Welding mask recommendation ?

[Deschodt]

Hoping this is not too OT...

I think one of the many reasons for my crappy welds is that I cannot see what I am doing.. the $20 auto-darkening mask I picked up at harbor freight goes *very* dark the second my mig tip hits metal, but I feel like it stays too dark too long.... On the quick tack welds I'm doing right now, it seems that the brightness levels don't adjust quick enough, and I'm essentially welding blind (too dark, can't see the puddle *At All*, just the bright light) for the entire duration of the short welds... Does that make any sense ?

I keep reading about welding techniques that all make no sense to me because I just can't see much... Wondering if that is common "crappy mask" behavior, and if you can recommend something decent under $100, or more if necessary...

Then I'll probably replace the welder too, but first I'd like to see what I'm doing...

 

[rwhite692]

Been discussed here dozens of times....search tool is your friend

 

[mad57]

To me i hear(listen) my weld more so than seeing it, i have both a good quality mask and a hf auto , i get same results, is your welder mig? are you using flux cored wire or do you have a gas set up lots and lots of factors here, what kind of thickness of metal ect. i would say save your money for now on the helmet and ask a buddy who is a (good) welder to come over and make a couple of passes, than you duplicate it, see it and LISTEN to his passes, please let me know if that helps ya.

 

[Zeke]

If you're spot welding, just align the torch tip, pull the trigger and circle a bit. If your settings are correct, you can do this blind.

Now, AFA welding equipment, get a better helmet. The ones that cost over 300 or so have settings for sensitivity and darkness. These are your eyes, man. God gave you only two. I have purchased 3 Harbor Freight helmets over the last ten years (well one was a HF equivalent I bought at Air Gas for way too much) and I could have bought a decent one for the money. Save the cheapy for a helper or observer.

When you're inches away from the arc, you need the best you can buy.

Oh, and I have to mention the last HF helmet I bought would not accommodate cheater lenses inside. Almost everyone can use some magnification.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I know how you feel! I took an arc welding class years ago and bought a helmet that had like a 14 filter in it. I could barley see a glow and was wondering what magic powers welders must have to be able weld only looking at a faint glow. The instructor didn't figure out what was wrong until he used my helmet. After that I got a gold 9 or 10 filter and loved it. When you strike the arc you can see everything plain as day.

I now have and use an inexpensive Lincoln Viking auto darken helmet, but still think the gold filter on my regular helmet lets me see things clearer.

Chris

 

[Zeke]

14 is good for TIG and guys burning big rod at 300 amps.

 

[Agent1320]

www.accustrike.com

Best helmet I've ever used. Made in USA

 

[gmwelder86]

I like my fibermetal pipeliner, light weight, durable and realitvly cheap. Also replace the original shade lense with a lincoln electric super visability. I use a number 10 for stick and mig, but keep a shade 12 if I ever have to run FC. If you cant find the lincoln lense try a gold lense perferably glass, most weld shops sell them and have many different brands to choose from. You will be AMAZED how much better you can see with the gold lense. It will be like going from you grandpas black and white tv with bunny ears to your modern HD plasma!! I kid you not.

 

[Sureshot]

When doing light tacks I just use the 100% UV dark safety glasses. Also be sure to have alot of light on the work from a halogen light stand or other good source(outside is best- weather permitting).

 

[Deschodt]

Very good, thank you guys... i am using a cheapie Harbor freight 90 Amp Flux Wire Welder, just to learn - which may be a bad idea in retrospect. And I must confess i didn't even know the mask lens has a shade # - I thought it adjusted depending on the brightness of the light source. Once I can see what I am doing and understand it better, I will upgrade for sure.

So a gold 9 or 10 is a good number for the shade when doing MIG welds with the above ?
I like my eyes ;-)

 

[Kabina]

What helmet did you get?

 

[Falcon67]

My autodark HF helmet was $50 and is adjustable. I've had ti for a while and it works pretty good I think. I have my helmet marked - IIRC it's somewhere between 9 and 11 on the dial for MIG.

 

[brownbagg]

Been discussed here dozens of times....search tool is your friend

why you got be such a a hole, it needs to be discuss again and again

 

[rwhite692]

why you got be such a a hole, it needs to be discuss again and again

I don't understand the hostility. I was just trying to point him toward a whole lot more information.

So with that,