Plastikdreams
Well-known member
I like to think I don't need one, but I think I need one for the light amperage tig stuff. Anyone here use one and how was it getting acclimated?
Anyone use a cheater?
- Thread starter Plastikdreams
- Start date
Mhajicek
Active member
I use a cheater on an allen wrench for my trunnion clamps. Hard to get enough leverage on it reaching under otherwise.
Plastikdreams
Well-known member
I have a top of the line Miller digi-elite...view is excellent it's just tiny welds almost make my eyes cross trying to follow lol.
I have tried using a set, it totally screwed up my hand eye coordination which isn't that great to begin with I couldn't get the rod to light, kept sticking it. this was on 6010 I found if I have plenty of light behind me and a shade over the back of my helmet so no lense glare i can do fine stuff just fine. normal hot welding Im just fine but if an arc track is going to screw something up I have to have lights set up behind me also you can try running a lighter lens like a #9 sound like you actually have a decent helmet though so lighter shade may not help
Plastikdreams
Well-known member
It's a magnifier for welding hoods
This is what my dad found too as his eyes started fading, light is the most critical thing. He does wear reading glasses under his mask quite frequently nowadays too, but having enough light is what matters most.
I'm seeing the same problems, the auto dark are nice in that you can dial the shade up/down.
However, light enough to see the surrounding (the weld joint) sometimes the arc itself is too brite.
I'm thinking we all have some cataracts.
Dualkit
Well-known member
I am 60 now, but at 55 I noticed I needed good lighting and a 5x loupe to see a lot of things well I use to see unaided in average lighting.
Mud
Well-known member
I've been using reading glasses for years for everything. I'm slightly farsighted, and we farsighted are affected by presbyopia (old eyes inability to change focus) earlier than most. I use stronger readers under the helmet than I do elsewhere, sometimes I wear 2 pairs to get the right diopter for the distance, like my normal 2.75 + a 1.0. I also use the readers instead of a loupe.
The science - Your pupils widen under low light conditions, and that reduces your depth of focus same as in a camera lens. Brighter light closes the pupils and increases the depth of focus, so you can focus on things in bright conditions with a given eye/lens/distance combo that you can't in less light. My solution so far has been to buy $1 readers at Dollar Tree in several diopters and use the right one for the distance I'm working at.
Varifocals don't work for me for TIG because you aren't looking through the bottom of the lens, you are looking through the middle. I've spent too much money on prescription bifocals and none of them get used, I have better results with $1 readers and Hydrotac stick on bifocal lenses on 1.0 reader safety glasses.
I don't use a cheater in the helmet, because I still want the good closeup lens on when the helmet is up.
The science - Your pupils widen under low light conditions, and that reduces your depth of focus same as in a camera lens. Brighter light closes the pupils and increases the depth of focus, so you can focus on things in bright conditions with a given eye/lens/distance combo that you can't in less light. My solution so far has been to buy $1 readers at Dollar Tree in several diopters and use the right one for the distance I'm working at.
Varifocals don't work for me for TIG because you aren't looking through the bottom of the lens, you are looking through the middle. I've spent too much money on prescription bifocals and none of them get used, I have better results with $1 readers and Hydrotac stick on bifocal lenses on 1.0 reader safety glasses.
I don't use a cheater in the helmet, because I still want the good closeup lens on when the helmet is up.
Last edited:
alphonso
Well-known member
About 2 or 3 power for over 30 years. Gone thru half a dozen hoods, just move lenses to new helmet.
Carbidebob
Member
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2021
- Messages
- 62
- Reaction score
- 62
- Age
- 66
Like Mud I have a range of low cost readers that I use when welding.
Of note is that over years I have to step up from what used to work and for differnt work I will use a different power.
On the floor I wear Varifocal safety glasses which are so much better than bi-focals, stick on magnifiers or reading glasses in the shop but do not work so well with welding. I struggled here in safety glasses until I found Varionet.
The bad thing about readers for me is that once worn for some time it takes hours for my eyes to get back to normal wake up range.
Bob
Of note is that over years I have to step up from what used to work and for differnt work I will use a different power.
On the floor I wear Varifocal safety glasses which are so much better than bi-focals, stick on magnifiers or reading glasses in the shop but do not work so well with welding. I struggled here in safety glasses until I found Varionet.
The bad thing about readers for me is that once worn for some time it takes hours for my eyes to get back to normal wake up range.
Bob
Mud
Well-known member
Thanks, I'll look at these.
Mud
Well-known member
Are you using varifocals from Varionet? Are they clear in the mid range? I'm having trouble navigating and reading the Varionet website because of the mixed languages.
Most of the varifocal lenses I've tried so far are only clear at the very top and at the very bottom, I can't focus in the midranges, and that includes some very expensive ones. I'm reluctant to send $ to france and just wait to see what I get in return. I have found decent functioning lenses from World Vision, but they don't have safety glasses.
Carbidebob
Member
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2021
- Messages
- 62
- Reaction score
- 62
- Age
- 66
Yes from Varionet.
Purchased along with a handful of others on Amazon.
Seems they are no longer sold there. Some sort of clones are but they have not been nice at all in the midrange as you have noted.
Everyone's eyes are different so I have no idea if they will work well for you.
Specked at the very bottom so a higher than normal reader number . The first pair way to weak.
I probably have 20 pairs of magnifying, bifocal, and progressive safety glasses that I have tried.
These work for me long, mid and close but maybe not for you.
The lower power pair I bought first work great for me as nighttime driving glasses.
Sucks, once had better than 20-20 vision. Tested when young in school and the best out of 800+ students. Now.......poop.
Bob
Purchased along with a handful of others on Amazon.
Seems they are no longer sold there. Some sort of clones are but they have not been nice at all in the midrange as you have noted.
Everyone's eyes are different so I have no idea if they will work well for you.
Specked at the very bottom so a higher than normal reader number . The first pair way to weak.
I probably have 20 pairs of magnifying, bifocal, and progressive safety glasses that I have tried.
These work for me long, mid and close but maybe not for you.
The lower power pair I bought first work great for me as nighttime driving glasses.
Sucks, once had better than 20-20 vision. Tested when young in school and the best out of 800+ students. Now.......poop.
Bob
Plastikdreams
Well-known member
Without corrective lenses I am 20/650...if it's not 3 or 4 inches in front of my face it's just a blur. Been that way since I was young. I keep saying I'm gonna get lasik but I haven't yet.
Read about Lasik on the pilot forums first.