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I Forge Iron

FAVORITE SAFETY GLASSES...


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My favorite ones are the ones that have actually saved my eyes.

They look like these, only with a clear lense.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1XPJ5?Pid=search

For grinding, I usually use the same, but with a face shield also. Or, when I'm feeling rather froggy, I use some funky goggles like these:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/2TV53?Pid=search

These ones tend to fog up though.

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i use full face shield for all work now coz i have had lumps of hot coke stick to my face out of the fire and burn me and am always getting swarf and hot bits flying into my face off the saw/grinder. and i find it pretty comfortable now im used to it although you cant blow the scale off the anvil without lifting it up... :)

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I wear some similar to Jeddlley's.
The important thing is that almost ANY eye protection is better than NO eye protection.

Just the other day I put on a nearly new pair of goggles and couldn't see clearly out of one eye. I wiped them down but my vision was still blurred. Upon close examination of the goggles I found tiny piece of grinder dust had melted itself into the lens. Better that than in my eye, non?

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I wear my prescription glasses with side shields always.
I wear either a pair of goggles or a face shield over the glasses for sanding or grinding at the bench grinder.
For using an angle grinder or cut-off disk in a die grinder i usually wear a welding helmet with the welding lens flipped up.

I also use a respirator or at least a dust mask when sanding,grinding,cutting etc.

I have a pair of those ear plugs that hang around my neck by a spring band most of the time too and usually carry 2-3 sets of the foam ones in a pocket for visitors and when I can`t remember where I put my other ones(usually around my neck still). :huh:

I`m hell on pencils too.I carry one in my pocket,one behind my ear,one tucked up in back of my hat and still can`t find one when I need one.Luckily there`s a lot of soapstone scattered around too.

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I've got several different types including face shields but my favorites are glasses that my dad had - He worked in a foundry for 35 years and after he passed away I found several pair that I now use. Thick lenses, black heavy frames with fine mesh screen at the temples.

My GF refers to them as "BCG's" but no matter how they look, they sure can take a lot of abuse and are darn near impossible to scratch or chip.

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The ones covering my eyes at any given moment :D I have a bunch of different brands and styles. My main requirement is that they are light, fit well with good coverage and don't fog up on hot days. I mostly use clear- yellow in poor light and #2 shades for gas cutting and welding. I use a face shield when I'm roughing in on the wood lathe. My advice- Find ones you like and buy a case of them and leave them by every machine in your shop unless you work in a shop with others then use one of those neck straps. Personally, I hate anything hanging of my body- thats why I have glasses all over the place.

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Just a word of advice for those shopping for specs.
Look for ones with a nice smooth bridge that wraps completely around the bridge of your nose rather than the type with 2 adjustable pads.
After seeing the results of people taking a good impact on the face/glasses I found the 2 pads will bend and cause more damage than a full bridge.I have 2 good size scars from before I made the switch myself.

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The ones we get at work are UVEX and they are pretty comfortable. We go thru them pretty fast, I will wear the yellow lens sometimes due to the dark area's in the powerhouse. But they can give you a headache, alittle when first wearing them. I have been a professional welder for over 25 years and have cut and burned with everything and with nothing in close quarters with other welders and I have gotten smarter as years go past. Never use a torch to cut anything without atleast a number 2 or 3 lens. Burnt eyes from welding will heal, burning with a torch without goggles will not heal, per my training info. We all have just cut a peice rather than getting a pair of goggles, DONT DO IT.

Word of advice: The darker the hole your in the darker the lens, I use a no. 9 filter lens when welding on stuff outside in the sun. You can damage your eyes badly, by straining them . It will show up later , but it is to late then. Usually age 40 really puts most welders in a new pair of prescription glasses.

I know this was a question about safety glasses but I would suggest those that still have good eyesight to retain it and follow my ramblings.

