What about eye sight...

Sometimes you encounter a personal "awareness" that almost feel spiritual...
I did today.

No it's not something magic but in fact something stupid!

When I started welding lessons I discovered that I had to get used to the sight behind the welding helmet. As I hadn't any experience before I accepted the "scene" as it was and that I had to train myself in observing the welding process.

During the lessons I discovered that  multi focal glasses aren't ideal. At reading distance the lower part of the glasses were looking exactly where the window of the helmet stopped.
So I used a cheap reading glasses and it worked.

A few lessons later I discovered that I had issues with keeping distance of my head to the welding process. Slowly creeping into the weld and not getting a clear focus of course.
So I decided to buy standard reading glasses a higher figure than my own. And guess what...

 

A new world opened up!!!. Welding is so relaxed now. I can see everything happening in the weld.
I wished I discovered this months ago.

Well, my welds made a shocking improvement again so I am happy.

New tools

Early this week I received my first set of extra tools. In this case a grinder with some specialized disks, a metal cutter and a welding helmet from HBM-machines (link at bottom of blog).

The metal cutter is a heavy type capable of cutting 4 mm steel. I guess 4 mm aluminum will do as well. The cutter had some good reviews (youtube) and the company where I bought it as well.

The Helmet is from the same company. There are automatic helmets available from around €200,- and from around €30,- As an amateur I found the second category more than reasonable.

I tested it yesterday at welding classes and it fits well and works nice.

The grinder spins ;-) Thats all I could test on the moment but I am confident that it will do its job.

Next purchase will be the Tig welding machine.