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Old 09-15-2011, 04:22 PM   #1
Bad Noodle
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Default dumb question on welding

Are you supposed to see anything but the bead? I have a cheap HF helmet and can't see the line/cut i'm trying to follow. Is it a helmet issue or is it normal and I need more practice?
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Old 09-15-2011, 05:31 PM   #2
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you should be able to see everything important, I can't explain much better than that.

If you are serious you can get a nice speedglas
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Old 09-15-2011, 10:29 PM   #3
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I can see literally 1mm in front of the bread. Because of this, I tend to go off course a lot. So do I need more practice in going straight or better equipment.
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Old 09-15-2011, 11:01 PM   #4
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Better equipment.

I use an Optrel Satellite and love it.
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Old 09-15-2011, 11:03 PM   #5
eg33GC
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you might have the wrong shade by some chance?
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Old 09-16-2011, 01:30 AM   #6
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Better equipment.

I use an Optrel Satellite and love it.
Im thinking of getting another helmet and probably gonna get an optrel e680 in snow white because im such a princess
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Old 09-16-2011, 02:01 AM   #7
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HF helmet has a really dark #11 if i remember right. Find a #9 or #10 shade and it will make a world of a difference. Or a good helmet with variable shades.
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Old 09-16-2011, 11:21 PM   #8
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Thanks for the advice guys, had it on 10, changed it to 9 and it helped a bit. I read that you should have it set to an 8 for mig welding, but the HF helmet only goes to a 9... any thoughts on the lowes kobalt helment? Not going pro any time soon, just wanna get through this project
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Old 10-06-2011, 05:20 PM   #9
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#8 shade is really light. I normally weld on a #10 if you go real light you are going to burn your eyes. Are you Mig welding or Tig, Also what are you welding. that will help on trying to figure out what you should be using. it takes a little bit of time to get used to it.
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Old 10-07-2011, 07:19 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bad Noodle View Post
Thanks for the advice guys, had it on 10, changed it to 9 and it helped a bit. I read that you should have it set to an 8 for mig welding, but the HF helmet only goes to a 9... any thoughts on the lowes kobalt helment? Not going pro any time soon, just wanna get through this project
Get an auto dimming helmet. Unless your work area is lit up very,very well it makes things 10x easier. I'm like you,a hobbyist,but the money was well worth it as it makes things much easier and less mistakes.
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Old 10-07-2011, 03:23 PM   #11
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I have a HF #11 auto-dimmer and I can see everything. Not MIG/TIG though. So far only arc-fed.

$.02
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Old 10-07-2011, 06:56 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AREA1320 View Post
Better equipment.

I use an Optrel Satellite and love it.
X2 for Optrel Satelite. Had mine since 05 with heavy use and still working great.
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Old 10-11-2011, 10:55 PM   #13
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+1 on the $50 adjustable HF auto-dimming helmet. I've used mine for both arc & mig. Works great and was a night-and-day (sorry about the pun) improvement over blind pecking a welding rod with my dark welding goggles.

I'm a complete cheap-o...and even I think it was DEFINITELY money well spent.
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Old 10-11-2011, 11:08 PM   #14
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try leaving a strong flash light pointed at your work if your having a hard time seeing, that's what I did before upgrading my mask to one that is variable
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Old 11-02-2011, 05:44 PM   #15
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i recomend a snap on or miller helmet, a bit higher priced than some but if you think you might weld more than say.... ONCE spend the money its worth it!
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Old 10-12-2017, 04:10 PM   #16
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OK, older thread, but......

Shop I work PT at just bought an inexpensive MIG unit. I have an older "buzz box" stick welder to use (free).
Also do some gas welding, cutting and grinding.

This is all occasional use, not full time, willing to upgrade down the road if use gets higher.

Just bought this......https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1.... any comments on the range it covers? Likely better than what I use, lower price point so not out a lot of cash.

I have only ever used goggles (gas weld and cut) or fixed tint lens helmet for stick welding.
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Old 10-16-2017, 07:35 AM   #17
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well the tint range is 9-13, so 'technically' it will cover anything.
I weld aluminum regularly up to 280 amp alternating frequency, which is about as hot as it gets and I never go over 11.
Nobody uses 13 anymore unless you are stick welding a submarine hull.

