OD8+ Safety Glasses

[MattM15]

Anyone in the forum know where you can find OD8+ glasses? I found these T5E07 - Laservision USA but didn't know if anyone knew of anyone else that sells them.

I'm looking for like a style 34

 

[MattM15]

I guess the other question is am I being overly protective? I'm just thinking worst case scenario that the laser is shined directly into my eyes. I currently have a pair of OD 7+ ARG Glasses from NOIR laser shields.

If my 2.7 watt 445 hit me directly in the eye with my glasses on how much power would reach my eyes?

 

[trencheel303]

Those ARG goggles are more than capable. According to this, https://www.lia.org/evaluator/od.php
your minimum OD required is 3.43.

Even with an OD4 Eagle Pair you would probably be fine... don't blame you for being conscious though. My ARG goggles should arrive this week. (Style 60 )

To answer your question - you can get hold of Argon goggles on ebay for about what you'd pay for an Eagle Pair, and the ones I've looked at are often OD 15 for the 488nm line and around OD11 for 514nm. I don't know how much they protect at 445nm and wasn't able to find any specs though, so I advise caution if you go down this route.

The OD isn't all you need to think about though, what the lens is made out of and how well it's coated is also important. Cheap glasses could melt or worse crack if a very hot laser hit them.

 

[MattM15]

I noticed that the site that I linked sells glass lenses. Are they all what they're cracked up to be? And I was hoping to find a pair a bit cheaper than the $299 that they were selling them for. I know the ARG's that I have are polycarbonate. Has anyone tested the ARG's from NOIR with a sustained laser hit?

 

[trencheel303]

I have no idea about glass lenses, but the ARG goggle I ordered were also polycarbonate. I think it's a case that ARG is polycarbonate and is a certain specification across the board. Polycarbonate is very strong though.

good luck finding someone to test expensive goggles like that though. Part of the joy of certification is so we don't have to. Eventually I may do a destructive test on an Eagle Pair if and when I retire them, but not for a while as it'd probably be pointless without an LPM. Don't think I could stomach testing "real" goggles though.

 

[MattM15]

I guess my next question is...When is it actually "Safe" to take you glasses off? For example, I'm in a room 20x15 shining my 2.7w 445 at the wall on the other side of the room 20 feet away. The laser is on a sturdy tripod and it's not going anywhere. Is it possible to look towards the dot? Does the beam diffuse enough off the wall or is it only safe to take them off and look at the beam outside if star pointing knowing there won't be any reflection at all

 

[trencheel303]

With 2.7 watts I wouldn't be looking at it on a stationary wall for too long, as it'll be quite bright. I shine my 445 and 532 (see sig for specs) around the room all the time without goggles but I'm always hyper-aware of reflective objects and I purposely move my head and eyes slightly so the dot isn't always hitting the same part of my retina. Doing this leaves no lasting lights in my eyes and is a great way to sensibly enjoy the laser indoors.

Not too long ago now I fully defocussed my 532 and watched the spot on the ceiling while it mode hopped. I enjoyed the show but it was a bit too much and for the next few minutes my eyes had a lingering "dot" much like you get when a camera flash goes off. It cleared up nicely but I'll not make that mistake again - being defocussed it was obviously still very intense.

It's not easy striking a balance between being overly "safe" and actually enjoying the light that exits the laser. My rules generally are goggles go on at setup time, then come off when in a safe position and everything is under control. No goggles while outside and sky pointing (that would be utterly pointless), and no goggles when I am holding the laser and shining it around the room, as I am still in control of where the light goes.

For indoor use I am going to use a Pringles tube as a beamstop that hides the splash from the dot... I don't know whether it'll last long on a 445 but I have an empty tube here which I'll test tonight (burp) and let you know how it works out. As I'm more of a beam man myself the dot can be quite a "nuisance" so I'm hoping it works out.

 

[MattM15]

Sounds good man. Let me know how it goes.

I'm also more of a beam man, but was just curious when using the laser indoors. I tend to be more towards the overly cautious side. No need for me to blow out my eyes. I'd like to be able to watch my kids grow up without being blind/have a black spot in my field of view.

 

[IsaacT]

I have used a 2.5W 445 with my OD5+ laser glasses and you can barely see anything. If I remember right the OD_ cuts the light down by _ order of magnitudes. So my OS'S should cut it down to

2500mW x 10^-5 = .025mW

In practice however bear in mind that plastic glasses can melt. Yours may be actual glass though which would be handy.

I use my lasers without safety glasses if I am in a position I know will not endanger me. I use black surfaces to absorb some of the dot intensity, and like Trencheel, I am a beam guy. I have viewed my 800mW 532 and my 2500mW 445 indoors without glasses. The key is to not stare at the dot. When I was a kid my mom told me to never stare at the sun or welding torches because it will burn my eyes. I take the same precautions with lasers. A glance is fine, staring is not. If I want to take measurements of the dot and view the mode, glasses are a must so you can see the dot without the splash.

 

[MattM15]

With my OD7+ all you can see is the dot. No beam or anything. Through the glasses the dot just looks like a bright orange spot.

I've honestly never seen the dot without glasses only from the pictures I've taken with my dslr. I'm so paranoid I've only see the beam while star pointing and indoors usually if I'm looking at the beam perpendicular to the way it's going.

Maybe I'm just paranoid haha.

 

[trencheel303]

Well the pringles tube works an absolute treat at reducing dot splash.

Here's splash from my 100mW 532 and 1600mW 445 - basically lights up a room:

the downside is it messes with the camera and misrepresents the colours. Here's the beams being shone into the pringles tube:

splash is almost totally gone except at the pringles end, which looks far worse in this photo

(took this just as the IMRs in the 445 gave up)

it's just the tube with an old sock pulled over the top, a small hole cut in it and black tape used as much as possible to cut out reflection from inside the tube. position the lasers with goggles on, make sure dot is inside tube and lasers are secure, remove goggles, enjoy.

figured this would be useful for us beam lovers, it will certainly greatly enhance my bare beam photography as the splash is a nightmare. it's also perfectly safe as the bottom of the tube is metal so it won't burn through.

 

[MattM15]

Wow that made a huge difference. Looks great! I'm going to have to try that.