Eye protection question

sarakh · #1 2005-09-12, 3:21pm

Hi everyone,

I have just bought a HH torch and am itching to make my first beads. I've never made beads before, never even seen it done. My husband just ordered a kiln suitable for both bead annealing and smallish fusing projects. I need some advice on eye protection. Here' the deal...

- We will only be working with soft glass for the foreseeable future
- I wear glasses
- I'd like to find something that would be suitable for both of us to use
- Cheap... well, not cheap, but money is tight, so I cant' spring for something that's costs more because it's esthetically pleasing!

Any ideas? If we are both getting serious about this glass hobby, we will revisit the situation but for now, money is tight and we need something....

Thanks in advance,
Sara

Dale M. · #2 2005-09-12, 4:17pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarakh

Hi everyone,

I have just bought a HH torch and am itching to make my first beads. I've never made beads before, never even seen it done. My husband just ordered a kiln suitable for both bead annealing and smallish fusing projects. I need some advice on eye protection. Here' the deal...

- We will only be working with soft glass for the foreseeable future
- I wear glasses
- I'd like to find something that would be suitable for both of us to use
- Cheap... well, not cheap, but money is tight, so I cant' spring for something that's costs more because it's esthetically pleasing!

Any ideas? If we are both getting serious about this glass hobby, we will revisit the situation but for now, money is tight and we need something....

Thanks in advance,
Sara

There is noting cheap here for eye care....

You need at least Rose Didymium or Aura Lens AUR92's (hope I got that right)... If you get generic lenses you both can use same glasses. It is a really bulky thing to try to use them over prescription glasses, but there is at least two alternatives, one is you can get clip on magnifiers to use over rose didymiums if your prescription is not to severe, or you can go the more expensive route and have AUR 92's made to prescription.

Also Aura Lens used to make a device called a "table shield", I believe, it was a square glass shield on a flexible arm that you could adjust to position and look through to work glass in a flame...

Rose didymium only blocks the orange glow around the gather of hot glass while it is in the flame... There is no real IR danger to vision from soft glass work. Some people even work it with out any tinted lenses/shield. But no matter what, ALWAYS protect eye from exploding glass shards. IF you choose to not use shield or didymiums, at least wear clear safety lenses.

Dale

kbinkster · #3 2005-09-12, 9:53pm

Quote:

Rose didymium only blocks the orange glow around the gather of hot glass while it is in the flame... There is no real IR danger to vision from soft glass work. Some people even work it with out any tinted lenses/shield. But no matter what, ALWAYS protect eye from exploding glass shards. IF you choose to not use shield or didymiums, at least wear clear safety lenses.

Dale brings up a very important point that often gets overlooked when discussing eye protection and soft glass - you should protect your eyes from exploding glass!

But, here's another thought since you mentioned fusing... If you intend to peek in on your fusing projects (and who doesn't, that's part of the process), you will need some protection from IR. Welders shades may be adequate, I don't know. But, that's something to look into. The inside of a kiln at fusing temperatures is extremely hot - and it all glows. It's a large source of IR. How much of that makes it to your eyes, again, I don't know. But, you should definitely ask around.

ClassInGlass · #4 2005-09-12, 10:06pm

If you are looking to save $$ you can find a pair of didymium glasses for around $60 maybe less. The shield is great...I have one and LOVE it but is costs $150...pretty steep. I wear prescription glasses though and looked into having a pair of the rose didymiums made in presc. and it was way more than the shield.

sarakh · #5 2005-09-13, 4:58am

Thanks for the advice.

ClassInGlass, do your didy's fit well over your prescription glasses? Is it comfortable? Did you buy the large plasticframe ones?

I'd think with the bench shield you'd still need to use safety glasses...right???

Has anyone tried the welding visor at wale apparatus? It's didymium.

Thanks,
Sara

MikeAurelius · #6 2005-09-13, 5:47am

The table shield is still being made. It is available in two flavors, soft glass and boro. Either one comes with a pair of fit over clear safety glasses to stop the flying chips that still seem to get around the shield.

FYI - didymium is rapidly falling out of favor in the glassworking field. It is only available in non-prescription lenses these days. The AUR-92/ACE glass is actually less expensive (raw material speaking) than didymium. Since the AUR-92/ACE offers so much more in the way of color enhancement and a deeper removal of sodium flare, didymium has really fallen off the market. Most of the didymium my company makes right now is being exported to Europe where it still seems to be in fashion.

