For those that do a lot of welding...

[XcYZ]

What range is your lens shade? What darkened setting do you use most? Mine goes down to 10 and sometimes I have a hard time seeing on a low setting on the welder when doing fine, light gauge sheetmetal. I'm curious what others are doing.

[69 L88 Camaro]

If you use a silver faced lens it will reflect light from the welding. This seemed to help alot. If you see spots after welding the lens is not dark enough.

[XcYZ]

I'd like to go lighter actually, but I don't know if a 9 is too light. I've never (or don't remember that far back, lol) used one that light.

[Derek69SS]

My helmet has a range of 8 - 14

I have pretty sensitive eyes, and stick to 12 welding and turn it down to 8 for plasma cutting (those light tinted torch-goggles don't cut it for me). Any less, and my eyes get sore pretty fast.

[Slick]

I'm on 10 all the time but I have a hard time seeing sometimes also...I actually find a bright light nearby helps alot, I keep dual head 500 watt halogen "painters" light nearby...cheap and blinding bright.

[907rs]

Mine ranges from nine to thirteen and it's set a hair above ten with no problems.

[BRIAN]

There are silver pencils that work better than the old white ones, at least for me anyway. The weld area that is highlighted seams to just pop once the weld is started. Cheap and easy to try.

[Matt@Lateral Dynamics]

I commonly use a lighter shade than most, but have filters for my (manual) hood that range from 8-14. For any TIG above about 25 amps, I use a 9. MIG I use a 9 for anything up to about 3/8" plate.

If you're seeing how light you can go, do this: Weld for atleast 5 minutes straight, stop, and look around. If you get the same effect as walking into a building from outside on a very bright day, then you're too light. See blue spots? Not good!

[tndude]

I use 9 when I mig.

[Kustomchopshop]

In my opinion and I weld on a daily basis mostly Tig, also mig and fuel. If you are having trouble seeing especially spot welding with an autodarkening. I would recomend putting that expensive hood in the corner and using a standard hood with a #9-10 Gold lense. I found a hood with a 4x5 lense to be the most useful. Don't get me wrong I do own an A/D setup it is seldom used except in very tight places, I personally do not like the more than common flashes that take place with an A/D hood

[quadfather]

i agree i almost always use a 9 gold lens, 10 when doing aluminum. i like the gold lens. it seems more the colors are more natural doesn't have that green look to the puddle.

[Kustomchopshop]

its very easy to see depth in the weld puddle with the gold lense, you can see impurities and comtamination on the puddle if you look closely and compensate for what you see.

[Matt@Lateral Dynamics]

Just one thing to keep in mind boys...everybody's eyes are different, and everybody will see best with different filters. You really shouldn't be telling somebody that a gold 10 is the best. It might be the best for you, but that's all you know for sure. I can't stand the gold filters.

Case in point, I use a black 10 on up to 280 amps dual shield. Most people would be using a 12 atleast, and some a 14 with sunglasses on under their hood. Seen it.

[rwhite692]

Scott here is what I do when I'm having trouble seeing well (I'm using an auto-darkening helmet and I'm sure settings vary a bit from helmet to helmet)

I use a setting of about 11 when I'm mig welding. But what I do is to set up a big halogen work light so that the area I'm welding is extremely brightly lit. That way, when the helmet is "undarkened" I can see VERY well for positioning, etc.

Then, Even though the helmet is darkened while welding, the high degree of light from the halogen does get some of this "ambient" light through and your visibility of the surrounding area improves quite a lot in general...Of course just make sure the Halogen light isn't coming from behind you so that you dont get glare/light inside the helmet...

[Matt@Lateral Dynamics]

<snip>Then, Even though the helmet is darkened while welding, the high degree of light from the halogen does get some of this "ambient" light through and your visibility of the surrounding area improves quite a lot in general...Of course just make sure the Halogen light isn't coming from behind you so that you dont get glare/light inside the helmet...
I've never understood this concept. Seems to me that the arc is the biggest flashlight you'll ever get your hands on... Are you really getting that much help from the added light you're using?

I've never tried it, and don't have the need to, so I'm not doubting you. I just don't see how the halogen could provide more light than an arc bright enough to really ruin your evening.

[rwhite692]

I've never understood this concept. Seems to me that the arc is the biggest flashlight you'll ever get your hands on... Are you really getting that much help from the added light you're using?

I've never tried it, and don't have the need to, so I'm not doubting you. I just don't see how the halogen could provide more light than an arc bright enough to really ruin your evening.


Matt, I don't have an explanation for you... As others have noted what works for some people might not work a whit for others...I have just been welding for a lot of years and have found some things that help me.... Scott asked for help seeing what he is doing when welding thin guage material, and so I told him what works for me...When I am welding, it sometimes helps to be able to see faintly lit reflections off various parts of the work in the field of view in order to establish reference points and know where I'm at as I go...Just my $.02. - Rob

[69camarofast]

I try to keep a 11 shade on my welding projects..and for tig i change to a 12 both lens's i like to use gold..because of the reflection... :cool: ..

[EFI]

For a years I used a standard hood with a #9-10 gold lens. Now I use a Optrel Satellite A/D helmet. It has a shade range selection & shade level control. Shade settings range from 5-9 or 9-13. Optrel doesn't offer the cool graphics several other helmet manufactures offer, but if you spend lots of time staring at weld puddle and want a great performing A/D helmet, this is the best I've used.

[awr68]

Scott here is what I do when I'm having trouble seeing well (I'm using an auto-darkening helmet and I'm sure settings vary a bit from helmet to helmet)

I use a setting of about 11 when I'm mig welding. But what I do is to set up a big halogen work light so that the area I'm welding is extremely brightly lit. That way, when the helmet is "undarkened" I can see VERY well for positioning, etc.

Then, Even though the helmet is darkened while welding, the high degree of light from the halogen does get some of this "ambient" light through and your visibility of the surrounding area improves quite a lot in general...Of course just make sure the Halogen light isn't coming from behind you so that you dont get glare/light inside the helmet...

I'm with Rob, I also find that a little extra light helps me see what I'm doing...especialy if I'm in or under the car and the shop lights aren't doing their job....not sure why it works, it just seems to! :D

[XcYZ]

Lots of good info in this thread, thanks for the replies, guys. I have to hit the welding shop tomorrow so I'll check out what they have to look over.