Eye protection for silver soldering?

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DianneB
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Location: Manitoba, Canada

Eye protection for silver soldering?

Post by DianneB »

I seem to have been doing a lot of fine silver soldering recently and can't seem to find the right eye protection.

If I wear my oxy-acetylene goggles, I can see the flame fine but I can't see the work piece or the puddle of silver - they are in the dark.

I tried wearing ordinary sunglasses but they aren't dark enough and I can't see anything else for awhile after silver soldering.

I went into a welding supply store to see if they had any lighter shades of welding glass but they didn't.

What do you all wear when silver soldering? Can you see the work and the puddle without being overwhelmed by the O/A flame?
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GlennW
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Re: Eye protection for silver soldering?

Post by GlennW »

I just wear my regular prescription glasses and have never given it another thought.
Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
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10KPete
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Re: Eye protection for silver soldering?

Post by 10KPete »

Dianne, you want a filter of the density used for gas welding, no denser. I have a face shield with a green ... well, shield... I use for gas welding and brazing. I wear spectacles so this is easiest for me.

Pete
Just tryin'
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Eye protection for silver soldering?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

According to the OSHA boys, you should use a shade 2. We used to stock safety glasses that were shade 2, and 3. The eyes of MSHA were upon us....but when we soldered with a torch, we usually wore regular safety glasses. (don't tell anyone.....)
Shade 3 is recommended for brazing.
Oxy-acetylene cutting is shade 3 to 5, welding is shade 5.

Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
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NP317
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Re: Eye protection for silver soldering?

Post by NP317 »

What GlennW said.
Regular prescription glasses.
I never need a large O-A flame for silver brazing.
~RN
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BadDog
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Re: Eye protection for silver soldering?

Post by BadDog »

My experience aligns with what Bill described. I've got an old school set of torch goggles (Boilermaker issue circa 1975 or so) that I use for cutting. And I use a lighter (shade and weight) pair of goggles for O/A welding and brazing. But solder, just safety glasses to protect from spatter and UV exposure. I've got a nice Autoglass variable now (bought for TIG) that I would probably use for cutting and welding (but not under a vehicle!), but I haven't done either since I bought the nice hood.

Edit: Now that I think more on it, I think I did wind up using the heavy old torch goggles (not sure the shade) when I welded with O/A. But last time was around 1990 or so, and my memory is unclear. But thinking about staring at that bright puddle, I'm pretty sure I used the darker goggles. About the only time I ever welded with O/A was door and a-pillar bulkheads when fatigue cracked (a few years after the detents started that skeEE-pop). No other form of welding every stood up for a repair. But the large HAZ of the O/A weld seemed to anneal them and make them last forever (along with repaired hinges).
Russ
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