The definitive goggles thread

[arcane]

Wow!  Excellent tip, Mr. von Slatt!  I've always wished that there was a source for cheap Rx glasses to mess around with, but had no idea my wish had come true!  This opens a whole new world of making to me--medical hacking!

PS:  I apologize for the wild use of "!"s, this has all just gotten me so very excited

I agree. I've been carrying around a piece of paper with my perscription on it just in case. Now I can actually put it to good use. Cheap glasses FTW!

[Kabuki]

I always wanted red lenses for my old welding goggles, but could never find red glass, or even plastic filters.  At least until recently, and now I can't find the goggles. *sigh*  Time to make my own, I gather. Excellent links, though.  Definitely some beautiful gogles there.

[Lasairfion]

http://www.cy-x.com/
http://www.jadedminx.com/Goggles_1.html
http://www.obscuria.com/gothic/category/Handmade_Industrial_Gothic_Cyber_Goggles
http://www.darklocks.citymax.com/goggles.html

Don't forget the Cyberwear. Goggles are a staple diet there. It wouldn't take much to age them I'd guess.

Continuing the cybertheme... don't forget the cross-usefulness of accessories into steampunk projects... i.e. http://www.raveworx.com/Pocket-Plasma-Clip-On-pr-447.html

[Mr Pad]

I found these ones : http://www.armybarracks.com/shopDetails.asp?CatId=25&SubCatId=73&ProductId=1231 and I admit I'm stuggling against buying them.

[Puppet Master]

Drool.

99% with you there although I might just have to remove the elastic and replace it with pvc rubber ring and 4.7mm stainless steel in a v design. Would take a bit of work making sure the inside diam of the steel was smooth, but by gum it would be worth it!

Hmmm I would say replace the strap with rubber, then paint the metal in a brass colour.....it would be even better if they were made from brass though.

[Vermilion]

I'd say that welding goggles of the cheap non-box variety were better starting points for Steampunk goggles?

You can pick them up at many hardware stores for around $10 (like here)

these too are my goggle of choice ...if i end up loosing them or what not then its not the end of the world

[heresyoftruth]

I'd say that welding goggles of the cheap non-box variety were better starting points for Steampunk goggles?

I am indebted to you for the idea. I was going to carve out my own plexi lenses, attach them to brass pipe fittings, and work from there, but after reading what you have done I have changed my mind. I hadn't thought such an animal as these welding goggles existed until I saw your post. Many many thanks!

[Kabuki]

I just bought a pair a couple days ago.  Most welding companies carry them from Jackson Co.  And the model is WR-40.  They use industry standard 50mm lenses, and come with shade 5 green polycarbonate units.  Mine were $8.40 at Industrial Welding Supply.  I also made red lenses (finally!) for mine.  I haven't been able to find any more of this sheet, though...  Basically, it was just red sheet acrylic used to "repair" broken tail lights.  I found it at Fred Meyer's, a local one stop kind of store.

[heresyoftruth]

They use industry standard 50mm lenses, and come with shade 5 green polycarbonate units.   

Do you happen to know if the shading is lighter at a higher or lesser number. A quick perusing of the web shows me all sort of replacement lens places, and I want a slightly less dark lens. I plan on using them for bike riding as even mild wind in my face makes my eyes water. (Also, a good reason to have a set of goggles, though.) The lenses they come with are a bit dark for me.

[Kabuki]

The shading is 1-10+, light to dark. 10 is what most arc welding masks use.  3 is sufficient for soldering with a torch, and 5 is sufficient for brazing.  5 is a little dark for, say, sunglasses replacements, but 3 or 4 would be great.

[Ninepins Cutter]

I got these at an army surplus store in Chicago years ago, don't remember the name.  It seems pretty unlikely to me they're actually army surplus though.

[The Infernal Mr Adams]

I should inform everyone looking to get them that, because of this thread, I bought these:



And they are great!...and cheap!...the picture doesnt do them justice, and they are made of plastic...but they are sturdy and good looking....sure there are better goggles out there, but these aren't a bad buy at all and a good substitute until you get your real brass ones

[heavyporker]

That reminds me. How does one acquire/manufacture lenses for use in making goggles? I want some that are at least resistant to UV, so the goggles *would* actually be practical, as opposed to being merely cosmetically attractive. I've got a couple ideas for *spectacular* goggles that should be fun to make, but the lenses are critical.

Bonus points for green-tinted lenses. I'm a sucker for that. Lost two bidding matches for awesome antique motoring goggles with brass framing and green lenses this very week so I'm disconsolate.

