Gregor
Member
Registered: 28th Nov 03
Location: Paisley, Renfrewshire
User status: Offline
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Got my welder today, been welding bits of anything together in the garage tonight 
Couple of questions though,
I know that the mask is meant to be darkened , but I cant see shit through mine untill I begin to weld , which isn't very good ? ?
Also , how do you know what wire speed to set to for each material ?
i.e I blew through a couple of pieces tonight 
Cheers
Gregor
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ed
Member
Registered: 10th Sep 03
User status: Offline
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You can get self dimming masks which work well, but are quite expensive. You need to be working in quite a well lit area to use a self dimming mask, but not too bright either 
If you are burning holes you need to up the wire speed and or turn the power down dpending on if it's spitting or not.
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Teknologikal
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Registered: 11th May 06
Location: Cardiff
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My brother does it without the mask 
Mad bastard....
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ed
Member
Registered: 10th Sep 03
User status: Offline
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So do I Only for little jobs. I shut my eyes and look away, to a little blast, wait, then carry on. Haven't got arc eye yet. But I also don't weld every day
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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I got arc eye ONCE.
Never again.
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jamied
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Registered: 27th Oct 03
Location: Marbella,Spain Drives: C63
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what is arc eye?
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Vaux Lad
Member
Registered: 15th Dec 04
Location: Stoke-on-Trent
User status: Offline
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Where you look(bare face/eyes) at the welding arc.
The brightness of the arc temporarily burns into your retina in your eye if i remember rightly, a lot of pain, red/watering eyes etc.
Nasty,lol
[Edited on 22-11-2006 by Vaux Lad]
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vx.racing
Member
Registered: 17th Feb 06
Location: Tyrone, Northern Ireland
User status: Offline
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Also you get what looks like sunburn when you weld without a mask - attractive.
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Marc
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Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
User status: Offline
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quote: Originally posted by Ian
I got arc eye ONCE.
Never again.
Had it 3 times very painful.
Its all trial and error for your settings, you can be told settings as a guideline, but thats all they are. Differant people can weld at differant settings so its hard to give a set setting.
I used to weld at 200 amps using 3mm steel because I knew how to control it and what speed to go at. To start off try around 90-110amps and see how you get on. Only change one setting at a time, that way you know if it was that right change to make.
One setting is course to get you somewhere where you need to be and the other is fine for tweeking the setting - Set course and then set fine and only change one at a time until you have a setting you are happy with. Same with wire speed around 6-10 is about right in most circumstances so try that and then work around it.
Sun burn is from the radiation and not the bright light.
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Gregor
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Registered: 28th Nov 03
Location: Paisley, Renfrewshire
User status: Offline
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Bought a reactive mask 
Thing with my welder though is that if you are close enough to the metal without actually pulling the trigger it will spark !!
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sinnerboy
Member
Registered: 31st Jan 06
User status: Offline
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quote: Originally posted by Ian
I got arc eye ONCE.
Never again.
Had it before too, really sore..I come home with a pink neck and face nearly every day, so guys its really important to wear a shield, even when tacking try to use a shield or a handheld one.
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csweatherston
Member
Registered: 16th Jan 06
Location: Devon
User status: Offline
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slef dimming masks are crap for big jobs...they flash too much.....the black glass masks are the best imho.
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