Protective Eyewear for Boro

Roshini · #1 2012-05-15, 5:50am

Hi,
I'm from India and have been following glass lampworking for a while now and want to start learning the art myself. Unfortunately there is very little guidance or resources available here, which is why I am reaching out to this amazing online community.
I want to work on Boro, for which I need to get proper eye protection. I wear prescription glasses and need fitovers. I've been doing some online research and it seems like Phillips Green ACE IR 3.0 fitovers are the safest bet as they provide protection from sodium flare, infrared glare and ultraviolet rays. However at 130$ they seem really expensive!

Could you'll suggest any alternate fitover eyewear thats as safe while being a little kinder on my pocket?
Hope to hear from you'll!
Rosh

Bunyip · #2 2012-05-15, 6:00am

$130 seems inexpensive to me, especially for fit-overs, which require larger lenses and frames in order to accomplish the same task regular glasses accomplish for those who can use them. The price seems reasonable, but then again, I live in the USA. It's hard to judge the relative cost from your standpoint, however.

You only get two eyes, don't skimp on protection.

LarryC · #3 2012-05-15, 8:30am

I agree with Chris. I use the Philips and have zero issues with fatigue or eyestrain after a long session on the torch. There really is no free lunch.

Alaska · #4 2012-05-15, 5:59pm

Check some of your local welding supply shops. Here a set of clip on shade 3's run about ten dollars. However, one will still either need a didy shield or didy glasses for the sodium flair

The nice part of using a clip on is the if shade 3 is too light a shard 5 can be used without much additional cost. Also a didy shield can come with an added on shade 3 or 5 filter. See blue moon glassworks for options.

wolflo · #5 2012-05-17, 9:11am

Hello; I use the "boro" clip ons.....over my soda ash glasses...the boro alone is not for soda ash flare...sorry. Shewolf.

Roshini · #6 2012-08-02, 8:29am

Thanks for all the feedback! Sorry my reply came so late, but being a new user I was unable to find my own post for a while (I know that does sound lame but it's true). I agree, I will go in for good eye protection. Though considering you can get a nortel minor for some 180$, 130$ does seem steep... but yeah can't put a price on your eyes!

Baywinger · #7 2012-08-02, 2:37pm

I use these fit overs they are very comforatable and half the price
http://www.waleapparatus.com/catalog...showprevnext=1

metalbone · #8 2012-08-08, 7:48am

when I first started, I used the basic philips safety glasses with clip ons, held onto my head and over my glasses with a croakie.

http://www.glasscraftinc.com/home/gl...ety_frame.html

However, this was bulky and uncomfortable, so I sprung for some auralens as soon as I could afford them, and haven't looked back because a quality pair, although relatively expensive, is just so much better than the cheaper pair with some welding clip-ons.

To me, it is better to just spring for the better pair because buying a cheaper pair (like at the link above) then trading up will cost more in the long run (lower resale value possibly more expensive quality pair in the future). However, going the cheaper route is still a good option if moeny is short right now.

Also, you may want to consider a Cricket instead of a minor, it handles boro quite well (I've worked 1-inch extra heavy wall tubing with it) and its build quality is so much higher than a minor, plus it is $167.

istandalone24/7 · #9 2012-08-08, 9:05am

i think i'm springing for a pair of phillips boroscopes this week, the glasses i have i thought were sufficient but i guess not.

for someone who will be making 2" max sized marbles and the occasional pipe, which shade # is recommended?

LarryC · #10 2012-08-08, 10:09am

Quote:

Originally Posted by istandalone24/7

i think i'm springing for a pair of phillips boroscopes this week, the glasses i have i thought were sufficient but i guess not.

for someone who will be making 2" max sized marbles and the occasional pipe, which shade # is recommended?

I use philips #3's all the time.

istandalone24/7 · #11 2012-08-08, 11:32am

i've got the ace 202's now, so i assume that's not sufficient.

istandalone24/7 · #12 2012-08-08, 11:43am

these will be good?
http://www.glasscraftinc.com/home/gla/page_9881

istandalone24/7 · #13 2012-08-08, 2:10pm

i assume using welders glasses is a no no for boro?
it seems the "welding glasses" are ten times cheaper then lampworkers boro lenses.

could i get away with using my dydi's for solf glass and the welders glasses just for boro?
they're these glasses i was looking at, mainly for the price.
http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/3013860.html

Baywinger · #14 2012-08-08, 2:53pm

I Recenly added a shade 2 full face sheild I wear this over my didys when working large boro I find it not only comfortable to wear but it does a fantastic job keeping the heat off of my face.
I used to keep a small towel nearby to wipe my face with now with the face shield I do not sweat at all

istandalone24/7 · #15 2012-08-08, 3:48pm

I guess my question is welders shade 3 good enough by themselves for boro,.or do I need to wear welders over didy's?

mightymike · #16 2012-08-08, 4:22pm

the answer is you would have to wear both the welders over didy's
Borosilicate Colored glass gives off three things,sodium flare, inferred, and ultraviolet
the didy's filtering sodium flare in addition to providing ultraviolet protection
and the green of the welders do UV and IR rays, but not the yellow flare; you'll still need didymium lense glasses for that so if you don't want to wear two you need the Green ACE IR . but there only your eye. do you realy need them?

