Welding when you’re not 40 anymore…

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dowboy1970 said:
This is a pretty good video with a lot of good information for patch and sheet metal work with a mig.

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That IS a good video.
I have done sheet metal patches and quarter panel skin jobs and his method of cutting at the angle seemed wrong at first but made sense once he showed how he did it. You need a gap between the panels for the weld to go, I thought his 45 degree angle would leave too narrow of a gap but it worked out much better than I expected. I use those sheet metal pieces he pulled from his toolbox. I may try it his way and see if I'll even have a use for those in the future.
 
One thing that has changed for me during the few years I've been welding is my eyesight. I've found those magnifying lenses you can swap into your hood are dang handy. Either that or a cheap set of readers helps me see what I'm doing up close.
 
George Jets said:
View attachment 1716372003

6013 stick weld rod x 3/32" dia. used to but weld 1/4" extension plates onto Modified '89 Truck Receiver Hitch.
Welding at 110 amps.

View attachment 1716372005


Angle grind and then smooth grinder scratches with 80 DA Sander. All painted up... corrosion resistant.


View attachment 1716372006

4 Key Points of Welding:

1. Heat > How many amps you set your welder at.

2. Angle > The angle in degrees that your welding rod is to the welding path you wish to travel.

3. Distance > The distance the tip of the welding rod is off of the molten puddle as you are welding.

4. Speed > The speed of travel while moving along the desired welding path.

Heat
Angle
Distance
Speed


Practice, Practice..... always good to do a practice bead first on a piece of scrap metal to make sure you have your heat and rod selection right, just before you lay down that nice bead on the project you are welding.


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Being a good welder allows you to custom build and custom fit things.

Like this custom built receiver hitch, tucks up real nice and tight up to the light duty step bumper.

89 Truck Custom Receiver.jpg


Giving the step bumper a lot more strength in the process and keeps it from moving around. Yet still having a handy 2" receiver hitch just below it whenever you need it.


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when i was into 4 wheeling i made i 74 jeep cherokee with a 10" lift triple shocks and 24" of travel
would take around the motor cross track
and hit 5' jumps landed wrong once and almost end over rolled sold it after ,was getting a little crazy and knew it was time to go
best part of welding is making your dreams come true
 
I took gas welding way back in the dark ages. I've been wire welding (both flux core and MIG) for nearly 30 years. I'm getting better, but still not great. My son, who almost never welds, can put a bead down like he does it every day. Eyesight is an issue, but my hands just aren't steady. I think I might do better with TIG as that seems to be more like soldering, which I have been doing for over 50 years.
 
Sold my stick welder years ago
Almost think I should get another just to teach the kid how to weld
Been looking at getting a tig but don't have time to learn
So we the boy gets more involved ill get one and have him teach me
 
Might be a change of direction but though I have the same eyesight problems at 73 years old, I’m slowed down project wise right now cleaning out/modifying my shop space for welding. I put .023 wire in my Lincoln 110 for sheet metal, but had some projects needing more power. Went and got a Harbor Freight MigMax and was excited enough to read the instructions. Said 35 feet clear of combustibles! Hey, my space is not that big to start with and stuff has accumulated till I can hardly get around in it. Visions of losing it all to a fire filled my head. I’m now removing some shelving, lining a corner with sheet roofing metal and hanging welding curtains. (Before picture attached. I’ll put an after up when I’m finished.)Before that I did most cutting/welding/grinding outside but tired of that. Another thing that got me was second picture. Since no one else was ever in my space a cover off my breaker box didn’t worry me. Yes, that’s a bat electrocuted in it. Could it have caught fire? Oops. Now taking a break to tidy up.

IMG_2047.jpeg


IMG_2050.jpeg
 
I have a question for all you experienced welders out there. I’m still a beginner though I started trying 50 years ago. No mon, no fun they say. I started fixing my lawnmowers with a Magic Mart set that used an oxygen candle. It got my little jobs done. Over the years I’ve requested upgrades from Santa/Wife. Got a salvage store chop saw one year. A Lincoln flux core capable 100 amp another. Couple of years later, the gas set to go with it. Always had trouble seeing my puddle. Reading glasses, auto-darkening helmet, still did better outside in sunlight. Now I tried one test pass with the new Mig Max and wow! I could see much better. Here’s the question; should the arc itself be sufficient light or do I really need to add more light?
 
