Welding mask - necessary?

I'm not arguing about anything, I was asking advice on welding.

Seems ok with a little welder to peek at it briefly. The timing of my left hand on the visor is never quite in sync with my right hand on the welder.

Don't tell him that. I'd quite like to hear that he had gone blind.

It is when "Gefreiter Krueger" has it.

Oh do grow up.

Its your eyesight, so you do as you wish if you value it so little.

I can't magically make myself perfectly coordinated. I did some yesterday and have noticed no ill effects.

Its worth keeping in mind that the wavelength of the UV in question also has an effect. For example UV A (400 - 350 nm) penetrates the skin deeply, but does not cause tanning or redness. It does however cause chemical breakdown products that are highly reactive and which can in turn cause skin or DNA damage. UV B will cause tanning / sunburn, in the short term, but can have longer term effects like causing cataracts which may not manifest for years.

I gave up noting down which letter did which, as they changed their mind a few times. When going out in the sun, I prefer to go out less if I'm getting red rather than use creams.

Have you never heard of snow-blindness?

I've heard of people getting sunburn on their face without any eye effects, so it's clear the skin gets it first.

Then maybe an auto visor would be better for you

Could be you are in the habit of watching arc strike then using shield .... bad practise, and not good for your eyes.

maybe a simple consideration for you ....... nobody has yet been able to see out of a glass eye ........ you want to take the risk go ahead, nobody with any common sense will advise you to do so.

No, I mean to position it then lower the shield to strike. But I don't = time it right every time, rather like a learner driver crunching the gea= rs by using the clutch and gearlever out of sync. I guess it just needs= practise.

-- =

An ostrich=E2=80=99s eye is bigger than its brain.

For anyone sensible the answer is yes you always need a welding mask for protection from the arcs hard UV component and any flux splatter.

But why don't you try it without and then experience the pain of welders flash - if you are very lucky you might not do any permanent damage to your eyes. Welders use a mask and wear gloves for good reason.

The gloves seem a bit over the top.

An auto darkening helmet is the solution...

Not yet at least.

If I was doing more than one job.

Everything I read said 5 minutes.