Safety Glasses

[Jerry Bruette]

Finally reached the magic age where I need to use safety glasses with the bi-focal cheaters. That's not the big problem though, when I clean the darn things they become a dust magnet. It's especially bad when sanding or cutting MDF.

Any of you folks have a special potion for cleaning glasses that won't leave a static charge?

Jerry

[Jamie Cowan]

I've never tried it, because I've never thought of it unitl just now--but you might try running a dryer sheet over them. I've used them to get static out of hair, clothes, etc. Might work on the glasses.

[Brendan Plavis]

My best solution is that I never wear them... now someone will say that its dangerous... but so is crossing the street...

But I would try a dryer sheet... it cant hurt...

[Chris Kennedy]

My best solution is that I never wear them... now someone will say that its dangerous... but so is crossing the street...

But I would try a dryer sheet... it cant hurt...

Ah, youth -- that feeling of immortality.

It is a solution -- far from the best. Wear them.

[Jamie Buxton]

My solution is glass lenses. They don't attract dust, and don't scratch as easily as plastic does. You can't get glass lenses at the local lumberyard. You get them from an optician. Another good thing about safety glasses from an optician is that they offer frames in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you can get something that really fits you.

You might be concerned about glass near your eyes, but safety glasses have been made with glass lenses forever. They have been, and still are, certified by OSHA.

[Brendan Plavis]

That is true, considering that most lenses like that are made with a safety glass that doesnt shatter every where when hit... Another thing to consider is polycarb lenses(like they use in little kids glasses.) That way it wont break period. And to my knowledge they dont scratch easy(I have a piece attached to my fence, since its smooth, and it doesnt appear to have any scratches, and I have used it to push logs through...

[Britt Lifsey]

My solution is glass lenses. They don't attract dust, and don't scratch as easily as plastic does. You can't get glass lenses at the local lumberyard. You get them from an optician. Another good thing about safety glasses from an optician is that they offer frames in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you can get something that really fits you.

You might be concerned about glass near your eyes, but safety glasses have been made with glass lenses forever. They have been, and still are, certified by OSHA.

I got a pair of prescription safety glasses years ago when we first started renovating our house. I really liked using them when working on house and in workshop. Since I wear glasses all the time anyway, they were convenient and kept my "dress glasses" from getting scratched, etc. They looked pretty much like normal eyeglasses and came with snap-on "hoods" for side protection.

The prescription eventually became outdated and frames wore out. I have an eye exam first of June...might get another pair

[Jim Terrill]

That is true, considering that most lenses like that are made with a safety glass that doesnt shatter every where when hit... Another thing to consider is polycarb lenses(like they use in little kids glasses.) That way it wont break period. And to my knowledge they dont scratch easy(I have a piece attached to my fence, since its smooth, and it doesnt appear to have any scratches, and I have used it to push logs through...

Polycarb (in the thickness used for safety glasses) will crack given the right impact. I have a few pairs that can attest to that point. The key is that they cracked and lessened the impact that would have otherwise hit my eye. Anyone who tells you otherwise is unrealistic. And polycarb scratches much easier than glass.

[Brendan Plavis]

Polycarb (in the thickness used for safety glasses) will crack given the right impact. I have a few pairs that can attest to that point. The key is that they cracked and lessened the impact that would have otherwise hit my eye. Anyone who tells you otherwise is unrealistic. And polycarb scratches much easier than glass.

It does scratch easier? I thought that was Plexi. Lexan I believe doesnt... or maybe its the other way around...

[Jim Terrill]

It does scratch easier? I thought that was Plexi. Lexan I believe doesnt... or maybe its the other way around...

Lexan is a brand name of polycarbonate.

[Dave Verstraete]

My best solution is that I never wear them... now someone will say that its dangerous... but so is crossing the street...

But I would try a dryer sheet... it cant hurt...