If you intend on doing a lot of fusing projects, I'd like to suggest that you consider two pairs of glasses, one for the torch - AUR-92/ACE and one for the kiln working: AUR-99 Shade 2.0.

The "hazards" (and I use the term advisedly) for the two operations are very different and require different filters. The chief hazard for fusing is IR (infrared or heat energy). The AUR-99 is very efficient at removing the IR, and still allowing plenty of visible light. It is available in a shade 2.0, which is not usually available at most welding supply stores. The lightest I've ever seen is shade 3, which is way to dark to be using looking into a kiln (unless you have a flashlight

).

Both the AUR-92 and AUR-99 are available in our large economy frame (which fits over most prescription glasses) PM me for a link to the web page.

Also FYI: we do manufacture prescription lenses in both the AUR-92 and AUR-99 filters.

ClassInGlass · #7 2005-09-13, 6:13am

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarakh

Thanks for the advice.

ClassInGlass, do your didy's fit well over your prescription glasses? Is it comfortable? Did you buy the large plasticframe ones?

I'd think with the bench shield you'd still need to use safety glasses...right???

Has anyone tried the welding visor at wale apparatus? It's didymium.

Thanks,
Sara

Sara, YES, You definately need safety / prescription glasses even if you use the shield. The shield only protects your eyes from the flair not from the glass itself. But it looks like from reading below that there is a better lense available.

rosiescreations · #8 2005-09-13, 6:25am

I really love the AUR-92 glasses. They make it eaiser to see the glass in the flame.
I started with didymiums but soon moved to the AUR-92.
Maybe some one would lend you thier diddys to wear over your glasses. at least untill you decide if your staying in glass making.

MikeAurelius · #9 2005-09-13, 6:58am

You don't need to double up didymium/AUR-92 if you are using the table shield. The basic table shield is already AUR-92.

ClassInGlass · #10 2005-09-13, 7:30am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeAurelius

You don't need to double up didymium/AUR-92 if you are using the table shield. The basic table shield is already AUR-92.

Not to sound stupid...I did not no that about the shield - and I have the shield!!!! I thought that is was the same as my glasses. I do know that you don't have to double up though. thanks for the info!!

MikeAurelius · #11 2005-09-13, 7:37am

Yeah - all you are doing is futher cutting down the transmission of light frequencies:

Let's say the first filter cuts 20% of some frequency, so it transmits 80%. Now, looking through the 2nd filter, it's going to cut 20% of the 80%, or remove another 16% - you are down to 64% visible light "at that frequency" instead of the original 80%.

Now, there ARE times when this can be useful (stacking filters), but not so much so for soft glass.

2craftymoms · #12 2005-09-30, 11:13am

ok so i need glasses? I have a hh too, and wore some clear eye protection but after working for an 1/2 hour or soo... My eyes were soo tired feeling, dry and tired is the only word i can think to describe...the rest of the day i was zonko for watching tv or anything...
is buying the rose dydium going to change that???
DD

Dale M. · #13 2005-09-30, 3:30pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2craftymoms

ok so i need glasses? I have a HH too, and wore some clear eye protection but after working for an 1/2 hour or soo... My eyes were soo tired feeling, dry and tired is the only word i can think to describe...the rest of the day i was zonko for watching tv or anything...
is buying the rose dydium going to change that???
DD

IF you only have a problem when working at the torch, its very possible that you need the dark lenses to protect your eyes. Also they let you see actual gather of glass because they filter out orange ball of light surrounding the gather...

Other consideration is you are so intent on what you are doing you forget to BLINK, yep something simple as blinking can help situation with eyes.

Dale

MikeAurelius · #14 2005-10-01, 12:50pm

DD - my suggestion would be to get an "economy" pair of didymium or AUR-92/ACE filters and try them for several working sessions. If the dry, itchy eye sensation goes away, the problem is solved.

If it does not, however, this may be an indication that you may have some other issues going on with your eyes, such as allergies, insufficient ventilation, etc etc.

For soft glass users, especially on a Hot Head torch, darker lenses are not indicated. Reducing visible light rarely, if ever solves anything for soft glass users (unless you have medical issues or take medication that make you sensitive to bright light).