party on

istandalone24/7 · #17 2012-08-08, 5:18pm

^^thank you...i figured that.

i found a decent pair of dydi's/shade 3's made by Wale at mtn glass to the tune of $65 a pair. killer price if they work good.

will i "notice" a difference between my ace 202's and the wale shade 3's, or is it all the difference in the i/r spectrum...ie human eye can't distinguish a difference.

http://www.mountainglass.com/WaleWea...Lenses-Silver-
Frames.html

Cornbread · #18 2012-08-09, 6:48am

your eyes can't have enough protection, regardless of cost. end of story. ...but if you have a multiple hundred/thousand dollar torch, $500+ worth of glass stock, hundreds in tools, etc, etc, a $150 pair of glasses starts to seem much more justifiable; we're talking about your vision, here...

I also bought the pair from whale apparatus you describe. they work well enough. They are pretty green tinted though, not like my phillips brand. But get the best glasses you can afford.

good luck! I hope this doesn't sound like a scolding post, haha.

metalbone · #19 2012-08-09, 7:27am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cornbread

your eyes can't have enough protection, regardless of cost...but if you have a multiple hundred/thousand dollar torch, $500+ worth of glass stock, hundreds in tools, etc, etc, a $150 pair of glasses starts to seem much more justifiable; we're talking about your vision, here...

110% true.

Even if you have $50 ebay torch, $10 worth of glass, and a garage sale butter knife as your main tool, a $150 pair of glasses is completely justifiable. Moreso than if you had a $2k torch and $1k glass stock, because then you are putting your eyes before your equipment and inventory.

istandalone24/7 · #20 2012-08-09, 11:07am

no scold cornbread...you're one i've been watching since i started via youtube and here.

i may see if i can find those wale glasses in shade 5 just to be safe. darker is better for me, i have a well lighted area.

istandalone24/7 · #21 2012-08-09, 11:09am

i was also asking if i'd "notice a difference" not because i was thinking of skipping buying the boro glasses, but more or less i'm curious if the extra filtration is picked up by the human eye or not.

Baywinger · #22 2012-08-09, 8:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by istandalone24/7

no scold cornbread...you're one i've been watching since i started via youtube and here.

i may see if i can find those wale glasses in shade 5 just to be safe. darker is better for me, i have a well lighted area.

Just a personal note I found the shade 3's too dark when doing delicate work even with extra lighting over my bench which is why I went to the shade 2 face shields over my diddys instead of my wale shade 3 boroscopes

istandalone24/7 · #23 2012-08-10, 2:47am

face shield would be a pita for me, i smoke.
i think i'll go with the shade 3's...if that doesn't work (too dark) i'll try something else. ordered them from mtn glass already.

essiemessy · #24 2013-02-12, 12:05am

Having just started with boro, I've found pretty quickly that I need way more than my didys.
Trouble is, I wear magnifiers (prescription glasses won't fit under my big glass didys), then the heavy didys. I also have a pair of shade 5 welding goggles, which is a ridiculous solution if I were thinking of wearing even more crap on my face.

So.. I've pulled the lens out of the goggles, and plan to find a way to mount it on a removable stalk of some description, which can slide nicely under my torch base plate.
I don't see why that wouldn't work, if I can find the right piece of metal rod or something to attach it to.

Dragonharper · #25 2013-02-12, 4:15am

I have a pair of shade 3 welders clipons/flip-ups I use when working with dark colors or sparkle colors. If I'm just using clear or AP colors I don't bother with the #3's.

MagpieGlass · #26 2013-02-12, 4:30am

I did the flip up clip on shade #3 for a while ($25)... until I got serious into boro. Then I went to fitovers ($65) ... When they broke I decided to invest in the Phillips $265 clip-ons that don't flip up and have split lenses. I have them attached to a pair of readers and life is really good.

The only thing I don't care for is they are really heavy. They are basically didys with 2/3 of the lens having a shade #3 adhered to it.

Dragonharper · #27 2013-02-12, 4:42am

I thought about those, but as I wear bifocals, I don't think they would work. Currently I have a pair of prescription readers, with ACE 202 clipons and the #3 flipups, makes for very heavy glasses. I'm thinking my next pair is going to be prescription ACE 202's with #3 flipups.

MagpieGlass · #28 2013-02-12, 3:49pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragonharper

I thought about those, but as I wear bifocals, I don't think they would work. Currently I have a pair of prescription readers, with ACE 202 clipons and the #3 flipups, makes for very heavy glasses. I'm thinking my next pair is going to be prescription ACE 202's with #3 flipups.

I'm in bifocals as well and my script keeps changing each year. So I can't justify buying prescription didys. Especially since I'm only a hobbyist ... maybe if I got to torch full time.

But since when I'm at the torch ... I'm mostly focusing up close ... my readers do the trick!! Just don't ask me to read the clock face across the room.

Dragonharper · #29 2013-02-12, 5:38pm

^^^