These are the worst welds you have ever seen

[Nickahawk]

Like several of you, I have a hard time seeing also. I like to "really see" what I'm welding. I'm 64 and have more welding time now. My eye doc said he would write me a script for trifocal welding glasses. By raising the reading focus point on the lens of my glasses to mid point instead of all the way at the bottom, and spreading this lens correction higher and lower (to cover more of the lens) I will be able to weld by looking straight on instead of pushing my glasses down and holding my head up higher. If you have bi or trifocals you know what I mean. He's checking me again next Fri and if I'm still at the same correction level were going to order a pair. Note...these will be for welding only, or other hobbie work requiring real close veiwing. I used the magnifiers for several years until the focus point in each eye got really different and I was forced to use my glasses. I will keep you posted on how this works out. Nick.

 

[thunderworks]

Related question . . .? Is there an appreciable difference between the $75 auto darkening helmets and the $200 versions. Like many here have already indicated, I also have a very difficult time seeing where I'm welding. I've been using a cheap auto darkening helmet. Do the more expensive ones let you see any better?

TIA

 

[wushaw]

Related question . . .? Is there an appreciable difference between the $75 auto darkening helmets and the $200 versions. Like many here have already indicated, I also have a very difficult time seeing where I'm welding. I've been using a cheap auto darkening helmet. Do the more expensive ones let you see any better?

TIA

I have an older jackson auto darken helmet I inherited and a $75.00 Northerntool helmet, The jackson helmet has a very small window so it is a little difficult to see out of and no auto on feature, so I removed the junk headgear off the $75.00 helmet and trashed it then retrofitted the Jackson headgear on the Northerntool helmet and it works fine now.

So I guess to answer your question is you need to adjust the helmet shade to what amperage your welding at and get close to your work so you can see the puddle and beyond.

 

[workhorse]

I picked up a Northern Tool auto-darkening cheapie and I love it. I do some repetitive and batch welding and it's great to be able to see exactly where the wire will contact the part prior to pulling the trigger, check the welder settings, lay down a bead, rotate the part, finish welding it, add another part to the weldment, remove it from the fixture, etc. All without having to flip up the helmet.

Of course my previous welding experience was using a scratched-up hand-held welding shield with enough dust and crud on the lens to make a nasty cup of coffee.

 

[Renze]

I hate welding helmets. It's because of my welding habits, not because of the helmet itself:
I just use a cheap shield with a big 10x12 cm window, and hold the wrist of my hand with which i hold the torch, against the side of the welding shield. I got this habit since i was 12 and started welding. I tried using a helmet and holding the torch with 2 hands, but that doesnt work for me... Old habits die hard.

 

[Knotbored]

Like several of you, I have a hard time seeing also. I like to "really see" what I'm welding. I'm 64 and have more welding time now. My eye doc said he would write me a script for trifocal welding glasses. By raising the reading focus point on the lens of my glasses to mid point instead of all the way at the bottom, and spreading this lens correction higher and lower (to cover more of the lens) I will be able to weld by looking straight on instead of pushing my glasses down and holding my head up higher. If you have bi or trifocals you know what I mean. He's checking me again next Fri and if I'm still at the same correction level were going to order a pair. Note...these will be for welding only, or other hobbie work requiring real close veiwing. I used the magnifiers for several years until the focus point in each eye got really different and I was forced to use my glasses. I will keep you posted on how this works out. Nick.

Nick I had terrible eyesite (20/200) until I had cateracts removed, now have about 20/40 corrected with glasses to 20/20 but like all our ages (I am 67) have lost the compenation for depth we had when younger.
I have a pair of "computer glasses" that give perfect site at arms length only and won't go back to bi or tri focals for work at that distance, those should also be perfect for welding.
Just a thought-the local DOLLAR store has cheap reading glasses , I can see no reason to not to steal a lens from one pair to make a homorphodite pair of glasses for different eye corrections. A $2 bill and a screwdriver might make something to leave on the shop shelf for that close work.

By the way-the cateract removal (replaced lense with plastic) was absolutely painless, I mean I have had haircuts that hurt more! Most folks will need it sooner or later, when it happens jump right in-waters fine.

 

[Farwell]

Knotbored,
Amen on the cataract surgery. It wasn't a picnic for me but one of the best decisions I have made in my adult life. I no longer need glasses to drive but still need some magnification to use the computer and read because I was far sighted and the implanted lenses were to correct for that.
I buy my reading and computer glasses from Wally World for $9.00 a pop. The cheapies have held up well. Never thought of changing elements, sounds like a great suggestion.