MIG problem - I can't see..

admin

Guys, I am basically a newbie at welding because it has been over 25 years since I have taken any welding classes & never welded on any of my jobs.  So I am currently taking a welding class at our local community college & did OK at oxy.  Jumped onto a MIG welder last week & I am having a major problem seeing what I am doing - can't see the steel at all.  In fact I am not even 100% sure that I am seeing the puddle correctly.  I have an auto darkening hood that I can adjust from 9 to 12, but usually have it set at 10.  I have dropped it down to 9 for a couple of passes but I still can't see the material that I am welding.What gives?  One guy suggested that I try a gold lens.  Another guy said that maybe a large lens might help with my orientation.  Sounds like this is a common problem with MIG welding?  How do I overcome it?And as for the actual puddle - what exactly is it supposed to look like?  Is it just the green pool about a 1/4" in diameter?  Reason that I am asking is that occasionally I think that I catch a glimpse of a slightly larger & orangish puddle similar to my oxy welding experience.Any suggestions would be appreciated.Thanks, Scott
Reply:A 10 shade should be good for light mig work. Actually the way you are describing your problem you might want to try a cheater. I would start out with clean welding lens and cover plate then duct tape a 100 or 125 cheater to the lens on the inside of your hood. The college should have a few around that you can try.  revpol
Reply:You know you need cheaters if you need reading glasses.  I'm up or down if you will, to a 1.75 dioplar at fifty six years old.  I can distinguish the sex of a mosquito at fifty paces but if they're on my arm I kill them because I can't tell which is which at that distance without glasses.You didn't automatically know what your puddle was when you did your gas welding.  The same is true of the mig.In seventy five we decided to go to mig in our gate shop.  So the first thing we did was hire a guy from a competitor that wasn't happy there and knew mig.  I remember how we joked about him having his face in the weld that first day.  Then I noticed that when migging most people get closer to their work than they do with stick or gas.If you do need a cheater and you have a hood that doesn't have enough space for it you can do like I do.  I scotch tape it in.  It also stops others from grabbing your hood to do something quick.  For me the mig puddle is pretty close to the puddle I see with the Henrob or stick 5P+.Just practice some more.  It'll come.  You'll like it.life is good
Reply:Thanks guys.  What exactly is a cheater?  When I brought up my problem to the instructor he never mentioned it as a possible solution.  Is it a piece of glass with slight magnification?I am wearing a pair of safety glasses w/o correction under the hood, so I am looking through probably four layers of glass/plastic.  But sorry to say I am overdue for an eye exam & I see bifocals in my future.  However I can still focus sharply on items that are within 15" of my eyes, but as I get any closer the blurring begins.  But do I need to get closer than 15" to the puddle to MIG weld?  Thanks again, Scott
Reply:Cheaters is a bifocal lense that you can mount into your welding hood. Some of the hoods have a method in which you can mount them and other hoods you might just have to tape the cheater inside the hood. P.S. You did take the film off of the outside of your auto darkening lense didn't you?  Not trying to be a wise butt, but there has been some that have not removed the film and it makes it very hard to see through the lens otherwise.
Reply:When you get your exam and order new glasses, order a set of prescription safety glasses...That will eliminate one layer....Bob T. -  Just can't stand wearing safety glasses over prescription glasses!
Reply:I also wear glasses with bifocals and do at times find watching the puddle be it stick, tig, or mig.  I have a auto darkening hood with number 10 lense that pretty well works for me.  I also have a standard hood with the large view lense in number 10 shade that tends to work better for me at times.  I have also tried the cheater lense method, but never could get real comfortable with it or get it to work to my satisfaction.  Trial and error may be in your future.  Good luck and dont give up!A few of my toys !LinuxMintManjaroMiller Roughneck 2E Lincoln WeldPak 100HTP MTS 160 Chicago Electric 80amp Inverter   Victor O/A
Reply:Originally Posted by 330Scott...........................And as for the actual puddle - what exactly is it supposed to look like?  Is it just the green pool about a 1/4" in diameter?  Reason that I am asking is that occasionally I think that I catch a glimpse of a slightly larger & orangish puddle similar to my oxy welding experience.Any suggestions would be appreciated.Thanks, Scott
Reply:You kids don't have any idea what it will be like some day trying to see to weld. Wait till you have trifocals like I have. lol Due to some botched eye surgery, I'm far sighted in one eye and near sighted in the other. I'm due new glasses, and am going to have a pair with just the bottom lets in them. Won't be able to see past the end of my arm, but will be able to see to weld. But just wait, it only gets worse. LOL
Reply:Originally Posted by 330Scott  Jumped onto a MIG welder last week & I am having a major problem seeing what I am doing - can't see the steel at all.  In fact I am not even 100% sure that I am seeing the puddle correctly.  I have an auto darkening hood that I can adjust from 9 to 12, but usually have it set at 10.  I have dropped it down to 9 for a couple of passes but I still can't see the material that I am welding.What gives?  One guy suggested that I try a gold lens.  Another guy said that maybe a large lens might help with my orientation.  Sounds like this is a common problem with MIG welding?  How do I overcome it?
