bronzetools Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I have been doing some searching on google and I seem to get a lot of different advice on the minimum safe shade number for forge welding. Some people say a shade 3 ,others a shade 5,some say none at all. While I always wear some form of safety glasses when working, I would like to also be able to view the color of the metal and a shade 5 makes it fairly tough. Thanks Steve Leonberger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Pikula Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I usually wear Shade 5 for my first couple welding heats. It really helps me to see what is going on with the flux at the surface of the steel. After I think everything is all welded up nice and solid I switch to "sun" glasses that block UV for the forging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=5514 summary, you need good IR and UV protection, the actual shade isn't that important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronzetools Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Thanks David for the direction. Alan had a very clear summary of what I need and it is probably alreadyon my head and in my woodworking shop right next to every saw . I will check the specs. on my clear glasses.I don't know why my search did not produce the other thread ,Oh well... Thanks again Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john marcus Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) there is very little UV at 2300 F unless somebody knows otherwise. there is alot of IR. 2300f = 1533K Edited December 11, 2009 by john marcus infinite edge cutlery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Craft Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 there is very little UV at 2300 F unless somebody knows otherwise. there is alot of IR. 2300f = 1533K So this leads me to ask the quetion what is the best bang for the buck in IR protection as well as UV protection. Surely there must be someone out there that specifically makes glasses for this application. (IR Protection) My eyes are bad enough I don't need to screw them up worse! Then I won't be able to hear or see! C Craft Customs ~~~ With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down ! If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! ~~~ C Craft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 So this leads me to ask the quetion what is the best bang for the buck in IR protection as well as UV protection. Surely there must be someone out there that specifically makes glasses for this application. (IR Protection) My eyes are bad enough I don't need to screw them up worse! Then I won't be able to hear or see! To quote Arthur from that thread David linked above, I've never used any glasses while forge welding,but this thread got me thinking....so I checked out the Rio Grande catolog and they have a green #3 with IR protection for $11.50 a pair.. seems like a bargin...their part# 201-252 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 While doing a little looking around to see what I'd get if I needed a new pair, I found these: http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/s212.html . These would be my choice, since the flip-up shade allows one to use the shade only when necessary while still keeping your eyes protected at all times. Plus they've updated the styling a little bit so you won't look as much like a mutant moth as mine make me look. I wear prescription glasses as well. I sent my old safety glasses off with my prescription to a company that specializes in that sort of thing, and they put new clear lenses ground to my prescription in the frames. I had them add UV, IR, and antifog coatings as well. Now I don't have wear two sets of glasses at once. The frames with flip-up green shade cost $35, the new prescrition lenses were about $40. Not a bad deal, much cheaper than cataracts or glass eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Thomas Obach Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 i believe this is a first.... no one has recommended those Blue Glasses... ... nice tip Alan... those look right on North Shore Forge & Ironworks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronzetools Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 (edited) Last night after reading other threads and replies to this one I decided to look for specs. on safety glasses and found a good web page that stated the UV ,IR , and VLT(visible light transmittance) ratings for Uvex glasses . The page is at My link It seems that the VLT relates to how well you can see the true colors and is somewhat inversely proportional to the IR rating.In the lower shade numbers you can see better but have less IR protection(Shade 2:IR-85% ,VLT-35% Shade 3:IR-91%,VLT-14%) as opposed to a higher shade(Shade 5:IR-97.5%,VLT-2%). I had about 24 small (3/16" X 1" X 3 1/2") 1095 plane irons that I was heat treating and I wanted to keep a close watch on them so I would not overheat them . I was working in low light to see the color better and I found that a Shade 5 created what I considered an trip hazard due to reduced general visibility. I ended up using a Shade 3 and using a little more light at a greater distance from my forge. I am still not clear as to what is a tolerable level of IR exposure but I am sure even 85% is much better than none. Steve Edited December 12, 2009 by bronzetools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 To quote Arthur from that thread David linked above, Interesting to see ones self quoted........Get the Rio Grand Jewlery Supply catolog...They have two different glasses with UV & IR protection, both about ten bucks both work great...highly recommended. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." — Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I just ordered these: http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/sw11-ir5.html I had been wearing safety glasses that I believed were infrared blocking. Turns out that some safety glasses use a Milspec rating that has the acronym "IR" in it. It means "impact resistant." So, my glasses weren't blocking any infrared. Doh! What I really want though is a pair of steampunk looking goggles like Uli wears! -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennett Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I just ordered these: http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/sw11-ir5.html I had been wearing safety glasses that I believed were infrared blocking. Turns out that some safety glasses use a Milspec rating that has the acronym "IR" in it. It means "impact resistant." So, my glasses weren't blocking any infrared. Doh! What I really want though is a pair of steampunk looking goggles like Uli wears! Thanks for all the intelligent, thoughtful replies. IR. You need to watch out for that one. Cataracts can be corrected with surgery, but retinal damage, is rather permanent, I'm affraid. Dave, I love those too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will E. (RassilonMonk) Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I just tossed a pair of those style goggles I had picked up when living in Germany, they were a bit too rusted out. -W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Hey all: The glasses I ordered (http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/sw11-ir5.html) are too dark. I got the IR 5 rated lenses, I should have gotten the IR 3. Just thought I'd let everyone know. --Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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