Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks

Welding cheater

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Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
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URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=208087
Printed Date: 07 Sep 2025 at 10:54pm
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Topic: Welding cheater

Posted By: Thad in AR.
Subject: Welding cheater
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2025 at 5:16am

What do you with aging eyes do for a cheater in an auto darkening helmet?
I use my glasses but still can’t see as well as I like.

Replies:

Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2025 at 5:36am

Have tried the Cheater inside lens sets, did not like as not close enough, still using my 1.5 cheaters under the hood, did lighten the auto dark feature a step at a time until could see without injury.

Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2025 at 7:53am

yes... if youi lightne up the setting on the "DARK" it helps a bunch.. Dont go below the "8" mark if you do much welding... Flash will eventually get to your eyes and make them sore... Many people use the 11-12 settings... Try the 9 and see if that helps. ....... and i keep my glasses on (bifocals) for the close up work.

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.

Posted By: Jgranat
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2025 at 9:06am

I find I weld better without my bifocals because I never can get the correct angle to make my vision clear while wearing them.

Posted By: Alberta Phil
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2025 at 9:12am

I never liked the "cheaters" as the best focus area was never right for me. I use a pair of drugstore reading glasses of the right magnification for my eyes under the helmet. Much more satisfactory for me. If I'm doing TIG welding I use reading glasses with one more power of magnification. Works for me.

Posted By: Les Kerf
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2025 at 4:17pm

Lots of older men tend to go farsighted with age, they can get along without glasses for most things such as driving, etc. but are unable to focus up close, hence the need for 'cheeters'.

I have the opposite problem of being quite nearsighted, plus heavy astigmatism. I can see well enough without glasses to walk around the house, but that's pretty much the limit. I wear tri-focals all the time, but there is no way I can tip my head around to see through a welding hood.

My solution is to remove my glasses while welding; the process goes like this: remove glasses, put hood on, put gloves on, weld, take gloves off, take hood off, put glasses on, see that I missed the spot entirely, grind off the improper bead, repeat, etc. etc.

I never really wanted to be a welder anyway!