Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi Guys,

I am currently welding with a #13 shade while welding 4130 thin wall tube (.035 wall @ 35-40 AMPS).

Will a #10 Gold shade be enough to protect my eyes?

A 9 is probably fine but adjustable auto darkening helmets are pretty cheap these days.

The darkness of the shade makes no difference for UV emissions which is what causes real damage, even a clear plastic lens will block all of it. Darkness of the shade is just to keep your receptors from bleaching out which is usually transient. Dial in enough to keep from seeing spots after welding and you'll be fine.

-Sandow

If you can't distinguish the tip of the tungsten because the arc is too bright then you need a darker shade, IMO.

I use a 9 gold for thin wall tubing.

LtBadd,

I think you answered a question I have.


In this video is this what I should see through my helmet lens or is the video clearer for instruction sake?
I took a welding class and I didn't see the tungsten as clearly as in the video. It felt like I was lookin at a bright glow and was welding by feel rather than seeing as clearly as the video shows. I might have a chance if a darker lens will let me see what I'm doing..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?ebc=ANyPxKp ... WNZioJ_FOc


https://youtu.be/vWNZioJ_FOc

Scooter916 wrote:LtBadd,

I think you answered a question I have.


In this video is this what I should see through my helmet lens or is the video clearer for instruction sake?
I took a welding class and I didn't see the tungsten as clearly as in the video. It felt like I was lookin at a bright glow and was welding by feel rather than seeing as clearly as the video shows. I might have a chance if a darker lens will let me see what I'm doing..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?ebc=ANyPxKp ... WNZioJ_FOc


https://youtu.be/vWNZioJ_FOc

That is pretty much what you should be seeing in my opinion.

I caught on slowly myself and spent far too long stabbing the filler into a bright white patch of nothingness. After a helmet upgrade followed by a bit of tinkering with the shade level, I am now seeing pretty much what you see in the video you linked - the shape of the arc, the glowing tungsten electrode and the puddle directly underneath.

The moment I had this dialled in, my welding improved. Seeing clearly so that you can properly judge arc length and understand what the puddle is doing is half the battle won.



Kym

MosquitoMoto wrote:
That is pretty much what you should be seeing in my opinion.

I caught on slowly myself and spent far too long stabbing the filler into a bright white patch of nothingness. After a helmet upgrade followed by a bit of tinkering with the shade level, I am now seeing pretty much what you see in the video you linked - the shape of the arc, the glowing tungsten electrode and the puddle directly underneath.

The moment I had this dialled in, my welding improved. Seeing clearly so that you can properly judge arc length and understand what the puddle is doing is half the battle won.

Kym

+1
(hey Kym, one more post and you've got a 1000!! )