Straight Weld

[ryanjones2150]

Also keep the sacrificial lens cover on your hood clean and change it out more often. They're cheap. But if you're a tight wad like me you keep going until it's like welding through fog. That way, when you do finally change it, it's like Christmas!

[H80N]

Also keep the sacrificial lens cover on your hood clean and change it out more often. They're cheap. But if you're a tight wad like me you keep going until it's like welding through fog. That way, when you do finally change it, it's like Christmas!

You can take those covers off and clean/polish them with a plexi polish like Meguier's #10

http://www.meguiars.com/en/marine/pr...lastic-polish/

[MMW]

Draw a line on each side of the joint spaced about 1" or so apart so you have something to follow. Use anything that works on the material you are welding. Soap stone, markers, scribes, etc. This way you have a reference point on both sides. Cheater lens, new clear cover, proper shade lens is all good advice. I lieu of a cheater you can try cheap reading glasses also. More hours of hood time helps also.

[davidmelley]

If anyone is interested a company called Markel sells a red and silver pencil that is supposed to illuminate when welding. I ordered a red and silver if it works i will post back.

[ryanjones2150]

Sweet! I'll buy a case of em if it'll make me a better weldor!!

[aametalmaster]

If anyone is interested a company called Markel sells a red and silver pencil that is supposed to illuminate when welding. I ordered a red and silver if it works i will post back.

I sell them and there is nothing special about them. Keep your money...Bob

[Aeronca41]

Thank you, Bob--I was with Ryan, about to order a big box......

[aametalmaster]

If i was going to buy one thing it would be a new lens cover. Just had a kid come in and wanted a glass lens for an old school hood. His cover plates were so filthy don't know how he saw anything. Had his glass lens not broke it prob would have been a long time until new ones...Bob

[Aeronca41]

My wife sometimes calls me El Cheapo, but I'm not that cheap!

[ryanjones2150]

I'm pretty cheap, especially on stuff like that. I generally don't change mine out until I get frustrated about a weld that looks like poop or went crooked or something. I'm gonna try H80N's suggestion.