I can't see where I'm going. Any suggestions?

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So, ok my eyes aren't what they used to be and I accept that but I'm having a very difficult time seeing where I'm going when running horizontal stringers in SMAW.This problem really cropped up yesterday while running covering stringers on a horizontal butt weld in class. I'm left handed and usually move across the work from right to left with the stinger in my left hand but supported by my right as well. I get a great view of the puddle this way and in all the other positions/joints that I've been working on I have no problem seeing where I'm going.I keep losing my line unless I momentarily lengthen my arc which provides some light down the weldment and helps me see if I'm still on my line. I don't like doing this because it obviously affects the stringer and interrupts my travel rate. Some have suggested soapstone reference lines but I can't see those under the hood either.Particulars: 1/8" 6010, 85 amps DCEP, 1/4" MS plate, 1/8" square groove horizontal butt weld. I use a Hobart AD hood that is variable from 9 - 13 shade and I've tried going all the way down to 9 with no improvement either. I use reading glasses (number 2 diopter) under the hood since using a cheater lens in the hood is not an option. If I use a cheater in the hood, I can't see my work when I raise it.The weird part is I run a great root pass every time. I just can't seem to keep on line with the stringers. I padded a plate yesterday using the same position and that worked out all right for some reason. It just seems to be covering that damn root that screws me up.Tomorrow I'm going to try going from left to right since I'm somewhat ambidextrous and maybe that will help though I don't think it will.Am I the only one who has trouble maintaining a true line of travel when the weld has no visual reference points? This is really giving me fits. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Eric
Reply:Have you had you eyes checked recently?  A friend of mine was getting a cataract, & it was giving him a blind (bright white) spot in the center of his vision.  He got surgery & is all good now.Have you tried a different helmet? or different shades?Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:for tigwelding i have to resort to a bright light on the work, plus a #9 gold lens, plus remove my glasses , and then get my lens about 8" from the work in order to see what i'm doing Attached Images
Reply:Disclaimer/Caution: i'm new too.i just started the stick thing also.  And i was and still possibly am having problems keeping it straight, seeing where the heck i'm going etc.What seems to be "working" for me is to get physically closer to the work.  In other words, get your mask closer to the work---maybe at first we are scared on the sparks so we tend to stay farther away?Also, i started off on 11 shade but went down to 10 and that seemed to help alot.  The other thing is i have a Miller elite auto darkener and these have a large viewing area;  Would this help?Occasionally, the "glow" from the puddle/arc etc. will light up the travel side of the direction i'm going----in other words i'm right handed and i travel from left to right and the glow will light up the right side.  This tends to also help me see where i'm going.   Why this happens i'm not sure, but i will report back if/when i find out.Update:  i just read your original post again and you state that you momentary lift up a bit, lengthening the arc----which provides a little light down the line.  Hopefully this is not what is causing my above described condition.Last edited by HELP!; 02-23-2011 at 07:53 AM.
Reply:For the welding booth you should consider setting up a halogen lamp.  Makes a BIG difference.  Lots of time the booths are lacking in lighting.You should see the gunk that builds up on lighting over time in a welding shop.  Likely nobody cleans those lights so is best to bring your own.Worked for me Gordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:I have much the same issue as the OP. I did what Nitesky suggested, because I used to see the facilities welders at our plant use the same trick. I have a clamp on halogen lamp to assist with lighting the workpiece.Hope this helps.
Reply:Here's another easy to do suggestion. Draw a line with your soapstone where you want the weld bead, then follow it while you are welding. If I have to use a fixed shade helmet, this is the only way that I can get the bead in the right place. My eyes and body are getting older, requiring new tricks to keep going. I bought a Miller Digital Elite helmet last year and it has made a huge difference. I've had to put a cheater lens in it too. When I was young I could see things in the dark that others couldn't, but not anymore. Getting old is tough, but I don't like the alternative.CharleyMiller MM252Miller Bobcat 225NTMiller DialArc HF / DIY Cooler2 Victor O/A TorchsetsMilwaukee 8" Metal SawMilwaukee Dry Cut "Chop" Saw 5 Ton Wallace Gantry Various Grinders, Benders, etc.
Reply:A good fixed shade lens will fix most of the issues.  Even a mediocre passive lens is better than even the best AD.  There's a reason why I keep a couple OKI Bering and Harris passive lenses with a Fibre Metal hood around.  Also, try going DARKER as well.  On occasion, a lighter shade will make the distinction between groove and face of the base metal blur together.  Going darker filters out the reflection off the base, and keeps the emphasis on the groove.
