|
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
09-15-2011, 04:22 PM | #1 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 174442
Join Date: Mar 2008
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: NNJ
Vehicle:2007 SuperWagon I don't spell well |
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?
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
|
09-15-2011, 05:31 PM | #2 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 206851
Join Date: Mar 2009
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Vehicle:56 Belair Pro Street |
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 |
09-15-2011, 10:29 PM | #3 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 174442
Join Date: Mar 2008
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: NNJ
Vehicle:2007 SuperWagon I don't spell well |
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.
|
09-15-2011, 11:01 PM | #4 |
Former Vendor
Member#: 112508
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Easton, PA
|
Better equipment.
I use an Optrel Satellite and love it. |
09-15-2011, 11:03 PM | #5 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 206851
Join Date: Mar 2009
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Vehicle:56 Belair Pro Street |
you might have the wrong shade by some chance?
|
09-16-2011, 01:30 AM | #6 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 256615
Join Date: Sep 2010
|
|
09-16-2011, 02:01 AM | #7 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 232430
Join Date: Dec 2009
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: On the Left side
Vehicle:555 XTi 1 AW & 1 CGM |
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.
|
09-16-2011, 11:21 PM | #8 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 174442
Join Date: Mar 2008
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: NNJ
Vehicle:2007 SuperWagon I don't spell well |
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
|
10-06-2011, 05:20 PM | #9 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 55915
Join Date: Feb 2004
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: Bay Minette, AL
Vehicle:04 WRX stage 1/2 Wr blue pearl |
#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.
|
10-07-2011, 07:19 AM | #10 | |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 70395
Join Date: Sep 2004
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: Da-boonies,Va
|
Quote:
|
|
10-07-2011, 03:23 PM | #11 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 19640
Join Date: Jun 2002
Chapter/Region:
RMIC
Location: Colorful CO
Vehicle:2003 WRX Sedan WRB |
I have a HF #11 auto-dimmer and I can see everything. Not MIG/TIG though. So far only arc-fed.
$.02 |
10-07-2011, 06:56 PM | #12 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 196882
Join Date: Dec 2008
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Holset baller on a budget.
Vehicle:08 WRX |
|
10-11-2011, 10:55 PM | #13 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 297556
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Fort Collins, CO
|
+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. |
10-11-2011, 11:08 PM | #14 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 204652
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: newburyport, ma
|
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
|
11-02-2011, 05:44 PM | #15 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 274239
Join Date: Feb 2011
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: knoxville
Vehicle:2004 sti white |
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!
|
10-12-2017, 04:10 PM | #16 |
NASIOC Supporter
Member#: 30669
Join Date: Dec 2002
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: USA, North NJ, 07456
Vehicle:1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper BK, 5MT |
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. |
10-16-2017, 07:35 AM | #17 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 428511
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: philadelphia
Vehicle:2016 STI |
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. |
10-16-2017, 09:36 AM | #18 | |
NASIOC Supporter
Member#: 30669
Join Date: Dec 2002
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: USA, North NJ, 07456
Vehicle:1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper BK, 5MT |
Quote:
Should be here before lunch, so it will get tried soon. |
|
10-20-2017, 11:21 AM | #19 |
NASIOC Supporter
Member#: 30669
Join Date: Dec 2002
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: USA, North NJ, 07456
Vehicle:1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper BK, 5MT |
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. |
10-28-2017, 01:15 PM | #20 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 324962
Join Date: Jul 2012
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: Morgan Hill CA.
Vehicle:02 WRX |
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. |
10-30-2017, 03:34 PM | #21 | |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 428511
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: philadelphia
Vehicle:2016 STI |
Quote:
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. |
|
06-21-2018, 02:12 PM | #22 |
NASIOC Supporter
Member#: 30669
Join Date: Dec 2002
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: USA, North NJ, 07456
Vehicle:1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper BK, 5MT |
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...... |
06-22-2018, 04:28 PM | #23 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 428511
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: philadelphia
Vehicle:2016 STI |
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. |
08-13-2018, 03:17 PM | #24 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 37721
Join Date: Jun 2003
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Decatur, Alabama
Vehicle:2003 WRX sedan pearl blue |
Quote:
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. |
|
09-01-2018, 03:55 PM | #25 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 450854
Join Date: Jul 2016
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: pittsburgh pa
Vehicle:2004 sti black |
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.
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
dumb question on the scooby921 strut spacer | califesaver | Newbies & FAQs | 2 | 01-09-2009 01:48 PM |
dumb question about driving on the highway | Vampyr | General Community | 18 | 01-29-2006 04:37 PM |
dumb questions, needles on startup | jandree22 | General Community | 20 | 01-26-2006 05:38 PM |
dumb question, but how do you remove the rear bumper on wrx? | M32WRXin3seconds | Newbies & FAQs | 3 | 08-14-2003 03:37 AM |
kinda a dumb question on turbo parts. =/ | Solomon | Normally Aspirated with bolt-on Forced Induction Powertrain | 2 | 08-05-2003 12:20 PM |