The thread about "real" goggles/glasses. . .

[wikemallace]

I actually made my own safety glasses out of some recycled 3d glasses from a movie theater and the amber safety lenses that are at the business end of our U.V. light source wands at my work. I tested them by shining my ~2W 445nm handheld through the amber lens which didn't allow any of the light to pass through. it's kinda crazy how it completely makes the beam invisible and how dim the dot is on the wall and the best part is that these were completely free for me to make!

 

[Videogamer555]

How good are these laser blocking glasses?

Laser Safety Goggles OD+5 OD+6 405nm 445nm 532nm | eBay

They claim to be good for violet, blue, and green lasers, and they have a dark orangeish red color.

They only cost $35, but they might be good. What do you think?

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

How good are these laser blocking glasses?

Laser Safety Goggles OD+5 OD+6 405nm 445nm 532nm | eBay

They claim to be good for violet, blue, and green lasers, and they have a dark orangeish red color.

They only cost $35, but they might be good. What do you think?

Those are a gamble at best... don't waste your money.

Best option are certified goggles... links to several companies in my signature.

After that eagle pair, are the next best thing to certified. As a last resort, there are work safety goggles you can buy.

Links in my signature.

 

[Videogamer555]

I was watching a video on Youtube about laser dazzlers, and one of the commenters posting a comment about the video said "easy way to beat that is just get some laser goggles". I replied, "I've seen them on Edmundscientific and they cost $150 to $300, and someone just wanting to avoid stoping for the cops dazzling laser isn't gonna spend THAT much money". Then a guy replied to my comment, and said "I am a scientist who works in a laser science lab with a 4 Watt argon laser, and I use cheap $30 laser goggles, and they have protected me just fine even from direct hits to the goggles by the 4 Watt laser beam".

So yeah, pricy does NOT necessarily mean safer. Very good quality goggles that can handle some significant power are apparently easy and cheap to make, and that means they can sell for low prices like $30, which means Edmund Scientific's prices of $150 to $300 are just ripoffs, and do NOT honestly represent the price they are actually worth.

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

I was watching a video on Youtube about laser dazzlers, and one of the commenters posting a comment about the video said "easy way to beat that is just get some laser goggles". I replied, "I've seen them on Edmundscientific and they cost $150 to $300, and someone just wanting to avoid stoping for the cops dazzling laser isn't gonna spend THAT much money". Then a guy replied to my comment, and said "I am a scientist who works in a laser science lab with a 4 Watt argon laser, and I use cheap $30 laser goggles, and they have protected me just fine even from direct hits to the goggles by the 4 Watt laser beam".

So yeah, pricy does NOT necessarily mean safer. Very good quality goggles that can handle some significant power are apparently easy and cheap to make, and that means they can sell for low prices like $30, which means Edmund Scientific's prices of $150 to $300 are just ripoffs, and do NOT honestly represent the price they are actually worth.

Your source for laser safety goggles is a science toy company, and your expert opinion is from an anonymous youtube commenter... all the while the goal is to avoid stopping for cops.

Forget the implied facepalm... this one is more fitting;

 

[TomD]

Who knows. Maybe I would believe in a goggle-wearing scientist who aims a 4W argon into the eyes. :crackup:

 

[Videogamer555]

Who knows. Maybe I would believe in a goggle-wearing scientist who aims a 4W argon into the eyes. :crackup:

That's one good way to test the strength of the goggles ability to not melt or shatter under high power lasers, and instead to continue to provide full protection even under such high powered lasers.

 

[Videogamer555]

Your source for laser safety goggles is a science toy company

Also, EdmundScientific is NOT a science toy company. While they do have toys they make, and other consumer grade products (4inch Meade, telescopes, blacklights, tesla coils, etc), they also specialize in VERY HIGH QUALITY optical components (think B&W security cameras that cost $500, or 5mW red 650nm laser diodes that cost $300). Just look at their optics catalog online at Online Catalog of Precision Optical Components | Edmund Optics

and specifically their laser protection goggles/glasses at Laser Safety | Edmund Optics

Those goggles are each worth about $30 but Edmund is OVERPRICED and sells them for $362 for the normal ones, $209 for the slightly less protective ones, and over $500 for some IR blocking ones and over $600 for other IR blocking ones. NO LASER GOGGLES ACTUALLY ARE WORTH THAT MUCH!!!!!!!!!! It probably costs them $10 to $15 to manufacture one at a factory, and they'd make a profit still selling it at $30. But they are making OBSCENE PROFITS selling them at the HUNDREDS of dollars they are selling them at.


