Welding Tips and Tricks

I've had my MIG welder for a few months and feel like I'm getting the hang of it. I can lay down a pretty good bead but I still feel like I can't see what I'm working on very well. When I start welding I can see the puddle just fine but the joint itself is barely visible. Helmet is set on the lowest sensitivity and lightest darkening settings, still can't see. Is my helmet the problem or is there something else I'm missing? Thanks for any help.

Firstly, welcome.

Next...why can't you see? Is what you are looking at too bright, too dark, the wrong colour, not focused? I farted around with helmet settings for a long time before getting happy, it's not necessarily just a matter of tweaking things for a moment or two.

Why lowest sensitivity? Has your helmet been darkening at the first hint of a ceiling light? And why lightest darkening settings? Was the view way too dark before you did this?

I weld Tig, but to put things in perspective, I have my hood set to very nearly the highest sensitivity...just so that shed lights won't make it darken. There's no way I want to risk being flashed, after all. I also have the hood set quite dark, because I don't want to see a fireworks show, I just want to see the actual arc and puddle itself, plus a small area around it.

Hope this is making some sense. What brand/type helmet do you have and is it old or new?



Kym

I found it helpful to add more lighting on the part. The more I light the weld area better I can see everything. Makes it lot easier to see object details. I also use a yellow truesight lens by Jackson instead of the green lens. Allows me to see colors better which makes it easier to pick out details also.

+1 on the extra lighting, dirtmidget. Also try looking ahead of the arc to where the puddle is flowing into the joint. Not looking at that arc is hard to do but you have to do it. Yep, your eyes get drawn to it like a moth to a flame but you have to resist the temptation to be sucked in by it (It's a sucubus).
Now, if you really wanna see good then get yourself a Lincoln Viking hood with 4C lense technology. I can't say enough good things about the one that I have. You can see every color through it with astonishing clarity......except for purple which comes through as black. It has a greenish gray tint until you strike an arc. At that point the lense turns a soft baby blue gray with a bright and clear electric blue arc. Definitely not as pretty as a Wens Lense but no lense is as pretty as one of those things. Just don't believe Lincoln's BS about these hoods being lightweight because they are definitely not. It's the heaviest hood that I've ever strapped on but also has the most comfortable headband in existence.
http://m.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/equi ... ology.aspx

I've suffered the same
Extra lightning helps a lot but getting a better helmet did most difference.

Now using a Esab Aristo tech HD gives so much clearer view and I can add as much extra lightning I need without lens getting dark. Can even look straight into a 300 W halogen light without darkening the lens.
Its triggered by the magnetic field from the arc instead of IR as most other do.

Miller have such feature too, not sure what model though

AndersK wrote:I've suffered the same
Extra lightning helps a lot but getting a better helmet did most difference.

Now using a Esab Aristo tech HD gives so much clearer view and I can add as much extra lightning I need without lens getting dark. Can even look straight into a 300 W halogen light without darkening the lens.
Its triggered by the magnetic field from the arc instead of IR as most other do.

Miller have such feature too, not sure what model though

Hey Anders! Where have you been old friend? I have missed you. Hope all is well....sorry to go off topic

I bought a Lincoln Viking after I went through what you are describing. I had an old Miller POS and I even put a new complete AD in it and it was still a POS. The Lincoln does Tig duty and the Miller does Mig duty and the sun rises everyday.

miller190, welcome to the forum.

exnailpounder wrote: Hey Anders! Where have you been old friend? I have missed you. Hope all is well....sorry to go off topic

Thanks Jeff, still half sane . Yeah been a while, other things to attend to.

AndersK wrote:

exnailpounder wrote: Hey Anders! Where have you been old friend? I have missed you. Hope all is well....sorry to go off topic

Thanks Jeff, still half sane . Yeah been a while, other things to attend to.

Don't be such a stranger. Glad all is well with you. You're still half sane? I'm at about 1/3.

Ok, thanks for all of your replies, especially helmet recommendations. I didn't pay much for the one I have, so it had occurred to me that a better one might be the answer. Guess I didn't really have a good grasp of the sensitivity and darkness settings. I'll try tweaking the settings again and add some extra lighting. My wife's son said he uses a clamp-on incandescent desk lamp when he's welding in the farm shop.......might start with that. Appreciate your help.

I attached a hard hat light to my helmet and it has done wonders for getting in tight places that normal room light casts shadows. A little velcro and duct tape and I was a better welder.

Mayb you just need a cheater lens or get a cheap pair of reading glasses at Walmart .