Is there a "lighter" boro lens?

[Angie09]

I know I need a boro lens 5 for working boro on my Scorpion and am presently using a didymium bench mounted shield with boro lens 5. My problem is, even with lighting surrounding my bench, it is sooo hard to see what I'm doing. Is there anything made that gives the same protection but is lighter in color and would allow me to see more (like the didy shield I use for 104)??

If not, do you have any helpful hints??

Much appreciated.

[menty666]

You can use a shade 3 if you're only working clear, but most folks like to spruce things up a bit.

Something I can recommend that I did...Say you have a light that's only rated for 60 watt bulbs. Not really bright enough for shade 5 lenses.

However a 100 w equivalent CFL is only around 24 watts. So you can use one of those in your 60 watt fixture but still get the brightness.

I also use a single unit halogen work light I got cheap from home depot.

[sunray]

We sell a lot of the shade 3 and I know I prefer them and according to Phillips
they work fine with all Boro Glass
Here's from their site:

Green/Ace IR 3
TECHNICAL DATA

Phillips Boroscopes are designed to meet the need for the extra UV and IR protection needed when working on borosilicate glass. Phillips Boroscopes are specially formulated glass filter lenses that Phillips Safety Products exclusively owns. These lenses have been developed for the lampworking and glassblowing markets. This revolutionary product is greatly lighter than conventional laminated products and comes in a full coverage lens which this is a higher quality design because there are no areas without shading. Boroscopes should be worn when working on hard glass types where regular didymium or Phillips202/ACE are not adequate due to the fact of insufficient filtration of ultra violet and infra-red absorption. Boroscopes are available in a Phillips 3 or 5 depending on your personal preference.

[tweeky clothespin]

I just bought a new pair of Phillips glasses in shade 3. They are as dark as my old shade 5 glassses.

[HWCGlass]

i personally do not recommend anyone working full time to use shade threes.

[ElementalsDesign]

I've heard this several times and (forgive me if this is a bit off topic) but are these the same type of safety glasses one would use to cut metal with a torch?

[Alaska]

Welders shade 3 and 5 refer to the dark green lens that welders use for oxyacetylene welding and cutting. However, if you are doing oxyacetylene welding then shade 5 is recommended.

For boro, many use a didy shield/glasses plus a welders shade 3 or 5. The overall idea to to filter out the sodium flare with with didy and the IR/UV with the welder's green filters.

Also use as Tom suggested two 100 watt CFL bulbs that take about 24 watts each. They come in daylight or incandescent. It takes a little getting used to the daylight CFL as the flame does appear a bit different under different color temperature lighting conditions.

[ElementalsDesign]

Originally Posted by Alaska

Welders shade 3 and 5 refer to the dark green lens that welders use for oxyacetylene welding and cutting. However, if you are doing oxyacetylene welding then shade 5 is recommended.

For boro, many use a didy shield/glasses plus a welders shade 3 or 5. The overall idea to to filter out the sodium flare with with didy and the IR/UV with the welder's green filters.

Also use as Tom suggested two 100 watt CFL bulbs that take about 24 watts each. They come in daylight or incandescent. It takes a little getting used to the daylight CFL as the flame does appear a bit different under different color temperature lighting conditions.

Thank you so much for the answer (especially such a thorough one! :}... I've been a welder for a long time but am a relative newbie to lampworking and have never tired boro (yet )

~Rachel

[Angie09]

Thanks everyone .... well, my hope that there is a lighter boro shield looks like it's just a dream so I will definitely try the lights (thanks Tom and Alaska!!) Where do you put the lights and at what angle?

[steak351]

check out the glasses from the herbert arnold company they are great and not as dark as the others, and filters all stuff, and is has a german DIN norm wich means it is oficially rated as a glassblowers goggles for boro

[BellaBean]

I prefer 3's, but have flip downs that make it a 5 if I need it. I have no clue where my husband got them but they're great!

Just a side note... John Kobuki had the coolest glasses on when I took his class last week. I asked him where he got them. He said that Phillips will make lenses for any pair of frames you provide, for around $130. He sent in a pair of Oakley frames for his. They were really cool. I'm probably going to get a pair made from a pair of Oakleys that I had that no longer have an accurate perscription in them.