Arc is enough light
Its seeing where to start or around corners is where the light is needed
And welding with a mirror on the back side
 
nutz said:
Arc is enough light
Its seeing where to start or around corners is where the light is needed
And welding with a mirror on the back side
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I'm the world's worst welder, but I can grind like a pro! I need all the help I can get.

Can you elaborate on the "welding with a mirror on the back side" business?
 
40 was about time I couldn’t see numbers on jets too, started on 1.00 readers. Could see welding again. 20+ years later I m up to 2.75 readers and thank you lord for my friend that comes to weld for me!
 
Spadman said:
Always had trouble seeing my puddle. Reading glasses, auto-darkening helmet,
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Sounds like you need to go to the optometrist, get bifocals if you read and need them.
I need my glasses plus cheater lenses plus my spot light I showed in a previous post, in dim light conditions. Keep bright light from behind your shield. I have to keep from looking through my bifocals through the cheaters, or sight will blur out bad.
Young people should try to use the darkest setting that can still be seen through, shade 12 to start. Older guys will need to buck down to probably shade 10. I need to go even lower, shade 8 when welding with low amp tig.

So the combination of make sure you don`t or do need glasses, contacts not recommended.
Lower shade 10.
Cheater lenses, you may have to experiment through the various diopters.
I`m up to the strongest they offer 2.75?
You should be able to see just fine if you follow this advise.
 
Good news. When you get older and have cataract surgery you get new lens implants that don’t change anymore. Same strength readers from then on. LOL that we old guys could be so lucky.
 
Spadman said:
Good news. When you get older and have cataract surgery you get new lens implants that don’t change anymore. Same strength readers from then on. LOL that we old guys could be so lucky.
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So you had the surgery and deem it a success?
 
mopar head said:
So you had the surgery and deem it a success?
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Yes, it was great. I can see better than I ever did in my life since I was always bad nearsighted. I got multifocal lenses so I can even read when the light is good. When I’m studying I use about a 1.50.
 
Spadman said:
Yes, it was great. I can see better than I ever did in my life since I was always bad nearsighted. I got multifocal lenses so I can even read when the light is good. When I’m studying I use about a 1.50.
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Well good, still try what I suggested and see how it goes. I don`t know what shade you were trying to weld with or if you experimented with the different shades.
 
Spadman said:
I have a question for all you experienced welders out there. I’m still a beginner though I started trying 50 years ago. No mon, no fun they say. I started fixing my lawnmowers with a Magic Mart set that used an oxygen candle. It got my little jobs done. Over the years I’ve requested upgrades from Santa/Wife. Got a salvage store chop saw one year. A Lincoln flux core capable 100 amp another. Couple of years later, the gas set to go with it. Always had trouble seeing my puddle. Reading glasses, auto-darkening helmet, still did better outside in sunlight. Now I tried one test pass with the new Mig Max and wow! I could see much better. Here’s the question; should the arc itself be sufficient light or do I really need to add more light?
Click to expand...

Arc should be sufficient light.. Something like a #9 or #10 lens in your welding helmet. I have flashed myself a few times with the auto darkening helmets and that's hard on the eyes. Went back to the old school helmets with the standard lenses.

If the weld flash hurts your eyes you need to go to a darker lens.



Edit:
Just went out to the shed to check my simple small rectangle welding lens that I use for the Stick Welding here > Yep it's a #10. The number #10 lens works good with my eyes, outside in a shaded area during the day and not in direct sunlight which is too bright to be able to see while welding.


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You know, I suppose I haven’t really done any welding since the eye surgery. They also opened up the back of the lens capsule to let more light in. That may be why I could see better. Better eyes rather than the hotter arc. I’m anxious to check it out when I get my space ready.
 
I had both cataracts done in Dec. 2023. I can see much better. I have 2.00 readers and use them while welding. I have talked to my local welding store and they say that I can get a 2x magnifying lens for the helmet. I just haven't gone down to get one yet.
 
mopar head said:
I have to keep from looking through my bifocals
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I found my bifocals just didn’t work for me either. Same problem. Reading glasses or a magnifying lens in the hood was the only way I could maintain consistent vision.
 
mopar head said:
contacts not recommended.
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??? Why not?
I wear contact lenses every day. I'll sit at the computer in the morning wearing +2.75 glasses, then put contacts in to do things afterwards.
What is wrong with welding while wearing contacts? I've done this for 10+ years now.
 
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