[wolfau]

Hi there,

Anyone use laser safety glasses and if you do is there any recommendations?

Trying to find a pair is a bit of a mission. Should of purchased from Wk when I ha the chance but since they don't accept Paypal it will cost extra money to get a wire transfer made and paid.

Thanks

Joe

[Bec Weir]

Ebay

[wolfau]

Which ones though

I got told they need to be ipl 3 with up to 2000nm.

Joe

[emd68]

Try eBay. Lots of choices and most take PayPal. Make sure you check the wavelength they are made for.

Ed.

[wolfau]

Thanks for your reply,

This is why I posted this post to get suggestions. I have a 90 watt Reci Laser Cutter.

Joe

[underthetire]

Ya, you need to know the density you need and the wavelength. We use 6 with a 1064nm on our co2 and Yag lasers.

[GWEIKE-LASER]

Hi Joe,
you can buy the goggles from our company also.
the protect glasses is specially use for laser machine(wave lenght 1064nm)
see pictures.
PS: Paypal and western Union is workable.
regards,
JENNY
--------------

[wolfau]

Hi Jenny,

Awesome. I thought you did not accept Paypal.

Should I communicate with Lucy or buy these from you?

Thanks Again

Joe

[GWEIKE-LASER]

Hi Joe.

We surely accept paypal for laser parts
You can buy this goggles from her directly. She know your all details.
From me also is fine.

Anyway, any questions on machine, please feel free to contact me.
regards,
JENNY

-------------

[baksiidaa]

I think any polycarbonate safety glasses are okay for CO2 lasers. A couple pairs of $60 "laser safety" glasses from Laservision came with our laser cutter, and I found the exact same model sold as cheap safety glasses for $2 elsewhere.

[Exsecratio]

Laser Eyeware Calculator

and I found the exact same model sold as cheap safety glasses for $2 elsewhere

Oh dear....not good

best wishes

Dave

[underthetire]

Don't "think" they are ok, you better know they are ok. Can't replace eyeballs for the $100.00 it would cost for proper eye wear. Bet you'd spend that on trendy sunglasses...

read this.

http://d12d0wzn4zozj6.cloudfront.net...eFactSheet.pdf

[baksiidaa]

I was speaking only of glasses for CO2 lasers, since I assumed that was what the OP was asking about. If I was working with a shorter wavelength I'd definitely be more picky in choosing glasses. Just about everything is opaque to 10.6 um light, including polycarbonate. Laservision specs the glasses I was referring to as OD 5+ @ 9000-11000 nm, and that's just for the normal clear polycarbonate. I don't see any reason to spend 20 times as much for the exact same product with an extra stamp on it.

As my officemate just pointed out, though, you could always just buy some of the cheap ones and put them under the laser with a piece of paper under them to see how well they do. As underthetire's link points out, since you cornea is opaque to the CO2 wavelength, the eye damage from this wavelength is cornea burns, and so you can get an estimate of how long it would take for eye damage to occur by watching for the paper to start burning. As it turns out, I just looked for an old post I remembered and saw that someone's actually tried this already: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/840471-post3.html

[Bec Weir]

If I found " the exact same model" of safety glasses for $2 that I had just bought elswhere claiming to be laser eye protection, I think I would buy that $2 pair, stick them in my laser and zap them with increasing power until they failed.

If they failed, I would then give my more expensive "safety glasses" a zap in an upper corner somewhere, just to be sure.

Your eyesight is worth more than $2, or $60......

[baksiidaa]

If they failed . . .

Any glasses blocking tens of watts are going to fail—they have to absorb all that power, and unless there's some way of getting the heat out faster than it comes in they are going to melt or break or burn through. They do need to last long enough that you can notice there's a problem and move before one of those things happens.

[underthetire]

It's not the same to use paper and see how long it takes to burn. In the cornea, Pressure will start to form immediately from the heat and pop like a grape. We had one incident here years ago, all the laser expert heard was a pop and red vision. This wasn't in seconds, this was instant, and it was only a 40watt laser at 1064, but it was a YAG.

[wolfau]

I am no expert in this matter it is why I have asked for some help.

What I did learn so far is the Safety Glasses need to protect you from the Intense pulsed Light (IPL). I think there are 5 ratings. The higher the IPL number the darker the shade of the glasses will be.

In a situation like mine using a CO2 Laser powered by a 90 Watt Reci Tube I think what I need is an IPL 3 up to 2000nm which is a medium dark shade.

IPL 5 glasses can be found at your hardware store and have a really dark tint which I think may be used when oxy cutting.

Thank you to everyone for posting a reply and helping out. Look forward to reading more as more replies are posted.

[underthetire]

Don't get caught up in the "tint" color. My 6's are very high rated and only have a moderate yellow/green shading to them. The prescription ones some of the guys have are a very light blue, but still have the OD6 rating. I tend to be on the cautious side since i deal with 200-3000watt systems.

[baksiidaa]

It's not the same to use paper and see how long it takes to burn. In the cornea, Pressure will start to form immediately from the heat and pop like a grape. We had one incident here years ago, all the laser expert heard was a pop and red vision. This wasn't in seconds, this was instant, and it was only a 40watt laser at 1064, but it was a YAG.

Right - for 1064 nm, you have to worry about the laser getting through the cornea. I'm talking about 10.6-um CO2, which is what the OP was asking about.

[Bec Weir]

Any glasses blocking tens of watts are going to fail—they have to absorb all that power, and unless there's some way of getting the heat out faster than it comes in they are going to melt or break or burn through. They do need to last long enough that you can notice there's a problem and move before one of those things happens.

Yes.
Though I believe it would not take much to damage the retina.
It would be nice / fun / interesting to see just how much power was needed to punch through the safety glasses, and for $2, it would be a cheap experiment.

I might try it later today and see what happens.

I have my doubts about peoples ability to notice when things are going wrong. As a Registered Nurse in aTrauma Ward, my working life is filled with people who have done stupid things. I can can also remember as a uni student (20 years ago) the Tutor was just about to explain about safety around the laser we were about to use for an experiment, when she turned around and a fellow student had turned ln the laser infront of him and was looking straight at the beam. :/