Reply:Thanks for all the replies and suggestions, everyone.  I definitely have some ideas that I will try out on Tuesday.Anyway, let me say this.  It is not my vision.  No way.  No how.  I may think that I might remotely, possibly need bifocals sometime in the way distant future, but not now.  And a cheater lens?  Fugedaboutit  Seriously though, I do think that I probably could have seen the puddle clearer when I was gas welding, so I wouldn't be surprised that the same goes with the MIG welding.  I am nearsighted so I do not wear prescription glasses under my welding hood and my safety glasses cost me close to $80 with non-prescription lens, so the safety glasses are not causing any distortion or problems.  An eye exam & new glasses probably wouldn't hurt though.  At least my safety glasses will except prescription lens.Gnewby, were you in my classroom on the first night that I started my MIG welding?  Yeah, removing that plastic film did help a whole lot.   My auto darkening hood is an $80 unit from Harbor Freight, so as was suggested maybe a better (read more expensive) hood might do the trick.  I have already decided to try some of the hoods provided by the school, but I don't have very high hopes for them primarily because they look pretty well used & abused.Which brings up the lighting issue.  Bingo, might be it.  Both machines that I have used do not have the best of light around them and the ceiling lights do come down & into the backside of my hood.  I am going to try a couple of things re: the lighting.  First of all I am going to try & eliminate as much of the light coming into the backside of my hood, not only from the ceiling lights but the other welders as well.  Second, I have a 300 (?) watt halogen clamp light that I will take to class with me and point it directly onto the material that I am welding.  I have no idea if blasting the steel with light will help me until I try, but it sounds like my best bet so far.Thanks again for all your suggestions & words of encouragement.  I appreciate it.Scott
Reply:It looks really strange but, because I weld outside a lot, I keep a hand towel taped to the top of my helmet. I flip it down over the back of my head and over the edge of my hood to block out the sunlight. Bright outside lighting can make it impossible to tell if you even have an arc going.
Reply:I weld mostly outside also  and had a problem with light coming in the back of the hood.  Like julmer says it can be hard to see,  and even tell if you have an arc going sometimes. I have tried many things to keep the light out, so that I can see better.   Finally went to a local tent shop that makes canvas tents and got a nice size scrap of Fire Retardant canvas ( free ) and then put snaps on the hood and on the canvas.  Just snap the canvas on and no more light in the back of the hood.  Also keeps the sparks out of my hair and off my neck.  You could do this with leather also  which I may try sooner or later.
Reply:Finally went to a local tent shop that makes canvas tents and got a nice size scrap of Fire Retardant canvas ( free ) and then put snaps on the hood and on the canvas. Just snap the canvas on and no more light in the back of the hood. Also keeps the sparks out of my hair and off my neck. You could do this with leather also which I may try sooner or later.
Reply:Originally Posted by julmerIt looks really strange but, because I weld outside a lot, I keep a hand towel taped to the top of my helmet.
Reply:Sandy, Now that I think of it, it is kinda French Foreign Legion looking LOL
Reply:I don't know how well versed you are in Stick out lenth and Gun Angle but if the puddle is appearing and disappearing you may be merely blocking the Puddle with the Gun Nozzle it's self. (I've seen guys do that before!)  Auto Darkening Lenses are great for Hi Production, On/Off and that sort of thing, But for steady welding I prefer BATTERY-LESS standard #10 Wide Screen T.V. Lens. 4X5.  There are lots of CHEAP A/D Lenses out there and you may not be actually getting the Real Shade you think you are. If you got something for 40 or 50 bucks.  Switch to a standard lens, Check for light leaks in around the hood.  AND MAKE DARN SURE SOME CLOWN Hasn't taped a band of Dark Green Electrical tape or something on the glass for a good laugh.  You could go look at somebody else runnin' wire. Then see what happens. You may have the nozzle too close to the work and don't realize it. The Nozzle may be In your way and you can't see your work. You may be getting more light in your hood and it's disrupting your vision, I've seen Electrical Tape (and lots of stuff in hoods before..) You may have a Bad Chip in your A/D Lens and it's not reading right.  Try a different hood.  If you use Cheater lenses you'll just end up with "BIGGER PROBLEMS!!   C-ya
Reply:guys, you can see the welding puddle if you look closely to the welding or the nozzle if blocking,