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Dude I'm turning 45 in about 11 days and my eye sight is suffering from welding for 25 years and need a "cheater lens" to weld. Maybe I'm just getting old. Lol
I found after a long time and many terrible welds: I turn off the overhead lights. I also added old jean material to back of the helmet to block any light that comes from a window. Now, to see, added a strong LED light to the top of my helmet and it actually zooms in on the work piece which is even better. Lastly, I found that I did need to use 2.0 reading glasses. Oh my God I can finally see what I’m doing!
So, young man, you are a very good welder and craftsman. With that said, I have been welding and fabricating for over 50 years. I am 70 years old. I have welded almost every type of process and alloy. I was a heavy wall welder for most of that time. Everything was crystal clear until I turned 55. Since then, I have had to use cheaters if I wanted to weld at the highest level. Get prepared, because you too will experience this in the years to come. Nice channel and I appreciate your talent.
you nailed it exactly. I never in a million years would have thought that I'd need a cheater.. that was my 20's.. then 30's... then 50's rolled into play and I've pretty much lost the ability to see anything without glasses and a cheater (1.5 or 2 even) in the bucket.. It completely sucks the wind out of you to have to use them.. but.. Life happens
@@reefslayer21 A lot depends on the working distance. For thin stuff/small amps/tiny puddles and therefore a close working distance, readers or cheaters can be a big help. For thick material and a longer working distance, the same person may not need them.
The Magnifier has been around a long time. It was originally for people older then 40 that begin to need READING GLASSES. When you get older you will need one too most likely. 45 years ago, I did not need a magnifier to weld. along about 1996 I started needing reading glasses, and had to start running a magnifier in my hood.
Excellent video Dusty. I disagree in the part of the cheater lens. I use it in one of my helmets because I can't see really good when things are close. If I don't use that helmet with the cheater lens I have to use reading glasses. But apart from that, I totally agree with you.
At around 0:45 the purpose of a cheater lens is misunderstood. It's purpose is not to magnify the view of the puddle and weldment. It is (as RossWelds) explains: to see (to focus) up close. Dusty has lots of years under the hood but not as many years on his eyes as many of us. The lenses of older eyes (40+ and especially 50+) aren't as flexible and can't focus as close. Especially if you start out farsighted or with vision that needs no correction. Also, I've almost never seen Dusty demonstrate very low amps welding on very thin stuff. Most recent videos are on 1/8" aluminum, at around 130 amps. When you're using say 35 amps or less and have a tiny arc and puddle and the tungsten distance to puddle is tiny, most will need cheaters or reading glasses or other magnification.
When I use a cheater lens I typically use the same magnification as readers. Currently I use 1.25. But often what I will do is use cheap readers instead of cheaters. I have a couple pair hanging around my welding table. I just got a new prescription set of glasses so I will be trying those out tonight.
Great tips here. I had no problems seeing while I was welding until my mid 40s. I thought I forgot how to weld. And then I bought my first cheater, total game changer. Actually I don’t really know how to weld, I just think I do.
With having to wear 5x readers here in the chilly mid-west, I set my helmet on top of a cheap oil/radiator heater, get it good and warm, and that helps delay the helmet fogging. Even fog you can't see really blurrs up you vision.
I always appreciate the quality of your videos and presentation. I have been welding for about 50 years and as have others have chimed it, vision is not a constant. It is also not the same for everyone. The first shock to a beginner is " where did my 4K high def color world go to? It is now monochromatic tunnel like almost akin to night vision. Some auto darkening filter cartridges might not meet the new European Standards for optical clarity, the best is 1/1/1/1. The lesser ones from Amazon can generate halos around the arc that can obscure the weld puddle. Angles and focal point distances are important because the light is being passed through polarizing filters and they can cause loss of details at certain angles. Never spray anything on the ADF glass directly. I was at a trade show talking to the 3m technical rep about these helmets and he said that outer glass has got a special oxide coating for filtering UV and infrared that is why it has that blue to purple color. Cleaning it could abrade that surface coating and affect its ability to filter UV. High end camera lenses have similar coatings to a lesser degree and we would never spray household stuff on them either. Making the helmet as dark as possible is great advice. I use a welding bib from Black Stallion on the top of my helmet to block light. The arc is a 15,000 watt bulb but when that light goes through the helmet it is crushed to about 3 watt bulb in your lens plus it is like some 50's blue & white TV. This is far from your natural vision but you know what, you'll get used to it. If you wear progressive eye glasses they can really mess up your weld view as you have to remember that as welders we are basically like Deere in headlights with the arc in our face. Switch to regular readers or cheaters and you will witness a vast improvement.
I need 2.5X reading glasses just to read my phone. I use a 2.5X cheater and it works. Only issue is you have to keep the work poece within a window of distance at all times. When I was younger and had good vision, I’d agree, the cheater lens was wonky. Now at my age, it is what it is.
That's why I like readers. Plus, I can still see when I lift the lid. Glad to see I'm not the only one using 2.5s 😅 That's strong than my prescriptions, but it works great for welding.
I am 60 years old and no longer able to focus on close objects. I use a cheater lens. I do dry runs. I try and illuminate the work from the front with direct sunlight or other bright light source. They all help.
Have to suggest buying some good, strong lighting, and using more than one to avoid shadows is huge. When the subject is already very bright, its so much easier to see when the shade kicks in.
Thanks, Dusty. I'm not sure but it seems like TIG welding, with a bright light in a large dark field, is more challenging than reading for me. Inexpensive low-power reading glasses seem to help even though I don't need them for reading or other work. I also find aluminum easier to see than steel, perhaps because the bigger puddle and more reflective aluminum illuminates a wider area (I'm using a more-or-less opaque ceramic cup). As you suggest, I'm going to try getting some sort of spotlight to point at my welding table, I think that might help see better than using only the arc to light what I'm doing.
Tilting the piece is like tilting a piece of paper you're writing on. It puts the weld line parallel with the arc of your hand as it goes across the piece. Excellent tip, thanks.
I ordinarily wear progressive lenses. I ordered single vision glasses for welding and it made a big difference in the clarity of my view of the weld puddle.
The biggest vision problem I have welding in humid spaces is fogging. A multitude of lens surfaces only exacerbated the problem, so I switched a mono vision contact lens setup.
3rd generation welder here. I'm 70 years old and still weld almost every day. I wear glasses and when welding trying to look through tri-focal glasses is nutz. Plus glasses tend to fog up under different temperature conditions where you may be welding. A cheater lens is the only way I go. I wear my safety glasses and have no problem with being up close to my work. So I feel telling people NOT to use cheaters isn't really good counsel. I had to laugh about how glazed over the outside lens was and the person saying they couldn't see well.. LMAO. I did like the Pledge on cleaning the lens. My question does it actually help with weld splatter being repelled off the lens or just for filling in scratches? I'm a retired NUKE welder and TIG is what I use at my home. I work for a nonprofit Christian company doing some welding for them and we only MIG weld because we are a production shop. I really like your Videos and you are VERY good at welding,, keep it up, and keep teaching our amazing profession. The DAWG from Pittsburgh and Missouri
One thing I found that helped me when I was learning to weld. Yellow safety glasses greatly helped me see the weld . Welding structural steal with dual shield wire is a lot different than tig welding but it was night and day diffrence when I put yellow safety glasses on under the shield. I only needed them for a short time until I learned what to look for to ensure a good weld.
I use +3.00 diopter reading specs so I can get close enough to the work. The real improvement though came with using an air-supplied helmet with a filtered blower on my belt, plus a serious spotlight on the work. No more fumes and no more misting up of the visor from heavy breathing while concentrating on trying to get my welds to look like yours!
I’m 75. Yo. Welding since 16, At one time state certified, now I have glaucoma and retinitis. I have to use cheater lens and the strongest dollar store readers.. a real pain, but welds still work.
I completely ignored my crappy eyesight for the previous two years. Got away with it, until I started TIG welding last year. OMG what a revelation when I found out I could actually see a weld pool. My weld quality improved an order of magnitude.
Using readers was some of the best advice I ever got. I have bifocals, but they didn't work with a helmet, so I did without. No wonder I couldn't see. My readers are a little stronger than my bifocals.
I've used readers and cheaters, and both work. Generally I like cheaters better, but if the prescription for each of your eyes is significantly different from each other, you will struggle with cheaters that are the same power on each side. Individual prescription (per eye, not the ones you buy in a store) readers can make a big difference in that case. See a good optometrist and tell them your typical working distance for welding. Customized readers or two different cheaters assembled into a different cheater for each eye can really help, especially for older eyes.
Thanks a bunch. But, I've tried various setups, include the non-bifocals I have for work. Nothing bests the extreme clarity I get with readers. And, when I lift my helmet, I still have the same "super vision" as when welding. When I was a caveman blasting out MIG, I was fine. But once I started TIG on thin(.062) aluminum, I experimented until I got the system I have. I think I'll stick with it. And, if my eyes get worse when I age, I can go to the drug store and get a slightly stronger pair. Weld on, brother!
Same here, I get cheap readers that focus the reading chart and I also use an adjustable reading lamp with a powerful LED bulb that only gets to illuminate the work piece.
I have used #2.5 cheater lens for years! I'm near sighted and used bifocals. So a cheater lens for the type of work I do is mandatory in my situation. I have used a #3 lens which is very hard to find at times for really small work!! Since you still have good eyesight you don't need a cheater. When welding small aerospace engine parts and doing mold insert and die repair you work very close to your work. It is very precise and intricate work. Only laser welding is closer and finer work. So when I'm welding on a hotrod or motorcycle chassis work for the most part I change my helmet without a cheater lens to weld. I have about 3 different helmet setups with different magnifications just for reference.
A height adjustable chair/stool and RainX anti fog on the inside of my lens made a huge difference. I'm working in an unheated garage so it fogged up really quick.
Cheater lenses. I felt the same way about them the first time I tried one but I stuck with it,got used to them and now I won’t be without them. The only beef I have with them is they have a sweet spot so if you’re welding in an area that you can’t get your eyes the right distance from the torch then I take the lense out and have a selection of glasses to help me see clearly. Getting old sucks. As far as positioning when I’m working at the bench I have two stools. One regular height and one of those short mechanics hydraulic stools. A combination of that and some chunks of 2,3,4 and 6” square tubing makes getting the work piece at a good height to help with comfort and visibility fairly simple.
Dusty, all great tips, thanks for sharing....it is amazing how nasty a clear lens some welders will try and look through, probably because you do not know how dirty they are when they are on the hood..... Keep on Arc'N....Cheers, Paul
A dumb thing I did was to tape a powerful flashlight on my helmet so that the workpiece would be fully illuminated before the welding starts. This way I can keep the shade to a high level and protect my eyes, and still see quite well before the welding starts. Then when the welding starts, the change in luminosity is less so there's less need to deal with adaptation. The only annoying bit with this was the extra weight on the helmet, but seriously I don't know why pros don't do this. It's so much easier to see with a strong helmet mounted light!
So I’m learning I was welding aluminum today on an older miller transformer welder I wasn’t wearing gloves but every time I dipped the filler rod I got a shock yes I had the ground on
Great video, a lot of good tips, so many basic problems that need solutions but are often overlooked because of their simplicity. I remember my mom buffing the antique wooden furniture are home, makes sense that also works for clearing lenses.. One other thing though, ergonomically your tip on workheight is very bad for your back. What I would recommend is, translated from Dutch, a standupchair. Your standing on your feet while your pelvis gets support. Then you need to make sure back is upright, so heighten up your workpiece. Now I have an idea on that... what if you mount your tabletop on a motorcycle-lift? Than you can bring your workpiece to just the right height. Also, for round objects I have seen low-revving turntables, with a pedalswitch.. maybe that could be something to explore. And how about a tabletop that could shift sideways, electrically driven, also by pedalswitch? Never seen that, but the thought just crossed my mind seeing your examples. The thought behind it is that you can keep your ergonomically correct posture
I find when I wear my reading glasses and a 1.5 cheater lens works really well for me. I had a bit of a play around with old glasses and a 1.5 and 2.0 cheater lens. I suggest just trying different combinations until you get something that works for you
I love the tip about Johbson’s Pledge. It does a lovely job. I agree with the comments below on cheater lenses. I use Optivisor head-band magnifier lenses adapted to fit my helmets. (I use magnets so they clip in and pop out easily, and I keep a few different strengths. Closest (ie highest strength) for tig, lower strength (further away) for Mig and stick. The higher the magnification, the more limited is the distance at which everything is in focus, but you soon get practised at keeping your head a constant distance from the puddle. I wish they weren’t called cheater lenses: it implies it’s not for real welders. But they’re simply magnification devices - no-one ever suggests the wearing of spectacles is somehow cheating on life. And no-one suggests using a Tig-Finger or a propping device is somehow cheating. Or even cleaning your lenses with Pledge is cheating . No, optical-quality glass “cheater” lenses are king.
Im not a welder, did some arc welding in auto shop, that's it. My question. Why can't they put a lcd type screen into the helmet which also uses some sort of tracking of the bright arc and digitally removes it. Or do they already have such a lens ?
I second the spray Lemon Pledge. It contains both wax and silicone. I don't know what effect the lemon oil has but the total mix is good. You definitely have to polish it with the soft cloth. Once the lens is all clean and shiny it will not attract dirt. Dont use more than is necessary and dont spray it near any work you want to paint. And keep your polishing rag away from your work.The silicone makes it impossible for paint to stick if any gets on your work. I started using it in applications other than polishing furniture when I had sticky sliding vinyl windows. Again, you have to polish it and cant just spray it on and expect it to be a lubricant.
I am new to TIG welding and I'm finding it hard to see the workpiece clearly as the arc is very clear but the contrast is too strong so either the workpiece is too dark and the arc is perfect or the arc is too bright and the workpiece is clear. Would adding a spotlight help to see the weld more clearly in this case? Can't weld well if I can only see the arc but not what is happening to the coupon as I travel through it!
Oh yeah sometimes a bright light can cause issues with auto darkening helmets and low amperage welding settings for thin materials. Below 10 amps. I'm old school. I tried auto darkening helmuts. First of all I don't trust them and have had issues when using overhead brighter lighting triping the auto darkening lens when welding at low amperage settings. Also some of those auto darkening are very expensive. I will also say I use the large lense in all my helmets!!
Been working as a CWI for a while now after a career of welding. No amount of injecting “my personal opinion“ into this will legitimize the incredible falsehood about cheaters. Unfortunately this won’t age well. Having said that , you’re great at the videos and provide some great advice. No disrespect intended btw
Interesting video. I definitely think there are times for aging eyes that cheater lenses can be helpful. But yes proper technique and a clean lens should be the first steps.
I see you are holding your torch in your left hand. Are you left handed? Are you doing it to see better? I’m right eye dominant and right handed. To see the weld puddle welding right handed I have to close my right eye and force myself to use my left eye to see clearly. I’m practicing holding the torch in my left hand to see better with my right eye. This might sound strange to some reading this until you try closing one eye at a time and see which one is able to focus on the weld. I have been welding for over 50 years and reall like your channel.
Some auto darkening welding helmets have all kinds of different welding type settings . I have a Speedglas 9000X witch is an older helmet but it's a great helmet. You can select what shade lens you want to use up to a 13. It has a sensitivity control you can adjust the lens so other welders won't make your helmet darken until you start to weld. There's even a selector switch that you can set for mig, stick or tig welding. Tig welding light is different than the others. When you try to tig weld with your helmet set for mig or stick the light is a lot brighter and makes it hard to see. The switch turns the light down to where the light is comfortable to your eyes. And the 9000X model has the largest viewing window for the auto darkening hoods. And the hood is extremely light weight. Speedglas makes great welding helmets and you can even buy filtered air respirators for them. Speedglas is very pricey but worth every penny.
Love the show Love the info Today I disagree-“train as you fight”. Wear helmet during dry run. But I know nothing about welding-I do this for idle hands, I’m stuck at house. VETERAN Keep up info. I do aluminum boat hole fixes
I'd like to see someone develop a practical video camera helmet to eliminate lenses and eye focus issues. A camera would allow you to zoom in if desired too see more detail. Sure would help my aging eyes.
I have terrible problems welding in my cold garage in winter. My lens always steams up fast and bad enough that I can't see anything like well enough to weld.
I've found on hit, steamy day that putting a small fan that blows in behind your helmet, but not on your weld, works well. As long as it doesn't make you colder! Well on!
I have had problems with seeing my reflection or glare of the over head lighting reflecting off my inner lens of the welding helmet. Its like I need a flap over the back of the head to make it dark inside the helmet. Or some how change my lighting.
I have trouble with the glare from light behind reflecting off the inside lens. Recently got the hood /curtain/flap that clips to the edge of the helmet hoping that will help. Trying it out this weekend. Thanks for the vids
My problem is that the "Auto Dark" kicks in before the arc is struck. Would gowing back io incodessent bulbs (curently have a combination of floresent and LEDs) and or lowering the color tempiture help?
Cheaters lenses are actually pretty awesome. They do come in different strengths so you don't have to get binocular strength...lol. Clean lenses is a given, I always have extra in my welding bag. But the best thing is to get a head band style light and find a way to adhere it to the outside of your helmet. People don't realize how much a light can help. They think that it doesn't matter how bright it is because the weld is going to light the area enough. It doesn't, light is key on the actual weld area. Oh I should have said this first, auto darkening helmet that is adjustable so if you can't see you can change the shade. But like you said be careful with the shade you use because seeing spots sucks but not nearly as much as " sand in your eyes " or " sand eyes " or whatever you want to call it but it's horrible 😂😂
I only ever see the arc, never what's around it, tried everything, cheaters don't work for me, put a light on top of my welding helmet these are ineffective when auto darkening kicks in. I sometimes put a hood over the welding helmet and this helps slightly, sometimes put a backing on the work so the arc reflects, this also helps, lastly, what colour eyes do you have, mine are blue, there is a theory blue eyes have bigger problems focusing on bright light.....?
Me too 😆 I made a little fabric flap that Velcro’s to the back top of my weld helmet and sits about half way down the back of my head, that annoying gap is gone and no more light comes in. Perfect 👌
In the HOT summer I get that. So I place a fan where moves some air in behind my helmet, but not on my weld. It's not the tricky, and it works great. Good luck.
Cheater makes things larger because some would otherwise have to hold the object further than arms length to get eyes to be able to focus on it... didn't understand this untill it happened to me! 😂
50 years of welding, thought you had it dialed in with new info. Great for newbies that are welding in a controlled environment in a clean area. But on your back in the mud Zero degrees outside, or your head up in a frame with the wind blowing,,you get my point. So cheaters are the way to go. Wait till you get to 55. Again.... great for newbies in a shop.
Hello. How can one contact you via social media? I have a few questions regarding welding, career, work, education, and welder machine (new/used). I’m Leo from Los Angeles.
I never in a million years would have thought that I'd need a cheater.. that was my 20's.. then 30's... then 50's rolled into play and I've pretty much lost the ability to see anything without glasses and a cheater (1.5 or 2 even) in the bucket.. It completely sucks the wind out of you to have to use them.. but.. Life happens
You do realize that cheater lens come in different magnification strengths just like reading glasses do you not? I find it more convenient to wear reading glasses as I need them for layout and measuring but the right cheater is just as effectives.
'Cheater Lenses', are nothing more than Magnifier Lenses, the same as 'Reading Glasses' are. Saying that, many weldors do not know they have a vision issue. Most Weldors that had normal vision, neither far or near sighted when young, will maybe need some sort of vision correction by 40 years old.... a 10 year old can see to 4 inches and a 40 years old can see to 10 inches is something I have read...... anyway, id you have a 'Dollar Store' near by, you can always get some 'Readers' and try out....they come in strengths of 1 diopter to 3.25 diopters usually, grab a handful and try them out.....for TIG, the the higher strength will probably be needed... for Stick and MIG, stick with he lower strength.... If you are near sighted, you will not need this crutch.... The one thing about the 'Cheater Lens' that is helpful, is if you already wear glasses for farsightedness, they will allow you to see closer, with out dealing with bifocal or stronger lenses.... There are two types of Cheater Lenses, Plastic and Glass, I recommend the Glass ones, because they do not attract dust as well and do not scratch as easily and are much easier to keep clean... there is very little cost difference also..... I have been welding as a profession since 1997, and when I started , I was 45 and needed closeup lenses for reading and work....I am now 71, and still welding for my job....my , how time flies... anyway.....anyway sort of glasses will take some getting used to...as every thing looks slightly bigger, my automotive tools all looked 1/16 " [1.5mm ?] bigger in size and I had to relearn what they looked like.... the great thing I learned, I let my wife wear them one night at bed time, and she was thrilled.... cheers from an old weldor in Florida , Paul
Good to see you here, Paul. You explain things well. As our eyes age we may still be able to see to see with sharp vision, but not as close and time to adapt is slower. When the material is thin and the amps are low and the arc and puddle are tiny, good seeing is both more important and more challenging.
Great tips except bashing cheater lenses! As a 73 year old beginning welder and a retired optician I have to disagree with you on cheater lenses. Most everyone at about 40 years old begins to need reading correction. If you wear corrective lenses for distance you will find the proper cheater lens will give you good vision up close. And if you wear bifocals or progressive lenses you will be able to look through the top of your glasses and see your weld puddle very well. One tip on the cheaters the stronger the power the closer the working distance will be.
You don't know what your talking about. It is great you have 20/20 vision you don't need cheaters. But other people don't have 20/20. I've been welding for 40+ yrs, I didn't start using cheater until I got bifocals. Come talk to me when your wearing glasses.
Wait till your eyes get older, you'll need those cheater lenses. Aging lenses in your eyeballs are an inescapable reality of life. You are still a baby! 😂
Disagree about cheaters. If your vision is “perfect”, then you don’t need them, and yes, they may be a detriment - for you. For the rest of us with less than perfect vision, particularly if we have farsightedness, but even for nearsightedness. As we get older, our built in lenses get stiffer and focusing more closely becomes impossible. It will happen to you as well when you get into your early 50’s to 60’s. Even with my glasses, which focus, I need cheaters. I literally can’t make proper welds without it. So my advice is that if people have a problem with focus and it’s not because of the reasons you give, then definitely try cheaters lenses. They come in different powers, just like reading glasses. They’re not expensive, around $20, and no, that’s not expensive.
im an older guy, only wear glasses for reading and welding. 1.50 cheaters. i prefer real glasses over a hood cheater lens. but the big difference for me is GLASS, GLASS, GLASS. plexiglass protective lens suck big time. a brand new one is like looking out a dirty window compared to glass. a badly spattered glass is still better than a new plexi. far as i know, you cant get glass for all these new kinds of hoods. i strictly use 2X4 1/4 old school pipeliner type hoods. they are the only ones i can get real glass for, and its night and day. you are looking at the tip of a rod, and its very close vicinity, do you real need a bay window to see? i have those hoods, and they are dead to me. you can get fantastic auto darkening lends for those old hoods. with real glass, its awesome. if they had glass for the new hoods, i'd try it.
It is your opinion because you are young and have no need for reading glasses. Wait till you are older you will need those cheater lenses. They are not for magnifying, they are for people with farsightedness.
Farsightedness yes, but also presbyopia-stiffening of the lenses in the eyes. Related but not the same things, but you can have both! Makes it hard to focus close-up in either case.
Thanks, Benz. Dusty isn't bragging, he's informing. He covered every option and situation and leaving it to the viewers to figure out what works for them. Jeeze.
You are young with good vision, so you don't understand who/what cheaters are for. I wear Trifocals, so I can't weld comfortably without cheaters. To see the weld with out cheaters I would have to look through the bottom 5th of my glasses, not conclusive for welding.
i dont mean to hate but your reassess your angle part is not valid do to you changing the angle of your torch but not the camera as you would your head plus your doing such a small weld that if you cant see just move the 3in peace a little left or right depending on your dominate hand. plus if your working on a small part it easier to move the part then to readjust your body.
thanks SO MUCH for checking this episode out, hope it helps!! TAKE MY FREE ONLINE TIG WELDING CLASS👇
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Dude I'm turning 45 in about 11 days and my eye sight is suffering from welding for 25 years and need a "cheater lens" to weld.
Maybe I'm just getting old. Lol
I found after a long time and many terrible welds:
I turn off the overhead lights.
I also added old jean material to back of the helmet to block any light that comes from a window.
Now, to see, added a strong LED light to the top of my helmet and it actually zooms in on the work piece which is even better.
Lastly, I found that I did need to use 2.0 reading glasses.
Oh my God I can finally see what I’m doing!
So, young man, you are a very good welder and craftsman. With that said, I have been welding and fabricating for over 50 years. I am 70 years old. I have welded almost every type of process and alloy. I was a heavy wall welder for most of that time. Everything was crystal clear until I turned 55. Since then, I have had to use cheaters if I wanted to weld at the highest level. Get prepared, because you too will experience this in the years to come. Nice channel and I appreciate your talent.
Interesting stuff, i sadly have to wear glasses and seeing is a big problem.
I agree, total waste of a video to listen to someone say how bad cheaters are that don't need them....
you nailed it exactly. I never in a million years would have thought that I'd need a cheater.. that was my 20's.. then 30's... then 50's rolled into play and I've pretty much lost the ability to see anything without glasses and a cheater (1.5 or 2 even) in the bucket.. It completely sucks the wind out of you to have to use them.. but.. Life happens
Im 58 now and the 2.00 cheater lens has made a world of difference for me, thanks for the videos man ;)
I have to disagree with you with cheaters. I’m 62 years old and I use them and they work fine for me. “ I guess, to all its own “ thanks for sharing!
They make my vision go all funky
Same age in the same boat. Trying bi-vocals didn’t work, and went to a pair of dedicated reading glasses, adjusted for my typical working distance.
+1 I don’t have great vision and when I started using a cheater lens, my ability to see the puddle was improved immediately
Yea if you actually need reading glasses they are great, I can imagine how it would mess you up if you don’t usually wear glasses
@@reefslayer21 A lot depends on the working distance. For thin stuff/small amps/tiny puddles and therefore a close working distance, readers or cheaters can be a big help. For thick material and a longer working distance, the same person may not need them.
The Magnifier has been around a long time. It was originally for people older then 40 that begin to need READING GLASSES. When you get older you will need one too most likely. 45 years ago, I did not need a magnifier to weld. along about 1996 I started needing reading glasses, and had to start running a magnifier in my hood.
Excellent video Dusty. I disagree in the part of the cheater lens. I use it in one of my helmets because I can't see really good when things are close. If I don't use that helmet with the cheater lens I have to use reading glasses. But apart from that, I totally agree with you.
At around 0:45 the purpose of a cheater lens is misunderstood. It's purpose is not to magnify the view of the puddle and weldment. It is (as RossWelds) explains: to see (to focus) up close. Dusty has lots of years under the hood but not as many years on his eyes as many of us. The lenses of older eyes (40+ and especially 50+) aren't as flexible and can't focus as close. Especially if you start out farsighted or with vision that needs no correction. Also, I've almost never seen Dusty demonstrate very low amps welding on very thin stuff. Most recent videos are on 1/8" aluminum, at around 130 amps. When you're using say 35 amps or less and have a tiny arc and puddle and the tungsten distance to puddle is tiny, most will need cheaters or reading glasses or other magnification.
When I use a cheater lens I typically use the same magnification as readers. Currently I use 1.25. But often what I will do is use cheap readers instead of cheaters. I have a couple pair hanging around my welding table. I just got a new prescription set of glasses so I will be trying those out tonight.
Great tips here. I had no problems seeing while I was welding until my mid 40s. I thought I forgot how to weld. And then I bought my first cheater, total game changer. Actually I don’t really know how to weld, I just think I do.
It's hard to appreciate vision change until it happens to you. Some good tips in this video though. Thanks.
I need all the tips I can get but I was a pretty proficient carbon steel pipe welder
This biggest thing that has helped me is using a portable shop light to illuminate the weld area.
With having to wear 5x readers here in the chilly mid-west, I set my helmet on top of a cheap oil/radiator heater, get it good and warm, and that helps delay the helmet fogging. Even fog you can't see really blurrs up you vision.
I always appreciate the quality of your videos and presentation. I have been welding for about 50 years and as have others have chimed it, vision is not a constant. It is also not the same for everyone. The first shock to a beginner is " where did my 4K high def color world go to? It is now monochromatic tunnel like almost akin to night vision. Some auto darkening filter cartridges might not meet the new European Standards for optical clarity, the best is 1/1/1/1. The lesser ones from Amazon can generate halos around the arc that can obscure the weld puddle. Angles and focal point distances are important because the light is being passed through polarizing filters and they can cause loss of details at certain angles. Never spray anything on the ADF glass directly. I was at a trade show talking to the 3m technical rep about these helmets and he said that outer glass has got a special oxide coating for filtering UV and infrared that is why it has that blue to purple color. Cleaning it could abrade that surface coating and affect its ability to filter UV. High end camera lenses have similar coatings to a lesser degree and we would never spray household stuff on them either. Making the helmet as dark as possible is great advice. I use a welding bib from Black Stallion on the top of my helmet to block light. The arc is a 15,000 watt bulb but when that light goes through the helmet it is crushed to about 3 watt bulb in your lens plus it is like some 50's blue & white TV. This is far from your natural vision but you know what, you'll get used to it. If you wear progressive eye glasses they can really mess up your weld view as you have to remember that as welders we are basically like Deere in headlights with the arc in our face. Switch to regular readers or cheaters and you will witness a vast improvement.
I need 2.5X reading glasses just to read my phone. I use a 2.5X cheater and it works. Only issue is you have to keep the work poece within a window of distance at all times. When I was younger and had good vision, I’d agree, the cheater lens was wonky. Now at my age, it is what it is.
That's why I like readers. Plus, I can still see when I lift the lid. Glad to see I'm not the only one using 2.5s 😅 That's strong than my prescriptions, but it works great for welding.
I am 60 years old and no longer able to focus on close objects. I use a cheater lens. I do dry runs. I try and illuminate the work from the front with direct sunlight or other bright light source. They all help.
Have to suggest buying some good, strong lighting, and using more than one to avoid shadows is huge. When the subject is already very bright, its so much easier to see when the shade kicks in.
Thanks, Dusty. I'm not sure but it seems like TIG welding, with a bright light in a large dark field, is more challenging than reading for me. Inexpensive low-power reading glasses seem to help even though I don't need them for reading or other work. I also find aluminum easier to see than steel, perhaps because the bigger puddle and more reflective aluminum illuminates a wider area (I'm using a more-or-less opaque ceramic cup). As you suggest, I'm going to try getting some sort of spotlight to point at my welding table, I think that might help see better than using only the arc to light what I'm doing.
Tilting the piece is like tilting a piece of paper you're writing on. It puts the weld line parallel with the arc of your hand as it goes across the piece. Excellent tip, thanks.
Since I need reading glasses to read a book, the reader insert for my helmet really works very well in helping me to see.
I ordinarily wear progressive lenses. I ordered single vision glasses for welding and it made a big difference in the clarity of my view of the weld puddle.
The biggest vision problem I have welding in humid spaces is fogging. A multitude of lens surfaces only exacerbated the problem, so I switched a mono vision contact lens setup.
3rd generation welder here. I'm 70 years old and still weld almost every day. I wear glasses and when welding trying to look through tri-focal glasses is nutz. Plus glasses tend to fog up under different temperature conditions where you may be welding. A cheater lens is the only way I go. I wear my safety glasses and have no problem with being up close to my work. So I feel telling people NOT to use cheaters isn't really good counsel. I had to laugh about how glazed over the outside lens was and the person saying they couldn't see well.. LMAO. I did like the Pledge on cleaning the lens. My question does it actually help with weld splatter being repelled off the lens or just for filling in scratches? I'm a retired NUKE welder and TIG is what I use at my home. I work for a nonprofit Christian company doing some welding for them and we only MIG weld because we are a production shop. I really like your Videos and you are VERY good at welding,, keep it up, and keep teaching our amazing profession. The DAWG from Pittsburgh and Missouri
One thing I found that helped me when I was learning to weld. Yellow safety glasses greatly helped me see the weld . Welding structural steal with dual shield wire is a lot different than tig welding but it was night and day diffrence when I put yellow safety glasses on under the shield. I only needed them for a short time until I learned what to look for to ensure a good weld.
I use +3.00 diopter reading specs so I can get close enough to the work. The real improvement though came with using an air-supplied helmet with a filtered blower on my belt, plus a serious spotlight on the work. No more fumes and no more misting up of the visor from heavy breathing while concentrating on trying to get my welds to look like yours!
I’m 75. Yo. Welding since 16, At one time state certified, now I have glaucoma and retinitis. I have to use cheater lens and the strongest dollar store readers.. a real pain, but welds still work.
I completely ignored my crappy eyesight for the previous two years. Got away with it, until I started TIG welding last year. OMG what a revelation when I found out I could actually see a weld pool. My weld quality improved an order of magnitude.
Using readers was some of the best advice I ever got. I have bifocals, but they didn't work with a helmet, so I did without. No wonder I couldn't see. My readers are a little stronger than my bifocals.
I've used readers and cheaters, and both work. Generally I like cheaters better, but if the prescription for each of your eyes is significantly different from each other, you will struggle with cheaters that are the same power on each side. Individual prescription (per eye, not the ones you buy in a store) readers can make a big difference in that case. See a good optometrist and tell them your typical working distance for welding. Customized readers or two different cheaters assembled into a different cheater for each eye can really help, especially for older eyes.
Thanks a bunch. But, I've tried various setups, include the non-bifocals I have for work. Nothing bests the extreme clarity I get with readers. And, when I lift my helmet, I still have the same "super vision" as when welding. When I was a caveman blasting out MIG, I was fine. But once I started TIG on thin(.062) aluminum, I experimented until I got the system I have. I think I'll stick with it. And, if my eyes get worse when I age, I can go to the drug store and get a slightly stronger pair.
Weld on, brother!
Same here, I get cheap readers that focus the reading chart and I also use an adjustable reading lamp with a powerful LED bulb that only gets to illuminate the work piece.
I have used #2.5 cheater lens for years!
I'm near sighted and used bifocals. So a cheater lens for the type of work I do is mandatory in my situation.
I have used a #3 lens which is very hard to find at times for really small work!!
Since you still have good eyesight you don't need a cheater.
When welding small aerospace engine parts and doing mold insert and die repair you work very close to your work. It is very precise and intricate work. Only laser welding is closer and finer work.
So when I'm welding on a hotrod or motorcycle chassis work for the most part I change my helmet without a cheater lens to weld.
I have about 3 different helmet setups with different magnifications just for reference.
A height adjustable chair/stool and RainX anti fog on the inside of my lens made a huge difference. I'm working in an unheated garage so it fogged up really quick.
Good tip with the Rain x 😎👌
Thank you so much for this episode. I've been struggling with TIG welding due to not being able to "see" the puddle and where the tungsten tip is.
Thanks for all the great suggestions. I've already considered most, but the external lighting is something I need to take a better look at. Great vid!
Cheater lenses. I felt the same way about them the first time I tried one but I stuck with it,got used to them and now I won’t be without them. The only beef I have with them is they have a sweet spot so if you’re welding in an area that you can’t get your eyes the right distance from the torch then I take the lense out and have a selection of glasses to help me see clearly. Getting old sucks.
As far as positioning when I’m working at the bench I have two stools. One regular height and one of those short mechanics hydraulic stools. A combination of that and some chunks of 2,3,4 and 6” square tubing makes getting the work piece at a good height to help with comfort and visibility fairly simple.
Dusty, all great tips, thanks for sharing....it is amazing how nasty a clear lens
some welders will try and look through, probably because you do not know how
dirty they are when they are on the hood.....
Keep on Arc'N....Cheers, Paul
For cleaning my helmet I use spray wax, like Turtle wax and dry. Helps reduce spatter too.
A dumb thing I did was to tape a powerful flashlight on my helmet so that the workpiece would be fully illuminated before the welding starts. This way I can keep the shade to a high level and protect my eyes, and still see quite well before the welding starts. Then when the welding starts, the change in luminosity is less so there's less need to deal with adaptation. The only annoying bit with this was the extra weight on the helmet, but seriously I don't know why pros don't do this. It's so much easier to see with a strong helmet mounted light!
As you get older, add a spot light or flood light above the work area. He is young as has not experienced that part of life yet. Lol
So I’m learning I was welding aluminum today on an older miller transformer welder I wasn’t wearing gloves but every time I dipped the filler rod I got a shock yes I had the ground on
Great video, a lot of good tips, so many basic problems that need solutions but are often overlooked because of their simplicity. I remember my mom buffing the antique wooden furniture are home, makes sense that also works for clearing lenses.. One other thing though, ergonomically your tip on workheight is very bad for your back. What I would recommend is, translated from Dutch, a standupchair. Your standing on your feet while your pelvis gets support. Then you need to make sure back is upright, so heighten up your workpiece. Now I have an idea on that... what if you mount your tabletop on a motorcycle-lift? Than you can bring your workpiece to just the right height.
Also, for round objects I have seen low-revving turntables, with a pedalswitch.. maybe that could be something to explore. And how about a tabletop that could shift sideways, electrically driven, also by pedalswitch? Never seen that, but the thought just crossed my mind seeing your examples. The thought behind it is that you can keep your ergonomically correct posture
I find when I wear my reading glasses and a 1.5 cheater lens works really well for me. I had a bit of a play around with old glasses and a 1.5 and 2.0 cheater lens. I suggest just trying different combinations until you get something that works for you
I love the tip about Johbson’s Pledge. It does a lovely job.
I agree with the comments below on cheater lenses. I use Optivisor head-band magnifier lenses adapted to fit my helmets. (I use magnets so they clip in and pop out easily, and I keep a few different strengths. Closest (ie highest strength) for tig, lower strength (further away) for Mig and stick. The higher the magnification, the more limited is the distance at which everything is in focus, but you soon get practised at keeping your head a constant distance from the puddle.
I wish they weren’t called cheater lenses: it implies it’s not for real welders. But they’re simply magnification devices - no-one ever suggests the wearing of spectacles is somehow cheating on life. And no-one suggests using a Tig-Finger or a propping device is somehow cheating. Or even cleaning your lenses with Pledge is cheating .
No, optical-quality glass “cheater” lenses are king.
Good advice. Positioning is learned with years of experience.
Im not a welder, did some arc welding in auto shop, that's it. My question. Why can't they put a lcd type screen into the helmet which also uses some sort of tracking of the bright arc and digitally removes it. Or do they already have such a lens ?
I second the spray Lemon Pledge. It contains both wax and silicone. I don't know what effect the lemon oil has but the total mix is good. You definitely have to polish it with the soft cloth. Once the lens is all clean and shiny it will not attract dirt.
Dont use more than is necessary and dont spray it near any work you want to paint. And keep your polishing rag away from your work.The silicone makes it impossible for paint to stick if any gets on your work.
I started using it in applications other than polishing furniture when I had sticky sliding vinyl windows. Again, you have to polish it and cant just spray it on and expect it to be a lubricant.
