Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello Gents
New " weekend warrior" here
I am having a lot of difficulty being able to see well enough to follow the path

I am using a Lincoln 140c that I bought new from my local welding supply, also using the helmet that came with the machine (can't remember the model number)

Should my view thru the helmet be as clear as what I see in Jodys vids?

Maybe I need a better helmet??
Suggestions

Tks for your help
ed

Welcome, Ed, and a Merry Christmas to you!

How is your vision normally? I wear magnifier glasses ("cheater" lenses) for close up work, for instance. Some helmets will accommodate a cheater lens inside the helmet.

Some years back my sister hands me her telephone, saying "the camera doesn't work right". Like I'm going to fix an electronic camera, right?! But I did take the protective plastic wrapper off the lens. We're already past that in the case of your helmet, right?

Ha yea plastic is removed
I wear cheater reading glasses, & I did install the cheater lens in my hood
Also changed out the outer protect lens, & made sure everything is clean

Should my view thru the hood be as clear/bright as Jodys vids?

Thanks
ed

Welcome Ed. Yes your view probably should be that clear or nearly so. What shade lens is installed in your helmet?
-Eldon

I ll take a look in the morning

You should have your helmet set between 10 and 11 for mig like your doing.

AKweldshop wrote:You should have your helmet set between 10 and 11 for mig like your doing.

You can't make a blanket statement like that, John. As we get older the shade required varies, it also varies with ambient light conditions, how much voltage/current you're using, quite a few variables.

To the original poster, if you've got a good, clean screen, as someone pointed out it's probably your eyesight. Don't be too shocked, in my 40's my TIG work became abysmal, when I had an eye test I couldn't believe how quickly my welding improved.

plantwelder wrote:

AKweldshop wrote:You should have your helmet set between 10 and 11 for mig like your doing.

You can't make a blanket statement like that, John. As we get older the shade required varies, it also varies with ambient light conditions, how much voltage/current you're using, quite a few variables.

To the original poster, if you've got a good, clean screen, as someone pointed out it's probably your eyesight. Don't be too shocked, in my 40's my TIG work became abysmal, when I had an eye test I couldn't believe how quickly my welding improved.

I forgot one thing on that post, plantwelder.

IMVHO!

I just went to check and mine is set on 11
BTW... My helmet is a Lincoln Viking

The big question for me is
"Should My view thru the helmet should be as clear and bright as Jodys vids"

and I guess it should be, as answered here!

Guess It's time for a good eye exam, & maybe real glasses

Tks Gents
ed

outsider347 wrote: "Should My view thru the helmet should be as clear and bright as Jodys vids"

The simple answer is yes, BUT keep in mind we are not necessarily compairing apples to apples. Jody is filming through a lens that is always clean and he can zoom in on the weld puddle creating a video that has great clarity. In the "real world" we have dirty lens' and our eyes are a lot further away from the puddle than his camera or zoom is. If using a brand new clear lens AND appropriate shade lens for the given amperage, we should see the puddle clear as day.

I am willing to say that a 11 might be a tad dark for such a small machine but each person is different. Try a 10 gold and see it that helps with clarity before you spend the money on a doc visit unless you strongly suspect it is your eye sight and not the lens.
My opinion.
-Jonathan

Jonathan, Thanks for the quick response

Apologies! I failed to mention that I am using a auto darkening rig

Also look to see if you are getting internal reflection, it really jacks me up so i now look like predator

Msumner
Is it really obvious with the reflection occurrences?

No its not going to be like a bright light, but if you can see any light coming from anywhere other than the lens than its probably also messing your sight up.

Artie F. Emm wrote:Welcome, Ed, and a Merry Christmas to you!

How is your vision normally? I wear magnifier glasses ("cheater" lenses) for close up work, for instance. Some helmets will accommodate a cheater lens inside the helmet.

Some years back my sister hands me her telephone, saying "the camera doesn't work right". Like I'm going to fix an electronic camera, right?! But I did take the protective plastic wrapper off the lens. We're already past that in the case of your helmet, right?

that made my day!!!!!!!!

Vision did not get really clear and sharp for me until I put a standard green glass lense into my $10 bucket helmet. Haven't used anything else in a long time. Cheeter lense fits as well.

I use a cheater lens but I have it taped on the outside of my helmet.Seen an old timer do it in the body shop I worked in,and he wore reading glasses as well.I use a Miller Auto darkening to mig .To tig I've been using a fixed lens ,gold # 10 with no cheater .i feel like I get a clearer view of puddle.I haven't tried the fixed helmet with the mig yet .Sucks getting old ! Do whatever it takes to make it eaiser .

Adding a flashlight or other ambient light source helps too with seeing the area around where you are welding...helps me follow the joint a bit better when welding on thin material that is just butted up tight and you are trying to keep an eye on the seam and not wander off.

Not discounting anyone's opinions on clarity of seeing the puddle, but doesn't Jody magnify his videos to make the puddle appear huge? I can recall at least a couple of videos he said that the views were magnified for better illustration. Just chiming in with a humble thought in case it was a scale type problem? I know my welds never look like the HD big screen views I get from Jody's arc shots

BTW, Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for having me back. I never got the chance to know anyone here well at all, and I'll explain in an appropriate thread.

Hi Ed,
I've been in the printing field all my life and my eyes are shot. I use 175 to 225 cheaters for close up work 250's if I'm right on top of it.
In my helmet I use 225 cheaters with I think 200 lens in the helmet I'm tig welding and my depth of field is shit but I can see the puddle. I set my helmet at the #8 setting my amps go from 40 to 200 and I can see.
As far as what a digital camera can record with the proper set up is better than your eye well mine anyway. it has good depth of field and the ability to flatten out the super bright arc and the area around it.
What us old guys need is a weld by wire set up LOL
Keep playing with it and you'll get it.
Good luck

plantwelder wrote:

AKweldshop wrote:You should have your helmet set between 10 and 11 for mig like your doing.

You can't make a blanket statement like that, John. As we get older the shade required varies, it also varies with ambient light conditions, how much voltage/current you're using, quite a few variables.

Hey plantwelder.
Just a note to say my above comment was kind of dumb.

Sorry.