Glass darkness for MIG?

[The_Beave]

Hi.

I just got a MIG conversion for a Lincoln weldpak-100. I am using .025" wire with a 75/25 mix. It is so much nicer than welding with fluxcore on thin sheet metal.

I was wondering what shade of glass you would recomend. I bought a flip face helmet a while ago, and was given a piece of glass for it. I was using .030" fluxcore wire then, and it was a bit brighter. Is it safe to go a shade lighter so I can see the puddle more easily? I do not know the shade of the glass I have now, hence my query. I am concerned about safety, as I got some burn on my chest where my overalls were slightly parted. There is much more radiation getting through than with the fluxcore. If this means I should keep the current glass, which works well, I will do so.

Thank you for your time.

[Gary Patton]

I'm no expert, but it's really a matter of personal preference. Ask yourself a few questions, like do you see spots after making a weld? If so, it's probably too light of a shade. How long do you weld? If it's hours on end, you might want a darker lens. If it's just breif periods of weld, & you want to see the puddle better, a shade lighter would'nt be too hard on your eyes. You might try a "GOLD" lens, in a lighter shade. They seem to block out more of the bad stuff than a "Green" lens. Myself, when I was a full time welder, I usually had my auto-darkening set on about 10.5 or so. I found it too dark to see well enough if I set it on 11 or more.

[BillC]

The shade only affects the visible wavelengths of light. The UV protection should be the same regardless of the shade...

[Gary Patton]

Not to be a smart-alleck but you would'nt weld with a shade 5 (cutting) lens in, and not walk away without a case of the itchy-eyes would you?

[dseman]

Check out:
http://www.awisco.com/howtoselfill.html
It will indicate the minimum lense grade for a given amperage and process. The guidance below the table indicates to start with something too dark and then work gradually to the next lighter shade--making sure not to go lighter than the minimum.

-dseman

[BillC]

Originally posted by Gary Patton
Not to be a smart-alleck but you would'nt weld with a shade 5 (cutting) lens in, and not walk away without a case of the itchy-eyes would you?

Is the cutting lens intended for arc welding? I'm certainly not saying that ANY lens will block the UV, but only those that are intended for arc welding.

[dseman]

Not wanting to be a butt-in-ski, but eye damage can occur from UV, IR, or intense light in the visible spectrum.
Yes, the combination of welding filters and cover plates are designed to block 100% of the UV and IR, but cellular damage to the retina macular can occur. That's why it is recommended not to stare at the sun or a welding arc--even from a distance far enough to diminish UV and IR exposure. Visual acuity can be degraded permanently especially for those older in age or who have had cateract surgery. You can find more with google searches. That's why people in welding safety have a MINIMUM recommended lense shade. Start with something too dark and then change to a lighter shade one value at a time. Hope this helps.

-dseman

[dseman]

"Yes, the combination of welding filters and cover plates are designed to block 100% of the UV and IR, but cellular damage to the retina macular can occur
( due to intense visible light even if the UV and IR are blocked)."

-dseman

[The_Beave]

Thanks for the information. I will stick to the glass I have. It seems to be very safe.

Thanks again.