I know this might sound silly, but I'm curious if I need any eye protection from the light when using a bench grinder, especially since it can throw off some pretty bright sparks. I'm into restoring chisels and plane blades, and I'm wondering if the light exposure could harm my eyes in the long run. I already wear a face shield when I work, but I'd love to hear what the more experienced folks think about this.
2 Answers
It can’t hurt to wear eye protection! While the sparks generally fly downwards, there's always a chance things could go wrong when a tool is spinning at such high speeds. Your eyesight is too valuable to take risks, so using a face shield is a good move. Though in your case, it sounds like you're covered!
You don't really need special light protection like you do with welding. The sparks from a bench grinder aren't intense enough to harm your eyes just from the light. The important thing is to have a face shield or safety glasses to protect against flying sparks and debris, which are the real hazards.
Thanks for the reassurance! Just wanted to make sure I'm being safe.