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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / welding with mirrors...
- - By weldstudent (**) Date 01-30-2013 03:38
Hi all,
I have had the chance to venture into uncharted territory today. I tried to use a mirror to make some welds. Turned out not too bad. Looked like an abortion, but still better than most of my coworkers full access welds. So to the question, what kind of mirrors do u guys use? I was using one that came off the door of an old shop truck. 5” X 8”, it had some kind of coating over the glass which was nice, kept the glass from shattering, but the sparks took over and covered the mirror in about three passes. I could scrape the dingleberries off and keep going but still hard to see.
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 01-30-2013 04:16 Edited 01-30-2013 06:59
Well its a loaded question depending on process.  Stick or Wire welding I buy the cheapest crap I can afford to throw away at the dollar store.  I have a few machinist positioners and I just sticky tape a cheap mirror to them in those cases.  For tig work I have a couple of metal polished mirrors but most of the time with tig work I use a mirrored welding filter on one of my positioners....mainly because they are way more flat then typical layered retail mirrors.

If you really like doing that ....you can make a decent living in the boiler/power-plant industry. It sucks doing it, but it separates the men from the boys quickly.
Parent - By 46.00 (****) Date 01-30-2013 10:34
Three options really, no order of preference:
If your stuck, it's a one off job and it's a long walk to the parking lot, try a shade 11/12 welding glass. They DO work well but don't tend to last long!
Proper Mirrors are pretty cheap if you know you'll be doing this type of work regular! 6 x 6 or 3 x 3 are easily ordered. Tape them where you want!
Finally, you can have a fancy positional bendy polished S/S mirror, which will need cleaning regular but will be worth it in the end!
Parent - By pipewelder_1999 (****) Date 01-30-2013 12:15
I use an Ullman K-2 mirror on a mag base. I have used that style for years. The articulated joints can also be used to attach to another type of base. The magnet works ok but when covered with variour particles of steel, it doesn't stick well.

http://www.thegangbox.com/p-113-ul-mx-mag-base-inspection-mirror.aspx

The replacement mirrors can be bought in bulk packages of 12 for less thann $1.00 each.

I use them without a cover. I don't weld that well any more and have a hard enough time managing one puddle .The extra puddle caused by placing a clear lens over the mirror is too much of a hassle for me.

The spatter and smoke can be minimized by being aware of the mirror placement. Try to place it above the weld or horizontal to it. Minimize placing it below. A good fan or some type of air movement can help minimize the smoke between you and the weld.

Gerald Austin
weldingclassroom.org
Parent - By 357max (***) Date 01-30-2013 18:03
use 4 X 4 clear cover plates taped to the mirror and the mirror will last forever (until you drop it)
Parent - By petty4345 (**) Date 01-30-2013 19:11
Probably not realistic for for what you are doing but, you may find it interesting.
We had to fill a groove weld about 3 feet down a small diameter, where we could not see the bottom of the groove once the GTAW torch was in place.
This was a small custom set up that we put together, and was machine welding.
We bought a pentaprism, instead of using a mirror and it worked well.
The image that you see is not reversed so, when you make adjustments, you are not adjusting the opposite direction.
Just something neat to try, won't really work 99.99% of the time for "real world" stuff.
Parent - - By Sourdough (****) Date 01-31-2013 01:13
How do you know what an abortion looks like....just wondering.
Parent - By weldstudent (**) Date 01-31-2013 03:04
i once met a guy who was aborted, then birthed. not a pretty sight.
- - By weldstudent (**) Date 01-31-2013 03:05
Thanks for the help. I was stick welding. So cheap and replacible is the way to go, thanks again.
Parent - - By JeremyW83 (***) Date 01-31-2013 20:10
I buy those camping mirror that you can find at Walmart or sporting goods store.  They come with a flip out stand.
Parent - - By JTMcC (***) Date 01-31-2013 23:29
I use the big gold welding lens' with a clear lens duct taped to it. With 2 or 3 or whatever of them you can usually see all around the joint pretty easy and they are cheap and light enough to put where you want, again with duct tape/whatever it takes.
They get put into odd places, usually real close to the puddle so I don't get hurt when they're damaged.
Just keep replacing the clear lens and they last quite a while.

Added plus is if you get stranded in the snow/desert/etc you can signal the chopper with it : )

They're good for looking at a weld in a tight spot before the inspector comes round.

And for picking a speck out of your eye. If you have a good looking helper they'll use it too, just to check her hair. On hot tie-ins you can check how much of your beard you singed off during the blast.

When you're bored you can put the power of the sun on coworkers for fun.

