Anyone have Kentek MultiWave goggles?

[daveindelaware]

I saw a little Showcase write-up in my Photonics Showcase magazine for the C111C MultiWave goggles. Says they "provide scratchproof coverage w/ 70% visibility for multiple lasers: 200-474 nm, 525-552 nm, plus nearly complete IR coverage from 755nm on up."

Sounded great, so I looked at their website.

$899.99

Specs from website:

Laser: Alexandrite, CO2, Diode, Er:YAG, Excimer, Holmium, IR, KTP, Nd:YAG

OD @ wavelength (nm):
6 @ 200 - 3084+ @ 309 - 4601+ @ 4803 @ 466 - 4744+ @ 810 - 8405+ @ 950 - 17006 @ 1050 - 10755+ @ 2100 - 22005+ @ 2900 - 32005+ @ 106007+ @ 5323 @ 525 - 5525+ @ 528 - 5507+ @ 755 - 8107+ @ 1064

I'm guessing that if you only deal with two or three wavelengths these are overkill. It would be less expensive to buy two or three separate goggles.

Anyone here use a pair of these goggles?

 

[TacoHerder]

$900 Thats just nuts.

 

[ElectroMagneticFreak]

Hi Dave,

Have a look at these multi-wavelength goggles from Survival Laser. They are basically the same thing for $57. They don't cover exactly the same wavelengths but are pretty close more or less. At least they cover the more common ones you might encounter such as any ultra violet, 405nm violet, 445nm blue, 473nm blue, 532nm green and a couple Infrared wavelengths. Of course some of these wavelengths will have a lower OD rating than others. It is good to see the graph to see what protection is offered for the specific wavelengths you are going to be using to make sure there is enough protection for that specific wavelength.

Of course neither of these goggles cover red wavelengths as if they did you probably wouldn't see anything visible at all through the goggles and only black.

Eagle Pair® 190-540nm & 800-2000nm Laser Safety Goggles

 

[KentekTom]

Good morning, from KentekTom. Please be wary of some of the lower priced laser safety glasses.

1) claims of higher OD (optical density) in the infrared, particularly above 1100nm, are most likely not substantiated. You should ask for the OD curve, which is the results of an optical scan, for any filters for which you have concerns.

2) The "CE" mark and OD (optical density) are not compatible. That is to say, CE certification for laser safety glasses will result in a marking that shows protection levels for particular types of lasers. The types of lasers are labelled as D, I, R, and/or M. The latest EU/CE standards require protection levels indicated by the letters "LB" followed by a number such as "4" or "5". These protection levels are NOT directly equivalent to OD levels. Some low cost laser eye protection might be labelled like this: 190-540nm OD4+ CE. If it were truly CE certified, the mark shoud appear something like: >315-534 D LB5 .

The letters CE if marked after the OD ratings may simply indicate that the product has passed EU requirements for impact resistance or another industrial standard. You may also find CE on the inside of the frames - this never indicates CE certification for laser safety. Laser safety ratings on tested products should appear in full on the outside of the product - on the lens, maybe on the temples.

I do work for Kentek, and we do sell laser safety glasses, and as noted on this forum, some of these products are expensive, and likely are overkill for most low power applications. We feel strongly that all laser users should be safe - you only get one set of eyes. There are many reputable sources of laser safety glasses.

I do not wish to post frequently on this forum, or create clutter or commercial messages. If a moderator from the forum wishes to contact me for information that can be posted on this site to help all of you experiment safely, call Kentek. Ask for Tom M.

Hope this helps.

Tom