Welding mask - necessary?

[Gefreiter Krueger]

For a small arc welder for a small job, is a mask really necessary? The spark doesn't look any brighter than starting at a bright lightbulb.

[Muddymike]

It is very necessary. You don't need anything fancy though. A simple hand held shield will do.

Mike

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Ah. That explains why you can't see the difference between various types of lamps.

[John Rumm]

It all a big conspiracy by elf'n'safty... you're no wimp, try it without.

(and when the nice lady in A&E mentions "arc eye", you can tell her not to be silly, because you looked real close, and could not see any UV, so obviously there was none there!)

[Apellation Controlee]

Yurp, weld flash is no joke.

[Gefreiter Krueger]

People tell you not to look at the sun, that does no harm either. I could believe that long term it might damage your eyes....

[Gefreiter Krueger]

I have perfect eyesight according to doctors.

[Tim Watts]

On Saturday 07 December 2013 16:33 Muddymike wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Particularly if you don't want to get a painful case of arc-eye and possible long term eye damage!

[Gefreiter Krueger]

If it's from the UV, would you not also get sunburn on your face then? If you go out in the sun, your face gets burnt long before anything happens to your eyes.

[Gefreiter Krueger]

The trouble is you can't see the workpiece through it very easily. I'm talking about a single one off small job here, not welding all day.

[Gefreiter Krueger]

It doesn't look brighter than a lightbulb (this is a small welder), and UV would give me sunburn on my face before it damaged my eyes surely?

[Andrew Mawson]

If you are intent on being a plonker and don't believe the warnings given here by all means at you own risk go ahead and give your self arc eye. It is VERY painful and as other have said can have lasting consequences.

But as an already reduced to one eyed Cyclops as I am, if you do, I think that you are an utter fool and don't see why the NHS should be burdened with idiots like you.

AWEM

[The Nomad]

Yes!

but DAMHIKT

Avpx

[Gefreiter Krueger]

If the answer is yes, then what is the problem? You stop welding when your face is red.

[Andrew Gabriel]

You can't see how bright it is - it saturates the recepters. You can't see the UV components at all.

Different UV wavelengths and intensities have different effects.

Many years ago when gyms might have had high-bay mercury vapour lamps, one of the hazards was the outer bulb breaking (e.g. hit by a ball or similar). The lamp seems to carry on working, but somewhat dimmer.

After about half an hour in the gym, typically just as the players are leaving, they would start to detect stinging in their eyes. The timing is such that showering was sometimes blamed. Later in the day/evening, badly bloodshot eyes, and serious stinging. This was all due to the UV exposure caused by the missing outer glass bulb in the gym. UV exposure such as this is known to lead to early onset cateracts, and a contributor to macular degeneration.

The lighting problem required a change to the design of mercury vapour lamps. The wires inside the outer bulb were changed such that they burn out on exposure to oxygen, so that a mercury vapour lamp with a smashed outer bulb (which normally stops the UV) will quickly burn out and stop the lamp working.

[Gefreiter Krueger]

But I've been dazzled by things, and it wasn't dazzling. Perhaps it's because it's such a small point?

P.S. I ignored the "you must wear special glasses" when watching the solar eclipse around 2000, and never fell foul (fowl?) of anything.

I see.

Well thanks for about the only sensible reply in the thread. I shall use a mask.

[Rick Hughes]

yep, caught a case or arc-eye once from accidentally striking arc while I was moving to get in better position ... hurts like hell.

[Gefreiter Krueger]

Just from ONE arc for a few seconds? That can't be true. I've often watched people welding for a couple of minutes.

[Mentalguy2k8]

Well there's your answer - don't bother with a mask.

[Gefreiter Krueger]

I'm welding for more than a few seconds.