Protective goggles: has anyone tried this?

Aug 03, 2014 7 Replies

Hi all,



We all know goggles don't last 5 minutes before they become so scratched up they're impossible to see through. These scratches typically arise as a result of us wiping "dust" off the lenses (this isn't household "dust" it's usually abrasive particulates formed from grinding and sanding activities). So.... has anyone tried taking a brand new pair of cheap goggles and protecting them with a layer of clingfilm? You know, like the racing drivers do. I'm just thinking maybe the useful life of these wretched things could be extended indefinitely by the addition of a little clingfilm. Anyone tried it?



cd


I use smartphone screen protectors, you can get 5 covers for 99p delivered on ebay. Depending on size of goggles, but I find the Samsung S3 screens need the least trimming for me.

My grit blasting helmet has several layers of film sandwiched in a rubber holder that can be peeled off one by one as they get scratched

Andrew

My grit blast cabinet has stick on removable plastic sheets similar to tearoffs used in motor racing only significantly thicker. 'kitchen' cling film is not really the same stuff at all as tearoffs.

Can't see the point in buggering about sticking film on when you can buy goggles for just under a quid (plus VAT) from CPC, albeit for dust only with no impact protection. Decent goggles specified for impact use (I prefer 3M stuff) last better than cheapies and scratch less, and when they get too scratched to use or the headband elastic fails (which takes maybe two years) they get thrown away.

If you are grinding a lot then a face guard with a replaceable visor is only about 6 quid from toolstation and keeps the worst of the crap off your face and the goggles.

cling film is very thin and also unsure how optically clear it would be .... a rip away film needs to be a bit thicker.

Have you tried the trick of using a gentle jet of water to flush the dust away (as you would when washing a motor vehicle's paintwork)?

Oh crikey yes. Anything's better than wiping!

Once I was short of indirect vent goggles, and had some unwanted direct ven t that I noticed had the same shape of optical plastic, so swapped the piec e over to the indirect vent set. Not something Icba to do normally, but at the time it was the quickest solution.

I'd be surprised if cling was clear enough and offered much protection. Try it & tell us.

NT

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