Recommended Shade For Boro Glasses

[BurningScentsations]

Hi All,

I've got my first delivery of Boro tubing and rods the other night and started working last night to get the hang of it.

Last Summer I bought a pair of clip-on shades for my Didydium glasses for working with boro. They are a 5 shade and when I flip them down, I can barely see what I'm doing and have absolutely no peripheral vision at all.

I keep having to flip them up to see what I'm doing and then I forget to flip them back down when I start working again...Yikes!

I'm preparing to order a nicer glass pair of these glasses from AuraLens, but do not want something so dark that I cannot work.

For making beads, small sculptures and functional objects, is there a light shade that I can use that will still protect my eyes?

What shades to you use?

Thanks so much,

Lloyd

[Karen Hardy]

I bought the split lenses and I LOVE them.
The bottom is shade 5 and the top is 3.
It's awesome.

[AuntD]

I got two clip on shades to try them, a 3 and a 5. I used the 3 for a while; I think they eventually need to be replaced because they wear out. I'm not sure what "wearing out" means here, but I found that after a while I was squinting again using the 3s, so I went to the 5s. They're pretty dark, but I don't have to squint. I suspect they will get lighter or stop filtering certain wavelengths or whatever wearing out means in this context eventually, too.

If you don't like the 5s, you might want to try the 3s for a while before ordering more expensive glasses. On the other hand, it may be a function of the clip-on shades that they start off really dark and then lighten, and more expensive glasses won't do that.

Sorry; don't think I've helped, just thrown in a couple more unknowns.

:-?

[Karen Hardy]

Sorry; don't think I've helped, just thrown in a couple more unknowns.

:-?

:lol:

[Paul Ewing]

I prefer shade 5. The key to using them is to have good lights in your work area. In our 180sf shop we have two 300w CFL bulbs four standard 4-ft shop lights and then four 150w halogen lights in the two station vent hood. I can see almost perfecly with my shade 5 AGW 250s glasses. I sometimes have to raise them up to read fine print on something, but for general use they are great.

[Cosmo]

I use Aura Lens shade 4. But, I have good lighting - 2 8' fluorescent tubes right above my bench. I very often work with large glass items (2" diameter +) and do a lot of fuming. They work great. I got them in the Biker Wrap frame, which lets almost no light in around the sides, which helps me see through them.

I tried some split lenses, but found myself subconsciously always "peeking over" the darker part and looking through the lighter part, which basically negated any effect the dark part had. But, that's just my own experience with them.

[Jackson River Glass]

I have split 3/5's too, and love them.

[murf]

had split lens goggles and hated them. found my self tucking in my chin to my chest and viewing through the upper section. ordered shade 4 goggles and pretty sure that will work just fine

[teachertracey]

A shield might help you. You still have the protection but you don't feel like someone turned off ALL the lights. JMHO.

[MrsGrace]

Do you guys have links for these? I need a pair too and am stumped what to get. :waving: Thank you!!!

[playingwithfirebeads]

I got a pair of nice flip up clip-ons from Kinari that are shade 3 and have the didy lens already. I love these because they can be used with any prescription glasses I buy and I can lift the shade when I want to look at my color development outside of the flame.

Thanks,
Bonny

[Cosmo]

Do you guys have links for these? I need a pair too and am stumped what to get. :waving: Thank you!!!

This is what I have: http://auralens.net/e_gw_agw250_4.cfm

These frames: http://auralens.net/e_gw0501.cfm

But, frames are very subjective, so what works for me may not work for you. However, I recommend you get one that fits as close to your face as possible. Not only will that offer more protection in the event of flying glass, but the less outside light that is let in, the easier it will be to see through the glasses.

[Paul Ewing]

I have the Torque frame http://auralens.net/e_gw0602.cfm

using the prescription AGW 250 Shade 5 lenses http://auralens.net/e_gw_agw250_5.cfm

These are great glasses and the rubber padding blocks almost all incoming light from around the lens.

One thing to think about if you need perscription lenses and have a Flex Medical reembursement plan you can use that to pay of the lenses since they cover perscription safty glasses and perscription sunglasses.

[Cosmo]

I have the Torque frame http://auralens.net/e_gw0602.cfm

using the prescription AGW 250 Shade 5 lenses http://auralens.net/e_gw_agw250_5.cfm

These are great glasses and the rubber padding blocks almost all incoming light from around the lens.

One thing to think about if you need perscription lenses and have a Flex Medical reembursement plan you can use that to pay of the lenses since they cover perscription safty glasses and perscription sunglasses.

