Goggles + Earmuffs =

[jussi]

Eyemuffs.

I was at a festool class/demo a few weeks back at Anderson Plywood in Culver City and the camera man was wearing these cool looking earmuffs that had a pair of googles attached to them. During the break I asked him about it and he said they were called eyemuffs. The conversation got me interested and I went and bought a pair from a company called sellssafety. Turns out it's also the site of the maker. I ordered a pair and they arrived in short order. They took a little while to get used to. You have to extend the goggles out a bit when you flip up to get them to clear your head and then push them back closer to your eyes when you flip down. I haven't used them around any wood yet. Just turned on some of the louder machines in my shop (ie Dewalt planer and PC7518 router) and tested them out. They work well, but with a NRR of 19db they aren't the best at drowning out the noise. But for 95% of my machines they will work just fine. My planer is the only one that I may consider using my older earmuffs (which have a NRR of 31db). And only if I'm doing alot of planing. Those earmuffs will drown out airplanes. I got them mostly because I almost never wear my earmufss and goggles at the same time. I start with both of them on but during the course of the day, one gets put down somewhere and I end up forgetting where I put it or am too lazy to get it. I thought these were a clever idea I'd give a try. The price isn't too bad. They're $40 and several are on sale for $35. Including the "festool" green that I got. I also picked up the amber and smoke lenses too. At $4 each I couldn't pass it up.

[leehljp]

Looked the company up. Might have to give them a try. I certainly could use some. And, I like that they fit over prescription glasses!

[jussi]

Cool. I think they're a pretty good idea. Hopefully they function well. I asked the owners about a Bluetooth version and he said its on their list but in the much distant future as they have other models they're working on.

[aiyou]

Thanks for the link.

Impulse buy, but I really need something that I'll consistently use (and, with the lime green color, easily find).

I also grabbed both the amber and smoke lenses, as I am extremely light sensitive, and these should allow me the opportunity to have adequate protection outdoors (rather than using my standard sunglasses).

[tfischer]

Do most of you wear ear protection the entire time in the shop? I hate wearing it so I only throw them on when I'm actively using a loud tool. I typically always wear them when using the table saw or planer. Usually the router (especially if it's handheld). Never for the drill press, and usually not the jointer. I'm bad about the miter saw... I usually just run over there for an occasional cut off and don't bother.

But I take them off as soon as I'm finished with an operation.

[aiyou]

I don't get much time in the shop, so I typically make due with the sunglasses.

Most of the time is spent with the tablesaw and router - picked up a used AP10 a number of years back, and have only used it once or twice. The router is certainly the noisier of the two, and the earmuff should be of benefit there.

I have, though, recently had my 2nd eye surgery (medically necessary, not a shop accident) and have otherwise been quite careful of my eyes. Hopefully, this integrated solution will leave me with no excuses.

[cray-]

If I'm doing a couple quick chops on the SCMS then I don't bother, if I'm using it for an extended period doing a repetitive task then I will. TS yes, router yes. Earmuffs and cheapo goggles that go over my prescription glasses.

My "shop" is a corner in our 2 car garage so usually I have the roller door open to the street. Therefore I don't like to leave the earmuffs on in case someone approaches or a family member comes out of the house. Paranoid about someone sneaking up on me and causing an accident.

[capncarl]

Goggles always seem to fog up for me. I now always wear safety glasses on the lawnmower since a chunk of wood bounced off the neighbors fence and whacked me between the eyes. The large Kohler engine is creating quite a fuss as well so I wear ear muffs. The ear muffs press against the glasses temple covers at my ears and hurt a lot. This combination might work well for the lawn mower operator.

[LCHIEN]

Prescription safety glasses

Looked the company up. Might have to give them a try. I certainly could use some. And, I like that they fit over prescription glasses!

Have you ever looked at asking your optician give you prescription safety glasses? We're supposed to wear them at certain places at work and at customer work sites. So I charge the cost off on my expense report (or deduct from income taxes). I wear them full time at home or work. They consist of ANSI Z87-2 -rated frames and ANSI Z87-2 rated lenses. I have the full complement of features including graduated (smooth transition bifocals - no line) and anti scratch coating and Transitions (auto sunglass feature, gets darker quickly in short time in the sun).
Only thing I can't get is polarized (want for fishing).

They come with removable side shields that clip onto the earpieces.

I wear them all the time for work and the shop, in the yard and driving and playing tennis and fishing - usually without the side shields, I admit. If there's a big chance of flying particles (esp from the side) I or where required by rules (usually because others are working nearby thus the flying objects can come from anywhere) I put on the side shields. Most personal work flying objects would come from straight in front, provided you are paying attention.

I managed to do a faceplant once on the tennis court and put a huge abrasion on one lens... They replaced it for free. I've probably had a few small pieces of stuff bounce off the lens with no damage in the shop.

So I don't have to put up with over goggles and fogging of the goggles and looking through multiple layers of glass. You might look into it. I had my optometrist indicate the need for ANSI Z87 on the prescription as documentation for tax purposes, expense purposes.

[LCHIEN]

Do most of you wear ear protection the entire time in the shop? I hate wearing it so I only throw them on when I'm actively using a loud tool. I typically always wear them when using the table saw or planer. Usually the router (especially if it's handheld). Never for the drill press, and usually not the jointer. I'm bad about the miter saw... I usually just run over there for an occasional cut off and don't bother.

But I take them off as soon as I'm finished with an operation.

I wear prescription safety glasses 100% of the time, and ear muffs whenever I use the TS, Jointer and planer and router and CMS, but I don't always remember right off the bat. Don't usually use for drill press or Band saw or sanders. Yeah on the miter saw the crosscuts are so quick I often forget. But for ears the damage is both by amplitude and length of exposure so yeah, it would be less important for miter saws,

[JSUPreston]

Do most of you wear ear protection the entire time in the shop? I hate wearing it so I only throw them on when I'm actively using a loud tool. I typically always wear them when using the table saw or planer. Usually the router (especially if it's handheld). Never for the drill press, and usually not the jointer. I'm bad about the miter saw... I usually just run over there for an occasional cut off and don't bother.

But I take them off as soon as I'm finished with an operation.

I try to put on my hearing protection as soon as I'm in the shop, and I'll usually just leave it on. When the tools aren't running, I sometimes really enjoy the extra quiet that I get. Then again, it's almost always high stress at my house.

I have a very difficult time with traditional goggles, and don't like the feel of safety glasses over my prescription glasses. In the past, I've used a plastic face shield (like Nahm when he's using the lathe). I need to get a new one, the old one broke a while back.

[JSUPreston]

Apparently it's safety week/month. Marc @ thewoodwhisperer.com has a new video about eye, hearing, and lung protection, and is giving away some nice Festool stuff as well.