Just because you only weld as a hobby, it is no reason to take safety lightly. As a matter of fact, this is probably where most of the accidents happen because these individuals are not being held to the same safety standards that people who work in welding shops are. Do yourself a favor and at the very least, get a pair of welding goggles.
If you want the best of the best, find yourself a pair of oxyacetylene graded welding goggles. The name is much bigger than the glasses are. They are actually the model of glasses that Doc wore during Back to the Future. They may look funny, but they are very good at protecting your eyes.
Hobart is a name that is very respected in the industry and the Hobart 770096 Welding Glasses are about as good as they make. The rigid 50mm cup will protect your eyes and the Number 5 Shade is keeps those bright colors at bay while you are working. Amazingly enough they are only about $15.
Something else to take note of about these glasses is that everyone that wears them swears that they are the most comfortable welding glasses that they have ever worn. You will never get agitated by them when you are working for long hours. This is very important as you can have the best glass one the market, but if they are not comfortable you are more likely not to wear them.
Nobody will say that welding goggles don’t look funny when they are on, but who cares? If that is your reason for not wearing them, all you need to do is walk into a welding shop and see the people that are wearing them all the time regardless of what they look like. You just cannot afford to risk your eyesight for a reason as silly as that.
Welding goggles are showing up everywhere, so don’t be surprised if you are walking down the street and you see a couple of kids that look like they are dressed for another time wearing them. Serious Welders should use Welding Goggles to Protect their eyes