asked my optometrist about uv ray protection particularly en re to forges and torches. He told me not to worry about it because the lens I was getting were plastic lens and all plastic cuts uv rays down to an acceptable levels even without special coatings.

If that's not the truth I might sue.

 

[Arc weld]

Heating your not melting the metal and don't need to be looking directly at the flame. You're usually just looking to see how hot the piece is getting and not getting the increased intensity from the steel melting.

 

[flusher]

Have your eyes checked for cataracts. I had cataract surgery on both eyes two years ago at age 69. I couldn't believe how much improvement I got with the implanted lenses. The world is now much brighter than before and the yellowing is gone. The surgery takes about 20 minutes in the OR (after about 90 minute prep in the pre-surgery unit and afterwards about 30 minutes in the post-surgery unit to allow the mild anesthetic to wear off). The procedure is covered almost entirely by Medicare (for single focus implants).

No problem seeing the weld puddle now. I wear UV400 wrap around glasses under my auto darkening helmet to protect from stray reflected UV off the shop walls. The helmet setting is generally between 9 and 10 for stick welding with 1/8" rod and DC(+) current in the 80-120 amp range (welder is a Hobart Stickmate LX AC/DC rig, 240VAC).

Good luck.

 

[CNC Dan]

Last time I got new prescriptions I asked my optometrist about uv ray protection particularly en re to forges and torches. He told me not to worry about it because the lens I was getting were plastic lens and all plastic cuts uv rays down to an acceptable levels even without special coatings.

If that's not the truth I might sue.

It's true.

 

[dstig1]

Random points...

Most plastics tend to naturally block UV. They just don't pass that part of the spectrum. This is not the case for glass.

Cutting torches or welding torches (talking oxy fuel here) typically use shade 4 or 5. A little darkening helps as the flame is bright, but it sure isn't arc welding bright. You can get away without any shade if you don't have to look at the flame at all, but that is pretty hard to do, unless it is a very short use. IMO. I have had quick uses where I did not put on the shade 5 face shield, but I generally do use it for just about everything with the torch. You can still see spots with just a torch if you look directly at it for a few seconds.

 

[rsallen]

Hope I'm not taking this to far off track talking about forges and I don't how many here use them but I think it's worth mentioning.
It's true forges won't put out the intense uv's arc welding does; at least I can't ever remember getting a 'sun burn' doing forge work, forges do put out some substantial uv's though. Enough to hurt those eyes guys.

The refractory material lining gas forges puts out quite a bit at working temps, and coal forges start sending out scattered rays when the ball of coke is taken up to welding temps.
Take care out there guys, there more than one reason for wearing those safety glasses.

 

[JimRB]

Someone asked about what strength reader to get. You go to Walmart, Kmart, Dollar Store, Walgreens, CVS or wherever and pull a pair off the rack and look at something at your working distance. I might work at 12" but you might work at 18". Those kiosks usually have readers from .5 to bigger numbers, maybe up to 5. Assuming your left eye is not radically different from your right eye, the dimestore readers work OK.

If I get frustrated working on my car I get my prescription computer readers which is about right for car work. Not right for general body work but ok for brakes, belts shocks and up close tasks. They happen to be progressive lenses so I can tilt my head a little bit up or down to get better focus. That said I can see well enough without but movie theater screen are fuzzy without glasses and close up detail work I cannot see. Those 4 point Microsoft license keys on Windows 7 stickers make me mad. I just take a picture with the phone and enlarge the picture. The heck with the glasses for that task. Punching down network or phone cable usually is done with me wearing glasses.

I do need to adjust the darkening of my welding helmet. I seem to lay circular beads, not stacked dimes.

 

[Arc weld]

A 5 reader? The highest I've ever seen is a 2.5.

 

[JimRB]

I was just guessing on how much correction you could buy. I guessed wrong. :licking:

 

[/pine]

FWIW...TSC has a selection of "cheater" (magnifying) lenses that fit most welding helmets...