IR is "heat" radiation and so anything *HOT* is giving it off, the amount and so danger is proportional to the size and the temperature.

As to skin well it's like having your arm exposed to a BBQ---if it's close and for a long time you are going to get a burn, not UV but just a hot item burn.

I commonly forge in short sleeves and have never gotten an IR burn as I don't stick my bare skin close to hot metal and then leave it there!

Thought I would bump this up since last night; our weekly smithing night. I took off my glasses literally 30 seconds before leaving and got a piece of hot metal in my eye while using hand held wire brush. It's was painfull all night and I'm off to the doctor this afternoon.

KEEP YOUR GLASSES ON UNTIL YOU ARE OUT OF THE SHOP.

They are cheap and easy. Unlike a doctor or possibly the loss of an eye.

OMG!!! I wanted to go get my safety glasses just to watch it! I think I'm overdue for an inventory of my safety equipment.


Mitch

Well now, that looked better than what happened to Samson! Was that a piece of wire wheel brush? Sure looked like it. I didn't cringe too bad, when my dearly departed mom got her cataracts done her doc invited me to watch, real nice guy about it to let me satisfy my natural curiosity. Yeah it sure did make that little speck of cast iron look like a day trip to the beach. Aren't you glad you all wear safety glasses every day, hearing protection too, what's that you say, you don't, just watch the video a couple of more times will you? :blink:

Hi All,
If something like this ever happens to you(and I hope it doesn't) Don't stuff around and go to the doctor, Go to the nearest opthalmic surgeon they might cost a dash more but this is a GOOD SPEND! If you are ever going to make one(guess how I know) . Also a good 12V electro magnet(the maglock kind) in the shop is a quick way to get ferrous matter out of your eyes.
Ian

I'd be a bit shy of using a maggot on my own eye, might pull that danged piece of iron or another the wrong way! And then what? Thanks, I'll just haul my skinny butt on over to the eye surgeon. :blink:

I'd be a bit shy of using a maggot on my own eye, might pull that danged piece of iron or another the wrong way! And then what? Thanks, I'll just haul my skinny butt on over to the eye surgeon.

I meant the magnet could be used for rust and dust not sharp items, all spickey/sharp things = SURGEON
Ian

I use one of the super strong disk drive magnets for stuff that's floating on the eye but not dug in---it's a long drive to an eye Dr out here!

I learned the hard way about safety glasses picking raspberries, a cane snapped back and a thorn got me in the eye. Very painful and a good week with a pirate patch and putting salve in it.

Babies are dangerous too. When my youngest was a wee little bit of a thing he stuck his finger in my eye and I had to wear a pierat patch for a week till my cornea was all healed up. I think that hurt worse than any danged piece of iron I ever did get in my eye :rolleyes:

I agree with Thomas. I keep spare safety glasses at the forge area for those that want to see me hit hot metal.

Nothing will kill someones curiosity faster than a sharp stick in the eye.

Mark<><

I agree with Thomas. I keep spare safety glasses at the forge area for those that want to see me hit hot metal.

Nothing will kill someones curiosity faster than a sharp stick in the eye.

Mark<><

It has been known to badly hurt the 'negligent' shop owners pocket too(do'nt ask)
Ian

I purchased a pair of shade 3 safety glasses from my welding supplier thinking it was overkill for my forge work. After speaking with the manufacturer, I was shocked to find out that there was NO IR protection provided by those glasses! I found UVEX and they had spectral charts. I ended up buying a new pair of UVEX shade 3 that have good IR protection and are Z87 safety rated. Don't assume like I did that because they are dark and purchased from a welding supplier that they offer any IR protection. My previous pair we causing me more harm as it allowed my pupils to dilate and let in more IR.

IR is the chief hazard, and requires special filters that provide IR absorbtion (usually iron in the glass). IMO in forge working you should use a filter that provides at least 90% IR absorbtion (between 950 nm and 2500 nm). This is equivalent to Welder shade 2.0. If you run your forge extremely hot, you may need a shade 2.5 or 3.0.

