Welding and age

[Furu]

I have to use one strength cheater for stick and a stronger for Tig as I get closer to the weld when doing Tig thus need more diopter correction.

 

[pmsmechanic]

From XTN

"I'm no welder, but I've got a question.

pmsmechanic asks, "Just wondering what others have done to counter act the effects of age on eyesight and steady hands...?"

Why isn't the answer, "Hire a younger guy?"



I'm a one man show mechanic's shop. I do maybe a day+ of welding a month on the average. I can keep myself busy quite easily but as soon as I hire someone efficiency goes way down and I'd need to hire at least three guys. Besides in Alberta you don't just go and hire someone. Anybody that wants to work has a job here.

Hope that answers your question.

 

[Ken45101]

Do the autodarkening eyeglasses add to the problem? No matter how much light I add to the work, I still can't see where the joint is that I'm welding. Yes I can see the puddle but the problem is that the puddle wanders off of the joint!

 

[flusher]

I have done a lot of welding through the years and am finding as I get older that it's harder to see what I'm doing in order to lay a steady good quality bead. Just wondering what others have done to counter act the effects of age on eyesight and steady hands as I can't do the same quality of job that I used to and it's frustrating at times. I already use two hands when I can and an auto darkening helmet, both of which help quite a bit.

Had the cataracts removed three years ago. New implanted lenses. Eyesight is much clearer now (no more yellowing), colors are much more intense. Made a big difference for seeing the weld puddle. I use 2 hands and an auto darkening helmet also.

Good luck.

 

[FTG-05]

Well crap, I guess I'm hosed: I already weld with both hands and I can't wear glasses, at least during summer, I sweat too much.


On a more serious note, even though I took a welding class at a local college, I didn't really learn all that much. The best instruction I ever got was from my SIL's ex-BF. He was a non-college educated engineer with a large shipbuilding firm in Mobile, AL. He would supervise welders all day.

He spent a couple minutes with me one time on my welder (SP-175 Plus) and it was eye-opening! The first thing I learned was to not really use the chart on the side of the machine! He showed me how to set it up and, IMO, my welds have been much better.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I tried putting a cheater in my auto-dark hood but couldn't get it to fit right so I have to rely on my Tri-focal glasses which means I have to get my head in the right position or else just guess at what the weld puddle is doing. Not to mention the sweat that gets on my glasses and or drips on to the hood lens. I cant see without my glasses and with the sweat puddling, I can see with them either. When welding, cant even use the shop fan to keep cool either. Old Age is the pits.

 

[k0ua]

I tried putting a cheater in my auto-dark hood but couldn't get it to fit right so I have to rely on my Tri-focal glasses which means I have to get my head in the right position or else just guess at what the weld puddle is doing. Not to mention the sweat that gets on my glasses and or drips on to the hood lens. I cant see without my glasses and with the sweat puddling, I can see with them either. When welding, cant even use the shop fan to keep cool either. Old Age is the pits.

Amen brother, old age is not for sissies..

 

[Arc weld]

They make welding robots.:duh:

 

[jaotguy]

OK as far as the sweat in the eyes factor .... reversed base ball caps with a sweat band ... or an old rag with velcro on ends ... sweat band


YEH , Old age isn't for sissies ... it hurts too much ...

 

[Arc weld]

Have heard that maxi-pads make good sweat bands and pipeliners have used them.

 

[Reverser]

Have heard that maxi-pads make good sweat bands and pipeliners have used them.

I guess whatever works.

It's a wonder some entrepreneur hasn't come up with a way of repackaging those as The Miracle Hard Hat/Welding Hood Sweat Bands, and make a killing. :laughing:

 

[dragoneggs]

My visit to Shield Arc's shop was eye opening! One of the things I discovered thanks to SA, was my short distance vision sucked. I put on his readers and my control was instantly improved. Although his were too strong for me (sorry SA), I now know I need either readers or 'cheaters' as I have now learned from here. So I assume there is a lens you can pop into your helmet? I will start lookin'

 

[CNC Dan]

My visit to Shield Arc's shop was eye opening! One of the things I discovered thanks to SA, was my short distance vision sucked. I put on his readers and my control was instantly improved. Although his were too strong for me (sorry SA), I now know I need either readers or 'cheaters' as I have now learned from here. So I assume there is a lens you can pop into your helmet? I will start lookin'

Yup. You can get them online, or at most LWS stores. I had to cut one down to fit into my HF helmet. Helps a lot. I use it mostly for Tig, but sometimes for MIG. For stick, I have another helmet without the cheater lense.

 

[rmully]

They make different strengths …. go to your local pharmacy and try on the reading glasses to see which one works for you then you will know what strength and find them on ebay. they are not expensive $7-8.

 

[Bigfoot62]

Have heard that maxi-pads make good sweat bands and pipeliners have used them.

That might work, but I'm not going to be seen buying them.

I'm not a real welder, just a dauber. I weld because I have to. Life on the farm requires it. My welds have never been pretty, but I can make it stick.

I'm over 50, and I have to wear reading glasses to see up close. I just put the reading glasses on under my hood. When I'm chipping or grinding, I can still see.

 

[cormier]

x2 A good cheater lense in the shield and lots of light work the best for me.

Light. Lots of light.

I also bought cheaters for the inside of my welding helmet. Love it.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

My visit to Shield Arc's shop was eye opening! One of the things I discovered thanks to SA, was my short distance vision sucked. I put on his readers and my control was instantly improved. Although his were too strong for me (sorry SA), I now know I need either readers or 'cheaters' as I have now learned from here. So I assume there is a lens you can pop into your helmet? I will start lookin'

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, I am 78 and have the same if not worse problem. Yes it makes for a shaky cover pass, but it is whats under that counts. I have a special pair of ANSI safety glasses with a bifocal grind at the top. It sure helps when working overhead. (Not only welding but other mechanical work). I am still evaluating the auto hood. I concentrate on the root pass, idf that fails the rest will eventually if stressed.

In my younger working days we sometimes had to weld by feel as we could not see the puddle (takes a lot of practice). That was not for certified work but it got the job done. I have even welded pipe from the inside out when the back side was not reachable. Cut a window in the front and beveled on the inside for the hidden area. I can still tell what is happening by the feel of the stinger and the sound of the arc.

Actually I can do better with the O/A torch for a good looking cover pass. I don't bother grinding unless it is totally unacceptable appearance.

When you were at SAs shop you were 3 miles from my house.

Ron

 

[Arc weld]

There's times even on more important welds you have to go by sound and an educated guess. Other times you can kind of see but it's not so easy when the stinger is taped on the end of a 4' broom handle and you're reaching inside a hole to weld. :confused2:

 

[Tractor Seabee]

There's times even on more important welds you have to go by sound and an educated guess. Other times you can kind of see but it's not so easy when the stinger is taped on the end of a 4' broom handle and you're reaching inside a hole to weld. :confused2:

We need to set up a TBN welders reunion and all get together over a keg and see who has the best war story from our younger days welding for a living.

Ron

 

[Shield Arc]

I have even welded pipe from the inside out when the back side was not reachable. Cut a window in the front and beveled on the inside for the hidden area. I can still tell what is happening by the feel of the stinger and the sound of the arc.

I wish I could see well enough, and be good enough Tig welder to weld like this. I understand the pipe welders at PSNS, and Bangor do this all the time. :cool2: