I'm kicking around the idea of welding in a roll bar over the winter in my 57. One thing I've always had trouble with is seeing what your welding. My eye sight s fine with readers under the helmet, but following the curve on a notched tube you kind of lose track of where your at because you cant see the joint properly. Any tips? More lighting near the weld?
When I did my cage, I had a light mounted on my welding helmet . Helped a lot welding inside the car.
I like as much light as I can get without triggering the auto dark, damn old eyes all to hell , readers suck ass as well but I’d be lost without them
I'm with ya... This has been my solution... $20. At HF. rechargeable... Magnetic, an flexible as head indexes...
I’ve had good luck with the Harbor Freight free with coupon LED’s. Angle is adjustable. I double-back tape two near the chin of the helmet. Just don’t turn them on to the red strobes ( brings back expensive memories)
What’s interesting is how we can spend countless dollars on tools to speed our time or eases our backs but not our eyes. After getting metal in my eyes over the years and burning them as well it finally sunken in I needed to step up. The inexpensive masks I have been using dont cut it and just can’t see with the old eyeballs. I was told by my doctor ditch the cheap shield sh'+ and get a quality one. He’s a gear head and rebuilding a original cobra wrecked at track in the day but talented man. Look into the new face masks shields as-its crazy how clear they are and it’s like wearing no mask at all
flood the interior with light, (like surface of the sun bright). Grab a new number 10 wide lens and new plastic cover, shove 'em in a standard helmet and go lay those perfect beads.
Once of the more common excuses I've had to deal with when I was in a production environment when it comes to welding "I couldn't see what I was doing" My direction was always the same. "Then stop welding and fix the problem" most of the time it's dirty lens, also common is too dark a lens (in a dark shop, you will need a darker lens then welding out in the daylight because your eyes are adjusted for the darker atmosphere) and every now and then a person needed cheater lens. The point being, don't keep making bad welds if you can't see what you are doing. Address the problem. Sometimes, you have to use a mirror to see what you are doing especially on a roll cage. Any welding supply will have adjustable mirrors with magnetic bases made for mirror welding. Still, mirrors are no good with dirty lens, to dark a lens, dirty mirrors....etc. Also, on a roll cage, assess the starting point of your weld, it's usually better to start in the more awkward, hard to get to part of the joint and travel to an easier to see part of the joint. hope this helps...
I've backlit some of the stuff I was trying to weld and on other occasions I use a 500W work light to "shine a little light on me"... I'm no welder but it seems to help.
Sounds like your problem is seeing the joint not before but after the arc is struck. If that’s the case, try using a paint pencil or piece of chalk to outline your joint crack.
Which direction are you welding? If you weld into the direction of the joint with the weld puddle past the nozzle, the arc itself lights up the joint some, and makes it a little easier to stay on course. Welding the other way puts the nozzle lean obscuring the joint. Using a quality wide view auto darkening helmet also helps, along with a mig light.
My helmet just crapped out recently, and I got a replacement one with "Clear View". Makes a big difference for these old eyes. I can see the puddle much better with it.
I had this problem as well. A friend of mine who is a union pipefitter put me on to prescription lenses for my helmet. They come rated like "readers" (1.75, 2.00, 2.25 etc.) and fit in a standard helmet. For me, they are much better than wearing my "readers" and using a plain lens. My problem comes when I forget to take my glasses off before I put on the helmet.
I have found a few things that help. In no particular order: If you wear glasses and they have self darkening lenses, they will darken under the helmet. So that's a problem. I see better with a big window auto darkening helmet. Having a helmet with an inside the helmet holder for replaceable "cheater" type lenses so you can get the correct focus distance. I bought a helmet bag to store my helmet. It stays a lot cleaner.
Love my speedglas 9100 helmet. Quality auto darkening helmet and taking time to learn the settings made a big difference. Taking time to set up strong lighting at right angle for the job helps a lot, been using halogens. I like the helmet spotlights you guys are showing, will have to get one set up. Ive started using a headband LED spotlight for normal stuff. Need to buy a strong LED spotlight instead of halogens for backlighting.
Interesting. I'm going to try and set up a stand with extra bright lighting a practice a bit and see where that gets me.
The Lincoln clearview will help you see much better and is not overly expensive. If you get one, you will really like it. As I understand your question though, the problem is not only having enough light but the torch being in the line of sight. I fight that problem too. The only way is to plan it out so you can do as much welding as possible before installing it, and if possible raise the car enough that the hoop legs go thru the floor to the ground. After welding, raise the rollbar in place. I know that won't work on some roll bars but planning the build may allow better access to weld.
My car has a full frame so the legs, side bars and all have to be welded directly to the fame. I have a Lincoln auto darkening helmet now but not sure which model. It's about 3 years old. When I weld the side bars I most always weld from top to bottom. Gets good penetration on 1 3/4" .120 wall DOM tube. Yes, part of the problem is nozzle obscures your line of sight or travel but I think with better lighting it could help.
I also use the Steck tip light shown above, and love it! It comes with extra protective lenses so if they get too crudded up I pop a new one on. But I also use a bright LED portable light, and another battery powered LED magnetic light. I've found out that the more light I have at my age, the better I see, and the better my welds are.
I'd have to agree with more light on the spot you are welding on. I do almost all of my welding outside and find that I have a lot better go at it when the light is best and not after the shadows in front of my ancient all wood garage get dark. I did buy Eastwood's version of the Steck mig light that Egads showed in post 13 but haven't tried it yet as the weather lately hasn't been too friendly for mig welding outside.
Harbor Freight give away flashlight on an adjustable bracket attached to my Mig gun. After a lot of use the flashlight will quit. You throw it away and put on another one. It makes a big difference for me.
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