Magnifying lenses?

[FuzzyOne]

I ordered a Miller Performance series helmet the other day and saw the option for a magnifying lens. Does anyone use one and if so, which diopter is best for general use. Thanks.

[theweldor]

I use them. The diopter depends on your eyesight.

[Goodhand]

Magnifying lenses

I ordered a Miller Performance series helmet the other day and saw the option for a magnifying lens. Does anyone use one and if so, which diopter is best for general use. Thanks.

The dioptric power one chooses depends a lot on position, the type of welding, and age of the user. I can better advise you on the appropriate power for you, if you will post your age, and the type of general welding you do.

Do you wear corrective glasses? If so, are they bifocals, or single vision?

Goodhand

[triggerman]

I use one.

I ordered a Miller Performance series helmet the other day and saw the option for a magnifying lens. Does anyone use one and if so, which diopter is best for general use. Thanks.

These are called "cheaters". I use one in my BWE. I wear corrective lenses (usually contacts) and wear safety glasses under my hood. By using a cheater I overcame my tendency to keep moving my head closer and closer to the piece while I was welding. I selected a 1.5 diopter cheater because it gives me just a little magnification and achieves the desired result. Just remember as you concentrate the light with a cheater, you concentrate ALL aspects of that light. Magnifying the work intensifies the energy in all spectrums (UV, IR, etc.) and you may need to go a little darker on your shade. Cheaters are probably one of the cheapest things you can buy at the LWS (around $7), so try one if it doesn't give you the desired result, you can toss it and try another strength without hitting your wallet too hard.

Hope this helps.

[FuzzyOne]

Thank for the replies. I am 40 and do strictly mig welding as a hobby. I noticed the other day that I really had my head close to the work piece and thought one of these lenses may help. I don't have vision problems to be concerned with.

Triggerman, I'll take your advice and just buy one since they are so cheap.

[Goodhand]

Thank for the replies. I am 40 and do strictly mig welding as a hobby. I noticed the other day that I really had my head close to the work piece and thought one of these lenses may help. I don't have vision problems to be concerned with.

Triggerman, I'll take your advice and just buy one since they are so cheap.

I, too, find that my head is often close to the work piece. I like to get a good look at that puddle, so I, usually, use a +3.00 or +4.00 diopter flip-up halfeye clip-on "cheater," attached to the top of my eyeglasses, to give me a good focus. (I've got a couple decades on you.) Since you are approaching the magical age of 42 that makes most of us require the use of bifocals for near work, you can start with the +1.50, then increase the power, as the birthdays add up.

Keep in mind that the dioptric power of a lens is the inverse ratio of the focal length in meters. So, if you want the mid-point focus of a lens to provide for a working distance of 20" (about 1/2 meter), you would choose a +2.00 (2/1) diopter lens. A +2.50 diopter lens gives a mid-point focus at 16".