Why are helmet lenses so SOFT???!!!!

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I used my new Miller digital helmet for a couple of hours today. No problem with the helmet, but like all helmets, the front lens is made of an incredibly soft plastic.  It got covered with dust, so I lightly swooshed a soft rag over it. Instantly, it was covered with fine scratches.  I had barely touched it!  These things seem to be made of the softest plastic on the planet.  Is there a reason?  Why not use a harder substance like some kind of polycarbonate? Why not a piece of thin, strong glass?  This is nuts.-RuarkLincoln 3200HDHobart Stickmate LX235TWECO Fabricator 211i
Reply:spatter will stick to a glass cover lens.  Dont wipe a plastic shield with a dry cloth ... i use windex on mine to keep them running a little longer.AWS CWI xxxx21711968 SA200  Originally Posted by WelderMike  I hate being bipolar, It's awesome.
Reply:Some are polycarbonate. The Jackson 4"x5" and the weldmark brand are polycarbonate. The Miller's, especially the curved ones are really soft and thin. Anchor brand plates are from china and are thin and will crack or shatter if you try to trim them with tin snips to fit odd sized lenses.
Reply:I bought a pak of 25 covers for my 3M. After 32 yrs of keeping rock crushers together you get used to dust and scratches. Sure, the cover on my 3m has some scratches but in my judgement it's not bad enough yet. Ya just have to learn to deal w/ a little adversity in life. If ya need absolutely clear vision then spend some $$.                                                  MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Originally Posted by AFFENDEspatter will stick to a glass cover lens.  Dont wipe a plastic shield with a dry cloth
Reply:They ARE polycarbonate. Raw polycarbonate is shatterproof, which is needed for the ANSI rating, but is also super soft.
Reply:Blow the dust off with compressed air, assuming you have it available. Other wise, like he said, use Windex or a liquid cleaner prior to wiping.Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180
Reply:Mechanically wiping dirt/debris from polycarbonate lenses is a NoGo.  Compressed air only.  The cost of doing biz with plastic is the propensity for frequently acquiring unwanted scratches.  Personally, use glass outer/protective covers along with glass lenses on passive lids.  All Philips products."Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:If you want to make your lenses last a little longer you can pick up some plastic scratch filler, comes in a little bottle only a couple bucks and it takes most of the scratches out of the lens.
Reply:Originally Posted by ManoKaiMechanically wiping dirt/debris from polycarbonate lenses is a NoGo.  Compressed air only.  The cost of doing biz with plastic is the propensity for frequently acquiring unwanted scratches.  Personally, use glass outer/protective covers along with glass lenses on passive lids.  All Philips products.
Reply:Originally Posted by RuarkWhat are you supposed to do when your shield is covered with dust and you still have 2-3 hours of work left to do?
Reply:The cover sheets are probably polycarbonate, which is softer and less clear than acrylic (Lexan) but much tougher (impact resistance). Wouldn't be surprised if some cheap crap was polystyrene or the like."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:I love the Hobart "gold" #10 lens.   It's around $6.00 from Tractor supply.  I keep the little harbor freight clear plastic lens shields over it.   After several long hours and if needed, I just swap out those clear plastic covers for a fresh one.  Easy.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Just do like a guy in my class who has a Miller Digital Titanium hood. He rinses the whole thing with water from a hose.
Reply:Originally Posted by mikecwikYou have to live with the scratches you made on your lens if you don't care to do what people suggested to you.You can extend the life of your lenses with things like Plexus or a plastic polish.
Reply:I'll have to buy some of that Terry.I've been using Happich Simichrome polish to clean plastic for years. Works great on bringing back cloudy meter lenses, etc on welding machines.Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:If you want to clean your mask components I suggest one of these kits.Get them at any eye care professional outlet.First..take the cover lens out of your mask and just RINSE it in HOT water...Don't touch it! (I have a clear lens in front and behind the filter)...Dab the water off it with tissue paper..DON'T RUB IT!!Then spray and wipe with the stuff in the kit.Presto!Clean and scratch free!As a basic rule of thumb I do change out the cover lenses every month but in the mean time this works GREAT and keeps the scratching to a minimum......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:My brother was using a clear face shield and got it dirty, I picked it up and thought how can anyone use such a soiled shield? Wiped it off, still bad, then realized he forgot the safety film, which is usually tinted. Hope you have not had the same problem but is easy enough too do. Sent from my SM-N915W8 using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by RuarkWhat are you supposed to do when your shield is covered with dust and you still have 2-3 hours of work left to do?
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonI use this. Just a dab will do it. Takes out the scratches. Good for polycarbonate as well. For gold lens never clean the gold. In fact if you tough it and leave a finger print, the acids in your print will eat the gold coating.
Reply:Originally Posted by OscarI tried a meguire's headlight lens restorer and it works ok too.
Reply:Originally Posted by mikecwikThat also must mean deep woods off would work too.
Reply:Plastic polishes are great for small scratches.  Microfiber cloths work well for dust and loose abrasive material, but once they have loaded any "dirt" they will scratch the plastic.  I keep a collection of clean ones in a plastic jar, so that I can use a fresh one each time.  I wash them separately in the clothes washer...that is separate from other items.  They should not get fabric softener.Regardless, microfiber will not help you with weld splatter.Windex has abrasives in it, and should not be used on plastic.  You can use a squirt bottle with water with a wetting agent in it, like a drop of Dawn dishwashing detergent.  Then follow with the plastic polish, if you have fine scratches to fix.  Also polishing in one direction, like vertical or horizontal, will help, in that the scratches which result are less noticeable than circular scratches.  Aircraft plastic windshields are frequently polished vertically to minimize the effects of scratches.  Since much of the time looking out them is viewing horizontal features, like the horizon, the vertical scratches have less interference.  I agree that there is a market for a "hard" plastic which sheds dirt.
Reply:Winded does NOT have anything abrasive in it, but the ammonia will craze plastics. Dawn is much safer. Invisible Glass is good if you want something that doesn't need rinsing.