Just to clarify
Didymium does not filter IR it will filter uv and sodium flare but no IR filter.
They are considered a dichroic glass meaning two colors. They will look rose colored in incandescent light and green in fluorescent light.
(sorry this is a old school glassblowers lens so I'm very familiar with it)
Here is what I googled. I think as a cheap all around filter for forge work this will work:
http://www.publicsafetycenter.com/uvex-genesis-xc-safety-glasses-2.0-ir-filter-lens.html

I understand polycarbonate lenses will fade over time so glass lenses are prefered for the long haul. I think the poly lens will get scratched up over time so most people will replace them every year or so anyway.

If any one is looking for a prescription lens with a filter I can make several recommendations.

Hello there!

I live in Norway and have a hard time finding protection glasses/goggles which protect against IR. It seems that there only exsist for UV. Anyone know of a place where its possible to buy theese, near Norway or in Norway

Takk!

Jens Strassegger

I don't know what is available in or around Norway, but here in the US, welding eye protection has to have both IR and UV to meet ANSI specs. I don't recall the specific number associated with the welding glasses but a search should yield results then you can ask for something that meets that spec. As mentioned shade 3 is considered appropriate for forging.

ron

Thanks for the replies! Ill be trying to hunt down some shade 3 glasses. Seems tough most standard are 5 and up.

But many thanks again! I apriciate (typo?) it alot. =)

I use Didymium glasses, and they work great- red really stands out with these. Glass blowers use them as well
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didymium

notice the previous post about no IR protection in those?

The best deal that I see is ebay, you are looking at $39.00 with shipping http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320646926956
they are also available on amazon but this is a better deal (pick your poison)
Also when I searched Phillips website it does not look like they are making these anymore, discontinued. I will be getting a couple more pairs while I still can

I use Didymium glasses, and they work great- red really stands out with these. Glass blowers use them as well
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didymium

If you look up the transmittance of various wavelengths for didymium you'll find it is rather poor at protecting your eyes from infrared (IR) light. Glass blowers use them because they are good at filtering the sodium flare associated with the glass - something we don't have the problem with. You can get better protection using a welders shade 3.

ron

Good thread
Rob

MONDAY:

Just a quick job... needed to knock a little rust off an antique hammer head.

Wire wheel on the old bench grinder. Mounted a little above waist-high. The poor wire wheel has seen better days.

No need to bother with the safety glasses at arm's length; less than a 30 second job...

zip, zip, zip... ouch! That was a close one. Just a little speck of dust I suppose.

TUESDAY:

My left eye is itching and my left sinus is giving me a fit.

My eye feels OK open, but drives me crazy when it's closed. Very little sleep.

WEDNESDAY:

Get up with my left eye swelled shut. Once I get it open, it is extremely red. Probably pink-eye or something.

Call in to work and go to the walk-in. Doc checks it and sees a small piece of metal in my cornea, about 3 o'clock to my pupil.

Go across the highway to the eye doctor. Sit for an hour, get tiny piece of steel taken out and rust-ring removed (with a micro-burr on a small Dremel looking tool).

Spend the rest of the day with an eye patch. I understand why Blackbeard and Rooster Cogburn were so mean.

THURSDAY:

Unpatched and hopefully wiser.


Moral of the story: no job is too small for safety glasses. At worst, I could've lost my eye. At best, I lost 24 hours I'll never get back.

Not preaching; just sharing my experience.

Don

You only get one pair of eyes. Your right, it's not worth the risk no matter how small the job.

I have no choice but to wear glasses. Back when I did I learned the hard way.........You only get two eyes and one spine, off topic I reckon but macho lifting stunts in the shop are for fools......so precious.

Not only in the shop; as I recall A noted blademaker almost lost an eye mowing the yard!