Welding Booth Newbie Questions

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Do you wear reading glasses when welding? I wear glasses for distance, and recently tried a 150 magnifying lens by suggestion of the instructor. What a difference, but after one night I decided to move up to a 250 magnification. A big difference. Do I move up to a 3 or 350 magnification and put my eye glasses in their case during welding? Input please. Also, gloves: how long should they last before finger tips blow out? what should I look for in welding gloves when shopping? Hoods: I have an auto-darkening, which I really like. However, my ears are not covered well by it- which isn't a huge problem... until I chip hot slag off the welds. Another thing I would like to have is something that non-auto-darkening hoods have... a flip up feature so I can keep the hood down and just flip up the welding lens and still be protected. What do I look for when shopping online? or is it better to go to a welding supply store and shop for a hood? Thanks, Bob. Starting Vertical T joints this upcoming week with 7018's then do vertical T's with 6010's. I don't like 6010's. I do however really enjoy using the 1/8 7018 rods.
Reply:I wear reading glasses for welding. One pair for SMAW, and GMAW. Different pair for GTAW. I use ArcOne auto lens. I don't use a flip up hood, but these lenses will work in a regular hood. http://www.arc1weldsafe.com/auto-darkening-filters.html Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Sure. Try more magnification and get your face right into that joint. For close up work I layer a #2 reading glasses over a #2 cheater lens.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:I have to use a cheater lense or glasses to mig or tig. For some reason normally not for stick.I don't like it, but somehow I got older despite my intentions to not age Have you been checked by your eye doc recently?Dave J.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:For gloves, I am settled on elk skin Tillmans.http://www.amazon.com/Tillman-Premiu.../dp/B003Y75SYELOVE them things! Yes, welding gloves can be used as general purpose work gloves, but save them for actual welding, the old ones make good grinding and cutting gloves when the tips blow out. 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:Speedglas makes a flip up auto dark hood. For ear protection against slag and sparks, use the foam earplugs that you roll between your fingers for insertion into the ear canal. I use them with great effect during smaw, gmaw, and o.a. cutting. They're pretty effective against loud noises also.http://www.facebook.com/LockhartMetalArthttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Grumpy...44306259043484
Reply:If you're going to stick with this address your eye issues in a non-redneck(them thar drug store glasserz iz all I needz) manner. Go see an ophthalmologist. Read it again. OPHTHALMOLOGIST. Get him to check you out and get you a prescription welding lens. I'm not talking about the guy in the white jacket selling NASCAR sun glasses at Walmart.Warning: This method may cost money.Why am I so serious ? I only have one eye.
Reply:Clarifications: Ear protection is not needed so much for sound, as I already have a loss of hearing from working around diesel engines and loud audio systems. I'm looking for a helmet that will cover my ears from sparks. I checked out the Speedglas hoods... they are nice, Especially the 3M Speedglas 9100FX with 9100XX Auto-Darkening hood. However, what's a good hood cost a family man with 3 small kids? I should hope not $300+, however I'm new to welding and do not know the price range for different hoods with different features.  That Speedglas Hood is essentially exactly what I'm looking for though- but not at that price. Regarding gloves, I have already figured out that worn out welding gloves are great for handling animals with claws and teeth. Is there a certain brand of welding gloves that are known amongst the welding industry for their durability and/or performance/fit. On the eyes, I'm very careful when it comes to my eyes- or try to be anyways... since I drive for a living, it's kind of a big deal. I like the suggestion of wearing reading glasses and also using my magnification/cheater lens on my helmet. Seems like most of the instructors use reading glasses, and also regular prescription glasses that they keep in their chest pocket in a case. The instructors also use cheater lens. Thanks in advance, Bob.
Reply:I go to an eye specialist for eye check ups, not your normal eye doctor. I get my glasses from different places, but my eye doctor's office does not sell glasses. Just prescriptions. I've been to Sears eye center for glasses and also to a local eye doctor who does sell glasses/frames.