JT
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 01-31-2013 23:52 Edited 01-31-2013 23:59
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The cover plates will make a mirror hold up a while even with wire or smaw.  But I usually get a shadow or double image when I do that...a lot of work ain't particular enough to worry with it but when it is going under a tight inspection....I just burn those cheapies up....just a preference I guess.:grin:
Parent - - By JTMcC (***) Date 02-01-2013 01:28 Edited 02-01-2013 01:32
OK...... guess that was funny on some level.
Our pipe work see's some harsh inspection but OK man. Maybe I just see good enough to still use a clear lens. But it's still working for me, I don't get bothered by the clear even with the occasional UT truck driving up my butt, and those guys are way far worse than any xray truck. They see things in the pipe that aren't even there : ) like unicorns and rainbows.

I'm guessing auto UT pipe will evolve quickly tho and become more realistic. Maybe it already has, don't know.

If I start having trouble with the cover lens I guess I'll ditch it fast like but so far I use and abuse them.

JT

I've seen guys use an old school, big truck mirror or two. That certainly gives you a large viewing area. You don't have to have your head in that "just right" spot. Probably smart when your livelyhood is on the line. Maybe I'll get sum.
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 02-01-2013 03:49 Edited 02-01-2013 03:53
ROFLMAO  JTmcC,
Man I just found humor in you post,.....no explanation necessary.,,,at all.  I don't know **** anyway pay no attention to me.

you just stated some funny truths
Parent - By JTMcC (***) Date 02-01-2013 16:29
Or maybe, I DON'T see good enough to really tell the difference : )

JT
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 02-01-2013 03:51
For a long time I had a bicycle mirror in My toolbox. I don't mirror weld, but I used it for a lot of other things
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 02-01-2013 03:57 Edited 02-01-2013 04:02
I got an old motorcycle round mirror bolted to some other bolt joints and couple more on top of that with a slightly worn worn clamp plate attached.   For some people it is junk, for others it is treasure.:cool:

I dunno....if you do that kind of work with any regularity at all....well you will make the tools that work for you.  You certainly cant buy good ones from a catalog.  It is a trial and error thing, you will find what you like.
Parent - - By Lawrence (*****) Date 02-01-2013 06:22
I've used pretty much everything listed above with the exception of fine polished metal, even large and small inspection mirrors with the handles taped up to put the mirror in place....

If it works it's right...  Many late nights laying on my back in the tailpipe of a 727 welding cracks on hot sections,,,,  Never had a favorite really... Just whatever works.

The reflective weld lenses are ok because they can be easily cut smaller if necessary.. But also cast a worse double image, which nobody likes in an already confusing weld   :)
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 02-01-2013 17:56
Using the 4X5 mirrored lenses works better if you band or hacksaw off the raised border off of them.
This eliminates, or rather substantially reduces the double image problem.
I made mine with welding filter attached to a 50# magnet with 3  1/8" dia. lengths of solder slightly twisted and used a piece of shrink sleeve for a loom so as to give a user friendly lead barrier.
The solder is very good for not having much spring and stays where you bend it.
Parent - - By ssbn727 (*****) Date 02-01-2013 23:59 Edited 02-02-2013 00:02
I have broken more mirrors that my own personal anthem ends with this: "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all!!!"

"One a mirror, two a mirror, three a mirror welding - that stuff can drive you crazy!"

The one constant I noticed over the many years I've been welding is that "South Paws" are much better suited for mirror welding than most right handed folks...
I guess that's because we think with the right side of our brains!!!:yell::eek::roll::grin::lol::lol::lol::twisted::wink::cool:

Respectfully,
Henry
Parent - By Lawrence (*****) Date 02-03-2013 15:30
I'll tell you what Henry...   I'm a left handed dyslexic (no joke)

Things like building quickly from prints and driving via map in a hectic city are VERY difficult for me...  

Mirror relationships in welding were something I have to be VERY careful with also....  

Short bus folks like myself need to be very......... deleberate?   Yes that's a good term...  

When I mirror weld I need to do many dry runs... Especially with SMAW, but also with GTAW.... hood on.. Hood off... to make sure my hand is doing what my brain is seeing...

It's funny... and its humbling at the same time   :)
Parent - - By rcwelding (***) Date 02-02-2013 01:11
It's funny that this topic has come up..

I have welded with a mirror a couple of times but very little and on stuff that didn't matter..

Well all that changed last week.. I  spent about an hour welding with a mirror inside a hydro tank..

When I finished I took a quick break then (Tried) to weld a simple little vertical pass..  I couldn't weld..!! It was like I had totally forgotten how to weld.. I had fought my head for so long that left meant right and right meant left that my brain wanted to keep doing what it had been doing for the last hour..LOL

I bet it took me another hour to completely get over it..LOL
Parent - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 02-03-2013 06:02
I have found myself unable to reach down and pick up a tool.  It is fun to get over it....
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / welding with mirrors...

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