I said 'technically' above because $45 is darn cheap for an auto darkening helmet. My experience with cheap ones is that they suck and don't darken properly. Now this is cheap ones from a decade ago, so maybe they've gotten better but personally I don't trust the cheap ones.
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Old 10-16-2017, 09:36 AM   #18
Charlie-III
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rtv900 View Post
well the tint range is 9-13, so 'technically' it will cover anything.
I weld aluminum regularly up to 280 amp alternating frequency, which is about as hot as it gets and I never go over 11.
Nobody uses 13 anymore unless you are stick welding a submarine hull.

I said 'technically' above because $45 is darn cheap for an auto darkening helmet. My experience with cheap ones is that they suck and don't darken properly. Now this is cheap ones from a decade ago, so maybe they've gotten better but personally I don't trust the cheap ones.
Thanks for the reply. Yes, electronics have come down in price over the years, but this is also short term use, I can always get better if I do a lot more welding.
Should be here before lunch, so it will get tried soon.
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Old 10-20-2017, 11:21 AM   #19
Charlie-III
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Quick "auto darkening" question, is it light intensity that triggers the darkening or high UV (like arc welding vs. gas welding)?
This helmet does have a "grinding" setting, but have not seen a spec on what type of light causes the darkening.
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Old 10-28-2017, 01:15 PM   #20
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light triggers them. the grind setting doesnt darken, its just whatever the undarkened shade is (probably #4).

And I'm just going to throw this out there, used to have a nice auto darken helmet but one day it just quit so I got a gold plated #10 fixed shade lense and threw it in their, and while it sucks for tacking its so much nicer while welding.
I'd much rather have a nice fixed shade than a cheap auto darken.
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Old 10-30-2017, 03:34 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie-III View Post
Quick "auto darkening" question, is it light intensity that triggers the darkening or high UV (like arc welding vs. gas welding)?
This helmet does have a "grinding" setting, but have not seen a spec on what type of light causes the darkening.
I've never actually used the grind setting, but my understanding was that it actually disables the light sensor so that it does NOT darken when you grind.
There have been a few times I do a quick grind with my helmet on if it's just for a second, and its annoying as hell because the sparks trigger the sensor and then the lens darkens making it impossible to see at all.
So like the other guy said, it seems it just basically turns it off all together.

Any type of light will trigger it. Even if you look up at a metal halide or something it will trigger. There's a sensitivity dial too for that if it's triggering too much on you.
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Old 06-21-2018, 02:12 PM   #22
Charlie-III
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Cool

OK, for various reasons, I have yet to try out my helmet.
But, some time ago, I did an Internet search on "auto darkening" and found this.... http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php...ng-lenses-work
I just...can't.....wrap....my...head.....around Bill and his replies......

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Old 06-22-2018, 04:28 PM   #23
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I just got the 'new' type of helmet that is the 'natural light' type.
Miller makes them. A solid $300 but worth it.
No more of that green tint to everything. It really looks like you are just looking through a clear lens.

No clue how the auto darkening feature actually works, but I know you sure get what you pay for. My last helmet would flash me every once in a while ONLY during aluminum welding, never mig and never steel tig. Totally bizarre but man that hurts like hell when your running 250 amps AC. Like a shot to the brain.
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Old 08-13-2018, 03:17 PM   #24
David Medina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bad Noodle View Post
Are you supposed to see anything but the bead? I have a cheap HF helmet and can't see the line/cut i'm trying to follow. Is it a helmet issue or is it normal and I need more practice?
usually the arc is so bright you should be able to see everything. Its a trained eye type deal. my early days in welding school i couldnt see crap but the single bright circle. Eventually its like driving a car, there is a general direction you're wanting to look, but you also look everywhere else at times. Just like staring down the road, also looking for cops, looking for other drivers, looking for unexpected whatever. In the bead, your watching the front, all the way to how the bead looks as its cooling behind you.

some tips as other have said are to use a light shade. If your just mig tacking and doing small welds you should be ok with a light shade. If applicable, you can make a 1/16 gap between the pieces. Sometimes the gap makes it easier to see the line or the bead will follow the line easier. You can use a light behind you, that may help, or even scribe a line with some soap stone.

The auto darken works by light detection. Try welding outside and the cheaper helmets will drive you nuts. Also welding around corners and such. My current helmet is a miller elite, I bought it for the cool looks, but also has 4 sensors on top and bottom to help with getting flashed when welding in awkward positions or outside.

You may try some magnifying lenses as well to see better, or maybe your lenses are dirty. wash them with water and a rag.
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Old 09-01-2018, 03:55 PM   #25
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you should see the bead ark and a little bit out. i have used the hf hoods. you can pick up a cheap fixed leans for like 30 bucks. i weld from a shade 9 to 13 just depends on what im doing.
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