Reply:Have you tried putting cheater lenses in your helmet?  You can go to your local grocery store, try different reading glasses, write down the number of the one that suits you, and then buy the lens at your LWS.    Worked well for me.I have a couple of different lenses, one puts me closer to work than the other, (different focal length) but both are OK.RichardSculptures in copper and other metalshttp://www.fergusonsculpture.comSyncrowave 200 Millermatic 211Readywelder spoolgunHypertherm 600 plasma cutterThermal Arc GMS300 Victor OA torchHomemade Blacksmith propane forge
Reply:Ericyou did not mention your cronological age, but if you have reached your mid fiftys or so I encourage you to se your opthomologist (sp?).  In my late 60's I had the cateract (sp?) surgery and accomodating implants installed.  The surgery was a piece of cake and covered by insurance, the Crystal Lens implants were an optional extra.While I do not have the eyes of an eagle, they are "Pretty Damn Good".I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:If in doubt , change your outer plastic protective shielding. I think mine's reasonably clear still---until I slip a new one in.
Reply:Try doing the same joint in the flat position really quick and see if it helps..I think when I do horizontal welds I have the same problem, everything looks darker and I cant really see where Im going..Just because of the angle Im looking at the joint with the light from the arc (or something) makes everything look darker..Try changing the position you stand or your view of the puddle if if thats the case.. I also agree with the new clear lense its literally a night and day difference if your current one even looks barely dirty..
Reply:I love my AD hood but alas we are not allowed them in the ship yard so I use a hard hat mounted shield with a shade ten lens and a 1.25 cheater for detail.  That being said I'm a right handed welder and can do some with my left but I generally go left to right but I have had a couple issues so I have changed to right to left with my right hand and it has helped out quite a bit.  Another thing that may help if you r not already doing it is to position yourself directly behind the arc location and travel with it as much as possible kind of like a helicopter hovering over a fleeing car down the freeway.  This will actually allow you to see the front and back and the top side of the puddle and some of the bottom so that you can make sure that the top of the puddle is online with where it's supposed to be.  On top of that are you sure that your looking at the whole thing and not just say the middle of the puddle?  Tunnel vision can be a sneak and get you in trouble so make sure that your looking at the whole act and not just the middle of the puddle or the back of the rod watching the arc.  There's an interesting video that an instructor showed my old class with a group of 8 or so people tossing a ball back and forth for 3 minutes, at the end he asked us what we all saw and half saw the group tossing the ball while the other half said they saw that plus a gorilla walk through the group.  Rewatching the video we all saw it and it demonstrated that tunnel vision affects awareness and in welding you need to be aware of everything thats going on.
Reply:Welding Swede,I have on occasion had the same problem, wandering off the line with my weld in the flat position of all things! Soapstone lines did not work for me, so what I did do was just lay a piece of flat bar parallel with the weld joint. This worked very well as a guide. In the vertical or horizontal position, you could clamp or tack a piece of flat bar parallel to your weld joint. This will allow you to see the edge of your flat bar and keep your puddle a consistent distance away from it, thus keeping a straight line and preventing "wandering".-Dan
Reply:Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I've got a couple of things I'm going to try today. I never thought about using a fixed passive shade instead of my AD. I just assumed that they were equal in quality of vision but I guess it makes sense if the LCD is using a type of variable matrix to filter light that there could be a loss of clarity. Also, getting more light on the work piece is an interesting idea. Again, I just assumed that the arc flash would be brighter than any added light and it would be a waste of time but I'm going to try that as well. Since my original post, I've been doing some thinking about the problem and the fact that it only seems to occur in horizontal position. My instructor suggested that maybe my stinger holding position (both hands supporting the stinger left of my head) could be the trouble. Since the my line always drifts down she suggested that I support my left elbow or forearm with my right hand to keep gravity from taking over. Its probably a good idea for me to get comfortable with using a fixed passive hood anyway. It sounds like there may be times when I have to go to that and I don't want to have to get used to it on a job or during a test. I know I can do this. I'm way too stubborn to give up. This morning I'm going to pad a few plates because this seems like good practice for me and I'll try a few position changes and some other things while I'm laying these horizontal stringers. One other thing - I think I'm getting a nasty reflection in my lens from the booth lights above and behind my head. I