Made a bonehead mistake yesterday

[Elmo4895]

I have a miller 180 autoset mig welder that I bought used for $500. It had been used one time,essentially brand new. My old helmet wasn't auto darkening and my sister gave me a new H.F. Auto darkening helmet.

Yesterday I was making a bracket from angle iron and flat stock and needed to grind a weld. I thought no need to swap the helmet for grinding googles as the H.F. Has a grind setting so I set it to grind and ground the weld. Set the helmet down and forgot that it was set to grind. You know the outcome already. I struck an arc with no darkening looking right at the electrode. No eye burn resulted from the arc, only a bright spot right where I needed to see the weld. After about 20 minutes every thing was back to normal.

On one of the auto darkening threads someone posted that with the uv coating on the panel that no permanent damage would occur if this happened. I proved that to be true the hard way. I have had burned eyes from accidentally getting flashed so I know the symptoms and have none this morning.

I really cannot see the weld puddle properly with the H.F. Though. I think I will get a good auto darkening lens for my old helmet and try that.

 

[Mike007]

It happens. I struck an ark recently with my clear face shield on, duh.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Even turned off the helmet should give full UV (burn protection) so you won't burn your eyes but would see white spot for quite a while.

 

[Strouty]

A little won't do any permanent damage. At 16 I had a friend who broke his steering linkage on an ATV. I figured I could weld it up, so I fired up the old tombstone. The problem was I couldn't see what I was doing to get the arc started. Since my dad had always told me don't look at the welding flash. I just closed my eyes and welded away.

About 2AM I woke up to burning on my face and my eyes felt like someone had thrown sand in them. I remember being in the bathroom trying to wash my eyes out. I woke up my mother and when she came into the bathroom, she flipped on the light and I screamed. A trip to the ER and some of those nice eyedrops and I felt better. I did have eye patches on for a few days and now I am still a little sensitive to light.

At least the weld held together!

 

[bigbubba]

It happens. I struck an ark recently with my clear face shield on, duh.

Me too,Had it flipped up and even nodded it down as i struck the arc!

 

[welder4956]

I really cannot see the weld puddle properly with the H.F. Though. I think I will get a good auto darkening lens for my old helmet and try that.

Is the lens adjustable? If so, decrease the shade to 9 or 10.

 

[PanelDeland]

Being "Flashed" is pretty common if you do much welding or are around it a lot. I've been some burned but never too badly. Avoid it if you can but don't be overly concerned with just a flash. Keep in mind that you can be burned by reflection also. A couple of co workers were welding the inside seams on a square chute made of stainless once and were working back to back. They didn't notice the flash from each others arc and both got burned pretty good. You really have only two choices, get flashed occasionally or don't go near welding.

 

[koditten]

Similar, but diffrerent situation here.

I wear prescription safety glasses everywhere. I put in my contacts once or twice a year if I know I have no shop work in the near future. You guessed it! Started grinding on some iron, wondering why so much dust is getting in my eyes. Totally forgot I was wearing contact lenses.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Did you try leaving your old helmet outside in the sun for several hours to charge the battery back up ?

 

[Zeke]

I've done this with a TIG arc. Not so pleasant.

 

[JBourquin]

I had a few too many beers one night and decided to do some welding on the bike. Helmet was ******* me off so I decided just to weld without it, looking directly at the arc. Ended up in the ER the next day. Don't know if there's any permanent damage, prescription hasn't changed.

 

[Elmo4895]

Is the lens adjustable? If so, decrease the shade to 9 or 10.

I am already at 9.

 

[lotsoftools]

This is exactly why I don't use grind mode any more. On more than one occasion I forgot to switch it back. Even worse were the few times I forgot to flip my hood down when TIG welding. I would just get all into position and step on the pedal, flashing myself.

 

[pepi]

This is exactly why I don't use grind mode any more. On more than one occasion I forgot to switch it back. Even worse were the few times I forgot to flip my hood down when TIG welding. I would just get all into position and step on the pedal, flashing myself.

Got to laugh with you, done that myself, ready, set, FLASH ! I hate it when that happens.

I had a 3M Speedglas and now the Miller, the biggest and nicest advantage to the Miller, is the auto on, 3M required the operator to turn it on.

Never used the grinder mode on the helmets. I can see in some wielding environments that could be a good and handy option.

 

[WhiffySpark]

It won't do any permanent damage as long as you're helmet is down. The shade is just for comfort. The coating is on the lens itself

 

[Elmo4895]

This is exactly why I don't use grind mode any more. On more than one occasion I forgot to switch it back. Even worse were the few times I forgot to flip my hood down when TIG welding. I would just get all into position and step on the pedal, flashing myself.

That is my solution also! No more grind mode.

 

[Joe69]

Got to laugh with you, done that myself, ready, set, FLASH ! I hate it when that happens.

I had a 3M Speedglas and now the Miller, the biggest and nicest advantage to the Miller, is the auto on, 3M required the operator to turn it on.

I used a Speedglas for years, and I replaced it a year ago with a Miller Elite. I still catch myself trying to turn it on.

Joe

 

[Norcal]

I bought a "Hobart Hood" at Tractor Supply & have to remember to turn it on when I first use it.

Arc flashes & getting **** in the eyes is no fun.

 

[BADSIX]

I got flash burn years ago the wife mashed up some raw potatoes in a wash rag an put it in my eyes. made the pain go right away. what a good woman
Jay D.

 

[Capt Chrysler]

Damage in right eye, discovered 2 years ago in an eye exam. First question, every take a heavy blow to the head? Nope. Ever do any welding? Yep
Every with out eye protection? Maybe....

Don't go cheap on the helmet.

Capt. Chrysler

 

[Punchwood]

Been in the welding business for 25 years. My mantra has always been: " You only get one set of eyes, why would you risk them to save a couple of hundred dollars on a helmet?".

25 years, 18 welding, the last 7 inspecting, and I've never had flash burn. Not once. I can also say with complete honesty that the ONLY helmets that have ever been on my head are Huntsman and Speedglass. Replacement lenses are American made from the welding supply house.

Harbor Freight is OK for some things. Welding helmets isn't one of them. Just because you use one and your eyes "feel OK" when your done proves nothing to me. I would love to see test results for UV transmission on them.

 

[welder4956]

I am already at 9.

If you adjust it to 10, can you see the puddle any better?

 

[Lassen Forge]

Used to flash myself all the time with my old analog helmet... Ya know, get in a hurry, and Arrghhh! Anyway, finally had enough, got a Miller auto years ago and never looked back. Best thing about the Miller is it charges off the arc flash, so none of this dead battery stuff that you forgot about until you flash yourself. (BTW - you can set the darkness from 8 to 12-13... off is between a 4 and 5 - just right for brazing when you can't find your goggles...)

Who said you only get one set of eyes and you're gonna skimp on a helmet (or eye protection)? +1!!!

 

[Tucko]

It happens. I struck an ark recently with my clear face shield on, duh.

Oh ****!!!

 

[KMinAF]

Me too,Had it flipped up and even nodded it down as i struck the arc!

I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one who has done that!