I am new to TIG welding and I'm finding it hard to see the workpiece clearly as the arc is very clear but the contrast is too strong so either the workpiece is too dark and the arc is perfect or the arc is too bright and the workpiece is clear. Would adding a spotlight help to see the weld more clearly in this case? Can't weld well if I can only see the arc but not what is happening to the coupon as I travel through it!
Spot light helps. More problem if you wear bifocals.
The Pledge idea is awesome. I use motorcycle plastic windshield cleaner/polish. It's awesome(er?).
Oh yeah sometimes a bright light can cause issues with auto darkening helmets and low amperage welding settings for thin materials. Below 10 amps.
I'm old school. I tried auto darkening helmuts.
First of all I don't trust them and have had issues when using overhead brighter lighting triping the auto darkening lens when welding at low amperage settings.
Also some of those auto darkening are very expensive.
I will also say I use the large lense in all my helmets!!
Been working as a CWI for a while now after a career of welding. No amount of injecting “my personal opinion“ into this will legitimize the incredible falsehood about cheaters. Unfortunately this won’t age well. Having said that , you’re great at the videos and provide some great advice. No disrespect intended btw
Interesting video. I definitely think there are times for aging eyes that cheater lenses can be helpful. But yes proper technique and a clean lens should be the first steps.
I see you are holding your torch in your left hand. Are you left handed? Are you doing it to see better? I’m right eye dominant and right handed. To see the weld puddle welding right handed I have to close my right eye and force myself to use my left eye to see clearly. I’m practicing holding the torch in my left hand to see better with my right eye. This might sound strange to some reading this until you try closing one eye at a time and see which one is able to focus on the weld. I have been welding for over 50 years and reall like your channel.
Being nearsighted with really bad eyes, I found older glasses help get the right distance to make it clear.
Some auto darkening welding helmets have all kinds of different welding type settings . I have a Speedglas 9000X witch is an older helmet but it's a great helmet. You can select what shade lens you want to use up to a 13. It has a sensitivity control you can adjust the lens so other welders won't make your helmet darken until you start to weld. There's even a selector switch that you can set for mig, stick or tig welding. Tig welding light is different than the others. When you try to tig weld with your helmet set for mig or stick the light is a lot brighter and makes it hard to see. The switch turns the light down to where the light is comfortable to your eyes. And the 9000X model has the largest viewing window for the auto darkening hoods. And the hood is extremely light weight. Speedglas makes great welding helmets and you can even buy filtered air respirators for them. Speedglas is very pricey but worth every penny.
Love the show
Love the info
Today I disagree-“train as you fight”. Wear helmet during dry run. But I know nothing about welding-I do this for
idle hands, I’m stuck at house. VETERAN
Keep up info. I do aluminum boat hole fixes
I'd like to see someone develop a practical video camera helmet to eliminate lenses and eye focus issues. A camera would allow you to zoom in if desired too see more detail. Sure would help my aging eyes.
Very interesting! It wouldn't be hard to experiment with. Figure it out, you might make millions of dollars. Or dozens...
I'll buy one if it dont cost too much
I have terrible problems welding in my cold garage in winter. My lens always steams up fast and bad enough that I can't see anything like well enough to weld.
I've found on hit, steamy day that putting a small fan that blows in behind your helmet, but not on your weld, works well. As long as it doesn't make you colder! Well on!
@@thomasollinger7922 I'll give it a try, thanks.
Had this problem welding outside would keep my hood on my portable rod caddy ,I went blind so I used a 3.00 lens could still pass a cert test .
I have had problems with seeing my reflection or glare of the over head lighting reflecting off my inner lens of the welding helmet. Its like I need a flap over the back of the head to make it dark inside the helmet. Or some how change my lighting.
Awesome vid my friend. Trying to learn and this just opened my eyes big time
I have trouble with the glare from light behind reflecting off the inside lens. Recently got the hood /curtain/flap that clips to the edge of the helmet hoping that will help. Trying it out this weekend. Thanks for the vids
A colleague of mine welded for 6 months with the matte protective film still on her helmet glass...
What welding hood do you have? Looks nice i have a weldtube sugar scoop hood with flipfront and love it. But always looking at new hoods
A cheap pair of 3 x spectacles which i pop on just before i weld works well.
My problem is that the "Auto Dark" kicks in before the arc is struck. Would gowing back io incodessent bulbs (curently have a combination of floresent and LEDs) and or lowering the color tempiture help?
Cheaters lenses are actually pretty awesome. They do come in different strengths so you don't have to get binocular strength...lol. Clean lenses is a given, I always have extra in my welding bag. But the best thing is to get a head band style light and find a way to adhere it to the outside of your helmet. People don't realize how much a light can help. They think that it doesn't matter how bright it is because the weld is going to light the area enough. It doesn't, light is key on the actual weld area. Oh I should have said this first, auto darkening helmet that is adjustable so if you can't see you can change the shade. But like you said be careful with the shade you use because seeing spots sucks but not nearly as much as " sand in your eyes " or " sand eyes " or whatever you want to call it but it's horrible 😂😂
I only ever see the arc, never what's around it, tried everything, cheaters don't work for me, put a light on top of my welding helmet these are ineffective when auto darkening kicks in. I sometimes put a hood over the welding helmet and this helps slightly, sometimes put a backing on the work so the arc reflects, this also helps, lastly, what colour eyes do you have, mine are blue, there is a theory blue eyes have bigger problems focusing on bright light.....?
I dont need that I got glasses i can see just fine 😂 I only gotta deal with light going through back of my lens and seeing my face welding.
Me too 😆 I made a little fabric flap that Velcro’s to the back top of my weld helmet and sits about half way down the back of my head, that annoying gap is gone and no more light comes in. Perfect 👌
Ya got to wear shades
thanks for another great vid !! any info on how to control fogging up ?
In the HOT summer I get that. So I place a fan where moves some air in behind my helmet, but not on my weld. It's not the tricky, and it works great. Good luck.
RainX makes an anti-fog solution for inside motorcycle helmets, bet that would work.
@@boostismagic thanks....i will look for that stuff
Cheater makes things larger because some would otherwise have to hold the object further than arms length to get eyes to be able to focus on it... didn't understand this untill it happened to me! 😂
F & C! Thanks for the tips Dusty.
50 years of welding, thought you had it dialed in with new info. Great for newbies that are welding in a controlled environment in a clean area. But on your back in the mud Zero degrees outside, or your head up in a frame with the wind blowing,,you get my point. So cheaters are the way to go. Wait till you get to 55. Again.... great for newbies in a shop.
Thank you, this is helpful
Bro, following from Italy 😎👍
The problem I usually have is the auto darkening lens shutting off and flashing me.
