Stick welding, can't see what's in front of me.

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Here's the issue: I can't see a darn thing. I'm welding with 1/8" inch electrodes, 120 amp, doing overlap, and find myself having to guess at my soapstone markings and where the previous weld actually is. So much so that I got into the horrible habit of lifting my electrode so that the arc goes crazy and illuminates my plate. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does I often end up with a horribly crooked weld. I'll even break the arc if I feel like I'm lost. However, when I can keep track of where I am, my welds are straight and look very good.I've been welding at shade 10. Will be going down to 9 next class. I wear prescription glasses that get me very close to 20/20, however, both my mom and my grandma have a difficult time seeing in the dark. Maybe it's genetic.Is this something that I can improve on? Have any of you had this trouble, and if so, how'd you deal with it?
Reply:Time to get checked for cataracts.Does black print look gray,colors look muted, headlights on oncoming cars sparkle?
Reply:Good luck with seeing soapstone lines on a plate. I always have had trouble seeing those, even when I was young and fresh eyes unless the plate had some good brown surface rust. I do not know if you want to try this or not, but I can sure see a lot better with contacts than glasses. They are a bit more of a hassle especially in the shop and after long hours, but I can usually get a good 16 hours out them a day and most days I am back home by then to put my glasses back on. Talk to optometrist though. The easiest thing might be getting a different color pencil instead of soapstone. Most welding stores will have a good variety of different colors. I also like a Sharpy a lot of the time too. I hope that helps you.SA-250 TMDSquarewave 200Thunderbolt AC/DC1951 G.E. welder
Reply:I can't see very well either - a 500 watt halogen pointed at my work is sometimes needed.I see just fine outside with the sun on the work.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Just because your glasses leave you 20/20 doesn't mean that the prescription is set up so you can weld well. I'm near sighted, and I don't use reading glasses, but I need a different prescription to weld with than I do to drive. The focal length for my driving glasses is just too long. In fact the last prescription I got for welding focuses a bit farther out than I'd like for detail work doing tig, though it's fine for stick and most mig.A good optometrist can get you rigged up right with the right prescription, but you have to tell him what you want/need. Mine understood exactly what I wanted as soon as I explained the problem to him.Also as backwards as it seems, sometimes darker is better. You might not be able to see because of the glare from the arc. Also with stick, some rods will have a heavy slag that hides the arc very well, especially if you are holding a close arc or dragging. Other rods of the same type by a different company may not be quite as bad. I see this on occasion with some 7018 rods. You might try holding a longer arc length, and adjusting your amps accordingly..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:Are you using an auto-darkening hood or fixed shade lenses? I have an expensive Arc One auto-darkening hood that I was thinking was a POS for a long while as I found I was often having difficulty seeing the puddle/joint. Then one day I discovered that if I tilt my head back as opposed to down to where I'm looking through the center/lower part of the lens I can see a lot more clearly. That was with MIG, but maybe something to experiment with? Depending on lighting I also started doing the 500W back light thing like MinnesotaDave mentioned. Helps a lot.
Reply:As stated get a 500 watt halogen light and set it up. A cheater may help but the light should be the answer. Sometimes a different shade of lens will help, not possible with a auto dark hood, YET !
Reply:regardless of what your other welding problems may be i would NOT recommend going to a #9 filter plate.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:+1 on the halogen lights.  I also use sharpie when the metal is shiny - much easier to see than soapstone.Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:Thank you all for the replies. I'll pick up some colored pencils today, and I'll make an appointment with my optometrist.
Reply:regardless of what your other welding problems may be i would NOT recommend going to a #9 filter plate.
Reply:Use a 9, if you have some irritation later that day you'll know it was to light.I use a setting of 9 all the time for both mig and stick and sometimes with a 500watt light over the work.I've had cataract surgery on both eyes, so that's not the problem. Bought a better quality AD helmet that helped. One thing I snapped to was I wear photo gray (auto darkening) prescription glasses and they were darkening when I tried welding with them. Bought some cheap plastic lens readers and that made a big difference.Last edited by In Utopia; 05-30-2015 at 06:28 PM.
Reply:I found that light from the arc reflecting into the rear on my helmet cuts down on my ability to see when stick welding.....not to mention distracting.
Reply:First off make sure that all three lenses are clean and clear. When I say clear I mean the two safety lenses have no haze to them if they do replace them. You'll be surprised how much a small amount of haze will make seeing difficult. Next up what are you using for a shaded lens, and by that I mean is it a cheap plastic lens or a quality Philips / Athermal? I can't help you with and AD lens as I don't use them. Next, how's your vision at the distance you weld at? A lot of guys don't see as well as they think and when they finally do something about it they can't believe the difference it makes. Some guys use cheap readers from the big box store, and that's a great place to try some out and get something so that you don't ruin your good glasses. Once you figure out what you need a cheater lens for your weld hood may be an option also.  Lastly, if you try all that and you still can't see use a #9 lens, I use one for 1/8 rod all the time. I can't stress enough, keep your lens clean and buy a quality lens. If you are going to do much welding you will wind up with more than 1 shade of lens and more than 1 cheater as you need to weld at different distances. If you weld professionally you will need multiples of the different shades in case you break one. Again, clean your lens. Good luck.
Reply:One trick is to lay a piece of flat bar alongside the weld so the you can see the edge of it as you weld....About 1/4 to 1/2 inch away from where you want to weld.
Reply:This may sound like a stupid question, but what is the distance from your shield to the arc? Sometimes people who just start welding are a bit hesitant to get cozy with the arc and like to watch it from 2ft away, which makes it hard to see the path ahead. If that is the case, stick with a 10 shade and cozy on up at around 12" away. I could be totally off base with your issue, but didn't see it mentioned and figured I'd throw it out there.2c..-Niche
Reply:First, it's worth noting that my lense was dirty. How much of a difference does that make? And I suppose I could cozy in closer.I went to the welding shop to pick up some Tungstens today, asked them if they have any products to help me see. They offered microscope lenses. Do those help?