Welding Tips and Tricks

Another weird question from a new welder.

How close do you hold your head to your work when welding? I just noticed that I have been holding my head between 6 and 12 inches from my work! When I make a bead I am trying to watch both (a)where I am going via scribed lines, edges of the joint, or the edge of the last bead and (b)all four edges of the puddle to see how it is reacting to what I am doing.

In order to see all this, around the arc. I tend to get my face very close to the work. Is this normal or is it a sign I need some sort of magnification? I fear I am spoiled my the size and clarity of the puddle in welding videos

David

David,
I think everyone benefits from using a cheater lens, they make them up to at least 3x diopter but a 1x will help even someone with good eyesight. Local welding store should stock these and if not every online welding store does, they fit on the inside in place of your cover lens.

There no set distance that's universal and sometimes the work dictates how close your head is to the work, as in tight places. The further your head is from the work the less the fumes you're inhaling.

Len

How close?...far enough away to keep from melting the front of your shield, while keeping your head out of the plume of fumes.

I have a 3x cheater when I tig, I'm like 6"-8" away. With the mig, I have another hood w/o cheater & stay back 2' mas o menos.
(I wear near vision + astigmatism glasses, 'always' up to 3' away, distance + astig, driving, & have a pair made for about 42" away for the computer).
-c-