Mine did this, try adjusting the sensitivity settings inside the helmet. Also a bad earth caused this issue too for me.
bloc party - skeleton clip!😉 Great tips, thanks!👍
Thx for the tips. Subbed
For me glasses or cheaters are a must.
You eventually will need them to.
Borrow someone's stronger glasses once and you'll see how I see without them
Hello. How can one contact you via social media? I have a few questions regarding welding, career, work, education, and welder machine (new/used). I’m Leo from Los Angeles.
I never in a million years would have thought that I'd need a cheater.. that was my 20's.. then 30's... then 50's rolled into play and I've pretty much lost the ability to see anything without glasses and a cheater (1.5 or 2 even) in the bucket.. It completely sucks the wind out of you to have to use them.. but.. Life happens
I use a cheater lens because I wear glasses if I use my glasses under my screen everything goes out of focus so for me the cheater lens works
Tried cheaters and didn’t like them, made me feel dizzy and just ended up getting a snake belly gold lens👌🏼
Merci Dusty
You do realize that cheater lens come in different magnification strengths just like reading glasses do you not? I find it more convenient to wear reading glasses as I need them for layout and measuring but the right cheater is just as effectives.
I use cheaters because I use reading glasses. It was a game changer in my welding
Probably a welder which needs prescription glasses would be better to advise on this...
'Cheater Lenses', are nothing more than Magnifier Lenses, the same as 'Reading Glasses' are.
Saying that, many weldors do not know they have a vision issue.
Most Weldors that had normal vision, neither far or near sighted when young,
will maybe need some sort of vision correction by 40 years old....
a 10 year old can see to 4 inches and a 40 years old can see to 10 inches
is something I have read......
anyway, id you have a 'Dollar Store' near by, you can always get some
'Readers' and try out....they come in strengths of 1 diopter to 3.25 diopters usually,
grab a handful and try them out.....for TIG, the the higher strength will probably be needed...
for Stick and MIG, stick with he lower strength....
If you are near sighted, you will not need this crutch....
The one thing about the 'Cheater Lens' that is helpful, is if you already wear glasses for farsightedness,
they will allow you to see closer, with out dealing with bifocal or stronger lenses....
There are two types of Cheater Lenses, Plastic and Glass, I recommend the Glass ones, because they
do not attract dust as well and do not scratch as easily and are much easier to keep clean...
there is very little cost difference also.....
I have been welding as a profession since 1997, and when I started , I was 45 and needed closeup
lenses for reading and work....I am now 71, and still welding for my job....my , how time flies...
anyway.....anyway sort of glasses will take some getting used to...as every thing looks slightly bigger,
my automotive tools all looked 1/16 " [1.5mm ?] bigger in size and I had to relearn what they looked like....
the great thing I learned, I let my wife wear them one night at bed time, and she was thrilled....
cheers from an old weldor in Florida , Paul
Good to see you here, Paul. You explain things well. As our eyes age we may still be able to see to see with sharp vision, but not as close and time to adapt is slower. When the material is thin and the amps are low and the arc and puddle are tiny, good seeing is both more important and more challenging.
Great tips except bashing cheater lenses! As a 73 year old beginning welder and a retired optician I have to disagree with you on cheater lenses. Most everyone at about 40 years old begins to need reading correction. If you wear corrective lenses for distance you will find the proper cheater lens will give you good vision up close. And if you wear bifocals or progressive lenses you will be able to look through the top of your glasses and see your weld puddle very well. One tip on the cheaters the stronger the power the closer the working distance will be.
You don't know what your talking about. It is great you have 20/20 vision you don't need cheaters. But other people don't have 20/20. I've been welding for 40+ yrs, I didn't start using cheater until I got bifocals. Come talk to me when your wearing glasses.
Wait till your eyes get older, you'll need those cheater lenses. Aging lenses in your eyeballs are an inescapable reality of life. You are still a baby! 😂
5👍👍👍👍👍 UP..
Disagree about cheaters. If your vision is “perfect”, then you don’t need them, and yes, they may be a detriment - for you. For the rest of us with less than perfect vision, particularly if we have farsightedness, but even for nearsightedness. As we get older, our built in lenses get stiffer and focusing more closely becomes impossible. It will happen to you as well when you get into your early 50’s to 60’s. Even with my glasses, which focus, I need cheaters. I literally can’t make proper welds without it. So my advice is that if people have a problem with focus and it’s not because of the reasons you give, then definitely try cheaters lenses. They come in different powers, just like reading glasses. They’re not expensive, around $20, and no, that’s not expensive.
👍👍
Ha, if you weld you will end up with glasses. Very thick ones. Just ask an old welder.
im an older guy, only wear glasses for reading and welding. 1.50 cheaters. i prefer real glasses over a hood cheater lens. but the big difference for me is GLASS, GLASS, GLASS. plexiglass protective lens suck big time. a brand new one is like looking out a dirty window compared to glass. a badly spattered glass is still better than a new plexi. far as i know, you cant get glass for all these new kinds of hoods. i strictly use 2X4 1/4 old school pipeliner type hoods. they are the only ones i can get real glass for, and its night and day. you are looking at the tip of a rod, and its very close vicinity, do you real need a bay window to see? i have those hoods, and they are dead to me. you can get fantastic auto darkening lends for those old hoods. with real glass, its awesome. if they had glass for the new hoods, i'd try it.
that's a $700 welding hood!
It is your opinion because you are young and have no need for reading glasses. Wait till you are older you will need those cheater lenses. They are not for magnifying, they are for people with farsightedness.
Amen. 😅
Farsightedness yes, but also presbyopia-stiffening of the lenses in the eyes. Related but not the same things, but you can have both! Makes it hard to focus close-up in either case.
Thanks, Benz. Dusty isn't bragging, he's informing. He covered every option and situation and leaving it to the viewers to figure out what works for them. Jeeze.
Story of my life
When you do microwelding you have a microscope to assist you while welding.
One step below lazer welding.
All good advise but if you need cheaters to read you need cheater to weld.
no matter what dial i turn on my mask its either too bright or you dont see anything lol
You are young with good vision, so you don't understand who/what cheaters are for. I wear Trifocals, so I can't weld comfortably without cheaters. To see the weld with out cheaters I would have to look through the bottom 5th of my glasses, not conclusive for welding.
Cheaters work great for me.
👏😎🐈⬛🇦🇺
i dont mean to hate but your reassess your angle part is not valid do to you changing the angle of your torch but not the camera as you would your head plus your doing such a small weld that if you cant see just move the 3in peace a little left or right depending on your dominate hand. plus if your working on a small part it easier to move the part then to readjust your body.
Speak for yourself.Cheaters sure helped me