Miller XLi and magnifier

[jimmyg]

Correction...the helmet is an Elite NOT XLi as in the title...

An older hood but hoped someone could answer my question...

Im seriously mulling over adding a magnifier lens and understand this hood will accommodate such a setup. The instructions say it will. What Id like to know is how well that works. Does the lens really stay put? I do a lot of out of position welding and want a stable setup. The welding store guy says the lens might shift as the holding bits in the helmet were a sort of after thought.

[HT1]

A magnifier is just never a good idea. it is a crutch you will come to depend upon, if you need vision help, purchase perscription safety glasses, and wear them under the helmet

[Roger]

It helps me to use 1x lens mounted in welding helmet with my prescription glasses because I am much closer welding than reading. This might put off bifocals a couple of years.

[jimmyg]

Got it sorted out yesterday. Sure makes a big diff to have a magnifier w/ my glasses. Now I dont have to be right in the weld to see clearly.

[HT1]

I'm glad it worked out for you!
I'm beginning to think I'm the only person, here at least, that works regularly with serious restrictions. which normally means my helmet is in the puddle, or i'm working at absolute arm s length, which makes a magnifier less then ideal and more of a liability

[Nitesky]

A magnifier is just never a good idea. it is a crutch you will come to depend upon, if you need vision help, purchase perscription safety glasses, and wear them under the helmet

There is no "one size fits all" solution.

I wear thick "pop bottle" glasses with bifocals. and have real trouble lining everything up especially on overhead position. Phoned my eye doctor and got the number from him for the cheater lens I needed. My perscription glasses are no help at all when I am welding. Without using the bifocals everything is blurry and I am only guessing at where/what/how I am welding. With the bifocals I could weld my helmet to the table in an effort to get the sweet spot that puts everything in focus.

Now have a #2 cheater lens in my Miller Elite helmet. Stays put and works well for my purposes. Was a big help when I took my test.
A 1.5 will put the sweet spot further out and a 2.5 will bring it in closer.

Hope this helps.