[TheForge] UV/IR query

[jerry Frost]

Good PPE is all important Paul, more important than working in the shop in
fact. Forget UV protection against forge radiation, that's fad "science"
nonsense, your fire can't get hot enough to produce UV in "measurable"
levels. Long term IR radiation can cause cataracts so do NOT stare into the
fire, keep an eye on your steels but don't stare into the fire, that is a
B-A-D thing to do to your poor eyes.

Tinted safety glasses are good, they'll minimize IR and if you use the same
ones all the time you'll learn to judge heat by whatever tinted color you
see through them. Like so much it's a matter of practice and keeping notes
is a good idea till you get a handle on things.

You DO wear good safety glasses with side shields. YES? Those are good for
general shop work, I don't allow visitors in my shop unless they're wearing
theirs and for really "dirty" work. Stuff that puts a lot of debris in the
air say wire brushing, grinding, blowing dirt off  with an air hose, spray
painting, etc. work that puts a lot of crap in the air I highly recommend
goggles that fit snuggly around your eyes. 

No fooling, I've had a bit of grinder debris carom off my shirt to the
inside of a face shield then my cheek, then the inside of my safety glasses
and into my eye. Fortunately it was moving slowly enough by then it didn't
stick and rinsed right out.

Leave an arc welding shield for when you're arc welding they have no place
at the forge otherwise.

Frosty

-----Original Message-----
From: TheForge [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Paul M
Dunphy
Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2017 6:46 AM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [TheForge] UV/IR query

     I have been studying Jack Andrews' "The New Edge of the Anvil" for
awhile as I learn more about the craft.  He makes several references to eye
protection in the traditional sense of physical damage to the eyes.  
I have a great set of goggles and use them regularly. However, they
certainly don't filter out UV and IR radiation.

     How important is this?  I know fires can emit wavelengths outside the
visible spectrum.  I'm using a two burner gas forge that gets steel yellow
enough to forge weld, so I guess I'm getting up there in temperature and
enhanced light emission.  I don't watch the stock in the fire except for the
odd quick glance.  I do watch it a lot while forging it on the anvil, but I
can't imagine hot steel would emit enough damaging radiation to cause eye
damage.  Should I be concerned about UV/IR damage if I'm only doing this for
2-3 hours once every few days?  
It seemed to be overkill when I first read it, but the more I study his
book, he more I feel Andrews knew his stuff inside out.

     I don't want to wear an arc-welding mask when forging, so what's the
general feeling of the experts on this list on the UV/IR topic?  How can you
judge forging and heat treating colour if you have the equivalent of even
acetylene welding goggles?  I'd prefer to be able to see the steel clearly,
but not at the expense of eye damage down the road.


- Paul

------------------

Paul M Dunphy
Lake Echo, Nova Scotia
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