Brendan
I hope that you are just kidding us. You use a push stick on a bandsaw...why...because you want to keep your hands. Put your safety glasses on, young man! There..I did my "old Man" duty. As a young diemaker, I saw what not wearing safety glasses does after working with a person that lost his eye to a high speed air grinding wheel.

[Glen Butler]

Both Acrylic (plexiglass) and poly-carb (lexan) scratch easily, though there are special coatings that will increase scratch resistence.

You could try some anti-static wipes and see if that will help with dust collection. I have my doubts.

How does one wear a dust make, safety glasses, and ear protection all at the same time? They just don't seem to fit together well. Does any company make a lightweight complete kit that fits together well?

[Kev Godwin]

Jerry,
Back to your original question....

You can purchase several different brands of anti-static lens cleaners. You can buy it in bottles from your local eye-care centers and sometimes you can find it in the big box retail centers - especially the ones that have eye-care centers in them. Just make sure to get the ones that say "anti-static", not just the type that is only a lens cleaner.

I use a brand I get from a sporting goods store that many hunters use for their shooting glasses. My anti-static stuff is also an "anti-fogging" formula. Many hunters get in and out of their vehicles and don't want to have to deal with fogging on their lenses.

I use this type because I like to knock down larger sheets outside (in colder weather) with a circular saw before bringing it into my shop. Mine stops the static dust as well as the fogging.
Kev

[Brendan Plavis]

Brendan
I hope that you are just kidding us. You use a push stick on a bandsaw...why...because you want to keep your hands. Put your safety glasses on, young man! There..I did my "old Man" duty. As a young diemaker, I saw what not wearing safety glasses does after working with a person that lost his eye to a high speed air grinding wheel.

Im not kidding, I dont use them, because I find, that they obstruct my vision too much to safely work. I have a pair of high quality safety glasses I use for shooting, even those I found to be too hindering, it just didnt permit me to feel like I could see what I was doing sufficently, to do it safely. I find they often ruin my depth perception, something you kinda need when advancing a piece, as well as your hands, toward a blade, spinning several thousand rpms/fpms...

Maybe I have developed an annoyance to them, because my mother made me wear these Chem-Lab goggles when I was younger to use a drill... But maybe thats why I cannot stand them.... leading to the feeling of an obstructed view.

And its not because I think I am invincable either. I have had a few close calls. The other night I was cutting something on the CMS, the cut off(it was a small piece of ply(yea, i know bad idea, but I didnt have the BS yet..) flew up and hit me between the eyes... that shook me up a tad... As well as nails that have shot back up at me when I have hit them, et cetera.

Anyway, that just my explaination of why I choose to violate that safety rule, if you will.

[Jim Terrill]

Im not kidding, I dont use them, because I find, that they obstruct my vision too much to safely work. I have a pair of high quality safety glasses I use for shooting, even those I found to be too hindering, it just didnt permit me to feel like I could see what I was doing sufficently, to do it safely. I find they often ruin my depth perception, something you kinda need when advancing a piece, as well as your hands, toward a blade, spinning several thousand rpms/fpms...

Maybe I have developed an annoyance to them, because my mother made me wear these Chem-Lab goggles when I was younger to use a drill... But maybe thats why I cannot stand them.... leading to the feeling of an obstructed view.

And its not because I think I am invincable either. I have had a few close calls. The other night I was cutting something on the CMS, the cut off(it was a small piece of ply(yea, i know bad idea, but I didnt have the BS yet..) flew up and hit me between the eyes... that shook me up a tad... As well as nails that have shot back up at me when I have hit them, et cetera.

Anyway, that just my explaination of why I choose to violate that safety rule, if you will.

Then can you preface your posts with a disclaimer that you knowingly disregard general rules of shop safety, so that someone doesn't try to follow your advice and lose an eye. If you seriously think that you can't see with safety glasses, you need to look at higher quality glasses. Not the $.50 cheapos from HF, but the quality ones that tradesmen wear. I used the same safety glasses for construction and working in a lab. There isn't much that requires the perfect vision and precision than working in a lab with micropipettors, so I'm going to call BS on that one.