I did not know that. I'll have to look into that. My prescription isn't that strong, so I can work without wearing it (which I do when on the torch), but it would be nice to have some prescription lenses.

[BurningScentsations]

Wow, thanks for all of the great feedback on this thread.

I know I do not have adequate lighting in my studio, so I went out and purchased some extra light today. I cannot wait to try it out and see if that makes a difference.

The idea of the frames that hug your face to block out other light makes sense too. I was looking at that type of frame and will probably get that type when I purchase the glasses.

Keep those great ideas coming!

Lloyd

[chayes]

As of now i'm using a full shade 3 pair of auralens. My split lens broke so they were affordable. I prefer a split lens shade 3 for most of the work i do. I also use a pair of split lens shade 5 for stuff that puts off more brightness like the colored tubing.

[e. mort]

As of now i'm using a full shade 3 pair of auralens. My split lens broke so they were affordable. I prefer a split lens shade 3 for most of the work i do. I also use a pair of split lens shade 5 for stuff that puts off more brightness like the colored tubing.

What is a split lens shade 5? I have seen the ones with half 3 and half 5, and I have seen another that has half 3 and have regular didymian.

Right now I use prescription lenses in the AURA-92 with a shade three flip ups, but my prescription has changed so it is almost time for a new pair.

My issue with the really dark lens is three fold.

1. I can't see what I am doing.
2. I can't accurately identify the colored rod that I pick up.
3. I can't read the heat base in the glass as well. This also makes flame striking more difficult.

So, I am still searching for the perfect set of glasses.

[murf]

"and I have seen another that has half 3 and have regular didymian."
who makes these Eric?

[Karen Hardy]

Oh - and I have the biker frames. They cost extra, but they feel
really good, and I look Mahvolous. And looking good is what's REALLY
important, right?

[e. mort]

"and I have seen another that has half 3 and have regular didymian."
who makes these Eric?

I am pretty sure it was the people who make the boroscopes: Phillips.

I think Auro lens has something similar where you can get half of the AUR-92 and half of the shade three.

[BurningScentsations]

Hi All,

Just a quick update on my dark lens dilemna. Now that I've added the extra light to my studio, I can see much better. There are still some dark areas under the hood, but I noticed today that I wasn't flipping the dark lenses up nearly as much as I used to. If I had the wrap-around frames, it would probably be perfect.

I'll torch with this setup for a bit longer and see how it goes. If I find that I'm satisfied with this setup, then I'll order the new glasses.

Keep those links coming for your glasses, I'm checking them all out and seeing what's available.

Happy Torching,

Lloyd

[AVC-Ed]

You may not be aware, but the Aura Visual Concepts (Aura Lens) website has a shade selector on it: http://www.auralens.net/e_gwrecommend.cfm

The filter that has only a split shade 3 would be the AGW-325 Shade 3. You should be aware however that the shade 3 is not considered dark enough to do advanced work such as fuming or working with silver-enhanced glass.

[malem]

I have the gogles from Auralens shade 4. I like them so far.
I even use them for soft glass. I just find the elastic pretty tight and small even at the maximum adjustment.

[Mr. Meker]

I am going to go with a welding helmet with a flip down #5 lense with regular didys underneath. Flip up when its not so hot, flip down when fuming, dots, gathers...
also, the mask portion will project my face from shocking glass but then i dont really have to worry about that, it's boro and it doesnt shock!
Ahhhh ha ha ha ha!!
Ahhhh ha ha ha ha!!

sorry, just a little mad at 104. :)

[wickedglass]

there's also this to check out. http://www.phillips-safety.com/Glass-Working-Plastic-Frame/Index.htm I just ordered 2 pairs from them, my new glasses should be here on monday.

I use didymiums with flip-ups #5. I can put the flips down so they cover the top 2/3rds of my lenses or all the way down or, of course, all the way up. the #5s are a little dark for my liking, so I'm going to get some #3s from the welding shop. It's also a lot cheaper to buy just didies and add flips rather than splits.

I'm not impressed with Auralens, my partner ordered and paid extra for some specific prescription goggles and they arrived without the prescription. I've heard a lot of people have been having issues with Auralens and I personally won't buy from them after my own experience! There has been a lot of discussion about this company on another forum.

I'll let you know what I think of the Phillips ACE glasses once I've tried them out!

[debkauz]

I have a pair of #3 welding flip ups that I put on over my didys. They are so dark though that I find I'm always flipping them up so they really don't do much good. It's hard to get used to them.