[Angie09]

Originally Posted by steak351

check out the glasses from the herbert arnold company they are great and not as dark as the others, and filters all stuff, and is has a german DIN norm wich means it is oficially rated as a glassblowers goggles for boro

thanks for this recommendation ... I've emailed them to see if they might have a piece of 4"x5" for my shield. I'll let you know.

[wickedglass]

I just bought a couple of welder's shade #4 flips.
Personally I use just didymiums for clear, #3 for colour most of the time, but when I'm working with colours that radiate a lot of light, I use my #5 flips. #5 is too dark for me, most of the time and #3 is just too light sometimes ... so I'm hoping the #4s will be a good balance ... just waiting for them to arrive.

[menty666]

Originally Posted by Angie09

Where do you put the lights and at what angle?

Wherever works best for YOU.

Everyone's setup is different. So, for example, on my bench I have a light on either side of me, but ahead of me, so it throws the light on the bench and I don't block it. They hang on either side of my hood.

Other folks might prefer them right over them. It's a personal preference.

[Mr. Smiley]

Originally Posted by HWCGlass

i personally do not recommend anyone working full time to use shade threes.

Then i guess the ACE I've been wearing for the last 10 years is a major no-no...

[sunray]

Originally Posted by Mr. Smiley

Then i guess the ACE I've been wearing for the last 10 years is a major no-no...

Me too LOL I.m old and I can still see tho,

[HWCGlass]

Originally Posted by Mr. Smiley

Then i guess the ACE I've been wearing for the last 10 years is a major no-no...

Originally Posted by sunray

Me too LOL I.m old and I can still see tho,

well, you know. opinions and . . . .

I'm no expert.

Can not fathom working in 3's. I had 3's for many years, got 4's and was really pissed off at how dark they were; now, I love um.

[Angie09]

How about 3s over didys? Would that make a 4?

[ABR Dave]

The plastic flip down shade 3's, IMO, do not provide enough protection. They seem to not take all the flare out, like the treated glass lenses do.

We usually suggest to people, to atleast get a 3. If they are full time workers, and are using color a lot.....then we really try to push the 5. Unfortunately, not everyone is accepting of the higher price for a 5. But, you only have 1 pair of eyes. With all the money we spend on tools, torches, glass, etc........that are disposable over time with wear and tear, you'd think eye protection would be the last thing to skimp on. But, a lot of people do. I've had the same pair of shade 5 biker wraps for 5 years. Not many more important investments in lampworking than glasses. Get what you need, or suffer later.

My friend used regular dids forever, and I warned him forever. He now suffers from spots, and chronic headaches.

NOT WORTH IT FOLKS!

[Bunyip]

I think 3's over didy's would work in the short term, I was using flip-down 5's for a while, but I upgraded to split-lens glasses (love them), and plan to get a pair of goggles too for more intensive applications. Good shop lighting is key with the dark shades though. It makes all the difference in the world.

[Angie09]

Originally Posted by Bunyip

I think 3's over didy's would work in the short term, I was using flip-down 5's for a while, but I upgraded to split-lens glasses (love them), and plan to get a pair of goggles too for more intensive applications. Good shop lighting is key with the dark shades though. It makes all the difference in the world.

Well, I currently wear my own prescription glasses with clip on magnifiers, then my shield has a didy and a #5. I have 6 lights in 2 pole lamps all pointed at the flame and one over head light (not very bright) and a small battery operated light right under and to the left of the flame. If the bead is right in the flame I can see it pretty well (and yes, I just go my prescriptions so I can see!! ) but anywhere out of the flame, the #5 is just too dark. I was just hoping there was a solution that would let me see boro like I do soft glass.

[deb tarry]

I was pretty disappointed when I went to the darker shades when I started to work with boro, in that they were so dark. I have very little sight in one eye so I have no depth perception and need light and shadows to see what I am doing. With that being said I really needed to use the dark shades and wanted to continue working boro so I just kept at it and now I am more comfortable. I do miss having all the light that I had with didy's but I love working with boro. I do have two large halogen clip on lights clipped onto fan hood shining down on the work surface which helps.

[glassshack]

If you can afford them I would suggest the split lens .... didy's up top and either shade 3 or 5 for the bottom. I used a pair at a friends and swore I would get a pair one day. GL!