Welding issues now with older eyes

[GaryM909]

If it's like mine--clips onto the back of the helm with what looks like car window trim--measure and mark the top center of the rim of your helm and the trim/clip piece on the cover. Makes it a hell of a lot easier to install the first try.

Now will someone invent a little blower to keep the lenses from fogging in the cold? I've tried every anti-fog substance known to man and still get fogging, especially between the lenses. There have been ski goggles with a tiny fan since at least the '90s, so why not a welding helm?

Maybe I'll have to buy a pair of those ski goggles and figure out how to hack the fan into my helm... if only I could recall what they're called....

When I was still working I spent a lot of time working up north in the winter. Wearing a hoodie made fogging worse. I wore a toque under my welding helmet so the was some air movement which really helped. Also wearing a respirator made a big difference but I always struggled wearing one (old school). Over the years I tried breathing through a straw and even a snorkel. I bought a small fan for a computer that I planed on rigging up about 20 years ago which is still in my drawer.
The younger welders mostly wear air purifying welding helmets and some sites even require them. I am not sure how they are for fogging in the cold but I would expect them to be pretty good.

 

[v8nutz]

I thought it was a light issue, no it's that I can't focus that close anymore. I wear progressive lenses and throw a cheap 3.25 reader over them, the two together let me get in real close. I need to check out the mag lens for the helmet.

 

[Beerhippie]

I thought it was a light issue, no it's that I can't focus that close anymore. I wear progressive lenses and throw a cheap 3.25 reader over them, the two together let me get in real close. I need to check out the mag lens for the helmet.

You don't think it's a light issue. Bright light will cause your pupils to contract, effectively lowering the f-stop of your eyes and giving you a broader range of focus.

You can try this if you don't believe me: Make a little loop of your thumb and forefinger--like about 1/8". Put that up to your eye and look through it. You can now read at distances you normally can't! Same thing, different organs.

 

[whateg01]

When I was still working I spent a lot of time working up north in the winter. Wearing a hoodie made fogging worse. I wore a toque under my welding helmet so the was some air movement which really helped. Also wearing a respirator made a big difference but I always struggled wearing one (old school). Over the years I tried breathing through a straw and even a snorkel. I bought a small fan for a computer that I planed on rigging up about 20 years ago which is still in my drawer.
The younger welders mostly wear air purifying welding helmets and some sites even require them. I am not sure how they are for fogging in the cold but I would expect them to be pretty good.

I 3d printed a little housing for a small fan that clips to the top of my welding hood. It makes a huge difference with fogging. It runs off of 5v from a little USB power bank

 

[Beerhippie]

I 3d printed a little housing for a small fan that clips to the top of my welding hood. It makes a huge difference with fogging. It runs off of 5v from a little USB power bank

Did you have to make a hole in the helm or is it inside? Seems to me you'd want fresh, cool air from outside blowing over the lenses--that's how the goggles work.

I'm considering ordering one of the units I posted above--but so far it has only one review. For $40, I'll wait and let a few other do the beta-testing.

 

[whateg01]

Did you have to make a hole in the helm or is it inside? Seems to me you'd want fresh, cool air from outside blowing over the lenses--that's how the goggles work.

I'm considering ordering one of the units I posted above--but so far it has only one review. For $40, I'll wait and let a few other do the beta-testing.

No it's just attached to the back edge. Ideally it would bring clean fresh air in but I'm more concerned with fogging than fresh air. It works fine

 

[APEowner]

After several years of laying down welds by ear and muscle memory that may or may not land on the seam I was trying to weld I broke down and had my eye doctor write a prescription for dedicated welding glasses. The have a focal length of around 14 inches because that's a comfortable distance for me to weld at.

 

[jabberwoki]

Got a 2.25 diopter lense for the helmet bout $7.

Also ordered a rear hood for it too .
With some extra lighting .
Should be pimp.
Ta again all.

 

[Jagmandave]

Like beerhippy I use a cheater lens and wear my readers, plus I have one of those HF magnetic base lights I shine on where I'm working.....that usually does the trick.

 

[LopezBart]

I find welding w/ progressive lenses almost impossible: lining up the material, the helmet and my eyes through the right part of the glasses just doesn't work for me. A pair of safety glasses that are 2.0 or 2.5 readers is perfect for me.

 

[Beerhippie]

Like beerhippy I use a cheater lens and wear my readers, plus I have one of those HF magnetic base lights I shine on where I'm working.....that usually does the trick.

What gets confusing here is terminology, as we often refer to "readers" as "cheaters" hereabouts.

 

[partsguy5768]

Maybe a different better helmet? I wear readers while welding absolutely no issues. I can see very well.

 

[whateg01]

This is a cheater lens.

 

[Beerhippie]

This is a cheater lens.

I'm well aware of that. Point being, where I live anyway, reading glasses are also referred to as "cheaters". I use both when welding.