wonder if this reflection is causing my eyes to adjust to that light and dimming what I see through the AD lens?Anyone have any ideas about that? Is this a common problem with open-back helmets? The leather hood thing seems like it would be way too hot to work in but maybe some sort of leather cover on the top to keep light out would be a way to go. I have heard about and seen examples of the pancake shield and that sounds pretty cool but I hear they're not always allowed in certain environments.By the way, I seem to be kicking a$$ on my oxy-acetylene welding. This is encouraging since I am hoping to be a decent TIG welder some day. The problem is that I really enjoy SMAW and I feel like I need to be extremely competent in this discipline as well. Oh well, I guess I like it because it doesn't come easy.Thanks again.Eric
Reply:thanks for the feedback. I am confident you will be sucessful.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:I like Westcoaster's suggestion. Another is that it helps to practice "feeling" where you are working just by subtle changes in your body's position. With the machine off, position yourself comfortably and then pretend you are striking an arc and running the bead, allowing as much as you can for the electrode getting shorter (you did say SMAW, right?). Then close your eyes and try to duplicate it, maybe peeking a time or two to see you're still on track. As with most physical activities, e.g. writing, welding involves lots of small manipulations that are best done by feel which is why the skill takes lots of practice to develop. Seeing what is happening and fixing what needs changing is necessary in the very beginning, but I'd bet most great welders would weld better than myself even if/once they go blind. I just do too many other things, not enough welding, to become great. .Last edited by Oldiron2; 02-24-2011 at 12:44 PM.Reason: spelling correction
Reply:The back glare coming into the back of your helmet may be a key part of your problem.  I generally weld in a garage door opening, facing out.   Whenever I end up with the sun coming in the back of my helmet, I can't see, so I reposition myself to get rid of the glare.RichardSculptures in copper and other metalshttp://www.fergusonsculpture.comSyncrowave 200 Millermatic 211Readywelder spoolgunHypertherm 600 plasma cutterThermal Arc GMS300 Victor OA torchHomemade Blacksmith propane forge
Reply:Richard said "Have you tried putting cheater lenses in your helmet?"This made all the difference for me. I never really saw the puddle then I went to the dollar store and got a pair of reading glasses. My god I'm not that bad a welder once I could see what I was doing.I also probably had to much overhead light. To correct this I cut a piece of leather and taped it over the back of the helmet to block light from leaking around the hood.I also shine a halogen light right on the work piece which helps to see what I'm doing.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:I just now put new bulbs in my halogen lights.  Am preparing for my test.  Not a lot of time on test day to fool around changing light bulbs.One is a small 150W lamp.One is a larger lamp.  I could have used 500W but when in the booth and dressed in leather I opted for a 300W replacement.  Won't be so hot and sweaty then.Try a lamp once and you will be surprised.Gordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:Update - Ok, so I tried a few things today. First was trying the re-positioning and supporting my left forearm/wrist (stinger hand) and generally bracing my entire body up against the welding bench and side wall of the booth. Definitely a big help but still couldn't see in front of the electrode (in the direction of travel) very well. Since I had a slight improvement I just kept quenching and running beads. After 30 or 40 I noticed that I was getting better. But, still having vision problems and feeling eye strain.I can't put a cheater in my hood because I need reading glasses to see what I'm doing and lifting the hood that has the cheater means that I have to immediately put on glasses. That's a lot of putting on and taking off glasses so I just leave the hood with no cheater and wear my corrective safety glasses under the hood.But wait, there's more...So, I'm thinking about this glare coming in from the booth lights. Its really bad and I decided to temporarily duct tape an old welding glove over the gap in the top of my helmet. Well, even though it looked ridiculous, I was able to see so well that I had to turn the shade level up in my AD helmet. I quickly tacked up another square groove butt joint and ran my best root pass ever. Next I ran 3 covering stringers and realized that the glare was the main problem all along. Seems I had become so fixated on what was going on through the lens that I never noticed the glare. Got that weld signed off on and ran another with 7018 cover and again, an acceptable weld.I'm going to use all the suggestions I got in this thread to keep trying to improve what I'm seeing. I will agree though that after padding some plates in this position that "feel" has a lot to do with it. I've always been good with my hands and seem to pick things up naturally but SMAW is the most challenging skill I've ever tried to master. I've got 3 more semesters of it so by the time I wrap up this training I will hopefully have a good foundation.Thanks again everyone.Eric