welding mask lens colors

[beezaadict]

not sure the right section for this question but because im working with auto related AL. welding thought id ask here.

today i had the opportunity to be instructed by a long time very skilled old salt,and was able to ask alot of questions and get some really good advice

he let me try several different types of lenses in his vintage mask that were
different colors,and WOW what a difference in the view of the puddle and the work piece,so now im spoiled and am searching for the lenses on the interweb
ive only been able to find the gold, he said some of them were no longer made
like the "cool blue"

my question is anyone know sources for somthing comparable to the blue lens and were to find it?


thanx

[Laiky]

Not sure about blue lenses for arc welding, there were cobalt glass blowers googles that were blue but they don't block UV so they are a no,no. There were popular for alluminum gas welding at one time, they caused cateracts, and vision loss for a lot of people.

[Bodybagger]

The lenses that are used today are designed on a century of occupational health and safety data from hotwork.

See ANSI Z49.1 - which has been constantly updated since 1944. See also ANSI Z87.1, which requires them to meet UV, visible, and IR transmittance requirements.

If your lens doesn't say Z87.1 and list the shade appropriate for the process you are using, it isn't safe.

To compare the relative value of one's eyes, think of this... If I won the Powerball, I might be able to buy a new private jet. Bill Gates can probably buy a new private COUNTRY! But nobody in the world is rich enough to buy a new set of eyes. And living with vision loss that was 100% preventable will really bring you down.

[beezaadict]

i shouldve been clear, the blue lens is not a cobalt gas welding lens, they are safe approved lenses available until semi-recently made by a company
called american optical known as cool blue,the old salt that showed me them is a nuclear sub weld inspector,over 30 years on the job. i found out the ore used to make them is no longer mined for and they were not dropped for any saftey reason.

i would never jeprodize my eyes and use junk. or crackpot crap


http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=5902 theres a little mention of them

[Glenn B]

The american optical Cobalt blue lenses are obsolete. I spent a few weeks locating them about six years ago for a customer. He wanted it for tig welding aluminum in a shade 12. We got a hold of the last two american optical had in stock back then. they weren't cheap. If I remember right they were about $40.00 ech back then. He had used an old timers that was teaching him & fell in love with it. He bugged me daily for weeks till I finally found him one. I think I still have the other one in my #3 hood I will have to check. Now that I have a tig I'll have to try it out.

[beezaadict]

The american optical Cobalt blue lenses are obsolete. I spent a few weeks locating them about six years ago for a customer. He wanted it for tig welding aluminum in a shade 12. We got a hold of the last two american optical had in stock back then. they weren't cheap. If I remember right they were about $40.00 ech back then. He had used an old timers that was teaching him & fell in love with it. He bugged me daily for weeks till I finally found him one. I think I still have the other one in my #3 hood I will have to check. Now that I have a tig I'll have to try it out.

nice,my same exact situation.id pay 40 bux easy for a 11 or 12.