Welding Question OT?

[55 Fargo]

Just wondering, does anyone know if it's safe to weld with reading glasses on underneath my helmetI have a cheap flip front welding helmet with either a #10 or 11 lense in it, when I was doing my welding today, I used my reading glasses, to help me see the work piece better. Now I feel my left eye is a little irritated, not real bad just slightly, but I don't want to do real eye damage. I plan on buying a decent auto-darkening mask after Christmas. Today I was welding in an exterior body patch, the weld came off very good, even though I was using .035 flux core wire and not mig wire and gas............Thanx Fred

[captden29]

probably from squinting .

[james curl]

Rockwood, next time you go to the Tractor Supply Store or Home Depot or Menards check in the welding supply. They make lens in 100, 150, and 200 that fit behind the filter. I have a 150 in one of my helmets and a 200 in the other, helps a lot.

[Plymouthy Adams]

James..the 100, 150 and 200 is that by chane 1.00 1.50 and 2.00 dioptics? I'd be interested in then..

Fred...

I also use a pair of 1.50 dioptic reading glass behind my goggles when I weld..could be very well a slight flash burn if your timing is a bit off striking an arc before/as yu close the lens or lift a bit early or should you have a light leak at the side..my self-darkening helment has all but cured those ailments..

Flash burns are no fun at all and have had more than my share, most when not welding..

[james curl]

Tim, Yes they are 1.00, 1.50, and 2.00 dioptics. I got mine at TSC, the tractor store in the section where you find the mig wire hanging on a peg in a cardboard holder.

[Plymouthy Adams]

most excellent..this will be such a big help..sometimes when welding, the glasses get fogged up and it is a pure T mightmare and takes a lot of fun out working on the hoopie.

[Norm's Coupe]

I have to take my glasses off for close up work, so don't wear them when working on the car. However, when welding I do wear a pair of safety glasses with side shields under the auto dark helmet, just in case something slips in under or behind the helmet. Never had the flash burn but know it's no fun from others who have.

[Rodney Bullock]

Just wondering, does anyone know if it's safe to weld with reading glasses on underneath my helmetI have a cheap flip front welding helmet with either a #10 or 11 lense in it, when I was doing my welding today, I used my reading glasses, to help me see the work piece better. Now I feel my left eye is a little irritated, not real bad just slightly, but I don't want to do real eye damage. I plan on buying a decent auto-darkening mask after Christmas. Today I was welding in an exterior body patch, the weld came off very good, even though I was using .035 flux core wire and not mig wire and gas............Thanx Fred

What is the diffrence between flux core wire and mig wire? I am buying a welder machine it says that it comes with a gas attachment, I thought all mig welders had a gas tank with it doesen't it?

Is it possible to weld without gas?

[55 Fargo]

Rodney, both are wire feed arc welders, one is mig, using steel wire and gas, say co2 and argon, this is for a shield during the actual weld to keep impurities of the molten weld, it's a gas shield, that is for Mig. The flux core is also a wire feed arc welder, however, it does not use gas for shielding, but has flux in the center of the wire, thus named flux core wire welding, it's size is .030 and .035, Mig wires are usually .023, .025 or .030.

The mig produces nicer, cleaner and more nice looking welds, the flux core is rougher and the welds are not as nice,the flux has to be wire brushed off after the welds, they produce more heat, so light gauge tin it will burn through easily. On old mopars with 16 and 18 gauge tin, I had no problems welding with flux core, although I did burn through at times. When you buy your welder,many smaller machines, the hobbyist/home use type can use either wire, some are strictly for flux core and some can be converted to mig use. The choice is yours and whatever your pocket book and future use of the welder dictates. All the best from The Rock of the North

[martybose]

Working in a shipyard where we do a lot of welding, about the only time we use fluxcore is when we are welding something that can't be shielded from the wind. Otherwise we always use MIG with a gas mix.

Marty

PS in regards to the original question, most of the welders who have been at it over 10 years use a high diopter lens to make it easier to get a good quality weld.

[bob westphal]

I've been using corrected lenses when I weld all my life. I have never had any trouble with arc burn on my eyes as long as I didn't flash without protection. Us Myoptics have no choice!

[Guest mikeys toy]

don't forget that fluxcore wire is 3 TIMES the prics of stardard mig wire

[Joe Flanagan]

I tried welding with flux core and really didn't like it. I think you'll be much happier with gas. Just my two cents.

[55 Fargo]

That's true I have welded with both, I find I can pull off not too bad a welds with flux core, if very careful. It is a lot more expensive for sure, but I don't weld all that much, so I don't mind paying the extra price for the wire, the brand of wire makes a big difference IMHO, I prefer the Lincoln wire.......................Rockwood