Goggle “Welding Google’s Cutting”. Look at the Radnor glasses with
the #5 filter. These are acceptable for most cutting procedures
because they cut back the visible light caused by burning the steel
with the introduction of oxygen blow to the melting flame of the
properly tuned burning torch. You are seeing clearly only the area
around the Cut.
What you are not seeing clearly is the effect the torch is having on
the area around the Cut. This isn’t a concern most of the time when
cutting an I beam of a piece of 1/2" steel plate. But it would be a
concern with most of my soldering applications in my jewelry
workshop. I want as clear a field of vision as I can have.
Most Goggle’s are used to protect your eyes from the light created
by gas welding with steel rod or brazing with an oxygen and
acetylene torch when using fluxed brazing rod. Cutting and brazing
has some eye damage associated with them from pops and spatters of
molten metal. And to a small extent from soot floaters.
Boatyard rule of thumb: Turn on the acetylene, turn on a small flow
of O2. Then light the torch - no floaters because the O2 burns them
away. Turn off the gas then the O2 - no floaters for the same
reason, also the O2 blows out the flame.
Does this damage the torch or the regulators? Not in a boatyard but
I don’t use Oxi-Acetylene jewelry torches in my shop. So I don’t
know in this application.
Use any safety measures you decide are necessary for your shop. My
regular glasses are safety lenses and have been since I built
commercial fishing boats 35 years ago. I don’t use or need to use
darkened lenses in my shop but if I felt there was a need I would.
Safety first.
Don Meixner