Reply:For a helmet Cyberweld has a rebate going for Jackson Balder's. I don't have one simply because I have a new Miller Auto-Darkening, but if I didn't have the Miller I would have one of these. The top of the line one retails for ~$520 and is on sale for ~$350 + free shipping I think. They also have others that are on sale and are cheaper. From what I hear they are really nice helmets. Here is a link to the site:http://store.cyberweld.com/jabaauwehe.htmlHere is a video of some arc shots:Here is a review of their helmet:Hope this helps.Brian
Reply:Bob, please take Burpees advice above.  Go back to your eye doctor tell him you are learning to weld, tell home what you are experiencing with your eyes while your are welding.  Who knows magnification might do your eyes more harm than good.  Every bodies eyes are different, don't go by what you welding instructor or someone on here does with magnification - we have never seen through you eyes.  To bad you can't find an eye doctor who is a hobbyist welder, he would be your best bet.  Risking sounding like your mother, father or wife - wear ear protection so you can keep whatever hearing you have, don't blow it off!  To deal with the spark issue whichc will only increase when you get to overhead welding and 6010, the answer is not so muchc in the hood (unless you are wearing a pipeliners or pancake hood) the answer is in wearing a welding cap.  You can pull that bill over you ear (one of the two ears you are wearing ear plugs in right?) and you will keep sparks out of you ear.  Glad you are looking to protect yourself and better your welds.  Not many companies hire deaf and blind welders (though I did weld with a deaf guy once).  That's a good hood your looking at.  You like the best!Some kind of Big Blue constant current welding machineAnother smaller yet, Blue machine (it's got wire in it)
Reply:I have pretty good vision, no glasses, but for SS GTAW I pull out the +2.00 cheater. Just make sure you go up 1 shade on the helmet, the magnifier is concentrating the light. I wonder if anyone makes a AD that goes to 14?SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:My Opto states cheater lenses are fine when reading and welding. I use 2.50 for GTAW. I told him I weld and he states that welding does not deteriorate your vision, age does. As you get older the paralax (SP) changes and that is why we cannot read the back of medicine bottles as we get older. I also wear contact lenses and stack with cheaters when welding and reading.www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:Agree with those about going back to get your eyes checked.  First thing I did when getting back into welding was go to the doctor for a full physical which included an eye checkup. I've gotten old over the years, and while getting back into welding is a real joy, its not worth losing eyesight over.  good luck
Reply:As far as gloves I like the Black Stallion gloves the best...the ones that are blue and black and have some padding. You can get them off the tool truck guy for $16 a pair or probably cheaper online...I brought mine about a month and a half before class ended last semester and I'm still using them. http://www.revcoindustries.com/catal...roducts_id=675 If you keep blowing the tips out of the more expensive gloves like that then I don't know what to tell you. except to drop down to the Harbor Freight $8 a pair and replace as needed.Hobart Stickmate LX235AC/160DCRanger 305GVictor 315 O/A rigHope to acquire in the next couple of years: Hypertherm PM45 and Dynasty 200DX
Reply:A few years back I noticed I was tending to look over my standard glasses while welding ( I'm near sighted). I also noticed an issue reading the tape measure at times. My eye doc suggested a weaker prescription for my "work" glasses. These are set to focus at roughly 18" vs my standard glasses. They will still allow me to drive though with them. They are a good balance between being able to see the puddle, and being able to move around and do other things without having to constantly change glasses all the time. I had the new prescription set up as safety glasses as well and killed two birds with one stone..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:I still haven't learned the differences between cow/elk/deer/pig skin gloves. My daily users are Tillman 1350s. Smooth looking leather, thin enough to tig with but not thick enough to grab hot metal or electrodes. I also use Tillman 30s for tig work, and they're thinner than the 1350s. If I'm ever doing fancy light tig I use Black Stallion Firecat (black ones). They're awesome on my hands but the fabric backing sucks. Hobart makes some good "mig" gloves that can be used for anything. They're white/yellow or black/yellow with padding on the palms and a fancy design on the back. Gloves are a serious topic for me. But the summary (if you didn't read all that) was you should expect a good pair of gloves to last 3 months maximum with daily/heavy use if you're in school. In the field, it might be more like a month max if you use them for everything. For a student I recommend the Tillman 1350s. If you want something heavier the Tillman 850s are great too. But someone said before... you can't go wrong with getting 10 pairs of HarborF gloves.For hoods... I used to use this cheapo Hobart with a flip front that cost me about $15. Headgear on it is shoddy though. Fibre-metal makes the Tiger Hood that has a flip front. You may wind up shaving a bit off the bottom though, it looks pretty long. Jackson used to make a pipeliner style with a flip front, I don't know if they still do. ESAB has a fancy looking hood that's got a big clear lens with a shade 10 flip down (similar to a grinding shield). Speedglas and Miller make units that flip the face of the hood up too. Looks cool. That's the only issue I have with my pipeliner... with a grinder and a drill you can throw a flip front in there if you really want to. Which is what I'd recommend.
Reply:Originally Posted by akabadnews... with a grinder and a drill you can throw a flip front in there if you really want to. Which is what I'd recommend.