What eye protection for grinding?

[belfert]

I use a combination face-shield / respirator when grinding, painting, working underneath vehicles or working on any system with pressure in it (air, hydraulic, etc).  It cost well over $100 new, and has paid for itself a couple of times.

You can't get these at Wally World or Harbor Freight -- try an industrial safety dealer.

This turned out to be the best suggestion of them all for me.  I found an industrial safety dealer locally who had a 3M 6800 in stock for $125.  That was about the going rate at most places online although a few places had them for $100 shipped.  I really needed something so I can work yet tonight.

The salesperson said a face shield with half face respirator would work, but I really couldn't see the face shield working with the bulky respirator underneath.  The salesperson also told me the medium size respirator works for almost everyone.  I would have bought a large if I hadn't talked to him.  When I showed up the salesperson said right away that a medium would be right for me.

[robertglines1]

got a scar on cheek from wheel exploding....use anti-fog spray on inside of safety glasses..goggles..I sweat alot in this hot weather..fwiw...Bob

[belfert]

I was a day late buying new eye protection.

My eye is really bothering me this evening after getting stuff under my safety glasses Sunday.  I noticed something embedded in my eye near the iris.  I called the medical clinic's 24 hour scheduling line to get an appointment for tomorrow and they told me to go to the ER in case it is steel as it will rust in the eye.  (I am waiting for my ride to the ER.)

[boogiethecat]

Just in case, after all this good advice,  you forget your goggles and get a piece of steel in your eye anyway- here's a very cool tip...

Get a neodymium supermagnet (at least 1/4" diameter by at least 1/2" long) and bring it near your affected eye and poof, you can literally watch almost any STEEL fragment fly out of your eyeball and head for the magnet at superspeed!!!
This trick has cheated my eye doctor out of a LOT of money!!! too bad it only works on steel, but with that it does an exceptionally good job...

[Jeremy]

As it happens my metal fragment was right by the iris as well...I don't think you really 'feel' things in your eye until they've floated their way to the edge - and if they don't they are also very hard to see against the black background of the iris. I had no idea there was anything there until my eye was examined professionally, and they told me that the bit of metal had probably gone into my eye with enough force to embed itself into the surface, which it why the natural process of it floating off to the side hadn't happened. And by the time it was dealt with the cornea had apparently had time to grow over the metal fragment, which meant it had to be cut out of the surface of the eye. I don't remember any concern about rusting though.

Jeremy