Gold Lens?

admin

I have heard some good things about the gold plated lenses and their clarity. I would like to get one for a Jackson HSL 1000 fixed lens hood and was looking at this manufacturer http://www.pmwelding.com/fs-3h.html  I was wondering though if one brand is just as good as another or could the one I am looking at purchasing be a junk version of the gold plated lenses? Will the one the link be ok?
Reply:Phillips safety. Way better than a plastic gold lens. Very clear lens.
Reply:First off, understand that the gold color has nothing to do with the lens clarity. The gold color is a reflective coating to help keep the hood cooler. Lens clarity is a function of the quality of the material the lens is made of. Most glass lenses will be clearer than a plastic lens, and a top quality glass lens will be a lot clearer than a plastic or cheap glass lens. The top quality glass lens will also cost about 5 times more than the plastic or cheap glass lens but will enable you to see your weld much better and will help prevent eye strain and fatigue. The previously mentioned Phillips lens runs about $25 for a 2x4 lens and is actually made by a German glass manufacturer that makes optical grade glass. I personally feel the price for a quality lens is very cheap in the grand scheme of things as it will make it much easier to see what's going on with the puddle and is cheap insurance for your vision. I am not a big fan of the AD lenses and the few I have used are no where near as clear as a top quality fixed lens. Bear in mind that no lens will be clear if you don't keep it clean and the protective lenses clean or replaced. Hope this helped some.Last edited by gundog77; 11-29-2014 at 10:09 PM.Reason: spelling
Reply:Thank you both for the info.
Reply:Also be aware that if the gold coating gets scratched, the lens won't filter the arc and is garbage.