Mig welding without an eye shield
 

If I keep the burning tip covered by the copper shield (with respect to eye location) on the gun tip how much trouble am I asking for?

This was for a crack in a muffler pipe where I build the weld to bridge for a crappy old car.

I am not a welder but I can throw molten metal on things.

Is this an absolute no-no?

I just did it and I don't have spots in my eyes but that don't make it ok.

A cheap helmet is $25-50. Still works to protect your eyes. Why would you take a chance.

Many years ago my eyes got flash-burned from an arc. Basically retinal sunburn.
Imagine having sand packed behind your eyelids.
It took several hours for the symptoms to get really bad, and about 2 days to go away.

Lets see if your eyes still feel fine in a few hours. It sounds like you may have gotten away with it, but we are talking radiation that has the potential to damage tissue and eyes don't get better, they just get worse.

Deal is I have one of those fancy ones that are clear until the instant the arc starts.

Honestly, I think I need the helmet and some kind of flame thrower light that very well illuminates what I am welding on.

That is the root cause (for my casual approach). I live by one of those head band lights that are rendered useless by the helmet.

A tripod halogen light?

Did that fixing the exhaust on our Highlander.
That night my eyes hurt so bad the wife took me to the ER.
Welding flash is VERY uncomfortable........don't do it.

Thought so. Enough said.

Are you having difficulty seeing what you're welding once the lens goes dark? If so most auto darkening lenses have a darkness adjustment along with a response time for going dark. I don't have a high dollar helmet but I can adjust the tint on the lens to a comfortable level for seeing where my weld is.

Auto-darkening helmets are cheap these days.

about $40 at home depot/lowes/harbor freight/amazon.....

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Smarter-Tools-Auto-Darkening-Welding-Helmet-ST-1S/203003331

https://smile.amazon.com/Darkening-Protection-High-Impact-Resistant-Polyamide/dp/B07CKYNFKW/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1540078346&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=welding+helmet&psc=1

Oh! You can change your name to Ida Burnteze. :)

Wow, it didn't take too long to be able to use that one!

Arc (sun)burn on the skin is bad enough. The eyes? You kind of need those right to the time that you don't need them anymore.

I use a stubby LED flashlight in my left hand to help see where I want the weld to go. They come in a 3 pack at HD for cheap. With an auto dark helmet of course. Defiant brand.

ALWAYS wear protection for your eyes while welding! I had flashburn three times, I would not wish the pain on even my most hated enemies.

I burned my eyes just by being nearby and having all that bright light bouncing about the room. Felt like sand in my eyes.

This.
I did it once when I was young and dumb. Big bucket of no fun whatsoever.
Buy a self dimming helmet. Cheaper than a pair of glasses and more protective.

can does not equal should

Prior career, I worked for the largest US bike frame manufacturer at the time. A co-worker went to Taiwan to check out the way they did things.

Here is what he told me back in the 1990's: No lens, helmet or any PPI. Weld for a couple weeks and after a while you burn out the middle of your retina. Hurts at first.

Sounds like BS today but I believed it as truth until writing it just now.

Yikes!!!

Yeah man, dont even take a chance , it is one of the most painful things I have ever experienced.
I was about 18, and got an old broken mig given to me. I got it to work, and decided to have a go at welding up a frame section on my old pick up truck.
It was my first time welding, and I was having a very hard time. I found it much easier without the helmet on. I just tried to squint my way through it .
I was down for 2 days, in just awful pain, like sunburn on your eyeballs, with sand mashed in . There was never a second when it did not hurt. It was so bad, I could not even sleep.
I make repairs like this all the time. Just take your time. If it takes a few tries to get it closed up so be it. Getting up on the top can be a pia . Sometimes, you can take the pipes out of their hangers and get an extra inch or 2 and that can make all the difference in the world
Good luck buddy, hope your eyeballs don't start hurting.
From what I remember, it was several hours before the pain set in .

This sounds like the others who ask for medical advice about a broken shoulder, or brain surgery or possible knee replacement…..I'd say go ahead and do it and then get your wife to type in a response for all of us and maybe include a picture of what your eyes look like?

Yikes! that is crazy even thinking of not using protection. We required the use of UV screens because of passers by who might look for a few seconds.

Buy one of those Honeywell pipeliner hoods. They come with a number 10. Non auto darkening so no arc flash.... I recommend spending the extra 20 bucks for the 1CR ratchet head band. Still could be had for around 60$ on fleabay.