Optical Quality

[Furry Freak]

Guys, have looked in recent posts but can't find an answer to this. I have a Parweld £40 visor and with Mig I just can't see where I'm going. It's adjustable and yes, I have taken the plastic coating off! Please don't go there.

I appreciate that the more money you spend the better the electronics, features, comfort etc, but is clarity any different the more you spend? I have tried extra lighting, sun light, chalking a line etc and none of this makes any difference at all and it really is holding my welding back. At times, I can see perfectly but have yet to isolate the precise conditions under which this happens. If I swap to my stick, I can see everything. With Mig, I struggle to see the weld puddle a bit but mostly I cannot see in front of the wire. The welds are fine, I suppose but they're cosmetically challenged at times as i miss my line. Half the time I'm welding by braille! So can you see better with a better lens?

I do keep it clean and dirt free but inevitably the outer plastic picks up scratches etc. Does that make a big difference? Should I change that every hour, day, week etc of welding?

Thanks

FF

 

[Bullyterrier]

I changed to a speedglas 9100X and I couldn't believe the difference in what you could see. It is also brighter when not activated as it has side windows. It also has a grade 5 and an 8 the latter which I use most of the time, and being only an 8 you see a lot more when using lower power on thin stuff.

 

[KTMMICK]

As always.......you get what you pat for! Speedglass or Optrel would be my weapon of choice, I had one of them cheaper ones to use when I started work over here.....I let the others use it and used a fixed shade. You may as well, at least you know what you are getting. As for the comment Speedglass 9100x being shade 5-8, unless France has different specs this would seem wrong. Mine is 5 I think before you arc up then goes from 9 to 12 or 13.

 

[Bullyterrier]

KTMMICK do you have the new 9100 series? As they have a shade 5 and an 8 then if you press and hold the power button for 2 seconds it then switches to the 9 - 13 shades (and vice versa, once in the shade 9 -13 state press and hold and it will the select the 5 or 8 shades). It was why I went for the 9100 as the 9002 series don't have the Shade 5 and 8. And the light shade before the arc is struck is a 3. And I bought it from the UK.

 

[chunkolini]

I remember going from a cheepie mask to a speedglass.
It is like going from a pair of chepie sunglasses to a pair of Raybans, better optics, less distortion, well worth the extra.
I still buy cheap sunglasses as I just lose or damage them. maybe if I pent more I would value them...................

Try and get a test drive of a decent mask, but make sure you can afford it first, it can be so painful testing quality kit you canr really afford.

Chunko'.