What shade number is gas welding (heavy), over 1/2 inch?

What shade number is gas welding (heavy), over 1/2 inch?

• A. 5
• B. 6
• C. 7
• D. 8

Answer: (B)

Shade numbers indicate how dark the welding lens must be to protect your eyes from the flame and bright light. For gas welding, the required darkness increases with the thickness of the metal you’re working on. When you’re welding heavy material over 1/2 inch, a fairly dark lens is needed to cut the glare and UV/IR radiation. The recommended shade in this case is 6, which provides enough protection while still letting you see the weld clearly. A lighter shade like 5 wouldn’t offer sufficient protection for this thickness, and darker shades like 7 or 8 are more than necessary for gas welding and would make it harder to see the weld pool.

Shade numbers indicate how dark the welding lens must be to protect your eyes from the flame and bright light. For gas welding, the required darkness increases with the thickness of the metal you’re working on. When you’re welding heavy material over 1/2 inch, a fairly dark lens is needed to cut the glare and UV/IR radiation. The recommended shade in this case is 6, which provides enough protection while still letting you see the weld clearly. A lighter shade like 5 wouldn’t offer sufficient protection for this thickness, and darker shades like 7 or 8 are more than necessary for gas welding and would make it harder to see the weld pool.