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

[Industrial Toys]

My contact practicioner plays around with my prescriptions. One side is different then the other, so I can favor one eye for long distance and the other for closer objects. Says he is trying to keep me out of bifocals for as long as possible. This may be a problem for a helmit lense.

You have to take your helmit off so often, and half the time I don't remember where I laty it down or hung it up. Having to deal with readers would be even worse.

But I will try it and try some extra light. Maybe something to cover the back, like an oil sheik wears, to keep the light from getting into the back.

 

[RBA50]

I think I just figured out my problem after reading Mark's explanation of shading adjustment. I always had the problem of not being able to see the joint ahead of the weld or the puddle behind and if I set shading to lighter I could see fine after getting started but the initial arc flash was too bright and I would see "sun spots" when I finished. Duh, I wear prescription glasses but they are Transition "auto-darkening" so they are changing tint along with the helmet. Time to dig out the older pair of straight clear lenses.

When I got my Transitions, my Optician told me that they NEED either UV or IR (Don't remember which) to function. A good welding helmet blocks those, so the lenses should not change when you weld. He said a car windshield would be enough to keep them from darkening. I wanted polarized lenses to help with glare when I am out on the water, but they weren't available in Transitions, so I got frames that have a magnetic clip on polarized sun lens.

 

[CNC Dan]

I added 1.5 cheaters to my Harbor Freight helmet. I had to cut them down to fit, but they do clip in nicely. I use that helmet for TIG, and another without cheaters for stick.

 

[nc redneck]

I am right with you and feel the same pain. I started off 30 years ago repairing cars with acetylene torch brass and steel. Then the mig welder came out. What could be easier than it. Over the last few years ( I am 57 YO ) it has become harder and harder to create good weld. I have upgraded to full view auto flash helmet. That worked for a few years. Over the last few months I have finally realized my age and have been trying reading glasses under my welding helmet. Results are OK but nothing like I could do years ago. I find I go off center on a lot of welds and 90 degree welds have one side colder than what I like, then have to re-weld, end result is not the same. I will try brighter lights as suggested above and see what happens.
Thanks
Scott

 

[IXLR8]

I have reading glasses from Walmart, Walgreens and CVS. The ones from Walmart are the cheapest and I find the optics to be so bad I threw them out... they were useless. The ones from Walgreens and CVS were about 3x the price and work well for me.

 

[muddstopper]

If you all ready have prescrition eye glasses, why try guessing at which reader glasses to buy. Just ask you eye doctor what your prescription is and then buy reading glasses, or better yet, a cheater lens in that prescription strenght. I tould my eye doctor what i wanted, he told me what power lens to buy and thats what I bought. Works perfect, now if he could just prescribe something to keep my hands steady while running a bead, i would be happy.

 

[sixdogs]

I don't use reader glasses but found that my regular bifocal glasses with a magnifying lens in my mask gave me the best results.