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  #1  
Old 08-12-2010, 05:23 AM
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idickers idickers is offline
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Default Fading eyesight and welding

I've noticed that with advancing age, my vision in dim light is diminishing. Cheater magnifying lenses in my helmet help once the arc is going, but I have difficulty seeing the target before starting the weld. In the past I've moved work lights around to illuminate my target, but these are awkward, and I'm always knocking them over when I pull back from the weld and my helmet is still down.

I recently found a great product called the MIG Light. http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/stk23240.html

It's a little battery-powered LED flashlight that attaches to the end of your MIG gun. It looks bulky, but it is really light and I don't notice it on the gun. Today I wanted to add some storage under my welding table, so I welded in some leftover roll cage tubing to make dividers. I had to weld in the back and underneath my table, which blocked most of the available light. Previously, I would have dragged a light in, flashed my helmet with the light, swore, adjusted the light several times so I could see without triggering my helmet, swore, banged my head on the inside of the structure while adjusting the light, swore some more, then done the weld. With this little baby I just crawled back, hit the trigger, and got out.

Well worth the $23, at least for these old eyes

Ian

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  #2  
Old 08-12-2010, 10:24 AM
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HEATNBEAT HEATNBEAT is offline
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Thanks for sharing this.
I'll have to buy me one also
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Old 08-12-2010, 11:29 AM
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Thanks for sharing that with us. I am in the same club as you, can't see anymore to weld. Age has a way of changing things.
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Old 08-12-2010, 07:22 PM
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Hi Ian,
Thank you, thank you!
I just purchased one and will try it out as soon as it arrives.
Peace,
Chaz
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Old 08-12-2010, 08:22 PM
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Thanks, I'll be getting one of those ASAP.
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Old 08-13-2010, 04:43 AM
ShawnMarsh ShawnMarsh is offline
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I don't think it's just age, I am a younger guy with 20/20 eyesight, and often when MIG welding, even with an auto darkening helmet, to get the best looking welds I find I need more light. I have usually just taped a flashlight to my helmet, but I may have to try one of these.

Thanks for posting.
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Old 08-14-2010, 12:59 PM
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One thing I have found in the last few weeks is the quality of your lid also makes a big differance. For the last 5/6 years iv'e been using an esab eyetech lid cost me a weeks wages when i bought it well i dropped it once to often about 3 weeks ago so had to get a new one. Went to my local good quality welding supplies shop (note not el cheepo ) and tried a few new lids ended up getting a top line 3m speed glass lid and what a difference it has made it is worlds apart from my old lid so much better .Has much better control of darkness/sensativaty and delay setting's but one of the best features is that it has two panels in the side's of the helmit that are shade 5 and let in light from all around you giving a much better view before striking up and seem to allow you to see more of the job infront of you when working . It also seems kinder to the eye's it's had some work the first two weeks i had it i think i ran somewhere around 500 foot of mig weld and 200 foot of tig weld and my eyes felt alot fresher at the end of the day.
What I'm really trying to say is it's like anything you buy , buy the best you can afford , even if it's something you find hard to justify you only have one pair of eyes i don't know what price's are like there in the USA but my new lid cost less than half a weeks wage's even if i only welded as a hobby the difference between a top line lid and a cheap one from horror fright is a no brainer in imho get the best you'll be looking after your eye's and your welding will improve .

Point in case the guy i work with tried my new lid , his comment was F*****g H*** i can actually see whats going on.
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Old 08-14-2010, 01:18 PM
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That's really interesting. Which model speedglass did you get? I have a Miller Big Window Elite, did you compare the BWE to the speedglass?

Tired eyes want to know
Thanks,
Ian
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Old 08-14-2010, 01:39 PM
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Hi Ian it's sat evening here in the uk can't remember the model number at the moment , will post it monday night when i've been back into work , I've just got back from a 10 day vacation so my brain is still in shut down mode. I didn't try any miller stuff as it isn't that common over here for the consumerble stuff and there welding plants are quite pricey although i have to say bloody good did have a syncrowave 350 for 4/5 years which was fantstic till it died but thats another story .
Cheers Chris
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Old 08-16-2010, 12:50 PM
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Hi Ian
My new Lid is a 3M Speedglass 9100X . I believe they also do a 9100xx which has a bigger cartridge in it thus giving even more visable area to look through.
The other thing I forgot to say in my first rant was it shocks me the way people care for their lid's letting them get in a terrible state covered in oil , grinding dust , dirt and goodness knows what . Makes me smile when they say that they can't see what they are doing , no-one would every treat their percription glasses in the way they do their welding lids the two thing's both help you to see so in my mind you should treat them the same .Take good care of you of your lid and you will be amazed at what you can see . Clean it on a reguler basis , replace the protection lense's on a regular basis also they might not be scratched up or covered in oil etc but the do discolour quite quickly again impairing your vision .I guess what I'm really saying is people should buy the best welding lid they can and look after it treat it as a long term investment and it will reward you with the ability to see what you are doing and improve your welding skill's.
(sorry for the rant but this one is aimed at no-one and everyone who use's a welding lid)

Cheers and peace to all on here
Chris
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