When I use an abrasive wheel or wire wheeled brush I always wear glasses and my welding hood or face sheild. I have seen several people lose an eye that were just in the same area as someone using those wire wheels on 90 grinders, they sling tiny wires out very fast and far. I holler out " Power Wheel coming on" everytime before I fire it up so if they are in the range of my voice they need to get their glasses on . They are targets across the shop. I dont want to be responsible for them losing an eye. I work in extremely tight places within the boiler and I hate when others use them.

So find a good pair that you will keep on your head instead of trying to be cool with some off the rack pair in a gas station. Z87 's are all you should wear with side sheild protection. I cant stress that enough. But UVEX brand are easy on the nose and ears. I would by several pair so you have no excuse when you set them down and need them. Please keep them on, your grand kids will be glad you saw them

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I meant to say to use a No. 5 filter lens for using a torch for cutting/burning with Oxy/Act torch. I think I said a No. 3 but mis-spoke.
I have been busted at work so many times for not having safety glasses on it is un-real, I work in a steam plant, 10 units producing over 1,200,000 lbs of steam pressure. I think I told that right, BUT ....the point is I live and work in Tennessee with humidity and while working within the plant the humidity levels are unbelievable. Leaks everywhere(steam packing) and with all units running ALL glasses fog up to the point you cant even see and can run right into stuff if not careful or trip/fall over something.
It can be a nightmare trying to keep them clean with all the coal dust flying around, my plant is over 60 years old and wore out, so a clean enviroment aint happening. So point being, Wearing glasses at home in my shop aint nothing like work, I make it a point to have my kids wear them while in the shop and they even remind me when I am even drilling holes in wood. But , I really dont feel right not wearing them while working on most anything out there. I wear the clear most all the time, but have all the colors ,yellow , vermillion, and grey. We presently have glasses (UVEX) makes that have a mirrored type finish , just enough to cut the glare when looking at the metal at tempature. Not sure what color these slightly mirrored ones are but we fight for them when the tool room gets them in at work. Guess I told off on myself on where I get my supplies of glasses. LOL

But please folks, for sure the younger ones , please get in a good habit of wearing your glasses , fogging can be taken care of with some products out there. They aint no excuse to lose an eye doing something you love . I wear glasses fishing after hearing about a Pro Bass Fisherman losing an eye do to a hook set that missed on a bass and the hook came back and hit his partner in the eye, exploding it during a tournament.

Be careful and get several good pairs and keep them on as much as possible . Sorry so chatty, but I have to remind people at work everyday.

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Sam- consider this a repremand! Wear your glasses- slag has no limits to were it will go :o


Including bouncing off your cheeks and going behind the safety glasses and into your eye.

You choose your own level of protection,
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ZIG, I liked the comment about pilfering from work.

At my job, the safety nazis (I mean this in a good way) have made a point of wanting us to take safety home. I forgot that I had a pair of SG on perched on top of my nugget when it was shift change, and I was leaving. The guy says: Hey! C'mere! I thought I was in trouble. He then went on to tell me that he was proud of me for wanting to take safety home, and said whenever those glasses get scratched, feel free to grab another pair. He also gave me a new pair of leather gloves.

I love my job!

Jed

As for the flippers, I think the guys over at grainger might be able to help. They usually tend to have everything. Or maybe a lenscrafters? I dunno.

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I like the Jackson Hellraiser glasses.... I have a heck of a time finding glasses that will stay on my face.. My nose has been broke three times and does not provide much of a perch. They are comfy enough I can wear them all day which is kind of the whole point...

I should also say there are others that I like better, but these are less than $5/pair.. the ones I like better are about $30....

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Thanks for the support, John! I've never felt comfortable forging in goggles, although I wouldn't look at a grinder or wire brush without them. I don't like the lack of peripheral vision and the way that they steam up.
I've never noticed slag being a problem in this way, the only near misses that I've had have been with bits of hot stone (or other impurities) flying out of the fire.

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