cant see the work ( mig)

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:35:37 GMT

go to see Welding Machine for cant see the work ( mig)

hey fellas its the new guy again.  you know if I could actually see the work  ( mig) I think i could do some pretty darn good welds, when I stick weld I can see the work fine  but when I mig I can barely see it I think I'm down to # 8 lens and dont wana burn my eyes. I cant figure it out please help.  I watched my pop weld for years and years but had no interest  ( to busy racing and partying) believe me he was a master mig, tig, stick , acetlyn , planes trains anything he could do it.  he's past now and I am from him and I can do anything with alittle help. sorry for getting carried away but it felt good.  so what the hell am I doing wrong.   thanks Jerry
Reply:A shade 8, wow! I would have a splittin' headache looking through that much glare. If you wear any sort of prescription glasses, then you must use them. I started using reading glasses this year, guess that officially makes me a geezer. Clean the smoke and crud off all your lenses, or replace them, it helps!! Mig should be among the easiest to see because there is no slag covering the puddle, just a dancing silicon eye. If you have to squint to look at your puddle, go darker. Relax your eyes by choosing the most comfortable shade lense, and keep it clean!!! You didn't mention what it is that you are experiencing when you look at a mig arc. City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:well im 33 and have good eye sight and many times have the same problem.  I can see the puddle and silicone eye fine on 9 but that is about all I can see, its hard as heck to see where i'm going with the weld especially on thinner but/seam welds, it would be nice to be able to see a little more of the parent material but I dont know how we can achieve that and keep from flash burning.  Ive cleaned my lenses added lighting around me but still pretty dificult.  I weld indoorsHypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Replyuestion: Are you looking around or thru the mig gun? With mig I usually place myself to one side and in front of the gun and weld towards myself. I'm looking into the front of the mig gun more than to the side. I find a lot of new guys are blocking the puddle with the mig gun by trying to look at the puddle from behind the gun rather than from the side or front..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:If it's short circuit mig the nervous arc and shadows caused by same make following a tight butt weld difficult for some (me included).I pretty much weld everything at arms length and pay more attention to torch angle, position, and travel.The only time I actually watch the puddle a lot with mig is when it's an automatic process.Matt
Reply:I MIG with my auto darkening hood on 9 all the time but have always had to use a lighter shade.  That and wear my reading glasses (cheater lens doesn't fit my AD hood).I find the back glare (light coming in from the back of the hood) is the biggest culprit for not being able to see when that problem arises.  Solution is drapping a towel over the hood and the back of my neck to block the light.  Huge difference.  Just have to pay attention so it doesn't go up in smoke.  I need to get a piece of light leather, kevlar or such and attatch it to the hood similar to what Rick V did.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Have you tried setting up a work light?  I find that a cheap halogen directed at the work really helps light up the non-molten parts.  Take a look at a $20 halogen work lamp.Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55I need to get a piece of light leather, kevlar or such and attatch it to the hood similar to what Rick V did.
Reply:Maybe you need to ditch the helmet all together and just look to the side of the arc........In the past I've had over head lights cause glare off the inside lens. Try moving/turning your stance if you've got ceiling lights.200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Well fo rme i do have overhead lights so might not be helping me any.  Ill see if I can figure out something with a halogen light on the cart.  I usually posistion my head to the left of my weld and weld backhanded from left to right (right handed) so i guess that would make me look through the arc.  Dang it will be hard to get used to pushing it may have to try the light bulb and helmet wrap thing first LOLHypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:Better to push than pull your puddle and easyer to see
Reply:Originally Posted by steelBetter to push than pull your puddle and easyer to see
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWWith mig I usually place myself to one side and in front of the gun and weld towards myself. I'm looking into the front of the mig gun more than to the side.
Reply:really I've always heard that pulling gives you better penetration and a flatter wider bead, gonna play with it some.  More than willing to learn, thats why im hereHypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWQuestion: Are you looking around or thru the mig gun? With mig I usually place myself to one side and in front of the gun and weld towards myself. I'm looking into the front of the mig gun more than to the side. I find a lot of new guys are blocking the puddle with the mig gun by trying to look at the puddle from behind the gun rather than from the side or front.
Reply:Originally Posted by Rick VAs in...
Reply:Originally Posted by rbmedic75really I've always heard that pulling gives you better penetration and a flatter wider bead, gonna play with it some.  More than willing to learn, thats why im here
Reply:Originally Posted by Rick VDSW, this sounds good but I'm having a difficult time trying to visualize this.e.g.Assume you will be pushing the puddle.Assume the weld to be made is positioned:- two feet in front of you, and - to your right, say offset 1 foot from the centre-line of your chestWhat do you do?  Using your right wrist, do you angle the torch tip in a mite towards your chest, so you can see down the barrel somewhat? Any chance you might show us a picture of you welding in this position?Thanks.
Reply:Try a brand new lense too..Im doing alot of mig welding at work & The only time I can see real good is when I put a brand new lense in...Once they start getting those layers of dust on them, even if I  clean it off good, its not the same ..
Reply:I have visibility problems with autodarkening helmets in general. I've tried 3 different autodarkening models and regardless of settings on them I wasn't happy with the visibility I had through them. I have the best visibility using a passive helmet with a gold shade 10 lens (prefer the plastic ones). Outside of that, it is pretty easy when you're learning to put yourself in a position where the gun is blocking your view of the puddle. I'm going to try to the leather over the back of the helmet as there are certain times when crawling around on the chassis jig where light reflecting inside the helmet from behind me is rather annoying.
Reply:I can't push for crapIf God had meant for me to push, he would have given me another set of eyes somewhere around my right elbow.MIG  is for greater minds than I possess"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Replyush or pull, just weld towards you so you can see where you're goin rather than where you've been.My name's not Jim....
Reply:I actually like seeing where I've been to see where I'm going. Half the time I hide the arc with the nozzle so I don't get distracted by it. Got into that habit running dual shield. Yes I can weld in a straight line.fyi for whoever asked. *in general* pushing yields a wider flatter bead with less penetration. Pulling yields more penetration with a more convex bead profile.
Replyots of good info here.  The hood over the helmet is a great idea; I've used rags, towels, you name it.  I'm going to get a black hooded cotton sweat shirt and cut the hood off to use when welding.  I may add some velcro strips to it and the helmet to keep it in place.Wearing a dark colored shirt to keep light from the arc from reflecting up into the helmet from the front also helps.One thing I noticed was that I am always able to see the details better while someone else is welding.  I realized that it was because of the distance I was from the arc.  Light follows an "inverse square law" principle: at twice the distance from the source, you have 1/4th the light density reaching you.  Because of my sight and a damaged (hazy) right eye, I tend to crowd my work.  If I force myself to get my head further back, away from the weld, the image clears up immensley.  I sometimes can go a shade lighter when I get my head back.