Question for old timers

[6010]

Do you find that as you have gotten older that you want to use a lighter shade lens in you welding helmet ? I have good eye sight with my glasses on and could see a gnat if it landed in the weld puddle. It is just that I am using a number 8 lens now and I think 40 years ago I was using a 10 and seeing the puddle much better. It could just be my imaganition that I can't see as well with a darker shade now. It is not because I have done a lot of welding because I am not a welder by trade. My wife says it is because I have worked outside all my life without wearing sun glasses.

Just thought I would ask to see if some of you other old timers have had to change lenses. What do most of you use sticking welding at say 125 amps.

[HMW]

I use a 10 shade, I'm 43 and need glasses to read. haven't been to the doctor yet but use cheaters, The first thing I noticed was I need lots of light to see something. So I use cheaters under my welding helmet. They work great. You can get them in any strength and real cheap. I would not wear a lighter shade though and I think 8 is a little light. I also went from saftey glasses when grinding to using a clear face shield that way I can still use my cheater glasses. I also have safey glasses with bi-focals in the bottom, but I hate looking through the bottom and can't weld with them on. Just my 2 cents worth, good luck

[aametalmaster]

I am 49 and still use a #10. But i also must wear my glasses underneath my hood...Bob

[HMW]

Wow....the big 50 is close huh Bob....

[mudsplasher]

I'm 45 and use a 1.5 cheater lens in both my helmets, a Miller XLi and Optrell Satelitte.

The shade varies with whatever I am working on. Tigging stainless and aluminum causes me to use a #10, but with mild steel I use a #9. The exception is when tigging 20-22 gauge stainless, I use a #8.

I tend to use a #10 when stick welding.

[SignWave]

No forty something accesories here!! yet.... What helps me see is to make sure that there isnt too much ambient light coming from behind the helmet. If there is, it seems to "sihlouette" the weld puddle that im looking at through the shade. If that makes sence.

I just hit that 40 marker and I think it wont be too much longer now.. Maybe im just tired... Yeah thats it! i dont need glasses, im just tired.. yeah!

I find that trying to follow a TIG bead can be a bit difficult especially when the arc is pulsing around 6-15 pps's Its like my eyes lose focus and i have to reacquire the target... its weird...

[HMW]

Couple guys I work with use the lenses in their helmets to and like them. I tried it but couldnt see when I took the helmet off. So I went back to just using cheaters.

Signwave....Thats right when I noticed it too "40"

[6010]

Mr. Signwave,
You may have hit on my problem. I do almost all my welding outside now in the sunlight. I think I will put a shop rag or something over the back of my helmet and see how much difference I see. UPS just brought the new Jackson (5 1/4 x 4 1/2 ) I bought. It came with a number 10 installed and I bought a number 8 and a number 7 Omni Gold. I have never seen anybody wear the Omni Gold. I guess the side that looks like a mirror goes to the inside, is that right. Does anybody else like this type of lens ?

[aametalmaster]

Sunlight in the back of my hood sucks as well as another guy welding behind you, a good way to get your ears sun tanned. Yup the BIG 50 is 11 months away....Bob

[dabar39]

Like most of these guys, I started having problems about 3 years ago when I turned 40. I seem to be a lot more light sensitive out in the sun and need more light to see indoors. I too have found myself using cheater glasses under my hood. It seems that I can see the stick work just fine without assistance, it's the mig and tig work that I'm having problems seeing the puddle clearly. I have always used a # 10 shade for everything, mig, tig, and stick. Dave

[Wacko Welder]

Mirror to the outside

Mr. Signwave,
You may have hit on my problem. I do almost all my welding outside now in the sunlight. I think I will put a shop rag or something over the back of my helmet and see how much difference I see. UPS just brought the new Jackson (5 1/4 x 4 1/2 ) I bought. It came with a number 10 installed and I bought a number 8 and a number 7 Omni Gold. I have never seen anybody wear the Omni Gold. I guess the side that looks like a mirror goes to the inside, is that right. Does anybody else like this type of lens ?

Mirror to the OUTSIDE . . . Put a plastic protective cover on both sides like a sandwich. The GOLD ones scratch easy . . .

[Finney]

If back light is messing you up welding outside try a pancake hood. It is what pipeliners use.

[6010]

Thanks for the info. I wish I had posted this a few days ago before I ordered that new helmet.

[KBar]

OMG, I feel like an old fart now Im 55 but I still use a #10 shade. Started wearing bifocals at 43, take off my glasses and Im blind, take out my hearing aids and Im deaf, keep in mind, when the wife is upset, hearing aid batteries go dead

I did have a Dr tell me as we age, our eyes do become more sensitive to light. He said it has nothing to do with wearing or not wearing sunglasses as a kid. I do know I cant go out on the bay or ocean without some kind of polaroid glasses on now. As a youngun, it didn't bother me.

[aametalmaster]

I do know I cant go out on the bay or ocean without some kind of polaroid glasses on now. As a youngun, it didn't bother me.

And the snow is even worse. Talk about blinded by the bright...Bob