Popular Woodworking 2006-04 № 154, страница 67
actually look decent for around $100. That can be approximately one-quarter the price of your daily prescription glasses! Heck, you might even end up wearing the safety glasses all the time. To view the styles available, or for more information on this program, visit the Aearo web site at www.aosafetysrx.com. Specialty Lenses Colored lenses in the shop ? Well, you shouldn't be wearing lenses darkened for use out-of-doors, but yes, yellow is a decent option: Amber-lens safety glasses help improve visual acuity and can actually improve your mood. If it's overcast, or you're working on a proj ect in a poorly lit area, amber lenses can have a positive effect on your disposition. MSA Safety Works Amber Lens ($12) MSA Safety Works Indoor/Outdoor ($11) Sometimes you end up working in two different types of light, such as in and out of your garage workshop on a sunny day. These lenses are designed to cut some glare, but not be too dark for indoor use. Side shields are valuable on a pair of safety glasses, but this amber-tinted pair has turned the side shield into a stylish feature and improved visibility. The tinting actually brightens your view of the workspace. Another lens option is indoor/ outdoor lenses. These lenses are tinted just enough to take the glare off of a sunny day, but aren't tinted to the point where indoor applications are a problem. And many of the indoor/outdoor lenses will block nearly all harmful ultraviolet rays. Designed for the military, these fully padded frames keep out dust while still providing a very comfortable fit. They're also equipped with clear, dark or amber lenses (as shown) for any work environment. Who hasn't had to work in a poorly lit corner or under a sink at some time? These glasses equipped with LED add-ons put the light just where you need it and still provide comfort and safety. While we're discussing lenses, let's talk about one of my major gripes with safety glasses: They scratch up too easily! I tend to find a pair that fits well, and before I realize it, they're scratched and need to be replaced. There are two things going on here. One is I don't take very good care of my safety glasses. Tossing them onto the workbench (unless I miss and they end up on the floor) is not going to lengthen the life of the glasses. And if your bench is like mine, the glasses have a pretty good chance of having a few tools tossed on top once they're on the bench. So that's my fault. Some of the safety glasses are now being sold with a hard-shell case or a cloth bag to help protect against scratching. These are good ideas, but you'll still have to make sure the glasses get back into the protective gear. But why can't they make safety glasses more resistant to scratches? It goes back to the polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate is a better material than standard plastic or glass. It protects against shattering or splintering and still keeps the price down. However, polycarbonate is a slightly softer material and is prone to scratching. Most manufacturers are offering protective coatings on many of their glasses to protect against scratching. But you are still the best line of defense in keeping your glasses in good shape. And if that still doesn't satisfy you, remember this: they cost less than $10! Buy a new pair. Specialty Applications Remember the accident statistics at the beginning of the article? One of the other statistics reported was the type of eye injury. And while we're spending a fair amount of time protecting our eyes from flying pieces of wood, three-fifths of the accidents involved airborne objects that were smaller than a pin head! Dust and small debris are as much a problem as larger pieces of wood. Because of those statistics, side shields, or glasses that wrap around the eye are a better idea for protecting yourself against all dangers. To offer even more protection there are safety glasses that incorporate dust seals around the frames to keep the little particles out of the eyes. SOURCES Aearo Safety Products 800-327-3431 aearo.com DeWalt 877-723-4267 radians.com/dewalt MSA Safety Works 888-672-4692 msasafetyworks.com 64 Popular Woodworking April 2006 |