In other words, if you spend more than $30 on ANY laser protection goggles, you are WASTING YOUR MONEY.


An instructor at a community college I went to once called the company Edmund Scientifics, as "Edmund Ripoffics").

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Also, EdmundScientific is NOT a science toy company. While they do have toys they make, and other consumer grade products (4inch Meade, telescopes, blacklights, tesla coils, etc), they also specialize in VERY HIGH QUALITY optical components (think B&W security cameras that cost $500, or 5mW red 650nm laser diodes that cost $300). Just look at their optics catalog online at Online Catalog of Precision Optical Components | Edmund Optics

and specifically their laser protection goggles/glasses at Laser Safety | Edmund Optics

Those goggles are each worth about $30 but Edmund is OVERPRICED and sells them for $362 for the normal ones, $209 for the slightly less protective ones, and over $500 for some IR blocking ones and over $600 for other IR blocking ones. NO LASER GOGGLES ACTUALLY ARE WORTH THAT MUCH!!!!!!!!!! It probably costs them $10 to $15 to manufacture one at a factory, and they'd make a profit still selling it at $30. But they are making OBSCENE PROFITS selling them at the HUNDREDS of dollars they are selling them at.


In other words, if you spend more than $30 on ANY laser protection goggles, you are WASTING YOUR MONEY.


An instructor at a community college I went to once called the company Edmund Scientifics, as "Edmund Ripoffics").

So you have a problem with Edmund... maybe you should contact them, and complain?

There are other companies that sell laser safety goggles, and in general their prices do make sense.

Even edmund... look at the specifications...

All eyewear are ANSI Z136.1 certified. All CE-marked eyewear are also certified to EN58215, EN207/EN208.

Do you realize how expensive it is to be able to legally make that statement?

What those certifications do mean is that the goggles will do everything they are rated to do, and more. Never less.

Production costs aren't everything.

 

[AndreMA]

Hey, I just bought a 1w 445nm laser and it came with these googles Laser Protection Glasses - Red
Are they any good?

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

No idea. They might be, or might not. 1W is not a small amount of power.

I suggest you spend another ~$10 at least and get goggles that have had at least some testing. Better yet the ones from SL for ~$40, and the best option is to go with certified.

You only get one pair of eyes...

 

[AndreMA]

No idea. They might be, or might not. 1W is not a small amount of power.

I suggest you spend another ~$10 at least and get goggles that have had at least some testing. Better yet the ones from SL for ~$40, and the best option is to go with certified.

You only get one pair of eyes...

Can you send me a link to some goggles from SL (dont know what that is) that protect against 445nm at a price about 40 dollars?

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Laser Safety

 

[AndreMA]

Thanks, I came down to two goggles, one from Survival laser and the other from oemlaser:

ARG - Blu Ray, Argon, Blue, KTP [NR-ARG-EN207] - $80.50 (Style 60 softie goggle)

Eagle Pair® 190-540nm & 900-1700nm Laser Safety Goggles

which one should I buy?

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Either will work well.

To start off with, go with the eagle pair, but get the slightly more expensive ones that have 800nm-1700nm protection.

The ARG's are better, but they don't offer any protection against IR. Comparable goggles from OEM will be well over $150 iirc.

 

[AndreMA]

Either will work well.

To start off with, go with the eagle pair, but get the slightly more expensive ones that have 800nm-1700nm protection.

The ARG's are better, but they don't offer any protection against IR. Comparable goggles from OEM will be well over $150 iirc.

Ok I am going with the eagle pair but which of these ones do you mean with "800-1700nm":
Eagle Pair® 190-540nm & 800-2000nm Laser Safety Goggles

Eagle Pair® 190-540nm & 900-1700nm Laser Safety Goggles

Remember the laser I got is 445nm