What? Another welding question? Yup!

[Diggin It]

I have what a lot of y'all call a toy, the 90Amp HF Flux Wire thing. Does what I have needed so far which is just tacking stuff together, ain't none of which is purdy.

But here's my issue ... I can't see what I'm doing! Once I get the hood on and start arcing, all I see is the arc and the bright orange goop. I can't see the joint to know if the goop is where I want it or not. I have to take the hood off and wait for the goop to cool to see if I'm in the right spot.

Is this typical?

 

[RNeumann]

Helmets have a lens that has a darkness or shade raging. Typical is a 10. I’d try different shades to see what works best for you. Sounds like your shade is a little light-maybe an 8 or something.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Get an adjustable auto dark, if you don't have one already. You need to lighten yours up if you do have one. Shade 9 is enough.

 

[Big Barn]

Also try tilting your head to get a different viewing angle. Sometimes that helps.

 

[Gary Fowler]

All the years of my welding professionally, I never used anything darker than a 10 for welding. I preferred using a 9 for stick (SMAW) and a 10 for TIG or MIG. I don't suppose homeowner welders would ever be doing any electric arc gouging with 350 amps or higher, but if you do, you might need a 12 shade for that.

If you cant see the weld bevel, lighten up to even an 8 if needed. Shade 8 will prevent arc burning your eyes just as well as a 10 or 12. Your eyes should feel comfortable looking at the arc, if too bright and you have to squint, then darker lens is needed. You should never get so dark that you cant see the weld puddle and the spot that you want to weld or weld bevel

 

[Diggin It]

It's a $35 HF Auto darkening. I don't know if it can be adjusted or not. I've used a flashlight a few times to help.

 

[yomax4]

Get a Mag Lens too (cheater lens). You may not need one to see but it will make everything larger and easier to focus on. 1.5 or 2 depending on how close you can get to your work.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I might have started a thread on this a long time ago. I can't see bugger all! I welded quite a bit today at a friends shop. I did install a cheater lense and that helped but basically I did it just by feel.

My eyesight is terrible, can't see far away and now, not close either, plus I need tons of light to see much of anything. Meanwhile, my friend, maybe sixty, has made a billion welds since he was five and has perfect eyesight, although he does complain he needs light to see, but has no issue at all seeing while welding.

It perplexes and frustrates me. Except for the sunburn risk, I could have done much of my welding (and I did) just by closing my eyes.

 

[sd455dan]

I have what a lot of y'all call a toy, the 90Amp HF Flux Wire thing. Does what I have needed so far which is just tacking stuff together, ain't none of which is purdy.

But here's my issue ... I can't see what I'm doing! Once I get the hood on and start arcing, all I see is the arc and the bright orange goop. I can't see the joint to know if the goop is where I want it or not. I have to take the hood off and wait for the goop to cool to see if I'm in the right spot.

Is this typical?

I had a an HF hood for years and trying to mig weld got as bad as what you are relating - dark joint and could not adjust it to work, bought an Antra off of amazon and now at 2 years still very happy with it. No comparison to my old hf. couple threads
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/350688-cheap-wedling-helmet-scam-3.html


I CAN see while welding !!!!!!! Try this helmet !!!!
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/352658-i-can-see-while-welding.html

amazon has them for $45.95 4.5 stars with 963 reviews still their #1 seller

 

[dragoneggs]

Get a Mag Lens too (cheater lens). You may not need one to see but it will make everything larger and easier to focus on. 1.5 or 2 depending on how close you can get to your work.

This made a world of difference to me. Thanks again to Shield Arc!

 

[metalbender]

I'll chime in on the cheater lens, don't get one too strong. +1.25 or 1.5 does wonders. Also being over the hill, I sometimes loose my way on a bead, need plenty of light. Should try to lighten up the shade, why didn't I think of that.

 

[dragoneggs]

I'll chime in on the cheater lens, don't get one too strong. +1.25 or 1.5 does wonders. Also being over the hill, I sometimes loose my way on a bead, need plenty of light. Should try to lighten up the shade, why didn't I think of that.

True, most of us geezers, our eyesight is poorest in low light. Try adjusting your shades if you haven't played with that. Also helps immensely.

 

[ArlyA]

Gee, I had the same problem and brought myself a better helmet. Which one are you using??

I have what a lot of y'all call a toy, the 90Amp HF Flux Wire thing. Does what I have needed so far which is just tacking stuff together, ain't none of which is purdy.

But here's my issue ... I can't see what I'm doing! Once I get the hood on and start arcing, all I see is the arc and the bright orange goop. I can't see the joint to know if the goop is where I want it or not. I have to take the hood off and wait for the goop to cool to see if I'm in the right spot.

Is this typical?

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have an old Speed Shade helmet, my mother bought me for x-mas from Princess Auto, maybe twenty years ago. Can someone say, why helmet optics might be different? Saying one is better than another is somewhat meaningless and yet worth noting for further investigation.

 

[yomax4]

Some of the newer hoods have much better optical quality. Others have high optical quality and are much lighter in the light shade. High Optical Quality gives a fantasticly clear view while welding. You do get a little more for more $. A company called Weldcote Metals has a very high definition hood at a very low cost. Somewhere in that $140 range. Don't remember the model but it's like Kleer View HD or something similar. Remember to keep changing your cover plates. Even new ones can distort your view..Good Luck.

 

[dstig1]

Crappy helmet could be the first issue. If you are serious about welding even for home or farm repairs, try spending at least $100 on a decent one to start.

As for shade, everyone's eyes are different and it can depend on what you are doing. Since I put in a pair of cheaters, I have found I needed to move my shade up from 10 to 11 or i would start seeing spots after a few minutes of welding. Sometimes that makes it harder to see, but a halogen worklight on the weld area will do a lot to fix that. Find what works for you on shade. If you try 11 and can't see diddly, then try 10. Still too dark? Try 9. When you get done welding and start seeing spots, you know you went too low, so bump it up one at least. Then if it is hard to see, try extra light like the halogen i mentioned. It reduces the contrast between the super bright arc and the surrounding area, making it easier to see what is going on.

 

[OkieDave]

I agree with the above suggestions to flood the area with light. Right now, your vision is probably being overpowered by the arc. Put a couple of bright halogen lights on the work, turn the shade up if you need to, and you'll likely find that the arc isn't nearly so bright relative to the work.

 

[4570Man]

I’ve never had a “good” auto dark hood, but I haven’t liked the several I’ve tried. I can see better with my old fashioned glass lens hood. Sometimes I wear the auto dark for a complex tac job, but any welding is essentially by feel with it. I found with enough light you can see through the permanent dark hood before you start welding but after that I didn’t find the light to be of much use.

 

[ArlyA]

In this thread.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/387655-auto-darkening-helmet.html?highlight=helmet

I picked up a Tacklife PAH03D welding helmet which cost in the $70 area. Let me add, I clean the lenses inside and out, with each use.

I should have got a a better helmet years ago! Gee, I can really see again.. The Tacklife PAH03D controls are very nice, easy to use and understand, plus the helmet is quite light. There is a slight green tint when the darkening is not engaged which does not bother me. The only thing I'm not impressed with, as another responder had mentioned, its head gear doesn't appear to be very durable. I'll agree but i don't do all that much welding anyway. I added decals to the helmet, so shop kids don't use or run off with it.