Well, after advice on here I purchased a mig wlder with gas today and a pair of what the shop called 'weld specs'... now when I got home I excitedly ripped open the box, set it up, cleaned and cut up a few bits of scrap steel, stuck on my glasses and carried on... wonderful, especially since it appeared that unlike other welding masks etc I have come opon before these appeared to actually let me see!!! Admitedly everything is purple, but great!
Later, now, with sore eyes I notice that the glasses say on them CE166 F... these aren't bl""dy weld specs are they? They knowingly sold me these at the shop and I now have a touch of arc eye?
Or am I wrong. They are labelled as Optramax Weld Specs 67 CE 166 F.
glasses are not suitable for any sort of arc welding, it's not just the eyes but the whole of your face that needs to be protected from the radiation hence full face masks or even the cheap hand held sheild. The same applies to the rest of the body so prolonged welding with short sleeved shirts will give a significant 'sunburn' effect.
It makes me wonder what level of welding knowledge this shop has?
Get a welding mask that automatically darkens. Well worth the extra dosh, improved my welding NO end!
You need a full mask to stop your face getting 'sunburnt'
Take these stupid 'specs' back and demand money back...... I just hope you haven't damaged your eyes - arc eye can cause cataracts to form. And as others have said - 'sun burn' is a significant risk on any exposed skin. I did some arc welding recently - not wearing a glove - and next day realised my right hand was significantly more tanned than my left!
Sounds like what you've got are for gas welding, where goggles or specs are fine and a much lighter tint than what is needed for mig. Yes its very poor for the shop to have sold you those with a mig set - any long term injuries and you would have a valid claim.
As others have said you need a full face sheild (unless you like having a bright red face!) to protect from the UV rays and as auto darkening masks are getting very affordable that woudl be well reccomended (seen for as little as £35 these days) as it makes it a lot easier for a beginner, and for the experienced too!
cheers
Iain
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Flippin ek.
The shop that sold you glasses for a MIG welder is completley incompetent. You need a proper welding mask, either the hand held or clamp on yer head kind with a fixed shade of AT LEAST number 9 or an auto darkening mask.
You need to go and grab the bloke by the throat, thats if you can see him. Seriously it's very dangerouse.
I assume it's a new welder? I would have expected there to be a cheapo (but functional) hand held mask in with it.
Thanks everybody for your replies, the shop has got back to me via email with large apologies, and a promise of a refund and a 'thank you' of some sort if I send the item back to their head office...
Luckily my eyes are fine... and I didn't do much welding that night!