 

[Fixr]

Yup. Since I turned 50 I don't tolerate contacts anymore, so it's progressive glasses. They get in the way, or are wrongly positioned when I'm welding. I really wish I could get just a -2 or 3 lens.

zenni.com $6.95 glasses. They'll make 'em with whatever prescription you want, just fill in the numbers on the prescription page. I'd buy several pairs with different strengths.

 

[Beerhippie]

zenni.com $6.95 glasses. They'll make 'em with whatever prescription you want, just fill in the numbers on the prescription page. I'd buy several pairs with different strengths.

Thanks! I've bookmarked that page.

Now to get a new eye exam....

 

[Beerhippie]

BTW: for those of you looking for readers to work at longer distance for welding and computer and such, don't rush out and buy new ones!

Just wait a couple of years and the readers you bought for reading will be just fine for longer distance.

 

[Beerhippie]

Now, what to do about aging, arthritic wrists and hands?

I can't lay anything but a stringer with the MIG anymore, as I can't move my hands/wrists in small increments. It's all or nothing. TIG is really a challenge.

 

[drewski]

My not be of any help, but I came up with this redneck setup when welding in dark areas on my exhaust system.

 

[Beerhippie]

My not be of any help, but I came up with this redneck setup when welding in dark areas on my exhaust system.

Only laughing because I'm there, too. I've taped my little headlamp to the front of my helm at times. Actually, I like your solution better--more light where it's needed.

 

[Olafur]

I was about to give up welding except under perfect circumstances. About a month ago I got ESAB Savage welding helmet. It shares the lens with the older Sentinel model that's the top of the line from ESAB.

Suddenly I can weld with my multi-focal glasses and pretty much see what I am doing. This thing costs 2-3 times that of the hoods I have been using in the past but it's totally worth it.

Moral of the story, some of you may consider upgrading, these things are not created equal. It's likely many other brands offer great hoods.

 

[GaryM909]

Only laughing because I'm there, too. I've taped my little headlamp to the front of my helm at times. Actually, I like your solution better--more light where it's needed.

We used to tape cheap headlights to our welding helmets quite often back in my boilermaker days. It worked pretty good mind you that was 25 years ago.

 

[chubby one]

So any old blokes got any good tips for welding with older eyes?
I used to do pretty good but now using glasses behind the welding hood it's hard to see what i'm doing.
I`ve tried illuminating the work area more which helps abit.

Just looking for useful tips.

I have found more light on what lm welding helps me.

 

[BigMike782]

For my situation I found that an ESAB Sentinel with the yellow front cover plate gave me the best optics. Before that I used a Speedglas 9100 and it worked very well too.
I wear glasses for distance but take them off to weld(and read and see up close and all other sorts of annoying things)

 

[KurtMacColl]

love all the advice. Definitely gonna invest on the cheater lens.

 

[finn]

Just wait until you start to develop an Essential Tremor.

Makes degrading / changing eyesight seem like a minor inconvenience.

 

[Beerhippie]

Just wait until you start to develop an Essential Tremor.

Makes degrading / changing eyesight seem like a minor inconvenience.

But it makes "walking the puddle" so much easier!

 

[Fixr]

Just wait until you start to develop an Essential Tremor.

Makes degrading / changing eyesight seem like a minor inconvenience.

Propranolol helps somewhat with mine. Unfortunately for my TIG welding, the shaking tends to be more up and down than side to side. Makes holding a short arc very difficult.

 

[txvwnut]

I ordered a cover for my helmet as I too am having issues seeing the puddle. I tried a lot of what has been suggested above and have come to the conclusion that I’m getting glare off the shop lighting. I ordered a cover for the back of my helmet and it ever shows up I’ll try to remember to report back.

Cover finally showed up and it's been quite the improvement. It was as I thought I was getting glare inside the helmet from the shop lighting and depending on the time of day sunlight through the windows.

 

[Beerhippie]

Cover finally showed up and it's been quite the improvement. It was as I thought I was getting glare inside the helmet from the shop lighting and depending on the time of day sunlight through the windows.

And you can skip the welding cap--no more spatter down the back.

 

[MichaelP]

Propranolol helps somewhat with mine. Unfortunately for my TIG welding, the shaking tends to be more up and down than side to side. Makes holding a short arc very difficult.

But is you stay sideways, you'll be stacking dimes whole day long.

 

[Fixr]

But is you stay sideways, you'll be stacking dimes whole day long.

That could actually work if I just fell over on my side. I'm not actually ready to do that quite yet.

 

[toplessHO]

You don't think it's a light issue. Bright light will cause your pupils to contract, effectively lowering the f-stop of your eyes and giving you a broader range of focus.

You can try this if you don't believe me: Make a little loop of your thumb and forefinger--like about 1/8". Put that up to your eye and look through it. You can now read at distances you normally can't! Same thing, different organs.

"pinholing"

 

[toplessHO]

try this