[heresyoftruth]

That reminds me. How does one acquire/manufacture lenses for use in making goggles? I want some that are at least resistant to UV, so the goggles *would* actually be practical, as opposed to being merely cosmetically attractive. I've got a couple ideas for *spectacular* goggles that should be fun to make, but the lenses are critical.

Bonus points for green-tinted lenses. I'm a sucker for that. Lost two bidding matches for awesome antique motoring goggles with brass framing and green lenses this very week so I'm disconsolate.

You can buy replacement lenses for welding goggles all by themselves at various darknesses. I found two sites that sell just welding goggle replacement lenses. They are:

http://www.murexwelding.co.uk/mrxcont/accessories/mrxppglgw.htm at the bottom of the page.
http://www.pro-am.com/Catalog/Exec/product.asp?product_id=205

I hope this is helpful?

Before I was aware of these options I was going buy some acrylic plexiglass and cut them out and sand them down in the color I wanted. This is so much easier, and I am lazy at heart.

[heavyporker]

Ow.... that pro-am link says $100 minimum order... and the info doesn't say if they do protect against UV. Only protection against infra-red was said, so that's kind of disappointing. I'd almost certainly expect loads of UV radiation in welding.

I didn't know you could sand/polish plexiglass. I thought it was wickedly fibrous if you cut/scratched it to any extent. But getting neon-green plexiglass could be awesome... Hmm.

[heresyoftruth]

I planned to buy the lenses from the local welding supply. I used the links as an example, so I didn't check the price. Sorry about that.

[daeudi_454]

I have found my local Dollar Stores to be a useful source of materials for many projects.

The sunglasses rack often has true circular sunglasses... I have purchased quite a few pair in Red, Blue, Green, and black... (Not the purple!)

The lenses are quite easy to pop out, and is in fact how I made my 3-D sunglasses.
Considering how difficult I have personally found plexiglass to work with (especially curved), I plan on using my surfeit of round lenses, and making the goggle frames fit them- rather than the other way around.

Oh- And a small word of caution to all those who do not already know better:

 NEVER use a Dremel on Plexiglass!!!!  

[OHebel Wring]

http://cgi.ebay.com/SOVIET-GOGGLES-for-LIGHT-RADIATION-of-NUCLEAR-EXPLOSION_W0QQitemZ160090554179QQihZ006QQcategoryZ67017QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

these are next on my list....



although not handy for welding, WILL help you protect your eyes during the annoying flash of a light-nuclear explosion.

yeah, I'm down.

[daeudi_454]

Not sure if these count as goggles, much less steampunk...
But I've been wearing them to various purposes for about 3 years now.

My daughter had me make her a pair of round ones for her steampunkish vampire hunter costume.

[Tel Janin]

I want to get myself some squared aviator goggles. Kind of like these.

[Kabuki]

Welding lenses SHOULD be UV protective, though the units that are really meant for high UV Arc welding are made for the whole face shield/helmet units, as you can get pretty bad "sun" burns.  The round goggle lenses are unlikely to have that kind of protection available, as the commercial market just doesn't exist.

[OHebel Wring]

i wonder about my nuke-goggles.  wonder if they would be good welding ones (not that I weld, but the guy has tons of these on ebay-- someone else might want them)


just one more day until the auction is up.... 

[Otto Von Dieselbowser]

Hello, first post here in the forums - a newbie from Australia.

I have just purchased a pair off eBay. From Germany but I have heard they have a good rep for timely delivery.
They are vintage Swiss army snow goggles from late 30s to mid 40s. (WWII era)

Try these links

http://cgi.ebay.com/Swiss-Army-Snow-Goggles-Vintage-Rare-Anno-1944-in-Can_W0QQitemZ110094555185QQihZ001QQcategoryZ13980QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Swiss-Army-Snow-Goggles-Vintage-Rare-Anno-1944-in-BOX_W0QQitemZ110096656748QQihZ001QQcategoryZ13980QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I assume they are in good condition since Switzerland was neutral the entire second world war so they wouldn't have seen much action. 
Cheers

Yippie!! The mail just arrived and my Goggles are here.
Less than 10 days shipped from Germany to Australia. (Lucky they didn;t send them to Austria hey?)

Lenses are in perfect condition.
Fabulous for WWII vintage goggles. Very happy!

Will post a photo of me in them soon.

[OHebel Wring]

I won my Nuke ones last night and will be paying for them later today!


now i can stare at the sun ALL DAY like the guy in Pi.

[heavyporker]

I won my Nuke ones last night and will be paying for them later today!


now i can stare at the sun ALL DAY like the guy in Pi.

Uhh.... Even with nuke goggles, I suspect it is still a Very Bad Idea to stare at the sun.