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I can't see the joint!!!

I'm learning to wire-weld with my new Lincoln Weld-Pak 3200 HD.

One problem I'm having is when I'm pulling, using the Innershield flux core. Since I hold the gun in my right hand (with left supporting it) and I'm pulling from left to right, my view of the joint ("joint" meaning where the two edges I'm welding come together) is very limited. It's blocked by the gun, my hands, etc.

Several times I've lost track of the joint - all I see is the glare of the weld - and ended up laying a bead completely OFF the joint, running along parallel to it!

It's even worse welding an inside corner joint, since I have to hold the gun back towards me, at 45 degrees to the V and H sides. I tried running about 8 inches of bead this evening down an inside corner, and

5 inches of it missed the joint completely!

I have the darkness on my auto-dark helmet turned all the way down to "9," and it doesn't seem to help.

Can somebody give me a tip here? I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. Thanks, Ron M.

Reply to
Ron M.
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I have the same problem and number 9 seems too dark to me too. I do three things when I'm having a lot of trouble seeing a particular joint. First I put my reading glasses on under my welding helment. :-) I'm at that age where my arms just aren't quite long enough any more so I need glasses to read. I didn't think I needed them welding but it makes quite a bit of difference.

The next thing I do if I'm still having problems is point a 500W Halogen work light at it. I also sometimes run soapstone over the joint so that I have a more obvious line to follow.

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall

Taken from the book "Welder's Handbook"... Practice, practice, practice! =)

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers (self-installed woohoo) Hi-speed fan switch

255/60R-15 rear tires Subframe connectors Aluminum adjustable clutch quadrant

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<memset

Keith - doesn't that 500W Halogen light trigger your auto-dark helmet? Ron M.

Reply to
Ron M.

Not unless I look directly into it.

I suppose if I were working on polished stainless it would be a problem but I can't afford anything like that. :-)

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall

Ron M. wrote: : Keith - doesn't that 500W Halogen light trigger your auto-dark helmet? --I've had this problem with even a 75W bulb, but the solution is angling it correctly. Position it behind you, shining forward and it will reduce this tendency..

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steamer

Reply to
bitternut

"Ron M." skrev i en meddelelse news: snipped-for-privacy@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...

Maybe a larger joint would help?

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:-)..

Try the suggested 500W halogen lamp... it worked for me..

/peter

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Q

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